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Katherine Navarro earned a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Texas A&M University and currently serves as a biomedical engineer in HTM Operations for the VHA Office of Healthcare Technology Management (HTM).
TechNation recently found out more about her via a question-and-answer session.
Q: Where did you grow up?
A: Growing up, my dad was in the Army, so we moved around every few years. I lived in Huntsville, Alabama; Fort Hood, Texas; White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico; and Washington, D.C.; but I lived the longest in Huntsville, so that is what I consider my “hometown.”
Q: Where did you receive your HTM training/education?
A: I attended Texas A&M University where I received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering, and after graduation, I was accepted into the VA’s Technical Career Field (TCF) training program for biomedical engineers. I trained under an experienced biomedical engineer for two years at the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System in Temple, Texas before moving to a staff biomedical engineer position at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in San Antonio, Texas.
Q: How did you first discover HTM?
A: I first discovered biomedical engineering at a college day at Texas A&M before I started my freshmen year. I had originally been accepted to attend the university with a major in biomedical science, hoping to go to vet school, but after talking with the biomedical engineering representatives, I was so fascinated with the research and medical technology they were involved in that I immediately changed my major. During college, though, my career track was in device design and manufacturing. It was not until I attended a BMES meeting where the Central Texas VA HTM staff presented that I learned about the HTM career. I loved the idea of working in a hospital and applying my biomedical engineering expertise to health care.
Q: Why did you choose to get into this field?
A: Growing up, I was always interested in the medical field, and after learning about biomedical engineering and HTM, I thought it was the perfect career for me to apply my love of math, science and problem solving to the medical field. I chose to join the VA because I was raised with an appreciation for serving our country, and I wanted to give back to the veterans like my dad and help provide safe, high-quality health care for them.
Q: What do you like most about your position?
A: I love the mission of the VA to care for our nation’s veterans, and I love all the people I get to work with, especially now at the national level. I meet so many different people who are passionate about what they do. I love being able to serve and support them in projects and initiatives to improve and expand the care and services in the VA.
Q: What interests you the most about HTM?
A: I love learning about all the new medical technology. There have been so many advances in technology, even in the 14 years I’ve been in the field, that it is always interesting to see what new technology is out there that we can implement in the VA.
Q: What has been your greatest accomplishment in your field thus far?
A: My greatest accomplishment in my field thus far was earning my CCE, but now I would say it is being recognized with the 2023 AAMI Young Professional Award.
Q: What goals do you have for yourself in the next 5 years?
A: I want to continue to grow in my role with the VHA Office of HTM in the HTM Operations division. I also want to continue to serve the HTM community through volunteering with the American College of Clinical Engineering (ACCE).
Next Gen Nomination
