My father, Govind P., has worked at Siemens Medical Solutions almost all my life and I never really knew exactly what he did at his job. So, I conducted this interview to help me get to know what my dad does for a living. During the interview, I was pleasantly surprised to learn so much new information about a field I didn’t know much about.

What is your job title?

I am a Senior Systems Engineer at Siemens Medical Solutions USA.

What got you interested in the field you work in?

When I was a kid, my brother sustained a head injury and was paralyzed. A scanner revealed that he had a big blood clot inside his skull which had to be drained immediately to reverse the paralysis. I was amazed by the fact that the scanner could reveal this without having to open up his skull. When I grew up, I wanted to learn how these scanners worked and build better scanners.

What kind of schooling/training was required for your job?

Strong foundations in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology were required for my job. A graduate degree in Engineering Discipline or Computer Science was also a requirement for my job. I also had to keep myself up to date with the developments in technology and medical diagnosis procedures.

What are the duties of your job?

I design systems such as, nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography scanners used for diagnosing various diseases. I also work with customers and other engineers to decide the best way to design these scanners.

What skills are needed to do your job?

To be a systems engineer, you need good communication skills because the job involves a lot of interacting with people. A strong knowledge of many engineering disciplines such as software, electronics and mechanics is also needed. Knowledge of how customers use the scanners in diagnosing diseases is a prerequisite of being a systems engineer. Good leadership skills are also required for this job because leading a team of engineers is an important part of building scanners.




What is your favorite part of you job?

My favorite part of my job is knowing that the outcome of my work is helping people get treated for their illnesses. I also like the fact that my job is challenging and I can never get bored of it.

What achievements have you made being a systems engineer?

An achievement I made as a systems engineer was being a key role in developing scanners which have revolutionized diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Working on designing new software that scans patients faster so that they get diagnosed quickly and accurately, is another accomplishment I have made at my job.


What advice would you like to give people interested in the field of Nuclear Medicine?

My advice would be to go to a hospital and see how technology such as, medical scanners help improve the quality of life of patients. In many cases, these scanners save patients’ lives by detecting diseases early so that they can be treated before it is too late. Getting into the field of Nuclear Medicine takes a lot of hard work but knowing that you are helping somebody makes it worthwhile.