Blog Editor Compares FA Approach of Physicians, Scientists, and Engineers

Dan Buckland, an engineer in training to become a physician, is part of the editorial team of Medgadget (www.medgadget.com), an independent weblog written, edited, and published by a group of medical doctors and biomedical engineers. In a recent series of articles, Buckland wrote about how his training in different thinking styles leads to different failure analysis strategies.

Buckland defines three archetypes—physicians, scientists, and engineers—and discusses how they approach problems differently, including response to unexpected data or failure. He outlines and compares Morbidity and Mortality (M&M) meetings, Weekly Lab Meetings, and Incident Reviews in which members of the three groups, respectively, address failure and defend conclusions within their organizations. He observes that the peer-review aspect of these small group experiences, which often translate to presentations at large national meetings, is at times critical and tends to use the framework of each archetype’s trained method.

The articles are available at www.medgadget.com/2012/10/how-physicians-scientists-and-engineers-approach-unexpected-results-differently.html.

SAE International Announces DRBFM Program: Certificate and Certifications

SAE International is introducing a personnel credentialing program for earning a Certificate of Competency or Certification in the Design Review Based on Failure Modes (DRBFM) methodology. Created by industry professionals for industry professionals, the program was developed and segmented into three distinct levels to meet the needs of specific personnel. Exam questions align with the body of knowledge to address each of the three levels.

The DRBFM Process and Application Certificate of Competency is designed for individuals who require training and validation of knowledge in DRBFM process methodology. Job roles include product engineers, manufacturing engineers, quality engineers, supplier quality engineers, validation and test engineers, and facilitators, trainers, and consultants in all industries. This credential requires completing an Open-Enrollment training course and passing an online exam.

  • The DRBFM Professional Certification level, launching in February 2013, enables individuals to validate mastery of knowledge by applying valid DRBFM knowledge to scenario-based questions. This Certification is for professionals who participate as leaders of a DRBFM team and apply the methodology in their current professions. Passing an online exam results in Certification that is valid for three years.

  • The DRBFM Expert Certification level is due to launch in March 2013 and is for individuals to validate mastery of knowledge by scoring and reviewing DRBFM case studies. This Expert Certification is for professionals who facilitate, mentor, and train on the DRBFM methodology. Passing an online exam also results in Certification that remains valid for three years.

For more information: SAE World Headquarters, 400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001; tel: 724/776-4841; e-mail: certification@sae.org; web: www.saecredentialingalliance.org/go/drbfm.