OFFICIALS OF A REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE OF HOSPITALS, BIOMEDICAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS, AND MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES IN NEW ENGLAND AND THREE MIDDLE ATLANTIC STATES WERE INTERVIEWED TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR TECHNICIANS TO SERVICE AND MAINTAIN EQUIPMENT FOUND IN HOSPITALS AND BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. RESPONSES INDICATED A NEED FOR BETWEEN 1,350 AND 1,450 TECHNICIANS ON CURRENT STAFFS AND BETWEEN 3,200 AND 3,700 BY 1970. FOUR TYPES OF TECHNICIANS WERE IDENTIFIED ACCORDING TO FUNCTIONS AND CAPABILITIES--(1) SERVICE AND MAINTENANCE ONLY, (2) OPERATION, INSTRUCTION IN USE, AND INSTALLATION, (3) DESIGN, MODIFICATION, AND ADAPTATION, AND (4) SALES-ORIENTED FUNCTIONS. ON THE BASIS OF THE INTERVIEW DATA AND DISCUSSIONS AT A CURRICULUM CONFERENCE, THE GENERAL STRUCTURE AND PRELIMINARY OUTLINE OF A 2-YEAR CURRICULUM WERE DEVELOPED TO FORM A TENTATIVE FOUNDATION FOR DETAILED DEVELOPMENT, PILOT TESTING, AND EVALUATION. THE CURRICULUM WAS ESSENTIALLY AN ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN CURRICULUM WITH A STRONG EMPHASIS ON MEDICAL INSTRUMENTATION. IT CONTAINED A UNIQUE COMPONENT ON BIOMEDICAL EQUIPMENT TECHNIQUES, AS WELL AS ENGLISH, PHYSICS, AND MATHEMATICS. RECOMMENDATIONS WERE--(1) TO ESTABLISH A MINIMUM OF 50 PROGRAMS IN GEOGRAPHICALLY DISPERSED EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO MEET THE DEMAND FOR 2,000 TECHNICIANS PER YEAR, (2) TO UNDERTAKE MAJOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT RATHER THAN TO COMBINE EXISTING COURSES, AND (3) TO CONTINUE INTENSIVE RESEARCH TO DEVELOP AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE TYPE OF CURRICULUM ADAPTABLE TO NUMEROUS POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS. (JK)