I landed on biomedical equipment technology and haven't looked back. After getting my associate degree, I immediately found a job at a local hospital as a biomedical equipment technician.

A career in medical equipment repair can pay $65,000 annually and offer job security and growth in a field that's facing a labor shortage.

Ye and BME Associate Professor Guy German are beginning to test UV's effectiveness. "This is a fundamental study that has to be done before this technology can be put into use in a hospital," Ye said.

At least 1,400 deaths have been caused by faulty medical gear – and a shortage in key hospital workers mean fatalities are rising, say doctors.