St. Clair College Prof. James Linton is in the running to become TechNation's Biomedical Engineering Educator of the Year at this year's Tech Choice Awards.
Prof. Linton has been at St. Clair College since 2019 and is the program coordinator and a professor in the Biomedical Engineering Technology program.
Linton says the nomination is meaningful because it validates the work he's doing to shape the program and build the next generation of health care technology professionals.
"This field is often behind the scenes, yet absolutely vital to patient care—and educators are the bridge between technical excellence and real-world impact," Prof. Linton says. "To be honoured in this way means my efforts to mentor, innovate, and elevate the profession are resonating. It's not just a personal achievement—it's a reflection of the community I'm trying to help build and the careers I've helped launch."
Before working at St. Clair, Linton was the Director of Equipment Services for the Canadian Blood Services and Director of Biomedical Technology at Woodstock Hospital.
He's passionate about training the next generation of technologists – but also shaping students into health care professionals through regular curriculum updates aligned with national best-practices.
"We teach through real-life scenarios, often replacing traditional exams with hands-on problem solving, because that's how the job works in the real world," says Prof. Linton. "But just as important is our focus on customer service and people skills—our grads know how to communicate, collaborate, and support clinical teams."
"And our commitment doesn't end at graduation. We stay available as mentors, helping our alumni navigate their careers and continue growing long after they've left the classroom," he adds.
Linton's research into standards-based staffing and looming staff shortages in the BMET sector has been published, where his findings indicate a retirement boom, creating tremendous opportunity for emerging graduates to enter the field.
He also serves as co-chair of the AAMI Standards Committee and often speaks at conferences about his experiences implementing virtual reality and extended reality technologies in biology and Healthcare Technology Management in the classroom.
"TechNation proudly continues to celebrate the dedicated professionals of Healthcare Technology Management (HTM) with the third annual Tech Choice Awards—also known as the Wrenchies," reads the Tech Choice website. "These awards honour the outstanding individuals and innovations shaping the HTM industry."
Linton hopes the acknowledgement helps boost opportunities for students in the field.
"At the end of the day, this recognition isn't just about me—it's about the students who've gone on to do incredible things, the colleagues who've helped shape this program, and the healthcare professionals who rely on our graduates every day," Linton says. "It's a reminder that education in this space is more than technical—it's human."
Voting for this year's Tech Choice Awards runs through to the end of January 2026. To vote, please click here.
"I'm proud to be part of a program that never stops evolving, never stops challenging, and never stops showing up for the students," Linton says.