Future-Proof your career in Digital Health: Tips and Resources I Wish I Knew earlier (Part 2)

If you haven’t read my story about finding a way to build my career in healthtech/ digital health, I recommend you do so to better understand the landscape of healthtech/digital health careers before diving into my resources. I’m sharing all these resources to give back, and I hope you appreciate the time it took to put them together and pay it forward!

Why?

The advancements in technology are moving at a fast pace, making it nearly impossible for academic curricula to adapt quickly enough. Many of us are trying to move forward and learn because we are frustrated by our inability to engage in the development of the technology we use every day. This technology often doesn’t adequately consider the needs of clinicians. Additionally, many of us see the opportunities this area offers for professional careers and to improve people’s lives on a larger scale.

But in what?

My suggestion is to engage in areas that spark your curiosity.

Want to be a generalist? Try them all! Want to be a specialist? Concentrate on specific areas. Some people prefer to specialize in a specific area, while others engage in a variety of areas and expertise. It really depends on what you value and the type of career you want. For example, I tried to engage in areas across a broad spectrum to understand the complexity of working in digital health tech/entrepreneurship. However, I decided to specialize in data science/AI for healthcare, aligning with my clinical and public health background and personal interests. Yet, I still want to learn more about other areas when I have the time.

Below, I discuss three areas in digital health that I am exploring in more detail.

1. Data Science

As a child, I imagined a future where access to vast amounts of information and data could optimize healthcare. Today, data science is making that dream a reality.

Data science is an interdisciplinary field that combines techniques from statistics, artificial intelligence, computer science, and domain expertise to extract insights and knowledge from structured and unstructured data. It involves data collection, cleaning, analysis, visualization, and interpretation, using various tools and algorithms to solve complex problems, make predictions, and inform decision-making.

With improvements in data accessibility and quality, data science will continue to evolve. Plus, skills in this field are transferable to other industries, and there is plenty of free training available.

Skills to Develop:

- Statistical Analysis

- Programming (Python, R)

- Machine Learning

- Data Visualisation

Resources:

- Online Courses: Coursera (Deep Learning AI), edX, DataCamp

- Books: Python Data Science Handbook by Jake VanderPlas

- Communities: Kaggle, healthcare data challenges, bootcamps sponsored by the UK government

2. Product Management and Design Thinking

At a recent conference, it was revealed that only a limited number of people are working in user-centered design in the NHS. This gap presents a significant opportunity for those who love building user-friendly products.

Embracing roles such as user research, UX design, and product management can positively impact how healthcare solutions are developed and implemented. User researchers gather deep insights into the needs and pain points of patients and healthcare professionals. UX designers create intuitive, user-friendly interfaces. Product managers oversee the entire development process, ensuring solutions are innovative, practical, and aligned with user needs.

Skills to Learn:

- Project Planning and Execution (Agile, Prince 2, Lean)

- User Experience (UX) Design

- Prototyping and Testing

Resources: (Experts in the field can suggest useful courses but I learned my skills during the MIT Bootcamps)

3. Funding Acquisition

Funding acquisition is crucial for developing impactful projects. Whether through grants, crowdfunding, venture capital, or angel investors, understanding finance is essential. As Robert Shiller explains, 

“Finance is beautiful because it conveys what wonderful things can happen, how people can let their creativity become reality.”

Getting a substantial grant requires expertise and collaboration. This is a vital skill for those wanting to develop projects that benefit patients and improve healthcare systems.

Skills to Learn:

- Grant Writing

- Budget Management

- Networking

Resources:

- Workshops and courses on grant writing

- Mentorship from experienced professionals

How?

Your role in digital healthcare can take many forms. Opportunities often arise through networking and sometimes a bit of luck. Keep pushing forward, especially if you face barriers. But mostly you can find a variety of opportunities in many different areas: 

Academia: In academia, you can pursue roles in enterprise or tech support, where you help bridge the gap between research and practical application. Alternatively, you can dive into research opportunities, contributing to groundbreaking studies and innovations in digital health. Academia offers a structured environment with access to resources and collaborative networks, making it an excellent choice for those who enjoy continuous learning and scholarly contributions.

Start-Up World: The start-up world is perfect for those who thrive on innovation and want to bring new ideas to life. In this dynamic environment, you can build businesses from the ground up, working on cutting-edge technologies and solutions. It’s a fast-paced, hands-on experience that requires creativity, resilience, and a willingness to take risks, but it can be incredibly rewarding as you see your ideas take shape and potentially revolutionize healthcare.

Industry: Working in the industry allows you to understand and contribute to the commercialization of health tech solutions. You’ll operate within structured organizations, gaining insights into large-scale operations, regulatory environments, and market dynamics. This path offers stability and the opportunity to work with established technologies, providing a solid foundation for those who prefer a more predictable career trajectory.

Entrepreneurship: Entrepreneurship is for those who want to create their own path and build a vision from scratch. While it comes with significant risks, the potential rewards are high. As an entrepreneur, you have the freedom to innovate and develop solutions that can have a profound impact on healthcare. This path requires strong leadership, a clear vision, and the ability to navigate uncertainties, but it offers the ultimate opportunity to make a significant mark in the digital health landscape.

Where?

Opportunities to learn are endless and require an active approach to building your curriculum:

UK:

- Health Data Research UK (PhD Data Science)

- NHS Digital Academy ( Several available courses and opportunities)

- NHS Clinical Entrepreneurs ( highly recommend! Excellent leadership, culture , programme, and the best of all the people!)

- Digital Health networks ( Summer Schools and mentorships programme — this is particularly good if you want to build your digital career in the NHS)

- Startup Venture programs ( there are several around but can’t recommend as I haven’t done any, do your research well)

- Government Bootcamps: AI, Software engineering, Marketing ( great if you want to have hands on experience, not great theoretically usually)

USA:

- MIT Bootcamps ( highly recommend, but it is expensive) - Startup Venture programs  - Fellowships in digital health

Europe:

- European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Health - Top Female Founders Summer School in Vienna

I hope now you can feel inspired to take control of your learning journey and build your own curriculum. 

The opportunities are out there! Good luck!