Upon acceptance into the University of Pittsburgh Health Informatics (HI) undergraduate program my sophomore year, I really had no idea what to expect. I figured maybe I’d end up part of hospital management or–best case scenario–become a hospital administrator. The program enabled me to dive deeper into an industry I didn’t think I would be capable of working in, and I had no idea I could become a data analyst. Throughout my first semester of study, I realized that I was gaining the credentials to sit in meetings with managers and partners in the consulting world.
During my junior year, I applied to multiple companies in a variety of industries for my internship. Deloitte, a highly regarded consulting firm with fantastic credentials, emailed me back for an interview. I went into an intensive week of interview preparation filled with HI faculty and advisor meetings. After meeting with Deloitte, I accepted an offer in their Summer Scholar Program about a month later.
Throughout my spring semester, I took courses without knowing how relevant they would be during my summer internship. At Deloitte, I was able to grasp conversations about data and make the best impression possible. Deloitte did a great job of matching me to a client relevant to my background, and I was able to fit right into the team environment. I worked on project proposals, created deliverables from client workshop data, and overall deepened my understanding of technology implementation in a large-scale business setting. After a summer-long investigation into the consulting world, I determined this is something I’d want to be a part of. The collaborative setting was perfect for me, and I was well-prepared for it because of the HI program. The smooth transition kept me relaxed and enabled me to experience as little imposter syndrome as humanly possible, especially as a health and rehabilitation science student in the world of business!
As I walked into my decision meeting on the last day of my internship in August, I was nervous. I fulfilled my team’s needs and definitely learned plenty of new skills on the job, yet there was so much on the line. Walking out, I was able to share nothing but amazing news–I received a fantastic offer! Upon graduation in the spring, I will be joining Deloitte as a full-time systems analyst. Since my offer, I have only become more confident going into the workforce. My senior year in the Pitt Health Informatics program has been phenomenal preparation. I truly cannot express how important the program has been in my achievements. A degree in Health Informatics has been my greatest academic accomplishment.
