From professional practicum to full-time job offer: Breaking into the health-care sector
Ahmad Syed (MHI '20) started graduate studies with a clear vision – he wanted to work on the non-clinical side of health care. With this goal in mind, he pursued the Master of Health Informatics (MHI) program at the University of Waterloo.
Ahmad chose the MHI because of its flexible format, academic curriculum and the built-in opportunity to get hands-on experience through a professional practicum. His hard work paid off when his practicum placement evolved into a full-time job offer. Now a graduate, Ahmad is working as a Surgical Clinical Analyst at William Osler Health System.
In his work, Ahmad is responsible for translating important metrics into meaningful insights for his organization. This data provides evidence of successes and shortfalls in the health system and informs senior leadership in making decisions that will enhance health quality and clinical standards. As an analyst, Ahmad is constantly flexing his communication skills to disseminate information in a way that is meaningful for his stakeholders.
Ahmad credits the MHI program for preparing him well for the field. His course deliverables closely aligned with the work he does now, and his team assignments helped him hone the soft skills he uses every day. Attracting many professionals from the health-care field, the MHI also offered a vibrant learning environment where Ahmad learned with – and from – classmates with a wide range of experiences and perspectives.
With hard work, planning and passion, Ahmad paved a path to his dream job. Now, his efforts have turned to driving meaningful change in the health-care system.
Ahmad’s
advice
for
those
considering
the
MHI
program:
“Going
in,
it’s
advantageous
to
have
a
high-level
understanding
of
programming.
This
was
a
bit
intimidating
for
me
as
I
did
not
have
any
prior
knowledge
or
skills.
However,
with
a
few
resources
recommended
by
the
MHI
program,
I
figured
it
out.
In
my
opinion,
the
only
prerequisites
are
passion
and
persistence.”