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Shailja, Data Scientist at Cohere Health: Advize Career Interview

Shailja's journey from neuroscience research and EMT work to a data scientist role at Cohere Health showcases a rewarding career path in health tech.

The transition involved leveraging existing healthcare knowledge, developing data science skills through a rotational program, and mastering tools like Python, R, and SQL. Cohere Health's work focuses on automating healthcare prior authorizations, directly impacting patient care and significantly reducing wait times.

A typical day involves collaboration, coding, and communicating complex technical findings to non-technical stakeholders, highlighting the crucial importance of both hard and soft skills.

Success in this field requires resourcefulness, a passion for problem-solving, and effective communication.

Shailja's advice to aspiring data scientists emphasizes practical coding experience, relevant domain knowledge, and the pursuit of challenging, technically-focused projects, such as those involving predictive analytics.

Mentorship and a supportive environment also play a key role in career advancement.

The work, described as intellectually stimulating and impactful, offers a strong work-life balance and high compensation while contributing to "tech for good."

Advizer Information

Name

Job Title

Company

Undergrad

Grad Programs

Majors

Industries

Job Functions

Traits

Shailja Somani

Data Scientist

Cohere Health

Johns Hopkins University, 2020

Currently pursuing my MS in Applied Data Science at the University of San Diego (part-time online while working full-time)

Psychology

Technology

Data and Analytics

Greek Life Member, LGBTQ

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Career Path Of A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Initially pursuing a pure healthcare path with neuroscience research and EMT work, Shailja reevaluated career goals, considering work-life balance and debt before opting for a data science route. This led to a rotational program, allowing "a little bit easier of an entry into a data science world" by leveraging their healthcare background and ultimately securing a data scientist position at a health tech startup after further skill development and traditional interviewing.

Career Path Of A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Main Responsibilities Of A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Shailja, a Data Scientist at Cohere Health, builds machine learning algorithms that automate healthcare prior authorizations, significantly reducing the three-to-five-week waiting period for patients needing complex treatments. This involves "analytics and data" analysis to identify opportunities for automation, and directly creating the predictive models that automatically approve or flag cases for manual review, ensuring no patient is denied care.

Main Responsibilities Of A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

A Day In The Life Of A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

A typical day for a data scientist at Cohere Health involves a brief team stand-up to address blockers, followed by collaboration with product, clinical, and medical teams to gather input and provide data-driven solutions. The work also includes independent coding, and documentation to ensure accessibility of results.

A Day In The Life Of A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Most Important Skills For A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Shailja, a Data Scientist, emphasizes that while hard skills like Python, R, SQL, and data visualization tools are crucial, "soft skills are sometimes a little bit even more important." This includes translating doctor's requests into actionable data projects, effectively communicating findings, and presenting "interesting insights" to influence their understanding and project direction.

Most Important Skills For A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Favorite Parts of Being a Data Scientist at Cohere Health

Shailja, a Data Scientist at Cohere Health, finds immense satisfaction in directly impacting patient care, with doctors regularly noting that Shailja's work "allow[s] my patient to get surgery five weeks early." Equally rewarding is the intellectually stimulating nature of the work, which Shailja describes as "fun puzzles" solved through coding.

Favorite Parts of Being a Data Scientist at Cohere Health

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Shailja's biggest challenges as a Data Scientist at Cohere Health involve "data wrangling," transforming messy healthcare data like "doctors' notes that are literally scribbled," into usable formats. A second key challenge is effectively communicating complex technical findings and limitations to non-technical stakeholders.

Biggest Challenges Faced By A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Health Tech Industry As A Data Scientist

Shailja, a data scientist at Cohere Health, finds the most rewarding aspect of her career is "using tech for good" in the health tech industry, enjoying both the work-life balance and high compensation of a tech job while making a positive impact on doctors' and patients' lives. This allows Shailja to avoid contributing to technologies that may be viewed as intrusive or unethical.

Favorite Parts Of Working In The Health Tech Industry As A Data Scientist

What Type Of Person Thrives In The Health Industry, According To A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

Data science thrives on individuals who enjoy "working independently" and solving complex problems, even when facing hours of debugging; a passion for the domain and the ability to effectively communicate with non-technical stakeholders are also crucial for success in this field.

What Type Of Person Thrives In The Health Industry, According To A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

What A Data Scientist At Cohere Health Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Data Science Industry

Shailja, a data scientist, advises aspiring data scientists to prioritize resourcefulness over encyclopedic knowledge, stating that the field constantly evolves with tools like "chat GPT," which didn't exist recently. Successfully navigating this dynamic landscape hinges on effectively utilizing online resources and adapting tools to specific projects, rather than mastering every technique.

What A Data Scientist At Cohere Health Wishes They Had Known Before Entering The Data Science Industry

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Data Scientists

Entry-level data science roles include "associate data scientist" and "data engineer," while related positions like "data analyst" or "product analyst" offer valuable stepping stones; Shailja suggests proactively seeking "more technical projects" and "Predictive Analytics projects" to advance a career in data science.

Entry-Level Positions For Aspiring Data Scientists

Significant Career Lesson From A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

To prepare for a data science career, Shailja emphasizes two key areas: practical coding experience, even if "it wasn't always flashy," gained through seeking out opportunities like assisting professors with data analysis; and relevant domain knowledge, citing their background in neuroscience and EMT work as crucial for understanding healthcare data and effectively collaborating with clinicians. This combination of technical skills and domain expertise, Shailja suggests, makes one a more valuable and effective data scientist.

Significant Career Lesson From A Data Scientist At Cohere Health

College Experiences Helping a Data Scientist at Cohere Health Succeed

Shailja, a data scientist, advises young women in tech to "let their work speak for itself," emphasizing the importance of self-confidence and strong performance. However, she also stresses the value of seeking out supportive environments and "go[ing] where your champion" is, highlighting the significance of mentorship and workplace culture in career success.

College Experiences Helping a Data Scientist at Cohere Health Succeed
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