By Belay Biratu
There are moments in life when technology stops being an abstract idea and becomes deeply personal. For me, that moment came in 2022, after years of worsening lower-body pain that slowly took away my ability to sit, stand, work, and live with dignity. I had tried injections, steroids, physical therapy, and hope. Nothing gave me answers.
Then, during one of the most frightening moments of my life, advanced medical imaging changed everything. MRI scans revealed a large schwannoma pressing against my spinal cord. That diagnosis guided urgent surgery, and the surgery gave me back my mobility, my health, and my future. Health technology did not simply help me. It saved my life.
That life-course changed how I understand medicine & health technology. Although I had a career as a data scientist, I began taking biology, anatomy, and chemistry classes at Cañada College, first to better understand my own health, but soon to explore a deeper professional purpose. Through that journey, I came to see health technology as more than equipment in a hospital room. It became the reason a diagnosis was possible, a treatment plan could move forward, and hope could return.
With that new perspective, and with hopes of pursuing a career in health technology, I came to the Diversity by Doing HealthTech Pathways program. I entered with curiosity and gratitude. I left with confidence, direction, and a stronger belief that technology, when guided by human need, can restore dignity and improve lives.
Preparing for a career in health technology
DxD and Fogarty Innovation create a learning environment where students are not treated as passive observers. We are encouraged to think like problem-solvers, ask better questions, and understand the full pathway from clinical need to real-world solution. I learned that innovation begins with careful listening: What is the patient experiencing? What gap exists in care? What evidence supports the solution? What barriers might prevent access or adoption?
Pathways participants learn first-hand about medical devices in company tech showcases.
The program strengthened both my scientific thinking and my professional identity. Through team projects brainstorming, mentorship, presentations, and conversations with health technology leaders, I learned how to connect inquiry with action. I became more confident speaking about my background, my goals, and the perspective I bring as someone with experience in data science, teaching, and now the study of imaging sciences.
Meeting companies working at the edge of health technology made the experiences feel real and urgent. Learning from innovators at companies such as Element Science and Intuitive Surgical showed me how engineering, clinical insight, data, and patient-centered design can come together to address serious health problems. These experiences helped me see that health technology is not only about devices. It is about precision, safety, access, and better outcomes.
Planning the next step in healthtech
DxD also gave me practical tools for what comes next. I learned how to network with purpose, communicate my story professionally with the right experts in the field of my interest, contribute to team settings, and prepare for internship opportunities in the field. More importantly, I learned that my path does not need to be traditional to be valuable.
My next step is to continue learning and pursuing a career in health technology, particularly in neuroscience and MRI. I hope to help patients experience what I once needed most: clarity, accuracy, and compassionate care supported by powerful technology.
For future Pathways participants, my message is simple: bring your story, your questions, and your willingness to grow. DxD can help you turn lived experience into purpose. For companies seeking DxD graduates, you will find students who are curious, resilient, diverse in perspective, and ready to contribute.
Health technology changed my life. I now see a path to help it change the lives of others.
Learn more about the Pathways in Health Technology Program.