Wendy Doran’s, RN path towards mastering data and health informatics is nearly complete.
Born and raised in Indiana, Wendy earned her undergraduate BA degree in Spanish from Indiana University and worked until deciding her next career move. She became interested in nursing and thought her Spanish skills might come in handy with patients. In 2010 she graduated from Ivy Tech in Indianapolis with an ASN degree and received her Registered Nurse (RN) certification.
“I worked in a few different areas as a nurse: the critical care unit, in surgery and in oncology,” Wendy said. “I’ve been in oncology for 10 years now and absolutely love it.”
In addition to her work in oncology, Wendy explains she also loves the informatics side of healthcare.
“I got to dabble a little bit in the informatics of healthcare at work and it gave me the data bug,” Wendy said. “That’s when I decided to research master’s programs for health informatics to further my knowledge and understanding of health informatics.”
Wendy research led her to Logan University’s Master of Science in Health Informatics (MS-HI) program, an online program teaching students about the power of data science in improving patient care and systems management. The MS-HI program offers various tracks, allowing students to customize their learning with their interests and goals. In addition to the program’s flexibility, the program offered a combination of informatics and leadership courses that interested Wendy, and she enrolled in 2021.
“I work full-time as a manager at Ascension St. Vincent cancer center, so I was worried about juggling the coursework,” Wendy explained. “But the program provides good work-life balance and is perfect for busy adults.”
Wendy describes the MS-HI program as an engaging, positive experience thus far.
“The information is so interesting and there’s an ease of learning because the classes are set up so well, you’re learning all this information but don’t even realize it. It feels organic,” Wendy said. “The program hits the mark on everything.”
Wendy adds that the MS-HI degree is perfect for any student—those who are in the workforce and going back to school, those who are just entering the workforce, and those who haven’t started at all.
“Everyone enrolled in this program brings something valuable to the table. We learn together and have developed a great relationship with one another,” Wendy said. “The faculty is also wonderful and so positive.”
After graduating from the MS-HI program, Wendy hopes to continue working in the healthcare industry, using her newfound knowledge to better assist patients and step into advanced leadership positions.
“Healthcare relies heavily on software and oncology is so complex. There are some IT systems that are used only for Radiation or Medical Oncology or Surgery. These systems must interface so the care teams can coordinate and provide complex care,” Wendy explains. “So, knowing the informatics piece of the healthcare puzzle and having these leadership skills will help me grow my career and make myself more marketable in the industry.”