Latest / The Career Change Podcast with Fexingo: Switching Fields, Bootcamps, and Reskilling / How Bootcamp Grads Can Break Into HealthTech
Transcript
- Lucas: So Luna, we've covered a lot of industries on this show, but today I want to talk about one that's been quietly hiring like crazy, and it's not one we've done before. Luna: Which one's that? Lucas: Healthtech. And not the flashy ai diagnosis stuff we keep hearing about. I'm talking about the more boring, but very real, world of remote patient monitoring platforms. Think devices that track blood pressure or glucose levels and send that data straight to clinicians. Luna: Right, that's a massive area, especially with the aging population. But what's the hook for bootcamp grads? I feel like healthtech has a reputation for being a closed shop. Lucas: Exactly, and that's the perception. But the reality is, these platforms need people who can build dashboards, integrate with electronic health records, and handle messy real-world data. And that's a lot of what bootcamps teach. Luna: But don't you need to know about HIPAA and all that stuff? I always thought that was a blocker. Lucas: It's a hurdle, but it's not a wall. You don't need to be a compliance officer. You need to understand the basic principles, like how to handle protected health information, and you can learn that quickly. The bigger challenge is understanding the workflow and the domain. Luna: So what's the actual demand? Give me a number. Lucas: Well, I don't have a precise job count, but I can tell you the remote patient monitoring market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of around 15 percent through the next few years, and that's fueling hiring. We're seeing everything from early-stage startups to giants like Philips and Medtronic expanding their engineering teams. Luna: Okay, so what's the one skill that makes a bootcamp grad stand out? Lucas: I'd say it's the ability to work with APIs and unstructured data. These platforms have to pull data from all kinds of devices, and that data comes in different formats. If you can demonstrate that you can clean that data and make it usable, you're already ahead of a lot of candidates. Luna: That makes sense. I remember reading about a nurse who did a bootcamp and then built a portfolio around visualizing patient data. She didn't have any formal tech background, but she got hired because she understood the clinical side and could code. Lucas: That's a great example. Luna, that's exactly the kind of story that should give hope to career switchers. The clinical background is actually a huge asset, not a liability. Luna: So what about the folks who come from, say, fintech or edtech? How do they bridge that gap? Lucas: Good question. Fintech grads have a leg up because they're used to dealing with sensitive data and strict regulations. That's very similar to healthtech. And edtech grads are used to building tools for non-technical users, which is what you're doing when you build a patient portal. Luna: So you're saying those past episodes we did on compliance and edtech actually pay off here? Lucas: Completely. The compliance angle is almost identical. And the edtech focus on user experience is exactly what healthtech needs. You're still designing for people who aren't tech-savvy. Luna: Now, what about the actual technical skills? Do you need to know HL7 or FHIR? I've seen those terms thrown around. Lucas: You don't need to be an expert, but you should know what they are. HL7 is a set of standards for exchanging health information, and FHIR is the newer, web-based standard. Knowing the difference shows you've done your homework. Luna: And how do you learn that without working in the field? Lucas: There are online tutorials, and you can also build projects using public datasets. For example, you could create a simple dashboard that visualizes blood pressure readings in a fhir compliant format. That's a portfolio piece that speaks directly to healthtech employers. Luna: So what's the biggest misconception bootcamp grads have about healthtech? Lucas: I think it's that you need a nursing degree or a clinical background. That's just not true. Yes, it helps, but a lot of the roles are pure software engineering. You're building the plumbing, not the stethoscope. Luna: That's a good way to put it. So it's really about knowing where to look. What kinds of job titles should people search for? Lucas: Look for 'integration engineer', 'product engineer', 'data engineer' at healthtech companies. Also, keep an eye on job postings that mention 'interoperability' or 'patient data'. Those are signals that they're building the kind of products we're talking about. Luna: And what's the best way to get past the 'no healthcare experience' filter? Lucas: Network. Find clinical informaticists on LinkedIn or at local meetups. They can give you insights and sometimes refer you. Also, contribute to open-source healthtech projects. That's a low-barrier way to get real experience. Luna: That's solid advice. I also read that some bootcamps are starting to offer specific healthtech tracks. Is that worth considering? Lucas: If you're early in your career switch, maybe. But if you're already a bootcamp grad, you don't need to go back to school. Just focus on building relevant projects and getting the domain knowledge you can pick up from articles and webinars. Luna: Can you share a specific example of a project that would impress a healthtech employer? Lucas: Sure. One idea is to build a simple app that lets a user input their blood pressure readings and then visualizes the trends over time. The catch is to make it hipaa aware in the way you handle the data, even though it's a demo. That shows you understand the constraints. Luna: That's smart. How long do you think a project like that would take? Lucas: A couple of weekends. You don't need to make it perfect. The goal is to have something you can talk about in interviews. Luna: And what about certifications? Are there any that are worth getting? Lucas: The Certified Professional in Health Information and Management Systems, or CPHIMS, is a well-known one, but it's not required. Honestly, a portfolio and a good understanding of FHIR might get you further than a certification. Luna: So, we've given a lot of practical advice today. I hope our listeners find it useful as they think about their next move. Lucas: And if today's episode did help you, the way we keep these conversations going is through listener support. You can buy us a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. It's a small gesture that keeps the show ad-free, so we can keep bringing you these deep dives. Luna: Yeah, every bit helps. And we appreciate everyone who's been with us on this journey. Lucas: So, to wrap up, healthtech is a golden opportunity for bootcamp grads who are willing to learn the domain. The key is to get comfortable with data, understand the basics of compliance, and build something that shows you get it. Luna: And don't be afraid to reach out to people in the industry. A little networking can go a long way. Lucas: Absolutely. Next time, we're going to look at how bootcamp grads can break into the world of legaltech. It's another niche that's hungry for developers. Luna: That sounds intriguing. I'm already thinking about the compliance angle there. Lucas: Exactly. We'll see you then.