10 More Careers You Can Pursue with a Health Informatics Degree (and Why Your "Setbacks" Might Be Your Greatest Setup)

Want to know a well-kept secret about every successful person in health informatics? No one starts at the top - everyone has had setbacks, everyone was an intern once, and everyone had that nerve-wracking first day. (Yep, even the ones who seem to have the perfect career highlight reel now.) That brilliant analyst you follow? Once spilled coffee in their first meeting. That rockstar developer? Totally froze during their first presentation. Your professor (Taylor) was so nervous for her first day meeting the Vice President of the company that she wore two completely different shoes. Yes...unfortunately that is a true story. (Thank goodness no one noticed - both black loafers, but still!)

A Message For You

Here's a message I wish every student (and professional) could hear: everyone was an intern at one point. No one starts their career knowing everything—here's the kicker: you're not supposed to. You're expected to ask questions, to learn from those around you, to grow. I know so many of you get nervous about starting your first job, stepping into an internship, or even pivoting careers midstream. But let me tell you something: not knowing everything is exactly where you're supposed to be.

The most successful professionals are the ones who admit what they don't know and say, "I'm willing to learn."

Looking at someone successful, it's easy to think they did everything right—that they nailed every opportunity, avoided every mistake, had it all figured out from the start. But that's not the truth. What you don't see are the struggles, the pivots, the setbacks that shaped their path. I promise you—no one gets through their career unscathed.

Success Stories Aren't What They Seem

Take Thomas Edison—he failed over 1,000 times to invent the lightbulb, yet here we are, flicking switches without a second thought. Imagine if he'd quit after try number 10, thinking "Maybe this whole electricity thing isn't for me." We'd all be sitting in the dark! The lightbulb didn't just happen—it took persistence, resilience, and a willingness to learn from each failed attempt. Or how about J.K. Rowling, who was rejected 12 times before Harry Potter became a global success. Imagine those publishers now, kicking themselves for slithering away from the opportunity of a lifetime. Talk about a fumble-door. (Ha, see what I did there?)

I've learned far more from my mistakes than from the things I got right the first time. Every misstep has taught me something valuable—about my skills, my resilience, how to approach the next challenge. Those mistakes? They're where I found the real lessons.

Think about it: No one picks up a golf club and becomes a scratch golfer overnight. (Well, maybe Tiger Woods, but I'm pretty sure he's AI.) You try, you miss, you adjust, you try again. That's how growth works. That's how leaders are made.

Let's be honest—I'm a little biased (H2P!). I'm good, so I'll tell you my bias, but here's why it matters: when you don't know something, we give you the foundation to figure it out. That's the beauty of the immersive experience we built for you. When I say immersive, I don't mean dipping your toes in the water—we dunk you in it like a cookie into a tall glass of milk. (The good kind of dunk where the cookie soaks up every last drop of opportunity.)

10 Wild Health Informatics Careers (That Could Be Your Next Chapter)?

Let's dive into why we're here. In this third installment of "1000 Different Jobs You Can Get with a Health Informatics Degree," here are 10 health informatics careers you've probably never heard of—but they're out there, and they're wild.

1. Digital Twin Specialist

Salary Range: $85,000 - $130,000

Key Skills Needed: Python, Machine Learning, Unity/Unreal Engine, Healthcare Analytics

Companies Hiring: Mayo Clinic, Siemens Healthineers, GE Healthcare

Imagine creating a virtual "twin" of a patient to test treatments before they're applied in real life. Digital Twin Specialists work with simulations to model patient health outcomes and revolutionize personalized care.?

2. Medical Algorithm Auditor

Salary Range: $90,000 - $145,000

Key Skills: Python, R, Ethics in AI, Healthcare Regulations

Companies Hiring: Google Health, Microsoft Healthcare, Epic Systems

Not every algorithm is perfect, and errors in medical AI can cost lives. Auditors ensure healthcare algorithms are ethical, effective, and unbiased—making sure the "smart" systems don't cause dumb problems.

3. Smart Hospital Integration Manager

Salary Range: $95,000 - $150,000

Key Skills: Systems Integration, IoT Technologies, Healthcare Workflow Design

Companies Hiring: Johns Hopkins, Cleveland Clinic, Cerner

With hospitals getting smarter, someone has to ensure the sensors, IoT devices, and automation work seamlessly. This role optimizes workflows to improve patient care, reduce waste, and transform how hospitals operate.?

4. Health Gamification Strategist

Salary Range: $75,000 - $120,000

Key Skills: Game Design, Behavioral Psychology, UX Design, Healthcare Analytics

Companies Hiring: Fitbit, Apple Health, Samsung Health

If you've ever used an app that makes steps or medication tracking feel like a game, this is the person behind it. Strategists use health data and behavioral science to make staying healthy fun and rewarding.?

5. Virtual Reality Health Coach

Salary Range: $80,000 - $125,000

Key Skills: VR Development, Unity/Unreal Engine, Healthcare Protocols, Patient Education

Companies Hiring: Microsoft Healthcare, Meta Reality Labs, Medical Training Companies?

Health coaching has entered the metaverse. These professionals develop and deploy VR programs to help patients manage chronic conditions, rehab injuries, or prepare for procedures in a safe, virtual environment.

6. Predictive Analytics Specialist

Salary Range: $95,000 - $160,000

Key Skills: Advanced Statistics, Machine Learning, SQL, Healthcare Data Analysis

Companies Hiring: UnitedHealth Group, Optum, IBM Watson Health

This role focuses on forecasting health trends before they happen—whether it's identifying disease outbreaks, preventing hospital readmissions, or predicting which treatments will have the best outcomes for specific patients.

7. Robotic Surgery Data Analyst

Salary Range: $85,000 - $140,000

Key Skills: Robotics Systems, Data Analysis, Clinical Workflows, Medical Terminology

Companies Hiring: Intuitive Surgical, Medtronic, Stryker

Robots in the OR? You bet. These analysts collect and analyze data from robotic surgeries to refine precision, reduce errors, and improve patient recovery outcomes.

8. Bioinformatics Genomics Specialist

Salary Range: $90,000 - $150,000

Key Skills: Genomics, Python/R, Bioinformatics Tools, Database Management

Companies Hiring: 23andMe, Illumina, Major Research Hospitals

This role dives deep into genetic data, analyzing it to help researchers uncover new treatments, predict disease risks, and customize therapies based on individual DNA. It's cutting-edge, high-impact science at its best.

9. Voice Recognition Systems Developer

Salary Range: $85,000 - $135,000

Key Skills: Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning, Healthcare Terminology

Companies Hiring: Nuance, Microsoft, Epic Systems

Siri and Alexa are cool, but what about systems that listen to clinicians and automatically code procedures or chart patient notes? Developers make voice AI work seamlessly in healthcare environments.?

10. Environmental Health Informatics Analyst

Salary Range: $75,000 - $125,000

Key Skills: Environmental Data Analysis, GIS, Public Health Statistics

Companies Hiring: CDC, WHO, State Health Departments

Healthcare doesn't exist in a vacuum. This role analyzes environmental data—like pollution, water quality, or food deserts—and connects it to patient health outcomes to design healthier, more sustainable communities.

The Only Way Forward Is Through

Here's what I want you to really hear: It's okay if you haven't found your internship yet. It's okay if your last interview didn't go as planned. It's okay if you're feeling lost or uncertain. These aren't failures—they're stepping stones.

The question isn't whether you'll face setbacks—you will. The question is: What will you do next? After a tough interview, will you sit and wallow, or will you ask yourself, "How can I be better prepared next time?" After a rejection, will you see it as feedback helping you find where you truly belong?

Remember: You're not competing with anyone else. You're your own case and control. The only person you should compare yourself to is who you were yesterday. Those successful leaders you admire? They became good by learning from their mistakes, by seeing others manage poorly and thinking, "I'll do that differently."

Your Next Chapter

Stop seeing setbacks as failures. Start seeing them as data points guiding you toward where you're meant to be. Maybe that dream internship you didn't get is making space for an opportunity you haven't even imagined yet.

Share in the comments: What unexpected turn led you somewhere amazing? Let's learn from each other's journeys.

Stay tuned for next week's installment of "1000 Different Jobs You Can Get with a Health Informatics Degree." Your next lightbulb moment might just be one cookie-and-milk dunk away. H2P!

#HealthInformatics #CareerGrowth #Resilience #HealthTech #ProfessionalDevelopment #Healthcare