Lina Gant has always had a passion for architecture and design. While studying interior design in college, the Kyrgyzstan native had the opportunity to study abroad in Italy, eventually moving to Europe to pursue her passion.
While in Europe, she discovered another passion: her future husband, who was a U.S. Army officer stationed in Europe. When the couple moved to the U.S., Gant “began experiencing healthcare” in a new way, particularly the challenges of moving between different types of healthcare systems.
“In Italy, universal healthcare was available, but the military unified healthcare really wasn’t,” she explains. “When we moved to the states, our healthcare records were lost, moving from one base to another. It was not unified, no interoperability with our records, and I started developing an interest in the administrative part of healthcare.”
A new interest and career trajectory were born. Gant earned her B.S. in Health Administration and Systems Management from George Mason University in 2016, where she “learned a lot about the systems, healthcare economics [and] how the American system worked.”
“I was surprised how much we can do if we utilize the technology and the informatics,” she says. “Continuity of care is the most important part, in my opinion, and informatics can help with that.”
Developing Applicable Tools
Her interests in bridging the interoperability between healthcare systems and a desire to advance her career in healthcare research led Gant to pursue her Master of Science in Health Informatics from the University of South Florida’s Morsani College of Medicine.
Working at Moffitt Cancer Center, a partner organization with USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine in the research and development of cancer treatments, Gant was already familiar with the outstanding work of the College and the USF Health programs.
When she moved into the pathology department at Moffitt, Gant saw an opportunity to grow in her career with the right education.
“I thought a degree in informatics would get me closer to what I wanted to do: Clinical analyst or [working] with research data,” she explains. “As soon as I completed the program, I was able to move to the position that uses data management and analytics to monitor clinical trials in cancer research.” She currently works as a Research Data Specialist at Moffitt.
Earning her master’s degree has not only provided a valuable credential for career advancement, but the knowledge gained in the informatics program is also “actively helping me in my current role,” Gant says.
“I was able to develop a database for one of my pathologists who is working on research,” she explains. “We are now able to look in the database and save time. It’s a more efficient way to keep the slides.”
In fact, the database Gant developed started as a project in her Health Data Management course. Gant can look to multiple courses in the program and point to beneficial experiences and skills gained.
True to its name, the Managerial Communications course fostered communication on a deeper level. “Students were able to discuss topics that were related to the program, but were much more engaging,” Gant says of the course that she “had fun while working on.”
All that Gant gleaned from her fellow students, her professors and the program curriculum came together in her favorite course: “The last class we had, the Case Studies [in Health Information Management] course, was the course that combined everything we’ve learned into one, 8-week course, and it was a wonderful ending to the program.”
Staying Engaged Online and in Life
For Gant, staying engaged as an online student applied to both her classwork and in her daily life. The online convenience of the program allowed her to do both.
“Online school is wonderful. You can work anywhere you are in the world,” she says. “In fact, last November, I traveled to Europe for two weeks, and I was able to study. You can work while you’re traveling. You can read your assignments while you’re on your lunch break from work.”
While the online nature of the program “allowed me to work at my own pace,” says Gant, it also called for some additional life-balancing on her part.
“Some of the challenges I experienced while working on my degree was balancing the work, family, self-care,” she explains. “My husband retired and took over taking care of my kids, and my kids were always there to support me. My family is a wonderful family, and if everyone could have support like that, everyone can succeed.”
Gant’s top advice to online students is to have fun, have a support system and to take care of themselves.
“I had to put some things to the back burner in order to focus on school,” she admits, but the “important thing is to make the right choice. Don’t push your support system away. Find time to meet with friends…encourage them to be with you and involve them in your school—get them involved while you’re thinking about a project or trying to understand the assignments. It actually helps.”
And for those who may find themselves struggling, Gant advises them to reach out to the USF Health faculty. “They will understand. They always do,” she emphasizes. “If you have an issue, they’re very supportive and responsive.”
An additional source of support for students in USF Health’s online program is the Student Success Coach.
“She was always there for me, to support me, every step of the way,” Gant says of her Student Success Coach, Quieta. “She would call me every week to ask me how I was doing and if I’m moving along with my studies.”
Quieta’s encouragement and advice on how Gant could best combine her courses allowed Gant to complete her degree in one year, keeping her on track in pressing towards her goals.
“My goal is to become a clinical analyst or research analyst, and the degree in health informatics from USF Health can help me reach my goal.”
See how the Master of Science in Health Informatics from USF Health can help support your career goals.
