Tatiana Fernandez-Botero had worked for more than a decade in healthcare but wanted to expand her career opportunities. After exploring her options for earning a master’s degree, she chose the Master of Science in Health Informatics program offered through USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine.
“I decided to go into this profession because it combines two of my passions, healthcare and technology,” said Fernandez-Botero in a recent interview. “This is a degree that will allow me to continue to grow professionally.”
Furthering a Career Through Education
A native of Colombia, Fernandez-Botero moved to the United States at the age of 12. Continuing her education after high school, she earned an associate degree as a physical therapy assistant and a Bachelor of Science in Life/Biomedical Sciences.
After working in healthcare for 12 years, she wanted a change. She searched for programs that combined healthcare and technology and offered an online format that would allow her to work while she earned her degree.
“I started researching different careers that would allow me an opportunity for career advancement, and that’s when I found the health informatics degree, and decided to pursue this degree,” she said.
The degree program teaches graduate students how to leverage advanced technology to support data-driven decisions in healthcare that improve operational efficiency and the quality of care delivery.
Fernandez-Botero earned her MS in Health Informatics in 2020. While she chose an online degree program because it provided the flexibility she needed, Fernandez-Botero said the reputation of USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine played a role in her decision.
“I liked the way the classes were broken down, since I could take one class at a time, and just focus on that class without feeling overwhelmed,” Fernandez-Botero said.
The USF Health Online Experience
Fernandez-Botero, who had taken online college courses in the past, came into the USF Health program prepared for learning remotely. However, she said one of the most valuable takeaways from the program was that she was able to make good friends and also meet them in person.
Her favorite course was Introduction to Healthcare Analytics “because I felt it challenged me the most.” Asked about any faculty who made a lasting impression, she named Dr. Athanasios Tsalatsanis, an associate professor and Director of Health Informatics MS program at USF Health’s Morsani College of Medicine.
Fernandez-Botero said the most difficult part of the program was “having to learn different analytical software in a short amount of time.”
She said the USF Health graduate degree will make an impact on her career options. The MS in Health Informatics degree “will open more doors for me since I can decide which path to take, versus just being classified under a single career path.”
She now works as an operations process analyst for a major healthcare system.
Support and Inspiration from Family, Classmates
When asked what advice she would give those considering applying for USF Health’s online health informatics graduate program, she said they should stick to their timeframe and agenda for earning a degree. She added that if people are not used to following a timeframe, then the online program is a “great resource since it will allow them to prioritize tasks and not feel so overwhelmed.”
Fernandez-Botero said she would rate the support she received throughout the application process as “a 10/10,” adding that it was a “very easy process.” She also said assistance from her student success coach allowed her to “[prepare for] my classes better and therefore plan accordingly and be ready for any expected challenges.”
She shared that support from friends, classmates and professors helped her complete the program. “It was very helpful for me to have the support of my classmates. But also, it was very helpful to have the professors respond to my emails very quickly whenever I needed an answer.”
As for inspiration, she didn’t have to look far. “My mom, she is unstoppable,” said Fernandez-Botero. “She recently obtained her doctorate degree in education.”
