Jun 23, 2023
UPMC Enterprises: Summer Associates Point of View
While their time with us is brief, the UPMC Enterprises’ Summer Associates are valuable to our team and culture. They bring fresh ideas, offer new perspectives, and contribute to the Enterprises’ mission of transforming ideas into thriving businesses and life changing medicine.
At UPMC Enterprises, they’re gaining hands-on experience in the health care industry and will apply what they have learned here in their future professions and beyond. Become more acquainted with the 2023 UPMC Enterprises’ Summer Associates as they share their internship experience – from their viewpoint!
Digital Solutions
Zachary Bohn is from Los Angeles, CA. He graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a dual focus in Entrepreneurship and Corporate Strategy. He’s attending the University of Colorado Boulder for his Master’s in Creative Technology and Design.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: I was looking to work with startups in health care for a mission-driven company with kind, smart people. What stood out to me most about UPMC Enterprises was the focus on culture and how empathetic the people I met in the interview process were.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: Together – I feel like everyone in Enterprises works in real-time and wants everyone to succeed.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: I’ve been working on a prior authorization project, and one of the things that has struck me is the tricky incentives between payor, patient, and pharma.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: Prior authorization automation investment thesis – creating an investment thesis around the potential impact of automation in the prior authorization process and how UPMC should address the space.
Parachute – helping with implementation, marketing, and product discovery.
Generative AI – creating an introductory deck and materials to introduce the organization to generative AI.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: Collaborative – I think “Teamwork” is extremely important, and I feel lucky to work somewhere where that is emphasized.
Alice Levy is from Waccabuc, NY. She graduated from Elon University with a Bachelor’s in Strategic Communications and a double minor in French and Business Administration. She’s attending the University of Chicago Booth School of Business for her Master’s in Entrepreneurship, Finance, and Strategic Management.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: I was recruiting for both HealthTech VC and HealthTech Product Management; when I saw the UPMC Enterprises internship role, it felt like the perfect marriage between the two. During the interview process, I was really impressed by the members of the Digital Solutions team with whom I spoke, and I was inspired by the caliber of work being done here. It was clear the experience I would gain as a UPMC Enterprises intern would be invaluable largely because there is the unique opportunity to work on projects that are interesting and meaningful to you.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: Dynamic – there are so many moving parts of the workflow at UPMC Enterprises, and it feels like at each part, there is constant learning and innovation taking place.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: I feel I now have a better appreciation for how disruptive it is for a medical center to implement a new product and/or process. This highlights the importance of being meticulous and intentional in our investments.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: So far this summer, I’ve been working on a market development project that aims to enhance the go-to-market strategy for our portfolio companies.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: I feel I align with the “Disruptive” guiding principle; the primary reason I want to work in health care is to make the health care system meaningfully better and to achieve this, we must be change-makers!
Fernanda Bissaco Mazon is from Itatiba, Brazil. She graduated from Universidade Estadual de Campinas with a degree in Pharmacy. She’s attending the University of Chicago Booth School of Business for her Master’s in Marketing Strategy and Behavioral Science.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: In addition to UPMC Enterprises’ unique combination of health care expertise and investment capabilities, what stood out to me was the level of care demonstrated throughout the recruitment process. I had the chance to meet and interact with several people, and it was clear that this was a collaborative environment where I could learn and grow significantly.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: Transformative. UPMC Enterprises has the power to both transform the health care industry by fostering advancements in the field and transform the relationship between investors and investees by adding unique value to portfolio companies.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: Working at UPMC Enterprises has shown me the profound impact achieved when respected and established health care organizations like UPMC embrace new technologies and take the lead in implementing these innovative solutions.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: In my first weeks, I worked on a market and competitive landscape analysis for a follow-on investment in one of our portfolio companies, Sempre Health. Now, I’m exploring further opportunities for UPMC Enterprises to engage with Sempre Health and develop an investment thesis for Behavioral Eating.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: I align mostly with “Collaborative” as I enjoy interacting and learning from others. I appreciate that UPMC Enterprises encourages us to share, build, and achieve together.
Marketing
David Vargas-Garcia is from Lebanon, PA. He’s attending Robert Morris University for a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: I chose UPMC Enterprises as my internship because I love the philosophy of inspiring change through health care. Helping startups with amazing ideas I would love to see be implemented worldwide makes me feel good that I can be a small portion of saving someone’s life someday.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: Kindhearted is the one word I would use to describe UPMC Enterprises because everyone I have met here gets excited to help inspire change in someone’s life.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: Learning about where health care tech is going has opened my eyes and has me excited for what the future holds.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: Thus far, I have worked on market research, auditing all of our peer websites and social medias to gain insight into what they are doing within the health care tech industry and what we should be doing to continue growing within this industry. I have also worked on creating best practices for social media document to ensure Enterprises is maximizing engagement and exposure. Throughout these projects, I have gained a wonderful insight into the industry, and I am excited for all the other projects I have lined up this summer.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: I align most with the “Curious” guiding principle because I love to stay curious and continue learning. There is always something new to learn, which excites me because I will never become complacent.
MyUPMC
Shannon Gorny is from South Park, PA. She’s attending the University of Pittsburgh for a Bachelor’s in Information Science and Digital Media Certificate.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: I chose UPMC Enterprises because I’ve always wanted to help people and make a difference in their daily lives. Although I never imagined myself as a doctor or nurse, I was nevertheless interested in the health care sector and how technology is incorporated into digital solutions. Not only that, but the goals and focus of UMPC Enterprises stood out to me unlike any other.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: “Connected” is a good way to sum up UPMC Enterprises. Over the course of my time here, I’ve had the opportunity to witness everyone cooperating, valuing one another and our common goals, and interacting in ways I’ve never experienced in the real world before. In just a little over a month, I have already felt accepted and respected as someone who has little experience.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: It has made me more aware of how much more is expended behind the scenes. There are experienced professionals working nonstop to ensure that users and patients are satisfied inside and outside medical centers.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: I have been working with Nathan Grealish to understand front-end design better. Each day, I have learned something new in the Figma design tool while consistently adding adjustments to the MyUPMC interface. Recently, I watched the Find Care project transpire, which was intriguing. Our current focus is on Core Components and designing another version consisting of buttons, page layouts, and inputs. Aside from our hands-on work, I am also researching more on a Digital Assistant for possible future implementation.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: I would say I align most with “Curious.” During my internship here, I have kept an open mind and had a drive to learn more, as I am only a junior in college. UI/UX is a field of constant change. With curiosity comes creativity, which is essential in design. By being curious and not being afraid to ask questions, I have already made many UX discoveries I never knew before my time here. On top of that, Figma just released new features that I have yet to use. My knowledge can only grow more and more each day.
Technology Services
Anna An is from Jeju, South Korea. She’s attending Johns Hopkins University for a Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Neuroscience.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: I chose UPMC Enterprises as my internship because I believe technology can have a powerful impact on optimizing time, enhancing efficiency, and ultimately saving lives. UPMC Enterprises stood out to me for its strong commitment to leveraging innovative software solutions to impact patients’ lives in meaningful, lasting ways. The company’s extensive portfolio, filled with innovative solutions, demonstrated to me that this company has a high dedication to deploying technology to improve the quality of care and promote efficiency.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: Collaborative. It’s been a month since I joined UPMC Enterprises, and I was personally amazed by how smooth the communications were. These included between teammates, teams, and departments. Everyone was open to having a conversation when, for example, a sudden change happened, questions/errors emerged, and/or any new information was given.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: Working at UPMC Enterprises has truly opened my eyes to the intricacies and challenges of the health care industry. One aspect that stood out to me is the complexity of health care systems and the diverse range of stakeholders involved in delivering care. Not only patients but understanding the unique needs and pain points of health care providers, developers, designers, administrators, and other key players are crucial when building an innovative health care software platform. While developing a general software program may require communications between users, developers, and designers, developing a health care software program requires far more sophisticated communications because the industry itself includes a complexity in its system.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: For my first three weeks of internship, I was working on a project called Safar Telecare. Safar Telecare is a user-friendly workflow management platform where it connects clinical specialists with bedside clinical virtually, improves clinical outcomes and reduces patient-care delays, minimizes wait times, and eliminates technology barriers. From there, I learned so many things: work/management systems that developers use (Agile — Scrum/Kanban), various computer languages (Javascript, NodeJS, Vue), database systems and terms (MySQL, Docker), and more. But my biggest learning from those weeks was the work ethics of engineers in UPMC Enterprises. All the engineers I met were proud of and committed to their tasks and projects. They were not hesitant to help solve their fellow engineers’ errors/problems, devoting two to three hours straight. They strived to acquire knowledge by consistently exploring, questioning, and learning so that they could implement a better, improved solution. They were committed, collaborative, and explorative, which ultimately drives their projects/teams to success.
Now, I am about to start a new project called ParlaiQ, which is an internal system that lets UPMC nurses record patients’ satisfaction for their rounds. I am excited to be part of this project and actually to contribute to it, along with other senior engineers.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: I am an undergraduate student majoring in neuroscience and computer science, interested in arts and design. As an engineer, designer, and researcher, I strongly align with the “Collaborative” aspect of UPMC Enterprises’ guiding principles, which emphasizes sharing, building, and achieving together. This principle resonates with me because it recognizes the power of collective intelligence and teamwork in achieving our mission. My engineering, design, and biology-based background would drive the diverse expertise and perspectives of individuals from different backgrounds, thereby creating collaborative environments and innovative impact at UPMC Enterprises.
Christopher Chi is from New York, New York. He’s attending Carnegie Mellon University for a Bachelor’s in Mathematical Sciences, Discrete Math, and Logic Concentration.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: I chose UPMC Enterprises for a couple of reasons. For one, the office in Bakery Square is only about 5 minutes away from the apartment I am in for college. In addition to this, my mother works in health care, so I have had a good amount of exposure to the health care industry through her.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: The one word I would choose based on my experience so far would be “welcoming.” Everyone I’ve met so far has been extremely kind and welcoming to me and the other interns. I feel like UPMCE has done a good job at making interns feel welcome with various events, including the two baseball games, among other things.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: Working at UPMC Enterprises opened my eyes to how big of a role UPMC plays in the health care industry in western PA, being both a provider and payer. Seeing various presentations about how much UPMC invests in the industry and the various companies owned by UPMC made me realize how big UPMC really is.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: Thus far, I’ve been working on the next version of Bulk Extraction, and it will likely stay that way for most/all of my internship as the upgrade is expected to be complete sometime in August. What I’ve worked on specifically with regard to this project is to add some security scans to the development pipeline, so nothing is user-facing (yet), but I will certainly pick up more tasks as I go along.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: I align most with “Curious” because I’m always looking to learn new things, whether it be through this internship or other sources. I came into this internship not knowing much about the tech stack used here (AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, etc.), and I didn’t have much experience with the Java language, but I’ve been learning about everything throughout my time here.
Paige Counihan is from Houston, PA. She graduated from Chatham with a Bachelor’s in Data Analytics. She’s attending Carnegie Mellon University for a Master’s in Science in Information Security Policy and Management.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: I chose UPMCE because I grew up in Pittsburgh, so I’ve been fortunate to see UPMC as a company that lives up to its core values and mission statement through its actions over the years. I chose Enterprise because I liked the idea of working with a smaller group. During my interviews, the people stood out in particular. Everyone was genuine, bright, and passionate about their area of work, making it the ideal place and team to be a part of.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: Supportive. From my perception, Enterprises is determined to provide support in numerous ways, all for the main goal of advancing different areas of the health care industry. It can be seen through Enterprise’s portfolio with the different start-ups and their growth, or in the office with colleagues helping one another to aid in the production of day-to-day projects. Everyone has been eager to help and support others where it is needed, which is comforting as someone new to the industry and work field.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: So far, I haven’t encountered anything eye-opening about the industry, and it has lived up to what I imagined before coming to UPMC Enterprises. I’ve really enjoyed my time spent working at UPMC Enterprises. If the company is an accurate reflection of others in the industry, then the healthcare industry will be where I want to end up once completing my academic career.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: I’ve been creating a process to automatically generate reports on common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVE) detected from Paolo Alto’s Prisma Cloud within UPMCE’s systems and their coordinating EPSS scores. The EPSS scores are the probability that the vulnerability will be exploited within the next 30 days. Once the process is established, reports will be made available to others so they can take appropriate action to hopefully secure and mitigate the vulnerabilities. For this project, I am using python and different AWS services.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: Of UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles, the one I align with the most would be collaboration. In my academic career, I’ve noticed the time spent collaborating with others are the times I learn the most and where some of my best work is produced.
Anushri Veerarajan Hatti is from Bangalore, India. She graduated from the Visvesvaraya Technological University with a Bachelor’s in Information Science and Engineering. She’s attending the University of Pittsburgh for a Master’s in Computer Science.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: I chose UPMC Enterprises for my internship due to its reputation in health care, emphasis on innovation, and the opportunity to contribute to advancements in the health care industry.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: Welcoming. UPMC’s environment is inclusive and supportive and values collaboration, making it an inviting place to work and thrive.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in improving patient care.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: I have been primarily working on the software development for patient document management services.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: I align with the UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles of being Curious, Collaborative, and Disruptive. I believe these values resonate with my approach to problem-solving.
Enmin Li is from Beijing, China. He graduated from Huazhong Agricultural University with a Bachelor’s in Information Systems and Information Management. He’s attending the University of Pittsburgh for a Master’s in Information Science.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: As a student of the University of Pittsburgh, it would be my pleasure to work at UPMC Enterprise, the leading company at the intersection of health care and technology.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: Innovative. UPMC Enterprises is innovative, revolutionizing health care through technology and collaboration.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: At UPMC Enterprises, I had the opportunity to participate in several learning courses tailored to new hires. These courses expanded my knowledge of advanced health care concepts and emphasized the importance of a people-oriented approach.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: I work on Safar – it’s build on top of Vue, express, NodeJS, docker and k8s.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: I think I align with the curious principle since I keep learning advanced health care and technology knowledge so that I am able to provide better solutions to health care problems.
Translational Sciences
Jonathan Birabaharan, MPB, is from Reading, PA. He graduated from Ursinus College with a Bachelor’s in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Master’s in Pharmacy Business Administration.
He is currently pursuing his PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences (Clinical Translational Track) at the University of Pittsburgh.
Q: Why did you choose UPMC Enterprises as your internship?
A: During my internship search, UPMC Enterprises stood out to me as the ideal choice for several reasons. Having spent the last decade working in various roles within large pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and startups, as well as earning an MBA and a PhD, I recognized a significant gap in communication between scientists and business professionals. This lack of effective collaboration contributed to a low success rate in translating therapies from laboratory settings to actual patient care. I strongly believe that working in venture capital would provide me with the opportunity to contribute to the development of innovative companies while bridging the gap between scientific advancements and commercial success. The prospect of being exposed to a wide range of innovations is particularly thrilling for me. What attracted me to UPMC Enterprises, specifically its Translational Science group, is the presence of highly talented and dedicated individuals. I was eager to join this team because I saw it as an invaluable learning opportunity where I could gain insights and knowledge from experienced professionals in the field. Moreover, I share UPMC’s vision of constructing a “Bio-burgh,” and I am enthusiastic about playing a role in realizing that vision.
Q: Describe UPMC Enterprises in one word and explain why.
A: The word I would use to describe UPMC Enterprises is “Hope.” UPMC Enterprises instills hope in patients and their families by actively contributing to the advancement of life-saving therapies that may otherwise be unavailable to them. Through their dedication and commitment, UPMC Enterprises strives to improve the lives of patients by bridging the gap between scientific innovation and bedside care. Their work offers a glimmer of hope for those facing challenging medical conditions, promising the possibility of better treatment options and outcomes.
Q: Is there anything that’s opened your eyes to the health care industry by working at UPMC Enterprises?
A: Working at UPMC Enterprises has opened my eyes to the health care industry in profound ways. I have come to appreciate the transformative power of leveraging the abundant resources within UPMC medical facilities to develop innovative products and therapies. What sets UPMC Enterprises apart is their commitment to being more than just an investor; they actively seek partnerships with companies that share a common goal of improving patient outcomes. This patient-centric approach has reshaped my understanding of the health care landscape, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, resource utilization, and the ultimate objective of enhancing patient care.
Q: What projects have you been working on thus far during your internship?
A: During my internship at UPMC Enterprises, I have been primarily focused on a project centered around the topic of “Pain.” Recognizing the devastating impact of the opioid epidemic on our society, I am undertaking comprehensive research to understand pain from multiple perspectives. My project involves creating a detailed presentation that explores pain at the molecular level while also addressing the societal challenges associated with it.
Furthermore, I am actively seeking out alternative and novel therapies, as well as innovative devices, that have the potential to address this widespread Issue. By identifying promising solutions, I aim to help determine where UPMC Enterprises can make strategic investments and contribute to the development of effective and sustainable approaches to combat pain. This project allows me to combine my scientific background with my passion for improving patient lives, providing me with an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to addressing a critical health care challenge.
Q: Which UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles do you align with the most and why?
A: Among the UPMC Enterprises Guiding Principles, the one that resonates with me the most is “Curious.” I possess an unwavering thirst for knowledge and an innate curiosity that drives me to question and explore every aspect of the health care landscape. This mindset is especially critical when it comes to evaluating investments and ensuring the safety and well-being of patients. By embracing curiosity, I am able to delve deeper, uncover hidden insights, and gain a comprehensive understanding of the technologies and solutions under consideration. This approach not only enables me to make informed decisions, but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and innovation within the organization. Embracing the “Curious” principle empowers me to seek answers, challenge assumptions, and drive positive change in the health care industry.
