Making A Career Of Health IT

Michelle Maly provides insight into her career path from Hyland’s first female developer to Director of Healthcare Development, and offers suggestions for anyone considering a career in technology.

By Michelle Maly, director, healthcare development, Hyland, creator of OnBase

We frequently read about the growing number of job opportunities in the tech industry and the staggering disproportionate amount of women entering the field. After discussing my career with my daughter’s schoolmates and taking some time to reflect upon my own experience as a developer, I realized there are certain skills that are required to be successful in the technology industry. To that end, I wanted to share my experience in the field and offer the following advice to both women and men who are interested in making a career in technology.

Breaking the mold – how I became a developer
Surrounded by computers since I was a child, I had a natural affinity for technology. My father owned a computer consulting company and I started playing with computers when I was seven years old. I didn’t perceive technology as “nerdy” or “dorky.” I enjoyed the analytical and problem solving aspects of computers and those traits are ultimately what lead to success in the industry.

When I attended Pennsylvania State University, I was one of only a few women in the computer engineering program. Soon after graduation, I joined Hyland, creator of OnBase, as Hyland’s first and only female developer. At the time, the company consisted of only 18 developers, that number is now 200. It was easy fitting in at Hyland, the culture was welcoming and I never had an issue working with my male colleagues. As my career path evolved, to continue developing my skills and healthcare expertise, I earned an associate degree in health information/medical records technology. In 2013 I was honored to become the first female in a director of development position at Hyland.

Advice for aspiring developers
When I recently explained my career to my daughter’s schoolmates, I found myself encouraging them to pursue opportunities in technology if they enjoy math, science, and solving problems. Why? Because these skills are critical to a successful career in the technology industry.

Here are three key takeaways, for both women and men, who are interested in entering the technology industry:

• Problem solvers needed: Regardless of your gender, this is a critical skill for success in the industry. Development careers require inquisitive, creative and pragmatic minds to ensure that the technology performs well and creates the intended user experience.

• Be confident and never stop learning: Admittedly, the confidence aspect is geared more towards women. It’s important to stand up for yourself and what you believe is right. It’s also critical to continue to build your skills and knowledge base. Technology keeps evolving and you have to grow and evolve with it.

• Break social norms: There is a perception that the tech industry is a “boys club.” There are so many great female leaders to look up to, including Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo; Virginia Rometty, CEO of IBM; Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube; and Meg Whitman, CEO of HP. There are plenty of great role models to look to for guidance and inspiration.

As I think about the tech industry and where it could possibly be when my daughter is ready to join the workforce, I believe these takeaways will still be applicable. My daughter is just as interested in computers as I was when I was her age. And while it may be a little too early to share these tips with her (she is just five-years-old), I hope that if she decides to enter the tech field, she will take this advice into consideration.

About the author
Michelle Maly is director of healthcare development at Hyland, creator of OnBase. She is a Registered Health Information Technician and has more than 13 years’ experience in software development at Hyland Software. Michelle oversees all aspects of healthcare development as it relates to enterprise content management (ECM), including EMR integrations, clinical capture, mobile, meaningful use, achieving EMRAM HIMSS Stage 7, and more.