From Epidemiology to Data Science - How and Why I Made the Pivot.
Before I became an Informaticist / Data Scientist with a focus in Healthcare, I worked in both Infectious Disease and Cancer Epidemiology. I’ve also completed nearly 15 credits toward an MPH, which I’d planned to finish until the last election cycle and a continuous series of disheartening layoffs, paused this goal (a long story, and it’s still a possibility).
There wasn’t a clear turning point that led me to Informatics over Epidemiology, it was really about opportunity. Despite having the skills and two STEM master’s degrees, I didn’t hold an MS or MPH in Epidemiology, and that lack of a specific credential meant I wasn’t getting hired. So, I followed the path where doors were opening, always thinking I could complete the MPH later, this time with a focus in health disparities or health administration.
When it came time to choose a doctoral program, I had to decide between Epidemiology and Informatics. There were no PhD programs in Data Science at the time (and honestly, I’m not sure I would’ve chosen that path even if there were). I selected Informatics because the program aligned with my dissertation interests and offered an online format, important for me, knowing I wouldn’t stop working full-time to pursue a traditional PhD (URGH, lesson learned from a previous attempt).
Though I had experience with SAS, Excel, and Tableau through my epidemiology work, and some exposure to Python and R in bioinformatics and genomics, I hadn’t yet worked deeply with EHR or healthcare analytics data. That’s when I realized how different clinical data is from epidemiologic datasets. Determined to fill the gaps, I enrolled in six courses through a Health IT program at a community college, while I was a PhD student. One of the smartest early-career moves I made. I gained foundational, hands-on knowledge that became essential to the direction I was headed, Healthcare Informatics.
Fast forward to today, and I’ve built a strong, expert-level foundation in Healthcare Informatics and Data Science. And my mission is not just to use this knowledge to do good, especially for underserved communities, but also to pass it on.
On May 6, 2025, I’m hosting a 1-hour webinar on transitioning from Epidemiology to Data Analytics, with a focus on healthcare. If you’re curious how to leverage your Epi background, what courses to take, and how to bridge the gap between public health and clinical data, this is for you.
Hope to see you there,
Dr. Kimberly Deas
AKA Dr. Data Auntie