What is the job?

I am the co-founder of BiteWorld, a healthtech company that builds products and services for healthcare professionals. BiteWorld is the parent company of BiteLabs, our flagship fellowship programme, as well as BiteMedicine, our medical education platform. I am also a Digital Health Clinician at Cera, a healthtech company that provides technology-enabled home healthcare. My role at Cera involves working with the product and clinical teams to improve the clinical safety and efficacy of the Cera platform, as well as working with the commercial team to develop new partnerships and business opportunities.

How and why did you get into it?

I have always been interested in technology and innovation, and I was frustrated by the lack of innovation in the NHS. I was also frustrated by the lack of career flexibility and the rigid training pathway in the NHS. I wanted to explore a career that combined my clinical skills with my interest in technology and entrepreneurship.

I started by attending healthtech events and meetups, and I quickly realised that there was a huge demand for clinicians in the healthtech space. I started freelancing as a medical writer and clinical advisor, which gave me exposure to the startup world. I then co-founded BiteWorld with my co-founder, and we launched BiteLabs as our first product.

How does it compare to your clinical career?

The work-life balance is very different. I have much more flexibility in terms of when and where I work, but I also work longer hours overall. The work is more intellectually stimulating and varied, and I feel like I have more impact on a larger scale. However, I do miss the direct patient interaction and the immediate gratification of helping someone in front of you.

How is it related to medicine — why were you suitable?

My clinical background gives me credibility and domain expertise in the healthtech space. I understand the pain points of clinicians and patients, and I can translate these into product requirements. My medical training also gave me strong analytical and communication skills, which are essential in the startup world.

How could someone go about getting into your field?

Networking is key. Attend tech events such as HETT, SomX, Voyagers, The Royal Society of Medicine Digital Health Council, GIANT Health, and Intelligent Health, in order to meet other innovators, founders, and entrepreneurs from leading tech companies. The UK is a thriving hub for healthtech and digital health but, as with so much in the private sector, hires are network-driven.

LinkedIn is your friend. New roles for clinicians appear on LinkedIn everyday, you just need to know what to search. Clinical Lead at accuRx, R&D Program Manager at Huma, Digital Health Clinician at Cera, Technical Program Manager at Islacare. The list goes on.

Anything you'd do differently if you had the time again?

The start-up world is fast-paced, stressful at times, and often lacks the structure of well-established organisations. Hence, burnout is rife and requires one to be strict with separating 'work and play', particularly with a remote working culture where the lines between the two are easily blurred. I would definitely recommend finding a mentor early in your career to help you navigate the complexities of a career in tech.

What can I earn?

The role of 'Digital Health Clinician' is not particularly well-established in terms of its responsibilities or its pay progression. In my opinion, the closest fit would be a 'Clinical Product Manager'. Entry level product managers earn £40–£50k, rising to £50–£70k within a few years, and rising significantly again beyond that with experience. However, that's for pure product managers, not accounting for the additional skills a clinician would bring. Benchmark your expectations against your clinical salary, and add a bit more as NHS pay has not kept pace with inflation for years.