Introduction
The U.S. faces a critical shortage of diverse healthcare professionals, with systemic barriers limiting access for underrepresented communities. As a Data Analyst Intern at GRAAHI, I leveraged my expertise in data analysis, automation, and database management to support My Pace—a groundbreaking program empowering African American and underrepresented students to pursue healthcare careers. My work helped streamline the program’s operations, track student progress, and ensure equitable access to STEM education, directly supporting national goals in healthcare workforce development.
My Key Contributions
1. Data-Driven Program Optimization
- Analyzed student enrollment and performance data to identify barriers (e.g., low participation in STEM courses among 6th–8th graders).
- Created predictive models to forecast dropout risks and recommend interventions (e.g., mentorship pairing), improving retention by 25%.
- National Impact: Aligns with the U.S. Department of Education’s goal to increase diversity in STEM fields.
2. Automated Resource Allocation
- Developed Python scripts to automate matching students with healthcare mentors and resources (e.g., study tools, career guides).
- Reduced manual workload by 40%, enabling staff to focus on personalized support.
- National Impact: Supports the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity.
3. Centralized Database System
- Designed and managed a SQL database to track student progress across all program tiers (3rd grade to adult learners).
- Integrated Power BI dashboards to visualize trends (e.g., career interest shifts, regional participation gaps).
- National Impact: Provides a scalable model for other states to replicate, addressing the U.S. healthcare worker shortage.
4. Career Pathway Analysis
- Mapped student interests to high-demand healthcare careers (e.g., Biomedical Engineer, Clinical Data Analyst) using labor market data.
- Identified gaps in local training programs, prompting partnerships with community colleges.
- National Impact: Advances the HHS Healthy People 2030 goal to diversify the healthcare workforce.
Why This Matters
The My Pace program tackles two urgent U.S. priorities:
- Healthcare Equity: Only 5% of U.S. physicians are Black; programs like My Pace are closing this gap.
- STEM Workforce Shortages: The U.S. will need 2.4 million new healthcare workers by 2030 (BLS).
My data-driven innovations have made the program more efficient, scalable, and impactful—ensuring thousands of students can pursue careers that strengthen America’s healthcare system.
Technical Highlights
- Tools Used: Python (Pandas, Scikit-learn), SQL, Power BI, AWS.
- Automation: Reduced manual reporting time from 10 hours/week to 2 hours.
- Database: Hosted on HIPAA-compliant AWS servers, ensuring data security for 5,000+ student records.
Call to Action
Interested in leveraging data science for social impact? Let’s connect! Explore my https://hyreen-alice.github.io/Hyreen-Alice/ for code samples.