MSDA Program student | AMSA partnership participant | American Canadian School of Medicine in Dominica 

Perkell Collie joined the MGH Institute of Health Professions through the MGH Institute–American Medical Student Association (AMSA) partnership and is pursuing the Master of Science in Healthcare Data Analytics (MSDA) alongside medical training at the American Canadian School of Medicine in Dominica. With interests spanning endocrinology, later-phase clinical trials, and the practical translation of research into care, she sees data analytics as a way to connect rigorous evidence to real people and real decisions.

You’re a member of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA) who joined the MGH Institute through the MGH Institute–AMSA partnership. How did you end up in the MSDA program? 

I initially thought AMSA was a typical medical student organization with speakers and events, but I started with an AMSA winter sprint course that had a strong social justice focus and emphasized advocacy for others and for yourself. That experience was valuable and made me more open to opportunities that were not part of a traditional curriculum. When the MSDA opportunity came along through the partnership, I decided to try it. I had done data collection before, but I had never worked with data in this way. I realized I enjoy working with numbers and translating results into something I can show others and connect back to real people.

Before medicine, what experiences shaped your interest in data and research?

I have a prior master’s degree in clinical research focused on medical devices, and I have worked in roles where I was doing a lot of data cleanup, graphing, and analysis. In some settings, that work can start to feel robotic because you are told you are helping people, but you cannot always see who the numbers are for. I also explored more traditional bench-style research and realized I was most energized by the results and interpretation stage. I liked seeing the outputs and what the data were actually showing. Those experiences helped me recognize that I want to work where analytics and impact are clearly connected.

What are you hoping your career will look like as you combine medical training with data analytics?

I have never pictured myself in a purely traditional role for the long term. I want to combine clinical work with the data and research side in a way that feels direct and practical. What I am envisioning is involvement in later-phase clinical trials, including Phase III and IV trials, while still having the opportunity to see patients. The goal is to be able to move between clinical questions and the analytic work needed to answer them.

What were you hoping to gain from the MSDA that you were not getting through your standard training?

In medical school, you learn important basics, but it can be limited to what you need for exams and foundational research literacy. I wanted more than a surface-level exposure. I wanted a structured way to understand how data are actually built, analyzed, and used in real clinical and research settings, and how to communicate results clearly and responsibly.

How has the MSDA changed the way you think about data and research? 

It has helped me understand the “why” behind the data. Early on, I was collecting certain data points without fully understanding how they fit into the larger question. As I progressed in the MSDA, I started to see how datasets are constructed, why specific variables matter, and how data can show the true impact of what we are studying.

What do you enjoy most about the MSDA experience? 

I have enjoyed learning different ways to collect data and, just as importantly, how to present and interpret findings. The program connects analytics back to the day-to-day life of a clinician. Now, when I am collaborating with other physicians, I understand the clinical relevance of what we are collecting. I am no longer doing it mindlessly.

How is the program going so far alongside medical school? 

It is going really well. The program is well organized and manageable alongside other obligations. A major difference is that the instructors understand that students are balancing significant responsibilities and they help you think through how to split your time. You do not get that kind of awareness everywhere.

What has stood out to you about the learning environment and community? 

The classroom environment is unique because many students are balancing demanding training or clinical work, and that creates useful conversations about strategy and time management. That shared reality builds community, and it makes the learning feel more grounded and practical.

What kinds of support or applied opportunities have been most helpful as you move through the program?

Working in Dr. He’s lab has been a highlight. We started by talking about where I see myself as a future physician, and then we aligned projects with those goals. We meet every other week to clarify the idea, move toward a conception stage, and think through how to work with the material. It is active training, and it is especially meaningful because it is guided by a physician who understands where I want to go, alongside other medical students doing similar work.

Where do you see opportunities for analytics to make the evidence base clearer and more usable for clinicians? 

One area I am exploring is how endocrinology research studies track and report data across trials. When you compare studies, it can be difficult to interpret results because outcomes may be reported in different formats. I am interested in whether there are opportunities for more uniform reporting, so evidence can be compared and combined more effectively. That work is not the same as sitting with a patient, but it can still improve care by strengthening the quality and usability of research that eventually informs clinical decisions.

Let’s talk about earnings and flexibility. How do you think the MSDA will affect opportunities over time? 

It expands my options over time, even though that is not my primary motivation. From a practical standpoint, I see it as a short-term investment that strengthens residency applications and opens additional opportunities, including research-oriented roles. Coming from a Caribbean medical school, I am also aware of stereotypes that can exist, and I believe this additional training positions me more competitively by adding concrete, demonstrable skills. My family is in the Bahamas, and I want the freedom to move between the Bahamas and the U.S. without debt dictating where I have to work. Over time, I see the MSDA as giving me more choices and, most importantly, more flexibility.

What should prospective students know about the MSDA program? 

The program is accessible, well organized, and designed for people who are already balancing demanding schedules. It is fully online and easy to navigate, but it still provides rigorous, career-relevant training. If you want to go beyond basic biostatistics and learn how analytics connects to real clinical and research questions, the MSDA gives you a structured way to build that skill set and apply it right away.