Arunakiry Natarajan was an international student at ECRI and completed his Master in Medical Informatics in 2018. He says that the homely atmosphere in Pfarrkirchen made him inculcate fast into the culture and tremendously helped to perform well in his studies.
Career Development
As a practicing clinician, I was always interested in digital tools and their use in healthcare. This interest motivated me to look for newer horizons beyond clinical and academic dentistry. Graduating as Medical Informatics aka Digital Health graduate from ECRI, opened the pathway I always dreamt of – a career to witness and participate in innovation and technology use in healthcare. With the strongly rooted skills that I acquired during my studies in ECRI, I was ready to board this interesting new journey in my career. My current position revolves around selection and use of digital health tools, working with health systems data and development of innovative concepts and pipelines for the development of Machine Learning and AI-based tools with focus in the healthcare landscape.
Remember your time at the ECRI: How was it studying at Pfarrkirchen?
Even as time fades, the extravagant effect this city created in me still prevails. As first timer in Germany, this little city in Bavaria showed me warmth, hospitality and coziness that made me feel close to my home. I would say, Pfarrkirchen has the perfect balance between all that is needed to the studious type and to the partygoer. This homely atmosphere made me inculcate fast into the culture and tremendously helped to perform well in my studies. It is not only the city’s vibes, but also the culture at ECRI that helped me to excel and secure scholarships during my studies.
What would you like to recommend to our current (MMI) students?
The ‘family’ of MMI at ECRI has a reputation of supporting its students throughout the process of education, and through the process of gaining a position in your career. I preferred to use the word ‘FAMILY’ instead of ‘Faculty’, because that is way, I feel about my relationship with my MMI faculty. First, be assured that you are in safe hands, and always believe this is going to an interesting new journey. The journey will be worth the travel, and all along this journey it will be an excellent experience for all of us. The horizon after the completion of the course is also going to be bright, because this is best time to be in the field of digital health.
Why should an international student study at ECRI?
ECRI has large community of students, but relatively small enough for easier personal acquaintance. This community is mixed a populace - from local regions and abroad, giving you the opportunity to meet people from different backgrounds and cultures. Personally, ECRI gave me the opportunity to discover myself while gaining an understanding of a different culture and tailored my ability to adapt to diverse situations while being able to problem solve. One of the most important things I acquired is my chance to gain my ‘once in my life experience’. Apart from studies, ECRI taught me to organize my life, handle unforeseen situations, be independent and self-sufficient.
