Newsletter
From founder to health policy advisor and back to data science leadership, Ornela Bardhi shares her non-linear and deeply intentional journey across sectors, guided by clarity of purpose and a passion for impact.
Ornela Bardhi
Bionote
Ornela Bardhi is the Head of Data Science at Success Clinic. She is a Marie Curie alumna with global experience in AI for health. She advised Albania’s Health Minister, co-founded two start-ups, and serves on the MCAA Board, promoting EU research and innovation.
A few years ago, I wrote an article for the Marie Curie Alumni Association on Post PhD careers. It highlighted the transferable skills gained during a PhD and how non-linear career paths have become the norm. Mine has been exactly that.
As a child, I was drawn to medicine, perhaps unsurprisingly considering I had a doctor in the family. At the same time, I was drawn to computers, which led me to pursue a degree in computer engineering. But I never truly let go of medicine.
Midway through my undergraduate studies, I received an Erasmus scholarship to study computer science in London. The shift in focus opened new ways of thinking. I was very curious. One week, I was captivated by the Internet of Things; the next, I was immersed in quantum computing. I didn’t yet know what I wanted to do, but I knew I loved learning.
During my master’s, I began attending hackathons and entrepreneurship events. Listening to people describe real-world problems and their attempts to solve them was inspiring. At the time, I was working on a remote pregnancy monitoring solution for my master’s thesis, which I shared during one of these events. The idea drew attention. Soon after, I joined an accelerator, filed for a patent, and secured some funding.
Ultimately, the idea didn’t materialise into a viable business. But I didn’t walk away empty-handed. I discovered a genuine love for research.
When I began exploring PhD options, I had two non-negotiables: it had to combine healthcare and technology, and it had to involve industry collaboration. The MSCA CATCH Innovative Training Networks project checked all the boxes, and more. I would be embedded in a hospital environment, working directly with patients. Until then, I had collaborated with physicians and patients, but always from the outside. This time, I would be part of the system. Understanding the patient’s perspective changed my view of healthcare. By then, I had a clear vision for my next role: I wanted to work at a hospital, either building data-driven systems to improve patient outcomes or working as a data scientist. Ideally, both.
Highway intersection signifying the different career paths people can choose or end up on during their lives.
Then came 2020. I was still completing my PhD when the pandemic hit. Like many, I was frustrated by how scientific research was selectively interpreted by different governments. Policy responses varied wildly, even when grounded in the same research. Soon, I realised that many decision-makers lacked a scientific background. Many politicians were crafting their own narratives, rather than deferring to experts. That gap between science and policy deeply concerned me.
As I approached the end of my PhD, I began applying for roles in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly those integrating AI into healthcare. It seemed like a natural extension of my work — an opportunity to stay close to the data and continue building meaningful tools.
Still, I learnt a great deal. But I missed working with data. I missed the pace of technological innovation. And after nearly three years without a proper break, I desperately needed one.
Two months into my sabbatical, I started applying for jobs. I interviewed from various corners of the world, which was sometimes thrilling, sometimes stressful, especially with unreliable internet. I was planning a return to London when an unexpected opportunity came my way.
In early 2023, I reached out to the managing director of Success Clinic, the company I had collaborated with during my PhD, to wish him a good start to the year. Two Teams meetings later, I accepted a position and relocated back to Helsinki. I have since been promoted twice and now lead our research and data science projects.
As of last year, I have taken on a role I never anticipated: serving as a Board Member of the MCAA. I’m grateful to the community for electing me. The boardroom world was entirely new to me, but it has offered valuable lessons and sparked yet another reflection on where my career might head next.
But as the pandemic dragged on, so did my frustration. I made a bold decision to return to Albania and take a fellowship as an adviser to the Minister of Health, a stakeholder I had never worked with before. It was an opportunity to influence the system from within.
The experience was both rewarding and frustrating. Evidence-informed policymaking is critical, but translating research into national policy is far more complex than designing a study in a single hospital unit. Even the most promising ideas might not align with political priorities. Elected officials are expected to deliver on campaign promises – often on timelines that do not accommodate long-term, evidence-based initiatives.
To many, my career path may appear disjointed. But to me, it makes perfect sense. I have always been passionate about medicine and technology. I entered entrepreneurship young, but healthcare is a heavily regulated industry, and rightly so. I needed time to understand the system, the stakeholders, and the patient experience.
Yes, I have changed job titles, from founder to researcher to policymaker to data science leader, and industries, often at the same time. It’s never easy. But I had clarity about my why and what, especially after beginning my PhD. The when was trickier, but things unfolded as they needed to. I wanted a career that worked for me, not the other way around.
Wants and needs evolve. You evolve. Like any scientific instrument, you need recalibration. Be open to where that recalibration leads.
Ornela Bardhi
Orcid
MCAA Board
ornela.bardhi@mariecuriealumni.eu
Like chess, building a fulfilling career involves foresight, adaptability, and purposeful moves.