Student job to career

by Daryana Antipova at 24/12/2012

The Moscow News

University undergraduates who study the humanities frequently discover they have to branch out of their fields when it comes to finding a career.

Such was the case for the Leningrad-born Alexandra Tretyakova, who, while studying Romance languages in the philology faculty of St. Petersburg State University, started working in health care in 1994 to help make ends meet.

“These were transition times, and I had to work in the healthcare industry as a student to find my way in the ‘bright new world,’” Tretyakova told The Moscow News.

After working her way through various administrative, sales and management positions, and graduating from the Executive MBA program at the Higher School of Economics in 2009, she continued on the business side of health care. She is now the executive director of the International Association of Manufacturers of Medical Devices, IMEDA.

High potential

“It is an exciting role for me, as I am not only involved in building one company’s success in Russia, but in driving the whole Medtech industry in a very dynamic and high-potential market,” Tretyakova said.

The importance of her position goes beyond helping companies, however, due to the very subject of her business. IMEDA, founded in 2005, is a non-profit organization that brings together 26 leading international manufacturers of medical equipment, products and supplies on the Russian market.

The association’s mission is the modernization and development of the Russian medical devices industry, ensuring availability of the safest and most effective modern medical technology, both for institutions and the public.

“I want to be a part of the common effort done by all healthcare system participants to make people’s lives better, to save lives and improve their quality, focused on real human values and needs,” she said.

Big steps

In the beginning of her career, Tretyakova had no knowledge of basic business and financial operations. It took her a while to put the puzzle together and understand the key instruments and tools companies can use and how to manage the resources they have.

“It was a ‘learning by doing’ exercise!” she said. “And the early times were very, very exciting and motivating: a whole new world of opportunities opened up, just like a new planet for space explorers!”

In time, she realized that she would need a more structured education, as beneficial as her onthe- job training was. She enrolled at the HSE, in an “eye-opening” program she said was designed to give students the vision to manage business and their careers in the 21st century.

Medtech’s future

The future for medical technology is bright in Russia, Tretyakova said. The healthcare system is undergoing serious reforms and modernization that involve adoption and integration of up-to-date technologies.

“It is now clear that our industry is one of the key partners for the Russian doctors and patients in making the system more efficient, modern and safe,” Tretyakova said. “I am proud of being in the vanguard of these changes, and have an opportunity to establish a solid partnership between the Medtech industry and other players.”

Still, as with much development in Russia, obstacles remain: aging infrastructure, out-of-date training and antiquated regulations.

“Moreover, one major element that we all need in Russia in all sectors is also in our focus: this is to trust each other and to align our objectives,” she said. “In the end, all healthcare players work to make patients’ lives better.”

Availability

The axis of health care is, of course, the patient, and according to Tretyakova, the whole modernization program is about improving patient access to medical technology, but reforms must not lose sight of patient education and training of doctors and nurses.

The centralization of Russia is another problem, with medical technologies and up-to-date knowledge and experience concentrated in the major cities. While the situation is slowly changing, Tretyakova said, the doctors in smaller towns and cities will need time and support to develop new skills.

“There should be no hurry in this effort: too quick may be traumatic for the patients, so we will assist the caregivers to go through a smooth transition period, gaining skills and experience step by step, ensuring that patients benefit from the best modern technology available,” she said.

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