Sophia Karnik

Would you say that your career path was significantly influenced by obtaining your academic degree, the Master of Arts?
Yes and no. The healthcare sector had always been my clear professional direction. However, the Master’s in Digital Healthcare Management gave my path much greater focus and opened the bridge to the pharmaceutical sector for me. Particularly influential was the support of Prof. Dr. Mario A. Pfannstiel, who encouraged me during my studies to complete a voluntary internship at ratiopharm GmbH. This internship was an important step and ultimately made my direct entry into my current position possible.

How has your academic background specifically affected your chances of being shortlisted and hired in your particular field?
The combination of healthcare, digitalisation and management clearly strengthened my profile in the application process. In the pharmaceutical sector in particular, it is important to understand technical and regulatory content and to work in a structured and responsible manner. For my position as Product Information Expert at ratiopharm GmbH, this interface is especially relevant.

Which specific skills and knowledge that you have acquired as part of the Master's programme are particularly relevant for your current professional position?
For me, scientific work, structured preparation of information, and a strong understanding of processes and framework conditions in healthcare are particularly relevant. I use these skills in my current position every day to handle product-related information carefully, precisely and responsibly.

What ultimately made you decide in favour of the Master of Arts and how has this decision affected your professional career?
I chose the Master’s because I wanted to combine healthcare with digitalisation and management. It was important to me not only to deepen my theoretical knowledge, but also to prepare in a practical way for future developments in the healthcare sector. This decision strengthened my professional profile and helped me further develop my path into the pharmaceutical sector in a targeted way.

Which personal qualities helped you to successfully complete the Master's programme in Digital Healthcare Management?
Above all, perseverance, initiative, a sense of responsibility and a structured way of working helped me. The Master’s programme is broad in scope and requires a willingness to actively engage with different questions and topics. Anyone who works in an organised way and remains open to new topics can gain a great deal from the programme.

How would you complete the following sentence? The Master's programme in Digital Healthcare Management at HNU is ...
… a practice-oriented and future-focused degree programme that meaningfully combines healthcare, digitalisation and management. It prepares students very well for roles at the interface of healthcare delivery, business and digital developments in the health sector.

What advice would you give to current students considering a similar Master's programme?
I would recommend that students connect theory and practice as early as possible, for example through internships, student assistant positions, or a thesis written in cooperation with a company. At the same time, they should make conscious use of their time with fellow students, as exchange, joint projects and mutual support can be very valuable. Taking initiative is especially worthwhile.