Spotlight: Shivina Mittal
(Mentee Alumni Team)
1. Uh...who Are You?
My name is Shivina or Shiv and I work at a San Francisco Electronic Health Record company called Practice Fusion where I am a Technical Program Manager. What does that mean?—I help engineers build and improve the Practice Fusion software for our customers who are doctors by providing the engineers with product requirements.
2. What Were You Before Who You Are Now?
I was born in India, moved to the US when I was 5, thought I wanted to go to medical school. I graduated with a B.S. in Neuroscience from UCLA and then worked at a research lab at UCLA for a year after graduating but soon realized that my passion was not practicing medicine. I also really wanted to move to San Francisco so after applying to healthcare companies I landed at my current company where I have worked for the past 3 years.
3. What Do You Think Was the Biggest Turning Point in Your Life?
I think at this point I have had many turning points and will continue to have them but I would say the day I decided to not pursue medical school, something I thought was a passion of mine, was a turning point because I accepted that my thought process changed because of the experiences I had during shadowing doctors or going on medical trips to Nicaragua (I definitely recommend studying/volunteering abroad by the way). Instead of thinking I was failure however, I used what I learned to fuel my energy to move forward to find another career that would be a better fit. I started with knowing that I wanted to move out of LA after living there for 13 years and that began my San Francisco adventure.
4. What Do You Wish You Could Tell Yourself When You Graduated High School?
To go into college with a VERY open minded mindset. You think you want to be a doctor? It is great to have some direction but let’s take a step back and not dismiss all the other career options out there. That is what college is for!
5. What Would You Have Told Yourself Something at the Beginning of College?
Take all kind of classes your college has to offer—creating writing, Math, Science, humanities, political science, acting. Join a club that you would never expect to join. Get out of your comfort zone. While you might know what your passion is whether it is in school or life, you cannot be sure until you explore all the opportunities college exposes you to. This is the time to grow in your personal, educational and social life. The next few years of your life will truly be life changing. Make the most of it!
6. What About at the End of College?
It is absolutely OK if you still do not know what you want to do at the end of college. During college you learned a lot about yourself and your passions and now it is time to pursue those passions and gain real world experience. If your passion changes, that just means you are growing and learning more about yourself. College was great, but now that you are in the real world, you will have the opportunity to shape your life how you want it to be. And fear not, all the people you met in college has become your network and they will be there for you when you least expect it.
7. Any Life Wisdom You Want to Share?
I was COMPLETELY lost 4 years ago when I doubted my passion for medicine. I knew the companies I wanted to work for but did not know which jobs to apply for and how to make my pre-med resume look applicable. I read A LOT. I researched every site I possibly could on career transitions. I went to UCLA networking events. I started getting more involved in my community. That is when I realized, we have access to a wealth of resources and a much larger network than we expect. Take advantage of every tool around you—internet, libraries, PEOPLE. They all come with their own experiences and trust me even if someone seems completely put together, they went through some sort of struggle in their life which they have learned from. They can share that wisdom with you. All you have to do is ask. Some people will walk away but MOST will want to help you because someone helped them. Life might seem daunting at times but you are not alone! Also, have fun while you are at it. Make sure to balance your career with hobbies. Balance is key in high school, college, post-college.