Ana Mariana, M.D. is a Masters student in the Global Health Delivery Program at Harvard Medical School, a clinical operations manager at Docta Indonesia, and the founder of Global Health Indonesia. 

What do you do?
I’m a Master’s student at the Global Health Delivery program at Harvard. I also worked as a Clinical Operations Manager at DOCTA, one of the startup healthcare companies in Indonesia.

How did you get where you are?
My interest is in global health delivery and social medicine. I feel that this is really in line with my previous experience working in rural areas as a clinical operations manager and my future goal of becoming an academic and professional in global health delivery. With DOCTA, I worked on implementing “Kotak Dokter” (Doctor-In-A-Box) applications to connect people who live in rural and remote areas with midwives, nurses, and primary health care doctors working in community health centers. 

​​What is something that you want to accomplish in your career?
Life is an opportunity to realize your potential to benefit the lives of others. The contribution that I can make is to be the best version of myself. I want to contribute by improving health services in rural areas. I would love to improve healthcare in rural areas in the West Java Province. In the future, I have a dream to become an expert in Global Health Delivery and an OB/GYN. I also hope that Indonesia can really implement the use of telemedicine to fulfill its commitment of “no one left behind.” My experience has shown me that there is an opportunity for telehealth to expand healthcare access for underserved rural communities, at least for diagnostic purposes. Most importantly, telemedicine can also provide a level of social connectedness, helping rural populations overcome isolation issues. 

What is the biggest challenge you face in your position now or in meeting that goal?
One of the biggest challenges is that it is really hard to build partnerships across sectors. We have a lack of healthcare facilities in Indonesia, which makes it hard to implement the healthcare service programs that people need. 

What impact do you think GHDI will have on your career?
I learned how to be a public health leader and help practitioners effectively design and manage programs that improve health outcomes. One of my favorite parts of this program was that we not only learn from the best teachers, but also from other students.

What have you been most proud of so far in your career?
In 2020, I contributed to the COVID-19 pandemic response taskforce in West Java Province by running an online contact tracing pilot program. I managed volunteers, including providing emotional support to them to keep up their enthusiasm. 

What advice would you give to someone who's just starting out in healthcare?
Be a good listener. It is always hard to communicate, especially with the local leaders, so we need to gain trust with them. We need to understand their problems so we can address them.

What advice would you give to someone who is considering applying to GHDI?
You should submit your application and be part of the GHDI family. You will love it!