With the nights becoming darker and cooler, we are starting to say goodbye to the summer, and with it, our co-op students. Tiare is finishing her third summer with #TeamCCX, and as has become tradition, we sat down to talk about her time with us in 2023, what she has learned and how she has grown.
What was the most rewarding thing about working with the Cliniconex team this summer? What about the development team?
I really like working on the development team because of the direct impact I get to have on customers. The team has put a lot of trust in me, as a co-op student, to be able to directly push out code to users and affect their experience with our products.
The most rewarding part of the summer was when I got to make some UI changes in Automated Care Messaging. I was able to both find bugs and then fix them. When I was done and there was a noticeable improvement in how ACM looked it was a really fulfilling moment.
The whole mission of Cliniconex is to make the lives of our users easier, and since we’re helping people in healthcare that’s really important because our users then have more time to improve the lives of the people in their care. A little change can have a big impact. I love knowing that I am making a difference.
What was the biggest challenge you faced this summer?
Compared to last summer, when I was more sheltered and guided by my teammates as a first-time developer, I was trusted to work more independently. I got to stand on my own more – which was really exciting – but it could also be hard when I was facing something new. As always, my teammates were always there to answer my questions and lend a helping hand.
Last summer I worked on my own projects a lot. This summer there were so many other dependencies, like resources and time, to consider. Learning to consider all these factors was a new challenge for me.
Tell us about any new skills, techniques, and knowledge you gained this summer.
Last summer was my Java and Git bootcamp, and I definitely used those skills this summer.
There are a lot of finicky things with our development environments. Sometimes things will crash when we’re working on a project. So when I’m done coding and click run and the app crashes and burns, I now know what to look at, what conclusions to draw and what actions to take based on the clues that I see.
My problem-solving skills have definitely improved. Being able to systematically solve an issue is something I can do much better. This means I also need less help from my team members when I have an issue. This contributes to me feeling more capable ad independent this year.
What are you most proud of accomplishing during your co-op term?
There’s a new feature and flow I’ve been working on and I’ll be really proud when that launches. There were a lot of hurdles we had to face on that one.
My second accomplishment was my contributions to the August launch which included 5 new features. It was such a big, comprehensive project and I got to see my work intermeshed with the work of other development team members on a bigger scale than usual.
What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned this summer?
I learned a broader mindset which is to be careful when making assumptions. Not just to make assumptions directly in my coding; to assume something is working or to assume an expected behaviour; but to also not make assumptions in how I approach communication with others.
I can’t assume others know what I am talking about. I have to be very explicit. I’ve found using pictures and videos very helpful. I can’t assume that my teammate and I are on the same page. It never hurts to double-check my conclusions and to be very mindful of what I have assumed versus what is a fact.
You’ve just finished your third summer with us! With all you’ve learned and experienced, what words of wisdom or advice would you give to a student considering a co-op with CCX?
If someone is considering doing a co-op term with Cliniconex, they should immediately accept and jump into that opportunity! I have really really loved working here for the last three summers. It’s always been a fantastic experience.
Even as a co-op student, there is so much trust placed in me, people listen to what I have to say and are seeking out my opinion – which is awesome. It’s a really dynamic, inclusive, tight-knit company.
You can really find satisfaction in the fact that your work is making a difference in an important industry like healthcare.
As for advice for any new students, something I have learned is, that if you are struggling – whether it is work-related or not – everyone is always open to helping you. All you have to do is reach out. You never need to struggle alone.
What was the (non-work-related) highlight of your summer?
It was 100% my trip to Berlin and Prague with my family. In Berlin, I got to see my sister win 5 gold medals at the Special Olympics World Games. It was amazing and I felt really proud watching her compete.
More than that, both cities are really fascinating places to be. There is so much to see and it’s so different from home. Hands down it was the highlight of my summer.