Hey Health Tech x Dr. Terri Wang

Author

Lauren Curtis
December 24, 2025

In partnership with

Hey Health Techies!

Happy Holidays 🎄 

One reason that I started this newsletter was to share stories and lessons that I wish my former self could’ve read, and that includes stories of other healthcare professionals doing amazing things outside of the clinic. Today, I’m thrilled to spotlight someone who’s walked the nontraditional path and is paving the way for other clinicians.

I’d like to introduce you to Dr. Terri Wang, PharmD a talented pharmacist who has been able to apply her clinical knowledge to several roles in health tech.

Dr. Terri Wang

Currently she works at GE Healthcare in the role of Chief of Staff, and if you’ve ever wondered:

  • Who actually keeps executives focused on the right work

  • How big decisions move from idea → execution without chaos

  • Or what job lives at the intersection of strategy, people, and problem-solving

…this one’s for you.

Terri pulls back the curtain on what the role looks like day to day and what her path looked like getting there. We talk about what she actually does, the skills that matter most, who thrives in this role, and why so many clinicians are surprisingly well-suited for it even if they’ve never heard of it before.

If you like big-picture thinking, cross-functional work, and being the person who makes smart people even more effective… you’re going to love this conversation.

Let’s get into it.

Q: Can you walk us through your career journey from pharmacist to Chief of Staff? 

A: I did not start out with a plan to become a Chief of Staff. It was something that I stumbled into along the way.

I started as a pharmacy technician, working through college, then became a retail pharmacist and stayed in the same community pharmacy for about seven years. By the end, I was burned out. Every 10- to 12-hour shift felt heavy and gloomy: no breaks, constant pressure on metrics that don’t prioritize people, angry patients, dealing with insurance companies, etc. I started having my own health issues. One day I finally realized, I couldn’t keep living like this. I knew I wanted something different, but I had no idea what that “different” was.

What I did know was that I’d always been drawn to technology. I learned there were pharmacists working in IT, particularly in hospital systems, so I focused there. The transition wasn’t quick or easy. I applied, networked, reached out, etc – all the things that they say you “should” do. And time and time again, I got rejected or ghosted. It took about a year or two before I finally got my first opportunity in pharmacy technology, through a connection I had kept in touch with from pharmacy school.

That role was a stepping stone. The learning curve was steep, the imposter syndrome was real, but it gave me a foundation I could build on. From there, I followed my curiosity. I moved into management consulting, then helped launch Amazon Pharmacy, then worked in AWS sales enablement. Each role added a different lens: clinical, technical, business, operational, etc. Over time, that mix of experiences became my differentiator.

Today, as a Chief of Staff at a global medical device company, I spend a lot of time translating between worlds - clinical, technical, executive, frontline. Looking back, the common theme wasn’t a title I searched for. It was learning to trust my curiosity and taking one step at a time. Taking the time to gain clarity in what I wanted, being patient through disappointment, and taking the leap of faith when it presented itself.

Q: For clinicians hearing “Chief of Staff” and thinking it sounds vague and intimidating, how do you explain your role in plain English?

A: In plain English I help leaders and teams focus, align, and move faster. I work directly with our Chief Digital Officer on the org’s biggest priorities: strategic projects, cross-functional initiatives, and problems that don’t neatly belong to one team.

A big part of my job is making sure people are clear on what matters most, how their work connects to the bigger picture, and what systems need to exist so we can actually execute. Our organization is in the middle of a transformation, and my role is about accelerating that change, by removing friction, clarifying decisions, and helping teams operate more effectively at scale. It’s less about authority and more about influence, judgment, and making sure the right things happen at the right time.

Q: What skills do you rely on most as a Chief of Staff?

A: Two of the most important skills I rely on are cross-functional collaboration and conflict resolution, and both came directly from my time in clinical practice, even though I didn’t recognize them as “skills” back then.

In healthcare, you’re constantly working across disciplines, aligning people around a shared goal, and navigating competing priorities. That ability to get different stakeholders on the same page is surprisingly rare in tech and corporate environments, and incredibly valuable. Conflict resolution is another one. Retail pharmacy is a high-pressure environment with emotionally charged interactions. You learn how to de-escalate, listen, validate concerns, and refocus on solving the problem.

Those exact skills show up again when you’re working with executives, product teams, or external partners. The context changes, but the human dynamics don’t.

Q: What type of person tends to thrive in a Chief of Staff role? Who might struggle?

A: People who thrive in Chief of Staff roles tend to be comfortable with ambiguity and enjoy problem- solving. You don’t always get clear direction, and often you’re the one expected to create clarity for others. It requires strong judgment, critical thinking, and the ability to connect dots across the organization.

People who struggle are often those who need clearly defined roles, step-by-step instructions, or constant validation that they’re doing the “right” thing. This role isn’t about checking boxes; it’s about navigating uncertainty and making thoughtful decisions with incomplete information.

Q: If a clinician is interested in going nonclinical, what experiences or skills should they start building now?

A: My advice is to not start with skills. I’d recommend staring with clarity about yourself. Before asking “What skills should I learn,” get clearer on who you are. Ask instead: “What kind of work energizes me? What drains me? What do I want / not want out of my job? What are my non-negotiables and core values?”

Once you have a direction, the path becomes clearer. For me, technology kept pulling me in. Once I committed to exploring that path, I could be focused and intentional with the skills I built. I took coding courses to show initiative. I talked to people already in the field. I built side projects so I had concrete work to discuss in interviews. Trying to build random skills without a direction is overwhelming. Picking a direction (even if it’s imperfect) creates momentum. You can always pivot later. I did.

A big thank you to Terri for giving us a little insight into her path into nonclinical work in tech! Terri is also a member of the Hey Health Tech Community, and if you’re interested in more conversations like this (but with a chance to get your questions answered live), I hope you consider joining us in the new year!

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Until next time,

Lauren

P.S. I’d love to hear how I can support you in your healthcare career goals in 2026. Whether that’s career coaching or learning and networking in the community, hit reply and let me know what you need most moving into the new year and I’ll be sure to incorporate it into my content plans. 😀