Aiden is a Solutions Architect at Citeline, where he leads the development of innovative data-driven solutions to ensure accurate and timely clinical trial patient enrollment. Previously, he developed analytics capabilities at Medidata AI, uncovering insights from diverse healthcare data sources to improve enrollment forecasts and enhance patient diversity. He also advised Fortune 100 pharmaceutical companies at IQVIA, specializing in data strategy and analytics to optimize study protocols and statistical execution. Aiden holds a Master’s in Epidemiology from Columbia University and a Bachelor’s in Public Health from UC Berkeley.
Aiden’s interest in healthcare started early in his career, where he volunteered as a data analyst at a free clinic to serve patients from underserved communities who would otherwise be unable to access healthcare. He noticed there was a large amount of information that was being captured for patients, but they had limited use in a lot of cases due to the lack of data standardization or aggregation. He also observed that unstructured data, such as physician notes, had a greater depth of detail that capture elements of the patient’s disease and state that are otherwise not captured in traditional structured healthcare datasets.
Aiden believes recent developments in Gen AI technology will be monumental in allowing healthcare professionals to unlock previously untapped insights. His work focuses on marrying his technical skills in epidemiology, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and healthcare data with his clinical understanding of therapeutic areas, drug classes, and mechanisms of action to develop AI-driven tools to accurately connect previously unidentified patients to life-saving therapies uniquely offered through clinical trials.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I start my day with a short walk that helps me stay productive and focused. It’s especially effective in the colder months because I am not a big fan of the cold– forcing myself to face it first thing gives me a small win to kickstart the day. After that, I tackle my tasks in the order of priority I had written up the night before. I end the night by listening to an audiobook and tidying up my place.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I bring ideas to life by encouraging my collaborators to critically challenge them. If I can defend a component, I know it’s strong; if I can’t, it becomes an opportunity for improvement. This iterative process continues until the idea is refined and robust.
What’s one trend that excites you?
One trend that excites me is Natural Language Processing (NLP). While NLP has existed for some time, recent advancements in backend hardware have significantly expanded its use cases. What excites me most is its potential to analyze vast amounts of unstructured healthcare data, such as clinical notes and patient records, to uncover valuable insights that were previously inaccessible. Due to structural limitations or standardization challenges, traditional healthcare data is limited in the level of detail it can capture. With unstructured data, given its free-text nature, there is no such limit to the information that can be input and then output using NLP. I believe we are on the verge of transforming healthcare through these innovations.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Focusing on impact. I work extensively with data in my day-to-day, and I find I’m at my best when I remind myself that there’s a person behind each number. When I can connect the dots between the datasets I’m analyzing and the real-world patients who might otherwise lose access to life-saving therapies, it grounds my work in a sense of purpose and keeps me productive.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Just start. Overthinking and excessive planning can sometimes make you fixate on achieving the perfect process or outcome. A better approach is to embrace imperfection and learn as you go.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I believe the messier the data, the more valuable the insights it can reveal. Most people see messy data as a problem to avoid, but I see it as an opportunity— it’s often where the most unexpected and meaningful patterns emerge.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Deliberately get bored. I set aside time for myself to step away from distractions like phones and tasks, and I just sit in silence to give myself more mental space. Without constant input, I find it easier to stay organized and gain fresh perspectives.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I take an untimed walk. Back in grad school, I came across a story about certain Indigenous communities, including some Inuit groups, who deal with anger by walking alone in silence until they feel better. That stuck with me, so I started applying it to other emotions too. Walking gives me the space to let my thoughts settle. By the time I’m back, I usually feel more grounded and ready to handle whatever’s next.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
One strategy that’s helped me advance in my career is focusing on the “why” behind the task I’m working on. Instead of just tackling the task itself, I try to understand how it fits into the bigger picture of the organization’s goals. It also keeps me curious and can work as a catalyst to be innovative. This shift in perspective has opened up many opportunities for me.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my career, I was so afraid of making mistakes that I ended up being a bit of a pacifist at work. I held back my ideas and stayed on the sidelines thinking it was the safer choice. I eventually realized if I want to contribute and grow, I have to be willing to speak up and challenge ideas. Once I embraced that, I became more confident and found that healthy debates actually lead to better results.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A patient-centric appointment scheduling app— essentially a reverse-Zocdoc. Instead of patients shopping for doctors, they would post details about their condition, and doctors who feel suited to treat them could bid to treat the patient. I think this would greatly improve the match between patient needs and doctor expertise because it allows both parties to discuss some sort of a treatment plan before that first appointment is scheduled.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
I use an app called Stretchly to remind me to stand up and stretch during work. It sends periodic notifications to take a break and move around. At first, I thought it might be annoying, but it’s been surprisingly helpful. I often get so absorbed in my tasks that I forget to move. A quick stretch helps me feel more focused and energized, and I’ve noticed it makes me much more productive.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I always go back to Siddhartha by Herman Hesse. I think it’s a book that does a great job of capturing the journey of truly understanding oneself. The protagonist of the book navigates a lifelong quest for understanding and self-discovery, learning from a mix of unexpected experiences and perspectives. What stands out to me is how the book highlights the importance of personal exploration and the nuanced paths that lead to mastery, rather than relying on conventional teachings or shortcuts.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
Ted Lasso. The relentless positivity of Ted always makes me laugh. My favorite quote from the show is: “Do you believe in ghosts? I do. But most importantly I think they need to believe in themselves.”
Key learnings
- Messy data isn’t a problem— it’s an opportunity to uncover hidden, meaningful insights.
- Staying grounded in the “why” behind tasks leads to more impactful work.
- Dare to face conflict. Conflict done right is more beneficial than remaining neutral.