Sivani MoodliarApplications Engineer

Introducing Sivani Moodliar, Applications Engineer at Siemens Healthineers South Africa.

What was your key driving force to become an Engineer?

Digital health has always been an industry I wanted to expand my career in. My academic background includes a BTech in Radiography and a Masters in Public Health which served me well in my prior role as a Training Consultant for medical and radiology devices. This experience has served me well in my current position as I can use my medical background knowledge to provide innovative IT solutions to real life problems.

Can you describe your typical day?

I like to start my day with a cuppa while reading MS teams updates and emails. I usually check my calendar for application trainings booked and work around these trainings to follow-up with my outstanding calls that require feedback to clients. A personal phone call to our clients is my best approach to get their problems clarified and a preferred solution offered. My goal is never to have a call open for more than 24 hours which does prove to be challenging at times, but my support has a direct impact on the patient and our service to the client is critical to every Healthineer. The Medical IT industry is constantly changing, and our product line is also improving. For me to be able to be on par with these changes I am constantly updating myself on the available features of our software. Dedicating time to my personal learning, preparation for future training sessions with clients and upgrading my skillset is also etched into each day on the job.

How do you define success?

Success for me is more than financial numbers and career positions; it’s about a sense of accomplishment and achievement in reaching my personal goals.

What motivates you?

I always look at the big picture and who is going to benefit from the work that I do. To me, the beneficiaries from my work is the doctor reporting on a CT case who provides a diagnosis to a patient who needs treatment. Knowing that I am helping a patient drives and motivates me every day. Our tag line at Siemens Healthineers is “Shaping the future of healthcare” and each day as an Applications Engineer, I can see how my contributions shape healthcare industry.

What is your favorite aspect of being an engineer?

Every day poses a new challenge and there’s never a mundane day. There’s always a challenge that is encountered that needs attention. Challenges drive me to improve myself and push my limits. When you are pushing your limits, you are growing and learning.

What advice would you give to college graduates who want to become an engineer?

Somebody once told me to always aim to know more than you should in your work and always think out of the box. Strive for knowledge and you will always be reaching new heights.

What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful engineer?

• Being in the medical industry one needs to be understanding to the client’s needs. Our clients have their own pressures, and they want their problems taken care of. If we understand what their stresses are then we understand the importance of our jobs.
• Perseverance is especially needed when troubleshooting challenging issues.
• And lastly communication, if you can communicate with colleagues and clients then half your battle is won, since obtaining information from them is key to getting your job complete. Foster relationships within the team as we all support each other.

What tricks have you discovered to keep you focused and productive in your day-to-day busy schedule?

Knowing my tools and resources I have available to me makes my work both feasible and productive. Work-life balance is very important to me and helps balance my time and energy at work. When you love what you do, your job doesn’t feel like work.

What key activities would you recommend future engineers to invest their time in?

Invest time in yourself and improve your skill set as much as you can. Learning is ongoing and should never stop. One should not only learn within their current work environment but also expand their knowledge outside their current roles.

What is the best advice you can give to youth who are forging a path in the medtech world?

It’s not an easy industry to work in due to the high demands and pressures on you, however, persevere and you will grow the experience needed to manage a client and provide the best solution possible. Working in this field is extremely rewarding because you are touching patient lives… stay the course.

What do you do when you are not being an Applications Engineer?

I enjoy outdoor activities especially hiking since being in nature brings things into perspective. I love to go exploring with my family to different parts of South Africa. My creativity side comes out in my love for the Indian Classical Dance art form. I have been teaching youth in my community to embrace this art form which gives me great joy to share. Working with children also keeps the playful side in me alive. I am family orientated and love doing crafts with my kids as well.