From educators to online learners: Chuck’s learning journey with Pitt MD

For two decades, Charles “Chuck Allias” has built his career in Emergency Medical Services (EMS). As an educator and program director, he trains the next generation of nursing staff and EMTs, designs programs that meet national standards, guides students through tough exams, and finds new ways to improve their success rates.

Data is always part of the work. Chuck will analyze test scores to predict who may perform well, identify areas where students need to support, and use insights to improve results. How is he? In short, his approach worked, and he improved the program’s pass rate by 20%. Despite this, despite the use of data in practice, he has never formally studied it. He has a background in health and sports and holds a master’s degree in exercise science.

So when Chuck took the Master of Data Science (MDS) degree program at the University of Pittsburgh, it initially felt like “learning a foreign language.” But he quickly found his foothold in support and durability, and now, just over a year later, he thrives with the program and his soon-to-be graduation.

Jump back to the classroom

“It’s not easy for me to get into data science,” Chuck admits. “I’ve been on the other side of the classroom, so it’s eye-opening to be a student again, especially in an area where I don’t have much experience.”

Pitt’s performance-based admission makes that transition approachable, but Chuck still has to adjust. Summer meetings are accelerating, and online learning requires another discipline. “At first, there was no face-to-face interaction. But group office hours and peer support did help. The slack community has been forgiving, collaborating and encouraging, especially for those of us in our first online cohort.”

Balance full-time jobs, families and graduate students

In his coursework, Chuck works full-time, married, has two children, one in college and the other is about to graduate. “It’s not easy to get cluttered and add school,” he said. “But I have a good support system. I’ve reserved evenings and weekends to study, which is controllable, on Coursera you can see courses in the coming weeks. This can help me plan around work and family commitments.”

He earned six credits in most semesters, but pushed it to nine semesters this fall so he could finish the race faster. By the end of this year, Chuck will complete all 30 credits of the program in just one year.

The impact of the real world, right away

Even before he was finished, Chuck was already using his learning content. He built dashboards at work, used new tools to analyze student success rates, and explored how AI shapes the future of medical education.

“As an educator, you can’t stand still,” Chuck explained. “If I taught me the way 20 years ago, my students wouldn’t have everything they succeeded today. The same is true in data science; everything is a mobile goal. You have to constantly improve yourself.”

Why is Pitt’s MD suitable

For Chuck, the decision boils down to three things: flexibility, affordability, and reputation.

• Flexibility: Fully online, able to balance demanding work and home life.
• Affordability: The paid tuition structure allows the degree to be earned without financial burden.
• Reputation: “Having Pitt’s degree brings weight,” he said. “It’s a recognized university and it’s very important.”

Looking to the future

Just get nine credits and Chuck can see the finish line. He is excited to attend Pitt’s face-to-face graduation and is already thinking about how to leverage his degree, whether by further improving leadership in higher education or exploring new career paths in data and analytics.

“The program opened the door to new possibilities,” Chuck said. “I’ve always been interested in computers and data analytics, and now I have the skills to pursue those goals. As everything AI has done to us becomes more and more core, you need to understand how it works. This degree provides me with the foundation.”

What does his advice for prospective students? Keep the course. “You will face challenges, especially if you’re like me new to data science. But it’s worth it. Adaptability, rely on the resources provided by Pitt, and believe you can succeed even if you’ve been out of the classroom for years.”

Whether you are like Chuck, from a non-technical background, or already using data, Pitt’s online Master of Data Science is designed to adapt to your life and expand your career opportunities. Explore all-degree programs today!