Changing careers is daunting. You worry about being too late, not having enough experience, or what happens if it doesn’t work out. But anyone who shows up to forge their own path demonstrates courage and commitment. Success just requires strategy.
That was the message from a recent webinar hosted by Femtech Insider in partnership with Coursera. Kathrin Folkendt, founder of Femtech Insider, led the session to help professionals navigate entry into women’s health innovation.
Folkendt’s own path into women’s health started with a PCOS diagnosis. That personal experience led her to launch Femtech Insider and build a career at the intersection of innovation, media and women’s health. Her journey informed the practical advice she shared during the webinar.
Seven Steps to Enter the Field
Folkendt outlined a seven-step approach to breaking into femtech:
- Identify your gaps and set goals. Examine your previous experience, current mindset and future ambitions. Where do you need knowledge? Are you building a network, learning a skill, finding collaborators, or securing a job?
- Leverage existing resources. Industry publications, newsletters, reports and communities provide insight. Femtech Insider’s newsletter, Inner Circle community and resource library track market developments and opportunities.
- Create resources where none exist. If you can’t find information, make it yourself. This builds your profile and contributes to the ecosystem.
- Attend webinars and conferences. These events connect you with experts, trends and potential collaborators.
- Join or create networks. Where and how to start building industry knowledge matters when entering any industry.
- Track your progress. Document what you learn and note developments. This demonstrates commitment and growing expertise and can help you stay motivated.
- Show up and advocate for yourself. Share perspectives, participate in discussions, and make your interest known. Build a public presence around your learning.
Closing the Knowledge Gap
One challenge for career changers is where and how to start building industry knowledge. Femtech Insider partnered with Coursera for the webinar because the platform offers flexible learning from universities and companies, allowing professionals to build skills while working.
Folkendt recommended eight courses for different aspects of women’s health careers, which have helped her broaden her understanding of the ecosystem:
For those needing healthcare business fundamentals, The Business of Health Care Specialization from the University of Pennsylvania teaches how the American healthcare system works and how to improve cost and quality. The Healthcare Marketplace Specialization from the University of Minnesota goes deeper with 89 hours across five courses covering the healthcare marketplace, delivery providers, pharmaceutical and medical device innovations, medical technology evaluation, and a capstone project.
For professionals interested in the science-to-market pipeline, Biotech — From Science to Business from the Technical University of Munich explains how discoveries become commercial products. The International Women’s Health and Human Rights course from Stanford provides global perspective on women’s health issues and policy frameworks.
Given the rapid changes in women’s health, Folkendt highlighted the Futures Thinking Specialization from the Institute for the Future, which teaches how to forecast trends and imagine new possibilities. Two AI courses from DeepLearning.AI – AI For Everyone and Generative AI for Everyone, both taught by Andrew Ng – cover AI basics that can help you make AI work for you.
Finally, The Career Design Lab from UC Santa Cruz addresses the transition process itself, teaching strategic career planning for professionals making major changes.
The webinar also included reflection exercises for assessing your transferable skills and setting career goals, plus an AI prompt for analyzing your resume against women’s health roles. The full session is available to watch for additional tools and strategies.
For professionals considering a move into women’s health, Folkendt’s message was clear: the industry needs diverse perspectives and backgrounds. The path may feel uncertain, but consistent learning, strategic networking and self-advocacy create momentum.
If you missed our “Breaking into Femtech: Careers in Femtech & Women’s Health Innovation” webinar hosted by Femtech Insider in partnership with Coursera, you can rewatch it here.
