Profiles in Telehealth: Alan Kopetman - Software Engineer II
Get to know Wheel Software Engineer, Alan Kopetman!
What’s your role at Wheel?
I'm a software engineer here at Wheel, and the primary purpose of my role is to build, maintain, and improve the platform our clinicians, patients, and internal teams use. However, I don't do it alone! I'm part of a wonderful group of talented engineers. We collaborate and work together to make decisions on how to design and build the platform.
What’s your background? What did you do before working with Wheel?
I grew up in Miami and came from an artistic-leaning background. For a good part of my life, I thought I would be a digital artist. I didn't consider becoming a software engineer until college when my father introduced me to one of his close friends. They had an exciting career in the field, and we would speak at length about it. It led me to do a complete 180, and I decided to major in Computer Science at Florida International University.
I started my career right after college at General Electric, where I built internal tools for employees. I learned a great deal, and after over two years, I said goodbye to GE and Miami and took those lessons and learnings here to Wheel! Besides programming and work, I like to spend time with my amazing wife, adventuring around Austin.
Why did you join the Wheel team?
I joined Wheel at the end of June 2020. What drew me to Wheel initially was the excitement of working on a telehealth platform and solving the technical and non-technical challenges that come with it. However, it wasn't until I met the people I would soon call my coworkers during my interviews that I would choose Wheel and Austin to be my home. From the very beginning, I was drawn to the culture, people, and mission statement at Wheel, which led to my decision to join.
My day typically begins with taking care of my cat, Goose, and my puppy, Pluto. Once I sit down at my desk, the workday starts, which usually involves a combination of writing code, reviewing code and other documentation, and collaborating with our engineering, product, and design teams to build new features.
What’s your recent Wheel Moment of Reward?
It's not easy to choose, but the moments when users tell us how a feature we created made their lives easier or how they're excited about an upcoming change put a smile on my face. It's the moments when the features we take months to build are finally put in the hands of healthcare providers or our team, and as a result, they improve the care patients receive.
What do you think the future of healthcare holds?
What excites me about the future of healthcare is the breakdown of socioeconomic barriers that make it difficult for families to get the care they need. As improvements in the telehealth field are made, it will become a common resource leveraged in every household to benefit patients, families, healthcare providers, and the healthcare system. It's something I'm excited to be a part of, even if I play a minor role in the grand scheme of things.
Thanks, Alan, for all your hard work with The Wheel Team! We appreciate everything you do.
Interested in joining our team? Check out the latest career opportunities with Wheel!
Get to know other team members through prior staff profiles with Drew Johnson - Head of Finance & Business Operations, Will Poon - Business Operations Manager, and Kirk Goodman - Director of Sales.
