How women are changing the face and culture of Medtech

Polina Francini reports on how she uses the power of the metaverse to drive medtech innovation.

Getting into the technology and video game industry was always the goal – the industry is one I’m really passionate about, and I’ve always wanted to learn and grow as much as humanly possible. 

Navigating the STEM industry as an individual woman has been, for the most part, a positive experience. That positive feeling was only magnified when I moved into a more specific area of the STEM field, medtech. Contributing to the advancement of the medical world, which has so many incredibly positive outcomes for people all around the world, is a great feeling, especially because I’m doing what I love, in illustration and development. I get to discover and gain new knowledge in various aspects of development, not just art, and I’m always expanding my horizons with the help of my team, who are the most talented and wonderful doctors and developers not just in Australia, but based around the world. 

It’s an unlikely coupling, but doctors and developers make an amazing team and have the potential to make a hugely positive difference in this world. Together, we’re helping to save the lives of millions and when you’re achieving that while doing what you love, you’re never really working a single day in your life. 

Medtech is on the rise 

I’ve been in my role as a 2D & 3D Artist in the medtech industry for almost a year now – it’s not something I set out to do, but when Co-Founders/Co-CEOs Vijay and Nish approached me, it really opened my eyes to new and exciting ways in which I could use my skills. This opportunity appealed to me because I was one of the first to adopt the metaverse. It also allowed me to develop my skills as an artist, developer, and designer. 

A stand-out career highlight was attending the ICC Sydney conference – seeing the banners and illustrations that I’d created, now up on our company’s stand, framing the floor on which we’d connect with other people in the industry who are also looking to make a change, was pretty special. I cherished being able to engage with other people who are interested in revolutionary software like ours, getting the product out there and into the hands of healthcare organisations and professionals that will use it to make a change. 

Another highlight would have to be the 2022 Extreme Tech (XTC) Challenge – the world’s largest startup competition for entrepreneurs who are addressing the globe’s most serious challenges. We all woke up together at 1am, having to answer questions from people around the globe about our technology. It was great sharing our work and vision with them. 

We also just partnered with the University of Wollongong on a research project, and Vantari VR’s training software has been found to reduce medical error by an astounding 40 per cent. It was also discovered that the software had helped student clinicians increase their performance by 22% and adhere to safety standards by 39%. It’s incredible to have our work validated like this, and I’m so excited by what we will go on to achieve in the metaverse next year and beyond. 

Discover and collaborate to overcome gender bias 

Overall, being in the tech industry has been a wonderful experience – I’ve met a lot of people that love problem-solving and overcoming challenges – something I love to do myself. However, the most challenging and difficult problems I faced were all internal. They were encountered while I was studying.

At the outset, I met a lot of women in STEM who were experiencing internalised stigma, or gender bias, as it’s not traditionally been a ‘woman’s’ industry. Women make up less than one percent of IT graduates and one-fourth of engineering graduates. If you look at the larger industry picture, only 27% of STEM workers are women. A lot of women I met were worried they wouldn’t be able to grow and progress in such a male-dominated industry; these fears had the potential to develop further and prevent women from shooting their shot, or following their true passion. I was told by tutors that I could face hardships in the industry later on because of gender bias. I also heard that it might be difficult to break into the industry. It would be extremely competitive. It was very alarming to hear this. But, once I started my career in the industry, it was all about collaboration and discovery. There are so many women in this industry who want to share ideas, opinions, and collaborate. It was a matter of confidence and getting out of my comfort zone. 

Accessibility and awareness are key. It is important to be aware of the changing culture. Women are doing incredible things in the tech industry. There are numerous groups and platforms for female changemakers to collaborate and connect. With the metaverse making international communication so much more accessible, we’re able to connect with more people than ever before, to access community, education and a world of possibility. 

Women are setting the example. 

Along my path, I’ve met (virtually and physically) a number of inspiring women who are changing the game in the tech industry. I met some incredible women at the Women in Tech Conference in Sydney. 

Inge Berman spoke at the conference, and her experience in opening her own small indie video game studio was inspiring; starting with 2D projects and then moving into 3D art was a fascinating journey and one that I’m currently on, too. Mania, a Tokyo-based artist is, I believe, so beautiful and inspirational. Her work as a blender artist is amazing, and she launched Sandstorm Studio in Tokyo. 

Women are working on major movie titles, such as Peter Rabbit and Batman. I am proud to be a 3D artist with these jaw-dropping trajectories. To me, they’re the goal; having a strong sense of direction and a mastery of technology. They’ve squashed the stereotypes and are doing great things – something I plan to do in the medtech industry, alongside my team. 

Medtech is moving quickly. 

We’re taking medical knowledge and technological skills and developing that every day. It’s crucial for us as developers to immerse ourselves in the medical industry and observe medical advances; to work as a team. It astounds me how much we’ve achieved as a collective, when people get together and merge their specialisms to create a revolutionary product or service that can truly make a difference, especially in such a rapidly changing world. 

Over the last through years and during the pandemic, we’ve seen a shortage of hospital beds and of healthcare professionals. It’s been a trying time for clinicians and nurses, but now they have access to training and the acquiring of knowledge that can be accessed at home or in another comfortable setting, where they can upskill and fast-track their proficiency, and go on to save millions. 

I wish the industry continues to grow and that the pace of change doesn’t slow down. We need to continue changing lives through education and saving lives by reducing medical error. After cancer and cardiovascular disease, medical error is one of the biggest causes of death or injury, so it’s something we need to give time and resources to resolving and preventing. 

There are not enough doctors, engineers, artists, and designers in this industry. I’d love to see more women follow their dreams and join me on the path towards making a difference. It is possible for women to achieve anything. All that is required is motivation and the drive to make a difference in the world. Women in these fields and others should follow their passion, be passionate, do something you love, and ideally bring great benefit to the community. If you’re just at the beginning of your journey, take risks, be brave and jump into the unknown – because that’s where the really exciting (and life changing) stuff happens. 

About the author 

Polina Francini is a 2D & 3D Artist at Vantari VR. With a Bachelor of 3D Design and Animation, and a Diploma in 3D Modelling, Polina supports the creation of Vantari VR’s life-saving technology. Polina’s expertise lies within 3D game-ready assets, game development, UI art, fine art, graphic design, stylised art and creative production. Polina started with pen and paper, and has been working hard to perfect her craft for seven years. After discovering her passion for digital art, she began to explore 2D animation and digital art. This led to her combining her love of technology and gaming into a career in game development. She now brings her creative flair to the medical tech industry. 

Vantari VR 

Vantari VR is revolutionising the way doctors receive on the job training through its unique ‘flight simulator’ style technology. Vantari VR was created by a group of doctors who wanted to improve learning outcomes and reduce medical errors. It is currently operating in four hospitals in Australia. Vantari VR is setting a new gold standard for medical training, to produce the best doctors and the best medical outcomes by reducing medical error and in turn, saving patients’ lives.