Emmanuel Nyamekye
2026 Saltire Scholar
Clinical Data Research Intern, Optos
Biomedical Engineering, University of Glasgow
Hi there! My name is Emmanuel Nyamekye, and I recently completed my Bachelor of Engineering in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Glasgow. I applied to the Saltire Scholars Programme because friends who had previously participated highly recommended it, emphasizing how much it benefited their professional development and career readiness. I was hoping to take the technical and theoretical skills I gained during my degree and apply them to real world, commercial challenges within the health technology industry.
I interned at Optos as a Clinical Data Research Intern. My primary responsibility was building a dynamic, high level clinical overview in Power BI. This involved pulling patient data directly via Azure cloud servers and applying SQL and DAX to unify massive clinical datasets into a comprehensive reporting pipeline. This project took me in an exciting new direction. At university, my focus had heavily been on data analysis and machine learning using tools like Python. This internship pivoted my focus toward the robust data management of sensitive retinal imaging data. It gave me an immense sense of responsibility, as I was handling real, historical clinical data. Learning to manage and structure this data safely and efficiently in Power BI broadened my technical skill set far beyond what I learned in the classroom.
I successfully built a reporting pipeline that unified disparate clinical datasets. A major technical milestone was optimizing the data performance and workflows, which reduced the dashboard load times by 75 percent, dropping from 20 seconds down to just 4.5 seconds. By drastically reducing the load times and centralizing the data, my project provided the clinical data team with faster, cleaner, and more reliable visibility across key trial metrics, directly streamlining their daily workflows. The most rewarding moment was presenting my final project and findings directly to both the clinical data team and the wider company. Showcasing the tangible impact of the new overview to stakeholders and seeing their positive reception was incredibly fulfilling.
I received consistent support, guidance, and constructive feedback from my line managers, Giulia and Dominik, as well as from Sophie in HR and the wider clinical data team. I also formed a close bond with my fellow interns (Nabil, Jeen, Joshua, and Sarrmiin), who made the daily experience so memorable. Professionally, I now understand the true magnitude and precision required in biomedical data workflows. Personally, managing the daily routine, including a four hour commute to Dunfermline, built my resilience and adaptability in a fast paced corporate environment. Moving from university level datasets to managing scalable cloud architecture and semantic modeling for a global company has cemented my desire to pursue data management and analytics within the medical technology sector. It opened my eyes to the sheer scale of backend data architecture required to keep a medical device company running.
I am incredibly proud of mastering entirely new software and coding languages in a matter of weeks and using them to deliver a highly optimized, production ready solution for the company. To any student considering applying to the Saltire Scholars Programme, I would absolutely tell you to apply. At first, I was hesitant about the logistics, as the role required a massive commute from Glasgow to Dunfermline each day. However, my mother strongly encouraged me to look at the bigger picture and the experience I would gain. I therefore took the leap, and I am incredibly happy that I did. The sheer opportunity to apply what you have studied, or to explore an entirely new subset of your field that interests you, makes it deeply worthwhile. In a highly competitive job market, having the hands on, high impact experience that Saltire provides makes a massive difference in your career prospects.
My advice to future Saltire Scholars is that you do not need to know everything right from the beginning. When I began my internship, I had to learn Power BI and DAX, tools and languages I had never encountered before. However, the team eased me into the learning stage over the first few weeks, and by the end, I felt I had mastered them. Not knowing something initially is not a weakness, it is just the starting point of your growth. Being a Saltire Scholar means being part of a supportive community. It felt like being part of a family with my fellow interns, as we supported one another and gave each other something to cheer about week after week. Ultimately, knowing that you are utilizing your skills to contribute to the lives of others in a meaningful capacity is what defines the Saltire experience for me.
