- Name: Detrich Hicks
- Undergraduate school: University of Arkansas at Little Rock
- Position: MicroServices Analyst
- Company: Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Industry Sector: Finance and Insurance
What she does:
- Detrich’s current title is Senior MicroServices Analyst. Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield has an imaging system that her team administers. The team makes sure claims that are sent in to BCBS to be paid make it through the system and that necessary adjustments are made in order to provide prompt payment. Any delays or problems to this process requires immediate attention – anything from programming changes to a simple reboot of the server.
Math on the job:
- Detrich typically uses her math skills to acquire new software. She needs to know how many people are using the current system, how much space or CPU they are using, and how long the system will work for the number of people are using it. This is a big task since the number of Medicare contracts are increasing.
Detrich's background:
- Detrich has a B.S. in Mathematics with a minor in Statistics. In addition, she has taken extra computer courses related to her employment. These include AIX and Microsoft.
Advice for students:
- “If math is something that intrigues you, I implore you to stay with it. Most people think that teaching is the only outlet for such a degree; however, a person that has the analytical mind required to break down a math problem and answer it correctly is someone definitely needed in the computer field.” Although a strong programming and computer background is preferred for a job like Detrich’s, BCBS looks for someone who can analyze a problem and know how to solve it.