Being a Doctor: Why I Advise Other Doctors to Learn Basic Coding
Ten years ago, if someone told me I would be writing code alongside writing prescriptions, I would have laughed. But today, as I look at the changing face of healthcare, I find myself strongly recommending that fellow doctors learn at least the basics of coding. Here is why.
The Healthcare Technology Wave Is Here
Our profession is changing fast. Electronic health records, telemedicine, AI diagnostic tools, and automated systems are no longer optional. They are becoming standard in hospitals and clinics worldwide.
According to research published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research, primary school children in many countries, including the United Kingdom, are now being taught coding skills. However, there remains a gap of at least ten years before these students arrive at medical school with programming knowledge. This creates an urgent need for current doctors to bridge this gap.
We See Problems That Technology Can Fix
Every day in our practice, we encounter inefficiencies that could be solved with the right digital tools. Long patient waiting times, repetitive documentation tasks, difficulty tracking patient progress, and challenges in coordinating care between departments.
When you understand basic coding, you can either build simple solutions yourself or communicate effectively with developers to create tools that actually work in real clinical settings. You know the problem intimately because you live it every day.
Reducing Our Administrative Burden
One of the biggest causes of doctor burnout is paperwork and administrative tasks. Research shows that AI has already reduced the administrative workload for physicians by about 20 percent, allowing more time for actual patient care.
When doctors understand how automation works, they can identify which repetitive tasks in their workflow could be automated. This knowledge helps in choosing the right software solutions or even creating custom tools that fit specific needs.
Better Understanding of Medical Technology
Modern medicine relies heavily on complex software systems. Electronic health records, diagnostic algorithms, and treatment planning tools all run on code. When something does not work properly or produces unexpected results, doctors with coding knowledge can better understand what might be going wrong.
They can also evaluate new healthcare apps and technologies more critically, helping their hospitals choose tools that actually improve patient care rather than just looking impressive in marketing materials.
Improving Patient Care Through Data
Evidence-based medicine depends on data analysis. Programming languages like Python and R are powerful tools for analyzing patient data, identifying trends, and making better clinical decisions.
The Thinking Skills Transfer Well
An interesting benefit I discovered is that coding teaches you to think in ways that actually help in clinical practice. Programming requires breaking large problems into smaller, manageable steps. It demands attention to detail and systematic troubleshooting.
These same skills apply when diagnosing complex cases or managing multiple patient conditions. As one MD-PhD student noted in Stanford Medicine publications, the logical approach used in programming translates well to medical problem-solving, including thinking about edge cases and unexpected scenarios.
Future-Proofing Our Careers
The healthcare industry is moving rapidly toward automation and AI integration. A 2024 survey revealed that 92 percent of healthcare leaders believe automation is critical for addressing current staff shortages.
Doctors who understand technology will be better positioned to work alongside these systems rather than being replaced by them. They can provide oversight, quality assurance, and human judgment that machines cannot replicate.
You Do Not Need to Become an Expert
Here is the good news. You do not need to become a software engineer. Learning basic programming concepts and simple scripting is enough to make a real difference.
Many doctors start with Python because it uses language close to English and has numerous healthcare applications. Others learn just enough to understand how databases work or how to automate simple tasks in spreadsheets.
Basic Coding Skills You Can Learn in Your Spare Time
Here are practical programming skills that fit well into a busy medical schedule:
Protecting Against Burnout
Interestingly, having a skill outside of pure clinical medicine can serve as a mental break. Learning coding provides a different kind of challenge that can actually help prevent burnout.
It gives you something else to focus on and can open doors to part-time consulting work, teaching opportunities, or even career transitions if needed. The flexibility is valuable in our demanding profession.
Collaborating Better With Tech Teams
Even if you never write a single line of production code, understanding programming basics helps you communicate with IT departments and software developers. You can explain clinical needs more clearly and understand technical limitations better.
This leads to better healthcare technology that actually serves patients and doctors, rather than creating more frustration.
Reducing Dependency on Technical Teams
By learning basic coding, doctors become less dependent on IT departments for every small task or customization. This independence allows for faster problem-solving and reduces bottlenecks in implementing clinical solutions.
You can prototype ideas quickly, test concepts before involving larger technical teams, and have meaningful conversations about feasibility and timelines with developers. This autonomy is invaluable in a fast-paced medical environment.
New Earning Opportunities for Physicians
Coding skills open up additional revenue streams for doctors. Many physicians are now building healthcare apps, creating telemedicine platforms, developing patient education websites, or consulting for health tech companies.
These opportunities provide financial diversification and professional fulfillment beyond traditional clinical practice.
My Personal Experience
I started learning to code a few years ago out of curiosity. It has been a journey of continuous learning, and I am still discovering new things. What struck me most is how accessible it has become for someone like me with a busy medical practice to pick up these skills at my own pace.
The experience has been overwhelmingly positive, which is why I am passionate about encouraging other doctors to explore coding. The benefits I have seen in my own professional life—from feeling more empowered around technology to having new problem-solving perspectives—have convinced me that this is something worth pursuing for our profession.
The Bottom Line
Healthcare technology is not going away. It is only going to become more integrated into how we practice medicine. As doctors, we can either be passive users of technology designed by others, or we can be active participants in shaping how technology serves our patients.
Learning basic coding gives us that voice. It empowers us to solve problems we see every day, reduces our administrative burden, and prepares us for the future of healthcare.
You do not have to quit your practice and go to coding bootcamp. Start small. Learn at your own pace. But start. Your future patients and your own career will thank you.