Week 1 - Juan Boza: Ready, Set, Go!

Ready, Set, Go!


Taken from Pinterest

The immersion term started, and with it, a new stage in my career. This first week has been super busy! Getting accustomed to a new place is complicated - the trial and error in the elevator labyrinth, the thousand and none emails from your mentor, and the no-one-knows what-am-I-doing-project. While everything falls into place, there you are in the middle of the madness; it is just awesome. 

Every day has been a new adventure, one that starts with the question: What is dermatology? For many, this is just the study of the skin, pretty underrated. For me, this is not only the largest organ in your body but the first line of defense against all kinds of threats. This amazing barrier includes visible and non-visible parts, like the scalp and the mouth. Did you know that dermatologists check your scalp for any condition? Did you know that you can have cancer on your scalp? Pretty interesting, right!

While I thought I would work on the skin, I found out that my clinical mentor is a nail doctor. Yes, I said NAIL. Who would think that such an underrated part of the body happens to be one of the most interesting! I bet most people wouldn't even be concerned if they see changes in their nails. Why would you, right? Probably it will just grow out, and everything will be good. While this might be true for some, these changes can be permanent and impact their quality of life in several ways. Imagine the frustration that some people experience having trouble typing or picking up small objects. Imagine the embarrassment that others feel when judged for not having appealing feet or hands. Lastly, imagine the feeling of being avoided by others because they think you might be contagious. I am just saying, some of these conditions can affect people in different ways.

So now I ask, how do you think my week was? Amazing? Intense? - My week was one of the most memorable and impactful. I learned about numerous skin and nail conditions, which I had no idea were so many. I learned how to talk to patients, listen to their frustrations and experiences, and even accompanied them throughout their procedures. You have probably heard the say - nothing shooks you like a bullet hole! For me, nothing shocks you like a nail biopsy!!! For this, now I understand the clinical need for people like me, like you. People capable of putting themselves in other's shoes, people with the persistence to solve some of the most challenging problems, people determined to change lives through science. This takes me to my project. I am developing artificial intelligence (AI) to determine when malignancies are present, ultimately removing the need for unnecessary biopsies. Hopefully, utilizing this AI can help avoid such a traumatic experience.

Stay tuned for more!

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