Sally Lee/Dr. Thomas J. Fahey - Week 3

Week 3 Blog

Name: Sally Lee

Clinician mentor: Dr. Thomas J. Fahey

This week was filled with both setbacks and thrilling possibilities. Unfortunately, due to the shortage of staff at the clinic and challenges in arranging shadowing opportunities in the OR, I missed out on observing clinic appointments and surgeries this week. However, hopefully, I will be able to resume shadowing next week. 

To make the most of my time, I took the initiative to reach out to several other clinicians, including Dr. Jason Spector. Attending one of his seminars back in Ithaca on reconstructive surgery and witnessing the profound scale of the surgeries and the impact they had on patients' lives was an inspiring experience. During the seminar, Dr. Spector also shed light on certain limitations associated with some of the procedures, such as the challenge of preventing inflammation, which occasionally necessitates additional surgeries, and prolonged recovery periods. Hence, I am eagerly anticipating the opportunity to observe his surgeries firsthand and identify areas for improvement in surgical procedures, which may enhance patient outcomes or simplify procedures that surgeons perform. 

I have also dedicated some time to work on my mini project. I was able to find a publicly available database containing pancreatic islet data collected from the normal population. I am considering to use this database to construct the reference database for my project. This will require extensive data processing and coding to identify pancreatic neuroendocrine cell population. Nevertheless, I am very excited for its potential to serve as a reference database for the bigger project of studying pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor trajectory. 

Reflecting on this week's experiences, I am reminded of the fast-paced and busy nature of the hospital environment. It demands resilience and underscores significance of forging connections and seeking clinicians who can offer exciting shadowing experiences and guidance. Looking ahead, I am anticipating immersing myself further in the dynamics of the clinic and witnessing diverse range of surgical procedures. It is through these experiences that I hope to contribute to advancements that benefit both patients and the clinicians. 

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