Week 2: Getting Hands On

This week was an exciting step forward in my Senior Project because I was able to go in person and spend more time learning directly in the clinical environment. Being there allowed me to move beyond just planning and research and to actually see how things work in practice. The first thing I did was meet with my advisor to discuss my project plan in more detail. We talked through the direction of my research, the types of data I might look for, and how I can continue refining my methodology as I gather more information.

The next day, I was practicing scribing for Dr. Tamjidi. This gave me a glimpse into how dermatology visits are documented and how physicians track patient symptoms, treatments, and progress. Scribing requires careful attention to detail and quick thinking, as you must accurately record what is happening during the appointment while keeping up with the visit’s pace. Practicing this skill helped me better understand the clinical side of dermatology and how patient information is organized and used in real medical settings.

I also spent time learning how the clinic’s systems and programs work. Understanding how the apps that they use organize patient records is important, especially since it allows providers to track diagnoses, treatments, and patient histories. With guidance, I began reviewing the system to identify patients with psoriasis, which could provide context for my research and show how commonly the condition appears in a dermatology practice.

Overall, this week helped connect the research side of my project with the real-world clinical environment. Seeing how dermatologists work with patients, document cases, and manage information gave me a much better understanding of the field. It also reinforced why studying psoriasis and potential treatment approaches is important, since it’s a condition that many patients deal with on a daily basis.