Hi Dr. McWilliams. Care extender at Ronald Reagan MC here! There's a chance I might have seen you around. Thanks for taking the time to do this AMA.
I am currently in year 3 of undergrad planning to apply to med school the upcoming cycle. I got interested in IR ever since my grandfather's cancer metastasized to his liver, and he underwent TACE treatment. Could you explain the TACE procedure, and maybe why TACE would be better than other approaches in certain scenarios for treating liver cancer? Since my grandfather only stayed one night post-op, I am assuming that TACE's upsides are that its highly localized and minimally demanding on the patient. Other than that, my understanding of the hows and whys behind TACE is pretty limited.
Also could you expand on the differences between IR and vascular surgery? (interest in both!) Are there instances where IR docs will work closely with vascular surgeons, or do the two specialties tend to operate autonomously? They seem similar in certain regards, but I can imagine they are significantly different in terms of approaching treatment and practice.
Finally, what are your thoughts on AI in medicine, and its possible applications (or implications) for IR?
Just wanted to say that its doctors like you who have allowed me to spend more valuable time with my grandfather, so thank you for all that you do!
DesmondChin2 karma
Hi Dr. McWilliams. Care extender at Ronald Reagan MC here! There's a chance I might have seen you around. Thanks for taking the time to do this AMA.
I am currently in year 3 of undergrad planning to apply to med school the upcoming cycle. I got interested in IR ever since my grandfather's cancer metastasized to his liver, and he underwent TACE treatment. Could you explain the TACE procedure, and maybe why TACE would be better than other approaches in certain scenarios for treating liver cancer? Since my grandfather only stayed one night post-op, I am assuming that TACE's upsides are that its highly localized and minimally demanding on the patient. Other than that, my understanding of the hows and whys behind TACE is pretty limited.
Also could you expand on the differences between IR and vascular surgery? (interest in both!) Are there instances where IR docs will work closely with vascular surgeons, or do the two specialties tend to operate autonomously? They seem similar in certain regards, but I can imagine they are significantly different in terms of approaching treatment and practice.
Finally, what are your thoughts on AI in medicine, and its possible applications (or implications) for IR?
Just wanted to say that its doctors like you who have allowed me to spend more valuable time with my grandfather, so thank you for all that you do!
View HistoryShare Link