Today was my first day at the center and it was tons of fun! I was lucky enough to be involved with the nitty gritty from the start as Dr. Echt graciously invited me to tag along. We saw a total of 6 patients who all got extractions on various parts of their face using the Mohs surgery method, which is a method of removing and analyzing the problem area to keep as much healthy skin as possible. With each patient I observed the full process from numbing and extraction to analyzing the skin cells and suturing. It was truly fascinating to observe the extraction process and to get insight on what sorts of things people get removed. I had a lot of fun observing the process of mounting the different layers of the extraction onto slides and the staining process. Dr. Echt kindly allowed me to observe the skin cells as well and helped point out the anatomy of the cells. Having the privilege of being alongside Dr. Echt also helped me closely examine the process of closing the wounds and gave me a deep appreciation for the art of suturing. Unfortunately, I did not take any pictures, but I have included some to hopefully provide a helpful visual. Overall, today was an action packed day full of wonderful new people and brand new experiences!
photo 1: https://www.bvderm.com/mohs-surgery/
photo 2: http://www.lab.anhb.uwa.edu.au/mb140/CorePages/Integumentary/Integum.htm