When more than 400 medical professionals came to learn at the Advancing Healthcare Innovation Summit in Cincinnati in September 2021, Katie Dobelhoff and Johanna Huelsman, now seniors at The Summit Country Day School (OH), were among the presenters. In their sessions, Dobelhoff and Huelsman presented findings from their summer study, during which they spent eight weeks combing through data from TriHealth Cancer Institute as part of the school’s highly competitive program that connects students with professional scientific researchers.
Dobelhoff examined the medical records of patients diagnosed with lung cancer to determine if somatic tumor genetic profiling impacted their treatment outcomes. She also sought to uncover whether the application of tumor genetic profiling was equitable across different demographics. Huelsman performed data analysis on ovarian cancer patient records. With the help of her adviser, she evaluated the proportion of patients with ovarian-like cancers who were offered germline and somatic testing. Both students also shadowed genetic counselors and helped distribute patient education resources.
Their interest in the topic stemmed from their biology course, and they plan to continue pursuing medicine. “Being part of this research project expanded my knowledge of science and made me more interested in a career in the medical field,” Huelsman says. “It also gave me valuable experience with public speaking.” Dobelhoff says she’s “more passionate about science now after working closely with medical professionals in a real-world setting.”
A representative from the lab that provided data on liquid biopsies for the students said, “Their level of intellect and knowledge of these complicated subjects is remarkable. Through sophisticated data analysis, they were able to uncover data and statistics about biomarkers that can be used to guide protocol in our institutions. I’m simply amazed by what they’ve done.”
Johanna Huelsman (left) and Katie Dobelhoff at the Advancing Healthcare Innovation Summit
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