Year 5 medical student, Kevin Kuan shares his experience as an active researcher within the Edinburgh Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Team (EXPPECT), presenting at a world congress and balancing his studies and other interests along the way.
My name is Kevin Kuan and I am a Year 5 medical student originally from Toronto, Canada. I am passionate about women’s health and hope to pursue an academic career in obstetrics and gynaecology. For the past two years, I have been an active member of the Edinburgh Endometriosis and Pelvic Pain Team (EXPPECT) under the supervision of Professor Andrew Horne and Dr Lucy Whitaker.
I was first introduced to endometriosis during my second year of medical school while shadowing a consultant specialising in minimally invasive gynaecological surgery. Although approximately one in ten women are affected by this disease, I learned that many patients unfortunately had a diagnostic delay of approximately 7-9 years due to several factors including the lack of recognition in the community and poor understanding of the exact underlying pathophysiology. With so much to learn about this common condition, it inspired me to become more involved in endometriosis research and did my dissertation on comparing ovarian stimulation protocols for women with endometriosis undergoing assisted reproductive technology at the University of St Andrews.
Working with inspiring colleagues
Working with the EXPPECT team has been an incredible learning experience. EXPPECT comprises of clinicians, scientists, statisticians, nurses, physiotherapists, and psychologists. I have been involved in all aspects of the research process from formulating questions, designing studies, applying for ethics approval, analysing data, and academic writing. Additionally, we work closely with patient representatives when designing studies to ensure our outcomes are patient-centred. Research requires lots of collaboration, and I am continuously inspired by my colleagues. During this time, I have worked on several original research projects and published literature reviews and a book chapter on ‘Diagnosing Endometriosis’. I also attend research meetings, conferences, and social gatherings. Outside of EXPPECT, I have also been collaborating on other research projects with Chalmers Sexual Health Centre, Endometriosis CaRe Oxford Team, the University of Vienna, and McMaster University.
Meeting international experts in the field
Most recently, I presented two posters at the World Congress of Endometriosis in May 2023 hosted in Edinburgh this year. It was a great opportunity to finally meet my international colleagues in-person and discuss my work with experts in the field. The keynote lectures featured international leaders in endometriosis with topics ranging from the central sensitisation theory of pain to social media’s impact on endometriosis awareness. It was exciting to stay up to date with the latest advancements in the field, and also see how there was such a wide scope of research within endometriosis. Other conferences I have also presented at include the Annual Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists Academic Meeting and the Scottish Postpartum Contraception Conference.
Getting involved in research you are passionate about
Finding the balance between coursework during medical school, research, and other extra-curricular can be challenging. I still try and set time to do other activities I enjoy such as playing the piano, cooking, and crochet. However, although it may sound clichéd, I do not find my research as ‘additional work’ because it satisfies my scientific curiosity in a topic I am passionate about.
I would encourage anyone interested in research to start by asking clinicians they worked with on placement or email staff from the university website. Regardless of your specialty of interest, there are plenty of ongoing research opportunities at the University of Edinburgh. Overall, getting involved in research during medical school has allowed me to become an active member within the specialty I enjoy, work with like-minded individuals who continuously inspire me, and contribute to the improvement of patient care.
