Ryhan Patel
Hi, my name is Ryhan and I am a current 3rd year medical student and I would love to be the Dermatology Society Chair.
My aim as Chair would be to bring a clear idea of what exactly dermatology involves, and to break the misconception that it is a field that deals solely with acne or conditions that are treated solely with ‘steroids’ (even though I find the stereotypes quite funny). I would also focus on making dermatology society more well known in the ICSM community with the aim of demonstrating how fun and exciting this field can be, particularly because dermatology is notoriously exhausting to learn in 1st and 2nd year!
Earlier in 3rd year I was lucky enough to have a Plastics placement in Chelwest where I was able to see many surgeries involved in treating dermatological. I requested to spend 1 week on the dermatology ward during this time, and it not only highlighted to me that dermatology is a very misunderstood speciality, but it also reaffirmed my desire to change the ICSM attitude towards dermatology.
I have experience with leading projects as I am a key member of the Imperial College CLEFT student ambassador team (2023-present) and we work with the international CLEFT charity to provide dermatological and plastics surgery treatments to deprived children around the globe. This has given me a wide-array of dermatological contacts as well as experience in working with like-minded people to achieve a goal that I am passionate about.