Name: Yiqing Shen
Major and College: PhD of Computer Science at Johns Hopkins University
Internship Title: Machine Learning Engineer
Internship Site: CurieDx
1) Please tell us about your career goals.
My career goals have evolved as I’ve gained more experience in the field of medical imaging and AI. My passion lies in developing innovative AI solutions that can transform healthcare diagnostics and improve patient outcomes. At CurieDx, I’ve been able to apply my research expertise in medical image analysis to real-world healthcare problems, which has reinforced my desire to pursue a career path that bridges cutting-edge AI research with practical healthcare applications.
In the near term, I aim to further develop my expertise in AI-driven diagnostic methods, particularly focusing on adapting foundation models like Segment Anything Models (SAM) for medical imaging. I plan to pursue additional certifications and training in healthcare AI implementation to ensure my technical solutions can be effectively integrated into clinical workflows.
2) Tell us about your internship (i.e. day-to-day responsibilities, special projects/clients and work culture).
At CurieDx, my day-to-day responsibilities involve developing and optimizing AI models for medical image analysis. I work on adapting research-oriented models for practical clinical applications, focusing on making them both accurate and efficient enough for real-world deployment. This includes coding, testing model performance, analyzing results and others.
The work culture at CurieDx is collaborative and mission-driven. We have a diverse team of AI researchers, ML engineers, and medical professionals working together toward the common goal of improving diagnostic capabilities. This multidisciplinary environment has been incredibly enriching, allowing me to gain perspectives beyond purely technical considerations and understand the full context of healthcare delivery.
3) Describe the process of obtaining your position. When did you hear of the position and submit your application?
I first learned about the opportunity at CurieDx through the faculty recommendation. My supervisor, who was familiar with my research in medical imaging and AI, specifically recommended this position to me as it aligned perfectly with my expertise and career interests. This personal recommendation was very very invaluable as it connected me with an opportunity that might not have been on my radar otherwise. After receiving this faculty recommendation, I submitted my application soon with their guidance, as I was looking to translate my academic research into solutions with direct healthcare impact.
4) Which of the following resources did you use to find your current experience?
Faculty Connections
5) What have you enjoyed the most about your position or organization?
I can see how my ML models and solutions contribute to real world practice and how it works on a product.
6) How do you believe you have made an impact through your work?
I believe I’ve made an impact at CurieDx by bringing advanced ML models from research into practical diagnostic applications. My adaptation of the classification models and ensemble methods for medical imaging has enabled more accurate analysis of complex medical images, improving diagnostic capabilities (with improved AUC when training with diverse medical data). Our model was also deployed on to the products.
7) What advice would you give to another student who is seeking an internship or similar experience (i.e. Internship search, Resume or Interview tips)?
For students aspiring to work in specialized fields like medical AI, I recommend developing a strong technical foundation while maintaining awareness of real-world challenges in your domain. Understanding both the technical possibilities and practical constraints will make your contributions more valuable and impactful.
For those specifically interested in healthcare AI, I suggest gaining interdisciplinary knowledge. While technical skills are essential, understanding the clinical context and healthcare workflows will set you apart. Consider collaborating with professionals from different disciplines on projects, as these experiences provide valuable insights and strengthen your applications.