Two Estrella Mountain Community College (EMCC) students are hard at work trying to help save radiologists time. Mia Gonzalez Rivas and Justin Snelling are participating in an Undergraduate Research Experience (URE) at the Mayo Clinic, where they are testing different AI models’ abilities to extract and analyze content from the safety manual PDFs for Active Implanted Metallic Devices (AIMDs), such as pacemakers and cochlear implants.
“These AIMD devices can cause issues when a patient goes to get an MRI because they contain metal, electronics, and sometimes magnets,” Justin said. “When these devices are designed, a safety manual is also created that lists out the conditions that need to be met and the steps that need to be taken for a patient with that specific device to get an MRI.”
But it can take a radiologist up to 30 minutes to read through each lengthy manual, and plenty of patients have multiple AIMDs, which means radiologists have to read through multiple manuals. So Justin and Mia are feeding the manuals into different AI models, noting specific conditions for the AI model to extract.
“Ultimately, this project will save doctors lots of time in a clinical setting,” Mia said.
Justin and Mia applied for the URE after learning about it last fall through a posting at EMCC’s STEM Center of Excellence (STEM CoE). They had to submit professional CVs and interview with the STEM CoE and the Mayo Clinic.
“I am a STEM Ambassador there, so I am always on the lookout for opportunities, whether it’s for me or for students who come in,” Mia said. “This URE sparked my interest because I know that the field of AI is only growing, and to be able to get experience working with it is so important. I also thought it was very interesting to see how AI and the health field can be connected.”
The URE, which came with a $1,000 stipend, began in February and was set to end in May, but has since been extended to run through the summer.
“We just received good news that we got approved for funding to be able to continue this research into the summer,” Mia said.
Justin said the original and subsequent stipend played a big role in his decision to apply for the URE.
“I am extremely aware of how impactful AI is, and I thought that it would be cool to learn more about it while also getting practical field experience,” Justin said. “But I was working full time when I applied and had classes as well, so it would’ve been difficult for me to participate in this URE if not for the funding it provided.”
Justin and Mia plan on furthering their work by shortening the prompt because it was extremely long. They also hope to use tools such as Python and Ollama, a tool that helps run Large Language Models, to create an AI model specifically designed for this task.
“This model can then be adapted and implemented by the Mayo Clinic, or can be used as a proof of concept and further refined by the Mayo Clinic and their team,” Justin said.
They’ve already shared their research at the National Applied AI Consortium’s (NAAIC) AI Summit, hosted by Miami Dade College, last February, and found the experience to be so beneficial that they plan to present again later this year at Chandler-Gilbert Community College.
“It was an amazing opportunity to show off what we worked on while also learning about new opportunities and advancements made in the AI industry,” Justin said. “It also helped to boost my confidence and grow my presentation skills.”
Justin graduated from EMCC this May with his Associate in Arts, Emphasis in Mathematics, but he’s taking some summer classes before he transitions this fall to Arizona State University, where he will major in Computer Science. Mia is working on her Bachelor of Applied Science (BAS) in Information Technology degree at Phoenix College while simultaneously taking classes at EMCC. She plans to graduate in the spring of 2027.
“After graduation, I plan to pursue my career in IT,” Mia said. “I want to work on something a bit more on the software side, and after this internship, maybe even in a career that works with artificial intelligence.”
Are you a current Mountain Lion looking for an Undergraduate Research Experience? Contact Thasanee Morrissey, URE Program Coordinator, at [email protected].