#SoCaltech: Albert Hsiao

"After my time at Caltech, I ended up entering UC San Diego's MD/PhD Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). I feel like the role of physician-scientists is really one of those aspects of medical practice that has unfortunately faded over the years. People may invent AI and other technologies but not actually solve any real problems unless there are physician-scientists who can bridge the gap between basic science and medicine. Over the last 20 years it's become more about how to do things faster or cost-efficiently, and not so much about inventing new technologies that actually transform the practice of medicine. I don't think I could have predicted that our efforts would pan out the way they have. But it is what I always hoped would happen: that the things we learned at Caltech, everything that we trained for, can now be applied and have meaning for society." 

Albert Hsiao (BS '00) is a cardiothoracic radiologist at UC San Diego Health. His lab has developed an AI algorithm that can accurately highlight areas of pneumonia on an X-ray, a useful tool for managing patient care during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

#SoCaltech is an occasional series celebrating the diverse individuals who give Caltech its spirit of excellence, ambition, and ingenuity. Know someone we should profile? Send nominations to magazine@caltech.edu.