Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Rapid (Reducing The Anxiety Of Patients In Interventional And Diagnostic) Radiologic Procedures: A Review Of The Literature, Unie Háng, Nathan Sim, Harika K. Bollineni, Arif Musa Md, Foaz Kayali Md, Roger Kakos Md, Monte Harvill Md, Ali Harb Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Abstract Title: RAPID (Reducing the Anxiety of Patients in Interventional and Diagnostic) Radiologic Procedures: A Review of the Literature

Background: Pre-procedural anxiety is a prevalent concern that can be associated with negative effects for patients including perceived pain. Most interventional radiologic procedures are performed under local anesthesia with minimal sedation if any, which may not be sufficient in relaxing the patient. Effective patient education with appropriate pain management and anxiety control can improve comfort and can yield optimal post-procedural outcomes.

Methods: A search was done with the PubMed database for studies concerning patient anxiety in radiologic procedures. Search terms included, …

The Utility Of Non-Specific Ecg Findings In The Setting Of Low High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin Levels, Arqam Husain, Nathan Klausner, Emily Schwab, Joseph Miller, Kaab Husain

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objective: Our objective was to assess the relationship between non-specific ischemic electrocardiogram (nsi-ECG) findings and the occurrence of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) within a 30-day timeframe among patients in the Emergency Department (ED) with low high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTnI) levels.

Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of the RACE-IT trial, a randomized trial performed across 9 EDs from July 2020 through March 2021 that looked at the effectiveness of hs-cTnI in evaluating the risk for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Our study assessed the association between nsi-ECG findings (left bundle branch block, ST-segment changes, or T-wave inversions) and 30-day MACE …

Pessary Use In Urology Clinics, Kathy Z. Lu Bs, Emily Brodowsky Md, Alex Stephens Ms, Samantha Raffee Md, Humphrey Atiemo Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Pessaries are a non-invasive treatment option for patients with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) or stress urinary incontinence (SUI). There is currently limited data regarding pessary usage among urology patients. The aim of this study is to determine the patient characteristics that predict long term pessary usage versus surgical intervention.

Methods: A 10-year retrospective review of pessary usage in women with either SUI or POP was performed. Patients were stratified into pessary longevity of less than or greater than one year. Quality of life measures before and after pessary use included pads per day, incontinence symptom index (ISI) scores, and …

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Hybrid Remnant Preservation Reconstruction Demonstrates Similar Outcomes As Traditional Reconstruction After 6 Months: A Randomized Control Trial, Joshua P. Castle, Eleftherios L. Halkias, Brittaney Pratt, Ashley Frei, Matthew A. Gasparro, Vasilios Moutzouros

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is often debrided during reconstruction (ACLR) to improve visualization. However, remnant ACL tissue contains nerve fibers and including remnant tissue in ACLR could provide benefit. Therefore, a technique was developed that preserves the tibial remnant and incorporates it into ACLR: Hybrid Remnant Preservation Reconstruction (HRPR) ACLR. This study compares HRPR-ACLR to traditional reconstruction by comparing patient reported outcomes and complications.

Methods

Patients presenting to one surgeon's clinic with an ACL injury are screened. Exclusion criteria are patient age<14 years, multi-ligament injury, chronic tears, and revision ACLR. Patients are consented and randomized to HRPR or traditional ACLR. Demographics, patient-reported outcomes, range of motion (ROM) and complications were collected.

Results

Thirty-three patients were included, 20 HRPR and 13 controls. No demographic differences were noted. PROMIS-PF, …

Neural Correlates Of Fear Extinction: Investing The Impact Of Puberty And Sex In Children And Adolescents Through Neuroimaging, Sneha Bhargava, Clara Zundel, Samantha Ely, Carmen Carpenter, Reem Tamimi, Leah Gowatch, Mackenna Shampine, Emilie-Clare O'Mara, Jovan Jande, Shravya Chanamolu, Ahmad Almaat, Hilary Marusak

Medical Student Research Symposium

Fear-based disorders, including anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, are more prevalent in females than males. Steroid hormones (e.g., estradiol) are involved in fear extinction learning and later recall—a process implicated in the pathophysiology of fear-based disorders. Fear-based disorders commonly emerge during the transition from childhood to adolescence, a period marked by the onset of puberty and a natural increase of steroid hormones. Here, we examined the effects of puberty, sex, and their interaction on extinction recall and underlying neural circuitry in youth. Eighty-five youth (6-17 years, 46% female) completed a two-day Pavlovian fear extinction paradigm while undergoing functional magnetic resonance …

The Long-Term Economic Implications Of Burn Injury For Burn Survivors, Jacob M. Dougherty Bs, Hannan A. Maqsood Mbbs, Zhaohui Fan Md Mph, Stewart C. Wang Md Phd, Mark R. Hemmila Md, Naveen F. Sangji Md Mph

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: The long-term economic implications of burn injury on patients and payors has not been well described. Burn injury can be costly due to prolonged intensive care, wound care, rehabilitation, psychological care, and reconstructive surgery that may be required well after the initial injury. We investigated index and post-acute payor and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs related to burn injury for in-patient care at 30 days, and up to 36 months post-discharge to understand the long-term economic implications for burn survivors.

Methods: An observational cohort study was conducted using a commercial claims database from IBM Watson Health® Marketscan. Patients age ≤ …

Amniotic Bladder Therapy In Patients With Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome, Jack Considine, Codrut Radoiu, Sophie Wittenberg, Nivedita Dhar Md, Raghav Madan Md, Jack Vernocke Md, Aron Liaw Md, Alaa Hamada Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction and Objectives: Our study hypothesis postulates that if patients with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS) bladders exhibit increased inflammation, fibrosis, and urothelial dysfunction, then treatment modalities that modulate inflammation and fibrosis, while promoting a regeneration may have a therapeutic effect in such patients. Amniotic membrane (AM) has been shown to foster a regenerative wound-healing environment. This study investigates the safety and efficacy of bladder injections of AM in patients with treatment resistant IC/BPS.

Methods: Fifteen consecutive treatment resistant IC/BPS patients (mean age 50.7 ± 14.4 years) with a median disease duration of 7 years (5-12 years) were …

Breast Cancer And Colorectal Cancer Screening In Arab Americans From 2021-2023, Nicole Oska, Hasti Nema, Deni Peterson, Kendall Brothers, Mohammed Najeeb Al Hallek

Medical Student Research Symposium

Breast Cancer and Colorectal Cancer Screening in Arab Americans from 2021-2023

Nicole Oska¹, Hasti Nema¹, Deni Peterson¹, Kendall Brothers¹, Mohammed Najeeb Al Hallak^1,2

¹Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA; ²Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA

Introduction:

Breast cancer (BC) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are among the most commonly diagnosed cancers in the United States^1,2; screening for these cancers is a pivotal component of preventative healthcare. Arab Americans represent a diverse, yet understudied, patient population that may encounter distinct barriers …

Tendon Rupture And Tendonitis In Low-Profile Dorsal Versus Volar Plating For Distal Radius Fractures: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Matthew Myhand, Shreya Balusu, Alex Lindahl Bs, Hardy Evans Md, Charles Day Dr., Eric Jiang Dr.

Medical Student Research Symposium

Tendon Rupture and Tendonitis in Low-Profile Dorsal versus Volar Plating for Distal Radius Fractures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Dorsal plating of distal radius fractures has historically been associated with high rates of hardware removal, tendonitis, and tendon rupture. Newer generation low-profile dorsal plates are thinner (<1.6mm thick) with improved characteristics. We examine whether low-profile dorsal plates still have higher rates of tendon complications than volar locking plates.

Methods: We searched Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE for published literature describing tendon complications in association with plating of distal radius fractures. Inclusion criteria encompasses any primary study of low-profile dorsal plates that included data on tendon complications. Studies that included both low-profile dorsal and volar plating arms were included …

Exploring The Effects Of Amniotic Bladder Therapy On Female Sexual Dysfunction In Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome Patients, Jonathan D. Lutchka, Jack Vercnocke Md, David Pearlman Md, Aron Liaw Md, Nivedita Dhar Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction and Objectives: Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is commonly associated with Interstitial Cystitis/Bladder Pain Syndrome (IC/BPS). FSD manifests as abnormalities in sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, pain, distress, and satisfaction. Our primary objective was to assess the impact of micronized amniotic membrane injections (AM) on FSD and lower urinary tract symptoms using comprehensive measures, including the multi-domain Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), the Pain Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Interstitial Cystitis Symptom Index (ICSI) and Interstitial Cystitis Problem Index (ICPI).

Methods: Study participants included patients diagnosed with IC/BPS and FSD refractory to traditional therapies. Under general anesthesia, these …

Flash Radiation Ultra-High Dose Rate Radiation With Potential For Sensitization By Platinum, Abigail A. Jaczkowski, Stephen Brown Ph.D.

Medical Student Research Symposium

External beam radiation therapy, a cornerstone in cancer treatment for 50% of patients, poses challenges due to its toxicity to both cancer and healthy cells. Seeking to mitigate side effects, the emerging FLASH radiation technology employs ultra-high dose rates, promising quicker treatments with reduced impact on surrounding normal tissue. Platinum, recognized as a radiation sensitizer, enhances the effectiveness of radiation therapy by increasing sensitization at higher energy levels through pair-production.

This study explores the hypothesis that Cisplatin, a platinum-based chemotherapy agent, will exhibit a synergistic effect when combined with FLASH radiation. Using A549 cells from non-small cell lung cancer, the …

Insular And Amygdala Origin Seizures: Unmasked With Electrocorticography (Ecog), Younes Motii, Arichenaramanathan Manmatharayan, Parthasarathi Chamiraju, Mona Elsayed

Medical Student Research Symposium

Insular and Amygdala Origin Seizures: Unmasked with Electrocorticography (ECOG)

Introduction:

Insula and amygdala have a large network of connections to other cortical regions. Seizures originating from these structures may become evident only after propagation to other structures. High degree of attention must be paid to auras and seizure semiology in patients with medically intractable epilepsy.

Methodology:

We have described a series of three adult male patients with focal intractable epilepsy who did not have structural lesions on Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Patients underwent MRI, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan, scalp electroencephalography (EEG), and stereo EEG implantation.

Results:

All three patients …

Enhancing Patient Understanding: The Impact Of Educational Videos On Ophthalmology Visits, Anna Zhao

Medical Student Research Symposium

A major component of effective patient-centered care is the patient’s understanding of their health condition and treatments. Increased knowledge of medical conditions can positively modify health behaviors, such as more participation in cancer screening and better adherence to medications. However, the readability of educational materials often does not match the patients’ reading abilities. Instead, educational videos, which have gained prominence with the emergence of tele-visits following COVID-19, have shown promise in being beneficial to patients with lower literacy levels. For ocular pathologies, early identification and care are key in preventing vision loss. Tele-education in ophthalmology could increase patient awareness of …

Vaccine Hesitancy Among Youth Living With Hiv In Detroit, Madeline B. Simone

Medical Student Research Symposium

Vaccine hesitancy among youth with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was evaluated to determine if the pandemic affected vaccine acceptance. A retrospective chart review was conducted to analyze vaccine rates over a five-year (pre-post COVID) in one university-based clinic. Results indicated a variation in acceptance rates between vaccines, with the MenACWY, MenB, tetanus, and HPV having the highest acceptance rates and COVID-19 and annual flu vaccine having the lowest acceptance rates. Vaccine hesitancy did not correlate with HIV treatment hesitancy nor with aversion to needles. Negative messaging around vaccines from a variety of sources appeared to be the primary factor in …

Hif Expression In Clear-Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma (Ccrcc) Tumors Of Adults With And Without Obstructive Sleep Apnea (Osa), Olivia Heppell, Carlos Guerra Londono, Nilesh Gupta

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF) is an important pathological feature shared by clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). However, it is unclear whether OSA alters the pathogenesis of ccRCC via HIF expression.

Methods: A retrospective cohort of adults undergoing nephrectomy for ccRCC was identified electronically (IRB#16040-1). The diagnosis of OSA was established with preoperative STOP-BANG scores or polysomnography. A consecutive sample of 20 individuals with and 20 without OSA was selected. Clinical characteristics and pathology results were reviewed. Resected tumor sections were immunohistochemically stained for HIF-1& HIF-2 at antibody dilutions of 1:150. Intensity and …

Epithelial And Mesenchymal Olfactory Stem Cells Gathered With Minimally-Invasive Micro-Brush, Tyler Petersen

Medical Student Research Symposium

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes devastating lifestyle and financial consequences for the patient. Treatment strategies emphasize neuroprotection, but not regeneration. In this regard, stem cells are an innovative field of study that has the potential to regenerate neural tissue, thereby increasing a person’s ability to regain function. The purpose of this project is two-fold: to attain olfactory stem cells located in the nasal canal in a minimally-invasive way and to gather neural cells from the epithelium and mesenchymal cells in the lamina propria. Cells were gathered with sterile nasal micro-brushes, stored, and grown in flasks. After cells reached confluency, they …

Assessment Of Breastfeeding Education In Medical Training, Saranya Madan, Abigail Kuplicki

Medical Student Research Symposium

In 2019, the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine issued a revised set of educational objectives for medical trainees at various stages of education. In this statement, objectives for medical school were broken down into preclinical and clinical training objectives. In this project, our goal is to assess the degree to which medical training at Wayne State University School of Medicine is addressing these aims.

The assessment of breastfeeding education is accomplished by surveying medical students at various stages of training (M1-M4) and eliciting their level of confidence in and understanding of the topics outlined in the objectives by the Academy of …

Racial Disparities In Palliative Care Utilization In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Margaret S. Bove, Benjamin Huber, Myles Hardeman, Daniel Harris, Areeba Jawed, Amber Comer

Medical Student Research Symposium

BACKGROUND

Palliative care is a vital resource for the critically or terminally ill. It has myriad benefits such as improved quality of life, reduced depressive symptoms, and decreased scarce resource utilization. Self-identified Black/African patients, however, are less likely to utilize advanced care directives or engage in hospice/comfort care measures and are more likely to prefer intensive treatment at the end of life. There is no research, however, on how the COVID-19 pandemic may have affected these trends.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study of patients who experienced in hospital mortality or in hospital hospice due to COVID-19 between March 2020 – …

A Review Of The Efficacy Of Popular Eye Cream Ingredients, Hanin Hamie, Reem Yassine, Rajaa Shoukfeh, Dilara Turk, Farhan Huq, Meena Moossavi

Medical Student Research Symposium

Every year, there are new products on the market advertised to preserve a youthful appearance and reduce the signs of aging. One classic example is eye cream. Due to the periorbital region’s high susceptibility to damage from external factors, along with its tendency to demonstrate early signs of aging, periorbital skin is a common target for anti-aging therapy. While some of these ingredients have proven efficacious in clinical trials, others have not shown to be clinically significant. Various products contain different combinations, formulations, and doses of these ingredients. This review evaluates the efficacy of popular topical ingredients found in common …

A Systematic Review Of Digital Technology Use For The Treatment And Management Of Ptsd, Liam Browning, Arash Javanbakht, Imran Rashid

Medical Student Research Symposium

The COVID-19 pandemic led to rapid growth in telemental health services and investment in digital mental health technologies. Digital mental health technologies could expand access to mental health care in a time of increasing provider deficit by providing tools for expedited psychiatric symptom assessment and management. This systematic review explores the current evidence for the use of scalable digital treatment modalities, including virtual reality (VR), machine learning, wearables, mobile apps, and neurofeedback training in the diagnosis and treatment of PTSD. Our findings support the current literature suggesting VR interventions are efficacious for combat-related PTSD treatment and that conclusions of studies …

Clinical Pathway Using Arabic Written Medical Information To Improve Incontinence Healthcare Utilization, John F. Knapp, Codrut Radoiu, Emma Ross, Jack Vercnocke Md, Aron Liaw Md, Nivedita Dhar

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction and Objective: Metro Detroit holds ~13% of all Arabic speakers in the U.S.A. and 91% of those in Michigan. Evidence supports that patients who do not speak the local language have poor access to healthcare. This study describes our preliminary experience of managing Arabic only speaking women with bothersome stress urinary incontinence (SUI) from May 2022 to October 2023. These women routinely request same-sex interpreters, which is not always possible, leading to a lack of detailed translation. A potential solution is to use Arabic written medical information (AWMI). The purpose of the study was to retrospectively look at the …

Demographic And Psychosocial Factors Associated With Suicide Mortality Among Childbearing-Aged Individuals: A Case-Control Study, Katerina A. Furman, Amy Loree Phd, Lyuba Gavrilova Bs, Leah Hecht Phd, Hsueh-Han Yeh, Frances Lynch, Brian Ahmedani, Rebecca Rossom, Anne Beck Phd, Yihe Daida Phd, Gregory Simon Md, Christine Lu Phd, Joslyn Westphal Mph, Ashii Owen-Smith Phd, Stephen Waring, Cathrine Frank Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objective: Examine pregnancy-related, demographic, psychosocial and healthcare utilization factors associated with suicide mortality among childbearing-aged women. Methods: Data from nine health care systems in the Mental Health Research Network were included. A case-control study design was used in which 290 childbearing-age women who died by suicide (cases) from 2000-2015 were matched with 2,900 childbearing-age women from the same healthcare system and enrolled during the same time period who did not die by suicide. Conditional logistic regression was used to analyze associations between patient characteristics and suicide. Results: Women who died by suicide were more likely to have mental health or …

Differentiating Axonal From Demyelinating Neuropathies Using Multiparametric Quantitative Mri Of Peripheral Nerves, Jacob D. Baraz, Stephanie Xuan, Sadaf Saba, Xue Yang, Ryan Castoro, Yang Xuan, Alison Roth, Richard D. Dortch, Jun Li, Yongsheng Chen

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objectives: To develop a multiparametric quantitative MRI (qMRI) method to track pathological changes in the peripheral neuropathies.

Background: Irrespective of the causes or types of polyneuropathies, peripheral nerves are mainly afflicted by two kinds of pathologies – axonal loss and demyelination. It is critical to differentiate between the two as treatments are different for the two conditions. While nerve conduction studies (NCS) have been used to differentiate the two pathologies in the distal nerves, there are no tools to probe the pathologies in the proximal peripheral nerves. This is particularly needed when distal nerves become non-responsive in NCS.

Methods: We …

Worse Postoperative Outcomes And Higher Reoperation In Smokers Compared To Nonsmokers For Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair, Susan G. Wager, Spencer Brown, Michael Gaudiani, Joshua P. Castle, Eric Jiang, Vasilios Moutzouros, Eric Makhni, Stephanie J. Muh

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Smoking impairs healing potential and is a significant risk factor for complications following orthopaedic surgeries. The purpose of this study was to determine if a cohort of former or current smokers at time of surgery met the minimally clinical important difference (MCID) for Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity (PROMIS-UE), Depression (PROMIS-D), and Pain Interference (PROMIS-PI) scores in comparison to nonsmokers.

Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent rotator cuff repair was performed. Patients who completed preoperative and 6-month postoperative PROMIS scores were included. The MCID was calculated using a distribution technique with a threshold of 0.5 …

Group-Based Four-Dimensional Brain Mapping Of Executive Control, Matthew T. Brennan, Kazuki Sakakura Md, Masaki Sonoda Md, Phd, Aimee Luat Md, Neena Marupudi, Sandeep Sood Md, Eishi Asano Md, Phd

Medical Student Research Symposium

Rationale: Humans utilize executive control processes to carry out non-automatic tasks. These tasks require coordination from higher brain centers to both suppress inappropriate behaviors and initiate correct responses. The goal of this study is to generate a novel, dynamic brain atlas to visualize and understand the network dynamics underlying executive control.

Methods: We studied 547 non-epileptic intracranial electrode sites sampled from seven patients with focal epilepsy. Each patient performed two types of verbal tasks: word-reading and Stroop color-naming. Mixed model analysis compared high-gamma cortical activation prior to response onset between the word-reading and Stroop color-naming tasks. Based on mixed model …

The Top 50 Most Cited Articles On The Medial Patellofemoral Ligament (Mpfl): A Bibliometric Analysis, Varag Abed, Alex Duvall, Jonathan D. Rexroth, Alyssa Goodwin, Joseph Liu, Austin Stone

Medical Student Research Symposium

Objectives: To determine which original articles on the topic of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) have been cited the most in the literature utilizing a bibliometric approach. Secondarily, to determine temporal trends between article types.

Methods: Articles on the topic of the MPFL were identified by utilizing the Web of Science Database. The search yielded 1,596 results and the top 50 cited original articles were collected for further analysis. The following information was gathered for all included articles: title, first author's name, journal name, year of publication, impact factor of the journal in 2021, total number of citations of the …

Gender Gap In Industry Payments To Urologists, Matthew Davis, Mohit Butaney, Alexandra Rogers, Taylor J. Malchow, Samantha Wilder, Alex Stephens, Sohrab Arora, Akshay Sood, Alexander Cole, Quoc-Dien Trinh, Craig Rogers, Firas Abdollah

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background: The Open Payments Program (OPP) was established in 2013 under the Sunshine Act, which mandated that medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers submit public records of any financial incentive given to physicians. The study aim is to characterize the gap in general and research payments between male and female urologists over the past 7 years.

Methods: The study sample included all urologists in the US who received at least one general (GP) or research payment from 2015 to 2021. In order to identify urologists’ genders, the OPP was matched with the National Provider Index dataset. Payments to male …

Comparing The Safety And Efficacy Of A Rapid High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin I Protocol Between Hospital-Based And Free-Standing Emergency Departments, Arqam Husain, Joseph B. Miller, Satheesh Gunaga, Seth Krupp, Howard Klausner, Elizabeth Plemmons, Hashem Nasseredine, Jacob Tuttle, Bernard Cook, James K. Mccord

Medical Student Research Symposium

Study Objectives: Current high sensitivity cardiac troponin I (hs-cTnI) research has been conducted almost exclusively in hospital-based emergency department (HBED) settings and the translation of these protocols into free-standing emergency departments (FSED) has yet to be explored. This study compared the safety and efficacy of applying a rapid-rule out protocol using hs-cTnI for exclusion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in HBEDs and FSEDs.

Methods: This was a secondary analysis of a randomized trial of patients evaluated for possible AMI in 9 emergency departments (ED) from July 2020 through March 2021. The trial arms included a new 0/1-hour rapid protocol using …

Misinformation Regarding Monkeypox On Tiktok, Madison Meyer, Rajaa Shoukfeh, Dilara Turks, Geoffrey Potts

Medical Student Research Symposium

TikTok is the newest and most popular form of social media for young audiences around the world. Healthcare professionals can present medical information to all audiences in an engaging and short-length video manner. Our study evaluates the reliability of Monkeypox-related information presented on TikTok. We assessed the quality of the information presented using DISCERN, a peer-reviewed tool used for the evaluation of health information presented to consumers. Findings from our study suggest physicians, members of the healthcare field, and non-medical individuals post videos supplying viewers with information that is rated unreliable. Physicians and other healthcare professionals should prioritize providing reliable …

Evaluation Of A Portable Gynecological Examination Table On Increasing Access To Cervical Cancer Screenings, Brennan Burrows, Giuliana Motta, Vibhasri Davuluri, Urvee Deo, Aman Tahir, Brindha Rajakumar, Jacob Blumenstein, Eliza Steinberg, Mariam Tobia, Asmita Tuladhar, Abigail Ahn

Medical Student Research Symposium

Introduction: Cervical cancer is a preventable disease affecting millions of women worldwide, with higher prevalence and mortality in developing countries. One explanation of this disparity is due to reduced access to screenings, especially in rural communities where mobile health clinics are limited by what medical equipment they can bring. To address these barriers, an engineering team called Project MESA (Making Examinations Safe and Accessible) designed a gynecological examination table that is portable, lightweight, and easily sanitizable.

Objective: This study aims to (1) evaluate whether the implementation of this device improves the clinician’s ability to perform pap smears as opposed to …