Digital Commons Network^™

Psychiatry Meets Ai: Are Residents Ready?, Jacob De Castro, John Case

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Artificial intelligence (AI) use is increasing in healthcare, but psychiatry residency training remains unstructured. In a 20-resident pilot survey, AI was frequently used for literature review and clinical support, with limited confidence and institutional guidance. We found most residents desired formal training and would use AI more if institutionally supported. Findings highlight a gap between rapid adoption and structured education.

Health Outcomes In Heat-Intense Areas In Response To Socioeconomic Status, Victoria Zheng, Chandni Patel, Emily Fried, Jayanth Ambat, Lincoln Opara, Rohan Gupta

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: As ambient temperature rises, regions experiencing extreme heat face serious health concerns. This disproportionately affects lower socioeconomic status (SES) individuals in urban areas. This review examines how these “heat islands” affect the health outcomes for those in different socioeconomic statuses.

Methods: The databases used were PubMed, Embase, and Medline, and were searched with keywords such as “heat islands”, “social inequality”, “SES”, and “health outcomes”. After compiling, articles were screened using the inclusion criteria of ages, gender, peer-reviewed and English-written publications, from any location, social determinants as a primary outcome, and directly compared heat with social determinants of health. Articles …

Evaluation Of Possible Suicide Attempt And Treatment Of Chronic Serotonin Syndrome: A Case Report, Lalitya Karra, Colin Villarin

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

No abstract provided.

Challenges For Older Veterans In Disaster-Prone Rural Areas, Umayma Saifuddin, Joshua Ehrenberg, Elizabeth Tran Phung

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Purpose: To describe a case in which an elderly veteran was unable to receive necessary health services due to environmental factors and routine natural disaster in his rural coastal town. Methods: A case report is presented. Results: A 95 year-old WWII veteran with a complex medical history and numerous disabilities including hearing impairment, visual impairment, and chronic pain struggles to receive proper care as he lives in a small coastal town. The patient’s son lives an hour away and this area is prone to flooding, making accessing health services extremely challenging. In order to respect the patient’s wishes to remain …

Ai-Augmented Digital Auscultation For Point-Of-Care Screening Of Valvular Heart Disease: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Harshal Parmar, Akhila Archakam, Nikhila Archakam, Wesley Kim, Eduard Koman Md

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Valvular heart disease (VHD) affects >10% of adults aged 75+ yet remains underdiagnosed when asymptomatic due to declining auscultatory proficiency. AI-augmented digital auscultation offers a point-of-care screening solution, though no meta-analysis has pooled diagnostic accuracy across VHD subtypes in adults using echocardiography as the reference.

Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted per PRISMA guidelines. PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, IEEE Xplore, and Scopus were searched without date restriction. Studies applying AI or machine learning to digital auscultation or phonocardiography for VHD classification in adults with echocardiographic reference and patient-level diagnostic metrics were included. Studies using only public datasets, pediatric …

In Patients With Acne Vulgaris, How Do Standard Acne Treatments Combined With Adjunct Microbiome-Targeted Therapies Compare To Standard Acne Treatments Alone In Affecting Clinical Outcomes?, Sree Gowri Sudharshan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Acne vulgaris is a very common chronic skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Nearly 50 million Americans are affected annually, and it usually occurs around puberty. Due to rising antibiotic resistance and unwanted side effects to current mediations, emerging research on the role of skin and gut microbiome in acne development is of interest.

Hypothesis: Adjuvant microbiome-targeted therapies may offer better clinical outcomes than standard acne treatments alone.

Methods: Literature search performed in PubMed and Embase using keywords related to acne vulgaris, microbiome-targeted therapies, and targeted acne treatments. Of …

Enhancing Wellness And Healthcare Support For Medical Students At Rowan-Virtua Som: A Comprehensive Needs Assessment, Han Jie Liu, Karen Welding-Brown, Joanne Kaiser Smith

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction: While the rigors of medical education are well-documented, high stress levels have been shown to negatively impact academic performance. Despite this, Rowan-Virtua SOM currently lacks structured programs that address students’ unique healthcare and wellness needs. This study evaluates the wellness challenges and healthcare barriers faced by pre-clinical students (classes of 2028 and 2029) to inform targeted institutional support.   Methods: A descriptive survey-based study was distributed to all pre-clinical students at Rowan-Virtua SOM. The IRB-expempt (PRO-2025-114) Qualtrics survey assessed four domains: 1) demographics, 2) mental and physical wellness, 3) lifestyle patterns, and 4) access to healthcare and barriers.   Results: Fifty-four …

Stress First Aid: A Foundation For Creating Healthy Work Environments, Richard J. Westphal

Creating Healthy Work Environments (CHWE)

Burnout is not the failure of an individual to cope; it is the expected response to working in unbalanced systems where demands exceed resources.¹ Traditional self-care resilience strategies that include a range of mindfulness and physiological are important individual skills but are not sufficient to address the intensity and duration of occupational stress in health care.² Health workers (HCW) face chronic exposure to fatigue, trauma, loss, and moral distress. These four sources of stress injury can have an independent or cumulative effect that negatively impact patient quality and safety, individual team members well-being, team cohesion, and organizational trust. …

Improving Engagement In Community Activities At Whitetail Springs Memory Care Community, Kylie T. Klavon

Public Health Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project, in collaboration with Whitetail Springs Memory Care Community, is to encourage consistent attendance and engagement among residents and staff in community activities, thereby enhancing residents’ well-being through greater meaningful engagement. This was done by assessing communication gaps between the clinical and activities teams, developing an educational infographic and scheduling template, and conducting an interactive presentation introducing these deliverables. This project was facilitated by observing current engagement and communication procedures at Whitetail Springs. After observations, brief interviews were conducted with the Life Enrichment Director and the Health Services Director to understand where each team needs support …

Developing A Comprehensive Resource Guide For Caregivers Within The Area Agency On Aging, Aiden R. Murphy

Public Health Capstone Projects

This project developed a new universal caregiver resource guide for caregivers within the Area Agency on Aging, in order to improve resource navigation and workflow efficiency. Resources were collected, verified, and organized into a new, streamlined guide via the ARIA chatbot, covering multiple needs. Caregiver resources were collected and verified by the capstone student and mentor, Michael Kroeker, and organized into a centralized knowledge base within the ARIA chatbot. A mixed methods evaluation was conducted utilizing a 5-point Likert scale with three quantitative questions and one open-ended qualitative question. The data was given to the SeniorLine staff, who wanted to …

Using Group Activities To Improve Engagement And Help Alleviate Loneliness Among Older Adults At Macedonia Face, Taylor Corcoran

Public Health Capstone Projects

Introduction: Social isolation and loneliness are increasing public health concerns due to their association with heightened risk for chronic disease and their disproportionate impact on Black older adults (BOA). This project was designed to develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of culturally relevant, low-cost activities on engagement rates among older adults during unscheduled program periods at the Macedonia Family Community Enrichment Center (FACE).

Methods: This project used a mixed methods approach over a 4-week implementation period. Three activities were introduced by the student facilitator, including UNO!, Name That Tune (NTT), and coloring pages. Engagement was measured by comparing the …

Invasive Macrofungi In The United States: A Mushrooming Crisis, Emily Torres

Student Theses 2015-Present

Globalization has accelerated the spread of invasive species, making them one of the largest contributors to biodiversity loss worldwide. While invasive macrofungi remain largely absent from scientific discourse on invasive species, they represent a growing ecological concern throughout the United States. Invasive macrofungi disrupt forest ecosystems, alter soil communities, and displace native fungi. Beyond these ecological impacts, their presence and establishment profoundly affect human-nature relationships, most notably mushroom foraging and cultivation practices. This paper adopts a multidisciplinary approach to examine the ecological, economic, and anthropogenic impacts of invasive macrofungi in the United States. Chapter 1 provides a quantitative overview of …

Building Nurse Managers’ Knowledge And Confidence To Lead Clinical Ladder Success: A Theoretically Informed Educational Framework, Michelle Joann Chlebinski

Doctoral Projects

Background: Clinical Ladder Programs (CLPs) offer a structured pathway for nursing professional growth, fostering clinical excellence while improving nurse satisfaction and longterm retention. Although nurse managers play a pivotal role in facilitating the CLP, there is currently no comprehensive educational framework to enhance their knowledge and confidence in supporting clinical ladder advancement. Purpose: The aim of this DNP project is to develop implement, and evaluate an educational framework grounded in Benner’s Novice-to-Expert framework and Watson Caring Science® to enhance nurse managers' knowledge and confidence in leading nurses towards clinical ladder success. Methods: In a quasi-experimental study using a single-group, pre-post …

May 6, 2026 Faculty Senate Minutes, University Of South Carolina

Faculty Senate

No abstract provided.

Dropping Into The Expressive Art Therapy: A Community Engagement Arts Based Project, Sydney C. Smith, Meg Chang

Expressive Therapies Theses

This community engagement capstone explores how expressive arts practices (EXAP) may complement surf-based programming by supporting reflection, empathy, and meaning-making among participants. Research has demonstrated that surf therapy can promote emotional well-being, resilience, and social connection through embodied engagement with the ocean and supportive community environments. Integrating expressive arts practices within surf-based programs may extend these benefits by providing opportunities for reflection, creative expression, and interpersonal exchange. Grounded in expressive arts therapy (EXAT) theory and arts-based research (ABR) paradigms, this project examines how creative expression can support relational and emotional experiences within surf therapy settings. Using an arts-informed community engagement …

Is The School Environment The Leading Cause Of The Rise In Burnout Rates Among Tenured Teachers?, Jazalyn A. Brown

Honors College Theses

Teacher burnout has become an increasingly significant issue within the field of education, affecting not only teachers themselves but also the learning environments within schools. Many educators face growing pressures, including overwhelming workloads, limited resources, and a lack of consistent administrative support, which can lead to emotional exhaustion and frustration over time. As more teachers report experiencing burnout or leaving the profession altogether, it becomes increasingly important to better understand the factors that contribute to this issue and how schools can respond to it. This thesis explores how school environments and leadership practices influence teacher burnout and why stronger support …

Methadone-Associated Qt Prolongation: The Importance Of Early Recognition And Monitoring In The Emergency Department, Uma Murrugappan, Kelsey Murray, James Espinosa Md, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report a case of a 43-year-old female with cervical cancer and bilateral percutaneous nephrostomy tubes receiving high-dose methadone maintenance therapy who presented to the emergency department with bilateral flank and abdominal pain. She denied cardiac symptoms. Electrocardiogram obtained during evaluation revealed marked QT prolongation (QTc 596 ms) following recent methadone dose escalation. The patient was placed on continuous cardiac monitoring and intravenous magnesium was ordered. While intravenous access was being obtained, she developed polymorphic ventricular tachycardia consistent with torsades de pointes and became pulseless. Advanced cardiac life support was initiated including defibrillation and magnesium administration, with return of spontaneous …

Not All That Scratches Is Infection: Sweet Syndrome Mimicking Cat Scratch Disease, Clara Keum, Neelesh R. Parikh

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Sweet syndrome, or acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis, is a rare inflammatory condition characterized by painful erythematous skin lesions, neutrophilic dermal infiltration on histopathology, and rapid response to corticosteroid therapy. Although classically associated with fever and leukocytosis, atypical presentations without systemic symptoms are increasingly recognized, often leading to diagnostic confusion.

The clinical presentation of Sweet syndrome frequently overlaps with infectious processes such as cellulitis, particularly when lesions involve the lower extremities. This overlap may result in misdiagnosis and delayed appropriate treatment. Distinguishing between infectious and inflammatory etiologies is critical, as management strategies differ significantly.

We present a case of Sweet syndrome …

The Tensile Gallbladder Sign: A Case Report Of Acute Gangrenous Cholecystitis Diagnosed By A Rare Computed Tomography Finding, Lan D. Ngo, Trent R. Malcolm

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Acute cholecystitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdominal pain in the emergency department, accounting for approximately 200,000 hospitalizations annually in the United States (Gallagher & Charles, 2022) Ultrasound is the established first-line imaging modality for suspected cholecystitis. However, compute tomography (CT) is increasingly obtained for undifferentiated abdominal pain and offers complementary, operator-independent evaluation.  The tensile gallbladder fundus sign is defined on CT as the absence of fundal flattening by the anterior abdominal wall due to elevated intraluminal pressure.

Case Report: Bilateral Pneumothorax Following T2–T5 Medial Branch Nerve Block, Jenna Rapone Md

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Bilateral pneumothorax is an uncommon but clinically significant complication of thoracic spinal interventions. We report the case of a 20-year-old female with underlying scoliosis who developed acute pleuritic chest pain, dyspnea, and persistent cough immediately following bilateral T2–T5 medial branch nerve block injections performed in an outpatient pain management setting.  Thoracic medial branch blocks are generally considered low-risk procedures; however, the proximity of the pleura to posterior thoracic elements places patients at risk for iatrogenic pleural injury, particularly in individuals with altered spinal anatomy such as scoliosis. This case underscores the importance of maintaining a high index of suspicion for …

Acute Appendicitis With Concomitant Testicular Torsion, Thuc Vu, Clara Keum, Swet Patel, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This case report presents a 13-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with diffuse abdominal pain radiating to the right lower quadrant, accompanied by nausea and decreased appetite. Diagnostic evaluation revealed right-sided testicular torsion concurrent with acute appendicitis. Although acute appendicitis represents the most common surgical emergency in the pediatric population, clinicians must maintain a broad differential diagnosis to identify potential concomitant acute pathologies, including testicular torsion in this scenario.

An Unusual Cause Of Generalized Weakness: Cns Toxoplasmosis, Christopher Dellmyer, Danielle Kusmaul, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

No abstract provided.

Case Report: Vertebral Artery Dissection After Cervical Manipulation, Devin Hoover, Emily Bolinger, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

We report the case of a 22-year-old female who presented with dizziness and vomiting after recent cervical manipulation who was diagnosed with a dissection of the vertebral artery. Dizziness can have a variety of causes including vascular etiologies, cerebellar and brainstem lesions, ocular problems, trauma, and others. In the setting of a known trauma and acute vestibular symptoms, it is prudent to consider vascular injuries.

Persistent Hypotension Following Viral Illness- Pocus For Pericardial Effusion, Peter Killian, Kelsey Murray, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

A pericardial effusion is defined as a build up of fluid in the pericardial space, the lining around the heart. Normal physiologic fluid can consist of approximately 15-50mL in an otherwise healthy adult . Larger amounts of fluid can be detected on radiographs, but are able to be seen on ultrasound when just exceeding physiologic conditions . Here we report a case of persistent hypotension assessed by point of care ultrasound (POCUS) in order to lead to a diagnosis.

Case Report: Necrotizing Pneumonia, Veroneka Mikhail Md

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Necrotizing pneumonia is an uncommon but severe complication of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), characterized by progressive parenchymal liquefaction, cavitation, and destruction of normal lung architecture, and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Clinicaly, early presentations may be indistinguishable from uncomplicated pneumonia (pna), with fever, cough, pleuritic chest pain, and dyspnea, which can delay recognition in the emergency department. Differential diagnosis for these symptoms is broad and includes uncomplicated pneumonia, septic emboli, lung abscesses, and pleural effusion. However, patients effected with necrotizing pneumonia often exhibit more severe systemic toxicity, rapid progression of respiratory failure, and hemodynamic instability. In this case report, we …

A Survey-Based Analysis Of The Use Of Lifestyle Medicine In Clinical Practices Of South Jersey, Zehra Jaffri

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Chronic diseases are the leading cause of death and disability in the United States and are largely driven by modifiable lifestyle factors. Lifestyle Medicine (LM) is an evidence-based medical specialty that uses therapeutic lifestyle interventions—including nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep, substance use reduction, and healthy relationships—to prevent, treat, and reverse many chronic conditions. Despite strong evidence supporting lifestyle interventions, LM use in routine primary care remains inconsistent due to barriers such as limited visit time, inadequate clinician training, lack of reimbursement, and difficulty sustaining behavioral change. This study evaluates how often lifestyle counseling is discussed in South Jersey primary …

Air Quality, Atmospheric Pressure, And Migraine Presentations In The Emergency Department, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Migraine is a leading cause of Emergency Department (ED) visits and global disability. Weather has long been reported by patients as a trigger, yet the literature remains inconsistent. Prior ED-based data demonstrated an association between higher mean barometric pressure and increased migraine presentations, without a relationship to short-term pressure change. Because high-pressure systems are frequently associated with atmospheric stagnation and pollutant accumulation, air quality may represent a biologically plausible mediator.

Objective: To examine the relationship between air quality and ED migraine presentations within the existing body of literature and to explore whether air quality may help explain previously observed …

Medical Clearance For Behavioral Health Patients In The Emergency Department: A Conceptual Overview Of Practice Variability, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with behavioral health complaints frequently undergo medical clearance prior to behavioral health evaluation or admission. Substantial variability appears to be found in laboratory utilization, documentation language, and interdepartmental workflow.

Objective: To provide a conceptual overview of variability in medical clearance practices and to synthesize existing guideline recommendations and literature regarding routine laboratory testing in low-risk psychiatric patients.

Methods: Narrative review of professional policy statements, selected peer-reviewed studies, and operational considerations influencing emergency physician practice patterns.

Results: Evidence suggests that routine laboratory testing in psychiatric patients has low diagnostic yield and rarely changes …

Protecting The Protectors: Supporting Emergency Department Security Officer Wellness: A Brief Conceptual Review And Research Agenda, James A. Espinosa Md, Paul Sarnese, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Workplace violence in emergency departments (EDs) has been widely studied, yet the occupational wellness of ED security officers has received comparatively limited focused attention in emergency medicine literature.

Objective: To conceptually examine the role of ED security personnel within the emergency care environment and outline a research agenda addressing their wellness.

Discussion: Security officers frequently respond to behavioral crises, assist with restraint events, and help maintain safety for patients, visitors, and staff. These duties include vigilance between events, sudden physical exertion, and exposure to aggression. ED security work often follows a recognizable rhythm: baseline vigilance, rapid escalation response, physical …

Impaired Mitochondrial Magnesium Transport Induces Genome-Wide Transcriptional Changes In Hepatic Steatosis, Inflammatory Signaling, And Detoxification Pathways During High-Fat Diet Feeding, Abhishek Shastry, Thiruvelselvan Ponnusamy, Asha Parveen Sakkarai Mohamed, Marianne Assogba, Natarajaseenivasan Kalimuthusamy, Shanmughapriya Santhanam

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Calcium overload during fatty diet consumption induces oxidative stress and mitochondrial apoptosis. Intramitochondrial magnesium inhibits calcium uptake into mitochondria; therefore, modulating the activity of the mitochondrial magnesium transporter Mrs2 may regulate calcium-induced hepatocellular stress. As previous work demonstrates that liver-specific Mrs2 inhibition increases hepatic lipid deposition, RNA-sequencing was performed to identify potential transcriptional mechanisms for hepatocellular stress.

Mrs2 knockout (Mrs2^KO) mice were generated by crossing male Mrs2^fl/fl mice with liver-specific-Cre transgenic mice. Eight-week-old wild-type (Mrs2^WT) and Mrs2^KO mice were placed on chow or high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 months (n=3/group). Whole liver was collected …