Higher Education Commons^™

Avian Influenza And The Approach To Designing An H5n1 Vaccine, Lauren N. Hickey

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The Avian influenza virus (AIV) H5N1 has been responsible for the culling and deaths of millions of birds since 2022 with concern for wildlife, livestock, and human infections occurring as well. With eggs flying off the shelves in grocery stores, even individuals not involved in the agricultural industry have seen the drastic effects of this disease first-hand. For chickens, this virus works quickly and overpowers the innate immune system before the adaptive immune system has time to properly respond. Therefore, a safe and effective vaccine could reduce the number of poultry deaths and prevent the continuous spread of the infection. …

Unlocking Affixes In The Esl Community College Classroom: The Language Of Law, Science, And Technology, Patricia George-Hunter Edd

Journal of English Learner Education

Since vocabulary plays a significant role in second language acquisition, expansive vocabulary targets should be set and pursued. This paper explores the results of introducing affixes to develop vocabulary and increase motivation for beginner to intermediate-level English language learners (ELLs) pursuing academic disciplines in law, science, and technology at a New York City community college. Participants included 23 ELLs with diverse linguistic, educational, and sociocultural backgrounds enrolled in an online synchronous Integrative Language Seminar (ILS) designed to develop all areas of English language proficiency. Pre‑, post‑, delayed tests, questionnaires, and post‑intervention interviews were conducted and analyzed to establish the language …

Building A Culture Of Safety Through Faculty Mentorship: The Peer Pairing Framework For Clinical Nurse Educators, Clare A. Chambers

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Clinical nurse educators often transition from bedside practice to clinical education in high-risk settings without structured support. Limited or absent mentorship during this transition may affect educator confidence, student learning outcomes, patient outcomes, and the ability to sustain a culture of safety. Although mentorship is widely recommended in nursing education, implementation strategies remain limited. The Peer Pairing Framework was developed as a staged mentorship approach to support clinical nurse educators and inform a comprehensive mentorship model.

Methods

The Peer Pairing Framework was informed by a voluntary onboarding survey of 914 clinical faculty, of whom 73.52% expressed interest in having …

Development And Implementation Of A Scholarly Curriculum For Internal Medicine Residents And Subspecialty Fellows, Yuri Matusov, Hawas Kaderi, Liza Raffi, Louie Cao, Jacqueline Lee, Mariko Ishimori, Odelia Cooper

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. To create and assess the efficacy of a standardized curriculum for trainees in the core competency of critical appraisal of medical literature.

Methods. We implemented a 10-hour scholarly lecture curriculum, in 1-hour blocks, over 1 academic year for postgraduate trainees in internal medicine (IM) and IM subspecialties at a single major academic medical center. The aims of the curriculum were to increase trainee comfort with clinical research methodology, to place this methodology in the context of historical and current ethical challenges, to provide trainees with guidance on how to conduct clinical research at the institutional level, and to provide …

Asteroid Hyalosis Mimicking Vitreous Hemorrhage On Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Following Blunt Ocular Trauma: A Case Report, Obiaara Ukah, Jared Marx

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Ocular complaints account for approximately 1.5% of emergency department (ED) visits, and point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a valuable tool for evaluating posterior chamber pathology, including vitreous hemorrhage (VH), retinal detachment, and vitreous detachment. However, benign conditions may mimic these pathologies and create diagnostic uncertainty. We describe a case of asteroid hyalosis (AH), a benign vitreous condition that was initially mistaken for vitreous hemorrhage on ocular POCUS following blunt ocular trauma. This case highlights an uncommon sonographic mimic of VH and contributes to the emergency medicine literature by emphasizing ultrasound features that may help distinguish AH from true posterior chamber …

Kaposi Sarcoma And Hhv-8-Associated Multicentric Castleman Disease: A Case Report, Kari Shad, Avry Logeman, Trevor C. Van Schooneveld, Emily Dyer

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Multicentric Castleman disease (MCD) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by generalized lymphadenopathy, systemic inflammatory symptoms, and distinctive histopathologic findings. HHV-8-associated MCD is typically observed in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or other states of profound immunosuppression. In contrast, HHV-8-associated disease in immunocompetent individuals is uncommon and associated with higher mortality rates.

Case. This is a case of a patient who presented with progressive fatigue, weakness, anorexia, and a chronic cough for four months following a trip to Mexico. Initial workup revealed anemia and thrombocytopenia, negative HIV status, and prominent bilateral axillary and mediastinal lymphadenopathy, which was …

Emergent Endovascular Therapy For Malignant Superior Vena Cava Syndrome Complicated By Extensive Central Venous Thrombosis: A Case Report, Austin Johnson, Andrew Mezher, Ehab Saad Aldin, Lei Yu

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is a potentially life-threatening condition caused by obstruction of venous return through the SVC, most commonly due to malignancy. Although endovascular therapy (ET) has emerged as an effective treatment for rapid symptom relief, malignant SVC syndrome complicated by extensive central venous thrombosis and respiratory failure remains a high-acuity presentation requiring urgent intervention. This case highlights the role of emergent ET as a life-saving bridge to definitive oncologic treatment in critically ill patients.

Case. A 58-year-old male with squamous cell carcinoma of the lung presented with acute respiratory failure, facial and upper extremity swelling, and …

Battle Of The Bots: Comparison Of Artificial Intelligence Chatbots In A Literature Review Of Randomized Controlled Trials In Urology, Linda M. Huynh, Madeline Helm, Nick Staab, Anthony Fadel, Jordan Walsh, John Glassman, Christopher M. Deibert

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Use of language-learning model-based artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots in literature reviews has not been explored. The present study seeks to evaluate and compare the quality of reference lists and scientific discussion provided by ChatGPT (Chat Generative Pre-Trained Transformer) (4o vs. 4) and Google Gemini.

Methods. ChatGPT (4o-mini, paid vs. 4o, free) and Google Gemini were given prompts to identify, discuss results of, and provide related references to nine specific randomized controlled trials in urologic practice. Reference lists and associated discussion were graded using modified DISCERN criteria. Hallucination rates for unverifiable references were calculated; GPT-2 Output Detector and Sapling AI …

Learning By Peer Teaching Basic Life Support: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study In Medical Students, Tushar Kumar, Dewesh Kumar, Vandana Sharma, Shio Priye

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a vital emergency procedure performed in case of cardiac arrest or respiratory insufficiency. However, this basic yet important skill is lacking in many undergraduate students. We aim to evaluate the impact of a teaching-learning method, “learning by teaching,” among medical undergraduate students for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Methods. A total of 49 undergraduate medical students in the 3rd-year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) were divided into 2 groups in a 1:1 ratio, namely, the teaching group (Group T) and the non-teaching group (Group NT). The intervention was done after the hands-on workshop on Life …

Iatrogenic Popliteus Tendon Injury During Total Knee Arthroplasty, Saswat Samant, Bibhudutta Sahoo, Saurav Narayan Nanda, Suman Mishra, Satya Ranjan Patra, Himanshu Mishra

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. The popliteus tendon (PT) plays a role in knee unlocking and posterolateral stability, yet the clinical impact of its iatrogenic injury during total knee replacement (TKR) remains poorly defined. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of patients with documented intraoperative PT injury during posterior-stabilised TKR.

Methods. A retrospective review was conducted on 111 varus knees undergoing posterior-stabilised TKR. Among these, seven cases (6.3%) of intraoperative PT injury were identified. The cohort had a mean age of 71 years and an average preoperative varus deformity of 14°. PT repair was performed in two of the seven injured cases.

Results. …

Correspondence On '''Daddies At Graduation'' And "A Nurse In Uniform" To Dean Of Nursing Frenesi Wilson, 4.25.1979, William Lindsey Mcdonald

Correspondence

Correspondence from William Lindsey McDonald to Dr. Frenesi Wilson, Dean of the School of Nursing at the University of North Alabama. Within the correspondence, McDonald addresses two compositions, "Daddies at Graduation" and "A Nurse in Uniform," that he wrote regarding his daughter, Nancy Buttram's graduation from UNA's nursing program. The articles can be accessed in the digital collection of the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions here.

Occupational Therapy Student Perceptions Of Sexuality And Intimacy Education: A Cross-Sectional Study, Jennifer H. Barnett, Amanda K. Giles

The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy

Sexuality and intimacy are meaningful activities within the scope of occupational therapy (OT), encompassing valued roles and occupations that contribute significantly to a person’s health, well-being, and identity. Despite acknowledgement of their importance, many occupational therapists overlook these areas during routine assessment and intervention because of feelings of insufficient knowledge, comfort, and confidence. This study used a cross-sectional design to electronically survey 149 occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) students across their first, second, or third year of education to determine their perceptions of sexuality and intimacy education. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed via codebook …

The Use Of Case-Based Experiential Learning With First-Year Occupational Therapy Students: A Two-Year Pilot Study, Michelle Jackson

Journal of Applied Disciplines

Background: Understanding and applying biomechanical principles to participation in functional activities is vital to occupational therapy (OT) education. Exposure to such principles underlying prosthetic use and occupational engagement related to lower extremity (LE) limb loss provides opportunities to better understand these concepts as well as the role of OT with this population.

Method: An experiential learning framework was used to develop a three-phase, case-study-based pilot project, completed with first-year graduate-level OT students from two cohorts (n = 26, n = 31).  At the conclusion of the project, an anonymous Likert-style survey and a reflection assignment were completed by all students. …

Outcomes Of An Interprofessional Education Event On Aac And Co-Teaching, Annelise Yost, John W. Mccarthy

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

This study explored the outcomes of an Interprofessional Education (IPE) event between preprofessional speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and special educators aimed at identifying the outcomes of IPE on preprofessional teachers’ and SLPs’ knowledge of co-teaching and classroom-based models to support students who use AAC. Students at a midwestern university completed an IPE session as part of their coursework. A pre-post assessment exploring knowledge of co-teaching and classroom-based services was utilized. A focus group with preprofessional SLPs and special educators was run to identify perceptions and practicality of classroom-based models to support AAC users. Results demonstrated the ability for a short, focused …

The Utilization Of Holographic Simulation For Specialized Patient Populations: A Feasibility Study, Laurie Neely, Jennifer E. Tucker, Amardeep Singh, Taylor Mort, Jeremy Fleischmann, Patrick Pabian

Journal of Innovation in Health Sciences Education

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique set of challenges for health care education programs to prepare students to care for specialized patient populations. Lab experiences that incorporated real patients were restricted due to risk of infection. The use of simulation-based learning increased as an alternative to prepare students for the clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perception of holographic simulation (HS) and confidence in clinical observation skills of motor milestones in children in preparation for clinical practice before and after use of HS in the classroom

Methods: Subjects included 36 second year Doctor …

Impact Of A 3d Virtual Dissection Tool On Written And Laboratory Exam Performance In Dpt Gross Anatomy, Jorge Eduardo Sarmiento, Heather Disney

Journal of Innovation in Health Sciences Education

Introduction: Higher education institutions are incorporating 3D technology, such as the Anatomage Table, to supplement cadaveric dissection in gross anatomy courses. However, research on its impact on student learning outcomes remains limited.

Methods: This quantitative study examined differences in written and laboratory exam scores among Doctor of Physical Therapy students who used the Anatomage Table versus those who received traditional instruction. Guided by the adaptable learning theory framework for technology-enhanced learning, the study analyzed archival data from a five-campus U.S. university using the Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman’s rho.

Results: Findings revealed a statistically significant difference in written exam …

Learning From Curricular Innovations In Health Professions Education: A Scoping Review, Andrew J. Notebaert Dr., Sherrill Morris, Elizabeth Sterner, Beverly W. Henry

Journal of Innovation in Health Sciences Education

Introduction: It is important to learn how health professions education (HPE) programs respond to recommendations across countries and disciplines, including their preparation of students to work in health care systems, the reorganization of programmatic curricula, and strategies to overcome challenges encountered in the change process.

Methods: Following the JBI scoping review methodology, we systematically reviewed literature from 2013 to 2024. We selected articles that specifically mentioned HPE curriculum modification for pre-licensure and clinical programs to address health care system problem(s). Data extraction included: aim/purpose of the study, intervention/implementation components, curricular scope, study population, context and participants, types of data …

A Word From The Writing Team (October 2026), Pam Walter, Mfa, Laura Deloretta, Phd

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Next Steps In Advancing Pediatric Care In Southern Nevada, The Lincy Institute

Lincy Institute Events

The Lincy Institute released new research evaluating the Southern Nevada pediatric care ecosystem. The report, "An Evaluation of Southern Nevada’s Pediatric Care Ecosystem," offers recommendations to develop a stronger and more coordinated pediatric care ecosystem before the stand-alone children’s hospital being developed by Intermountain Health opens in 2030 and identifies the components of an integrated statewide network to provide all of Nevada’s children with access to high-quality care. The event also featured panel discussions with pediatric care providers and policymakers.

Panel 1 - Pediatric Care Providers

Moderator — Tina Quigley, Project Facilitator, The Lincy Institute

Panelists — Lisa …

An Evaluation Of Southern Nevada’S Pediatric Care Ecosystem, David Damore, Tina Quigley, Nick Fiore

Policy Briefs and Reports

In 2024, The Lincy Institute and the Nevada Health and Bioscience Corporation released a report prepared by the consulting firm Tripp Umbach detailing the case for a stand-alone children’s hospital in Southern Nevada. Shortly thereafter, Intermountain Health announced it would build Nevada’s first such facility in Las Vegas, expected to open in 2030. To complement the hospital’s development, The Lincy Institute undertook an independent evaluation of the regional pediatric care landscape. The analysis draws on secondary data and discussions with advocates, health system administrators, practitioners, and providers. The report examines:

• Fiscal, resource, and workforce challenges underlying Nevada’s poor population-level pediatric …

Graduate Medical Education (Gme) In The Mountain West, 2025, Mia Tschan, Phillip Seo, Kerima Awol, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on graduate medical education (GME) capacity and physician retention across five Mountain West states: Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Data are reported on the number of Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) granting institutions, teaching hospitals, residents in training, Medicare-supported GME slots, residents training in slots not supported by Medicare direct GME (DGME), and the percentage of physicians trained in each Mountain West state. The data are derived from the 2025 Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) report, “State-by-State Data on Graduate Medical Education,” which includes graduate medical education data …

Starting To Feel Like A Clinician: Graduate Student Experiences Of Communication Partner Training For People With Aphasia, Katie A. Strong, Esther S. Kim, Aura Kagan, Nina Simmons-Mackie

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Communication partner training (CPT) is among the most evidence-based interventions for supporting people with aphasia, yet many speech-language pathologists report not implementing it in practice, and graduate students frequently report low confidence communicating with people with aphasia prior to targeted training. This qualitative descriptive study examined graduate students' experiences learning CPT through a course-embedded, multi-modal experiential approach with structured reflection. Written reflections from 79 first-year graduate students across two university programs served as the data source. Reflections were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: Learning by Design, reflecting students' metacognitive awareness of the pedagogical elements most meaningful …

When Students Use Ai Before They Learn To Think Clinically: Cognitive Offloading In Communication Sciences And Disorders Education, Salim Alani

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Generative artificial intelligence is becoming part of how students study, write, summarize, and prepare for coursework in communication sciences and disorders (CSD). Much of the current discussion in higher education has focused on plagiarism, academic integrity, and responsible technology use. Those concerns matter, but they do not fully address what may be a larger educational issue in professional preparation programs. Students can now generate polished explanations, study materials, treatment rationales, and clinical summaries quickly, sometimes before independently developing the reasoning skills those tasks are intended to build. This paper examines cognitive offloading in CSD education, defined here as the shifting …

Impact Of Educational Strategies To Develop Professional Reasoning In Occupational Therapy Students And Therapists: A Systematic Review, Soledad Sánchez-Zamorano, María-Paz Ossandón-Pérez, Samanta Rolack-Jaramillo, Pedro Moruno-Miralles

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Professional reasoning (PR) in occupational therapy (OT) is a central theme in the health professions. Understanding how it is taught and which strategies demonstrate a measurable impact is fundamental to strengthening professional training. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the scientific evidence on the reported impact of different educational strategies for fostering PR development in OT students and practitioners. Methods: The review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO. Databases and journals were searched, including studies published between 2014 and 2024. Eligible articles were quantitative or mixed-methods designs, and the risk of bias was assessed …

Balancing The Clinic And The Classroom: Perspectives Of Health Sciences Faculty On Clinical Practice Engagement, Derek B. Charles

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the experiences and perceptions of faculty within a College of Health Sciences at a public university who engage in clinical practice. Specifically, it examined the perceived benefits, barriers, and institutional factors that influence faculty participation in clinical care alongside their academic responsibilities. Methods: An online survey was distributed via Qualtrics to full- and part-time faculty members across multiple departments in the College of Health Sciences. Data included Likert-scale responses evaluating perceptions of clinical engagement, as well as open-ended questions eliciting qualitative feedback. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize demographic and response data. Participants’ comments …

Use Of Simulation In Interprofessional Education In U.S. Physical Therapist Programs: A Multiple Case Study, Sarah Ross

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: Interprofessional education (IPE) is a cornerstone of healthcare professional education, facilitating professions learning about and with each other. Simulation-based learning (SBL) is teaching and learning modality that is frequently used to incorporate IPE into curricula. Current research shows that physical therapist (PT) education programs are increasingly using SBL for IPE purposes. However, there is little research outlining how programs are using simulation.

Method: The data in this study were pulled from a larger qualitative study looking at how US PT programs use simulation because of the heavy emphasis on IPE. Three programs were selected from a pool of volunteers …

Predictors Of Clinical Performance On The Revised Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument 3.0, Derrick F. Campbell, Nancy G. Hellman, Felicity Macahilig-Rice, Sean E. Witkin, Mansoor Alameri

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the 12 performance criteria from the revised American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument 3.0 (PT CPI 3.0) on predicting Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student clinical performance outcomes during clinical education experiences. The PT CPI 3.0 was revised in 2023 to measure DPT student clinical performance. Identifying predictors for clinical performance may help flag students who struggle to meet or fall below performance expectations.

Method: A convenience sample of 693 DPT students from a large U.S. multi-campus program during Fall 2023 clinical education experiences participated. Using an …

Comparative Analysis Of Knowledge, Usage, Perceptions, And Attitudes Toward Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Among Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students And Faculty Over Two Years, Qing Zhang, Heather David, Brandy Schwarz, Kristen Johnson

Internet Journal of Allied Health Sciences and Practice

Purpose: AI chatbots (AIC) are increasingly integrated into healthcare education, yet research on DPT faculty and student perceptions remains limited. This study compared knowledge, usage, perceptions, and attitudes (KUPA) toward AIC between DPT faculty and students and examined how these changed from 2023 to 2024. Method: A repeated cross-sectional survey was administered to two consecutive first-year DPT student cohorts and core and associate faculty at one DPT program. A 20-item survey was used, incorporating items adapted from validated instruments and researcher-developed questions, using a five-point Likert scale. Results: Participation rates were 41.5% (n=62) in Year 1 and 39.1% (n=69) in …

A Word From The Writing Team (September 2026), Pam Walter, Mfa, Laura Deloretta, Phd

A Word From the Writing Team (Newsletter)

No abstract provided.

Beyond The Binary: Strengthening Nursing Students’ Proficiency Of Equitable Health Promotion, Martha K. Findley

Theses

Background: Sexual and gender diverse (SGD) populations continue to experience significant health inequities, yet prelicensure nursing curricula often lack structured, evidence‑based training to prepare students for equitable care.

Purpose: This study evaluated whether a targeted, transgender‑focused simulation could improve nursing students’ clinical knowledge and preparedness for providing equitable health promotion to SGD populations.

Methods: A pre‑/post‑intervention design was used with senior‑level nursing students who completed a transgender patient simulation emphasizing communication, assessment, and equitable health promotion. Students completed a validated survey measuring knowledge and preparedness in caring for SGD patients.

Results: Significant improvements across most survey items demonstrated that the …