Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Improving Healthy Habits In Berlin, Vt, Amy I. Triano

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

A significant percentage of patient’s at Berlin Family Practice have diagnoses of Type II Diabetes, hypertension, high cholesterol, and/or obesity. Essential to treatment and management of these conditions are a healthy diet and exercise. There are many local and national resources available but no single place where patient’s can find links to national as well as local resources in the Central Vermont community. There is also insufficient time for physicians or nurses to counsel patients on relevant resources. This project involved creation of a website with community and national resources for healthy living that providers could refer patients to. A …

Community Perception Of Electronic Cigarettes And Their Role As Smoking Cessation Aids, Alejandro Velez

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The popularity of electronic cigarettes is increasing, yet the research is lagging behind. In an effort to better understand, and therefore better advice our patients, a small number of current daily cigarette smokers were surveyed on their understanding of electronic cigarettes and their usage. Two smoking cessation counselors were also interviewed to better contextualize the role of electronic cigarettes as possible smoking cessation aids. Finally, a review of the available research was done to produce a poster, and possibly a handout, in hopes to educate all patients (regardless of their current smoking habits) regarding electronic cigarettes.

Mental Health Screening In Nursing Homes, Meghan Breen

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Depression and dementia are two of the most common mental health conditions in nursing homes. Screening for these conditions does not have to be difficult or time consuming, but doing it can significantly improve the health of nursing home residents. The WHO-Five for depression and the Mini-Mental Status Exam are both sensitive, specific, and time-sensitive. Using these screening in a nursing home in rural Vermont helped improve the accuracy of patient records and impacted medical care.

Lyme Disease Awareness In Downeast Maine, Justin L. Genziano

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Lyme disease is caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted by the deer tick (Ixodes scapularis). Lyme disease is endemic in the state of Maine with 1,399 probable and confirmed cases reported in 2014. The rate in coastal Hancock County has doubled since 2012, and has the third highest rate of infection in the state.

Medical providers in Hancock County have observed an increase in anxiety and concern about Lyme disease in the community, and have found that much of this is driven by hearsay or unreliable information from the internet. The goal of this project …

Drug Treatment Court: The Power Of Understanding Addiction, Asaad Traina

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The Drug Treatment Court in Burlington is one of about 3000 drug treatment courts nationwide. They were developed as an “alternate sentencing court”, a method of restorative justice that would allow people who had multiple criminal charges related to substance abuse to overcome their addiction, have their criminal charges dismissed, and pursue a fuller life. As part of this program, many participants attend an Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP). As a third year medical student, I lead an educational session with the aim of helping participants understand the neurophysiology behind their addiction.