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.

Provider Resources For Smoking Cessation Counselling, Pierre Galea

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Tobacco is still the leading cause of preventable death. The Vermont Department of Health has instituted smoking-related goals for "Healthy Vermonters 2020." One resource that is useful for providers who counsel patients to quit smoking is 802quits. Strategic utilization of this resource and implementation within the healthcare center, is invaluable for providers, and is an effective tool to reach patients and support them throughout their journey.

Slow Foods For Health Increasing Knowledge Of Glycemic Index In Adolescents For Healthier Food Choices, Meredith Kayleigh Sooy

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions through the United States affect all age groups, genders, and races. This is especially troubling in the pediatric population where 12.5 million children were found to be overweight in 2010. Many adolescents have inadequate knowledge of nutrition basics to make healthy choices. Based on interviews within the community of Colchester, VT a need for information about the glycemic index was seen. A handout geared towards adolescents was created with information about the glycemic index and using this information to make healthy food choices. This handout was made available to all providers of Colchester Family Practice …

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 …

Pediatric Lipid Screening Guidelines: Information For Patients And Families, Erin R. Pichiotino, Mph

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Universal Pediatric Lipid Screening Guidelines are currently based on expert opinion only. Bright Futures/American Academy of Pediatrics currently recommends screening all patients ages 9-11 and again at ages 17-21. The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), however, concludes the evidence is insufficient to recommend for or against routine screening. This discordance leaves ambiguity for implementation in Family Medicine practices in Vermont. A survey of providers at Milton Family Practice showed that only 14% of providers at Milton Family Practice regularly perform lipid screening on their pediatric patients.