Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

An Interprofessional Active-Learning Laboratory On Urinary Incontinence, Krista L. Donohoe

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Background/Objectives:Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common syndrome with peak prevalence in older adulthood. Involuntary loss of urine from the bladder may be due to physical abnormalities, pelvic floor dysfunction, or reversible causes, like medication or infection.1 UI is an underreported and underdiagnosed geriatric syndrome that significantly impacts quality of life, increases risk of institutionalization, and contributes to significant patient- and system-level healthcare expenditures.1 Healthcare practitioners require knowledge and skills necessary to provide quality care to older adults with UI. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institute on Aging, and American Geriatrics Society recommend the healthcare …

Interprofessional Development And Evaluation Of A Virtual Reality Haptic Surgical Training System For Retropubic Midurethral Slings, Lauren Siff

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Purpose and background: Procedures like the midurethral sling, performed without open visual or camera access rely on the surgeon’s spatial orientation of anatomical landmarks and haptic sensation. The “Blind” nature of this technique can results in serious complications^1–4. Surgeons are typically trained via an apprenticeship on live patients, static models, or, cadaver labs. These methods carry higher potential risks for patient safety, significant expense, often require travel, and are limited by distortion of anatomy after multiple uses. Adding haptics and AI to VR simulators has been shown to improve fidelity, realism, and educational value^ 5–10.We formed a transdisciplinary team to …

Virtual, Non-Clinical “Bootcamp” To Prepare For The Nbme Subject Matter (Shelf) Exam During The Pediatric Clerkship, Clifton Lee

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Background: Medical education changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational sessions were offered virtually. There are published education innovations for pre-clinical curricula (1). However, providing virtual education during the clinical clerkship was a daunting challenge. In addition to the delay in patient care exposure, students’ performance in the NBME Subject Matter (Shelf) Exam scores have declined during the pandemic (2). VCU School of Medicine also needed to provide continued instructions to students whose clinical clerkships were delayed.

Description of the Innovation: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the clinical start for the class of 2022 was delayed by 3 months. During …

The Value Of Positive Feedback: An Underutilized Tool In Ophthalmology Resident Education, Meagan Shinbashi

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Purpose/Background/Objectives: Little research has been performed on the use of positive feedback as a teaching tool in ophthalmology postgraduate medical education settings. Additionally, there is a paucity of research assessing the effectiveness of feedback from trainees’ perspectives. To address these gaps, we explored the effects of positive feedback on resident professional identity formation, performance, and wellness through a pilot program within the ophthalmology residency program’s wellness curriculum at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Methods: This study employed quantitative data collection through surveys before and after a positive feedback exercise activity of ophthalmology residents at the Virginia Commonwealth University Health System. Participants were …

Research4life (R4l) Scholar Program: New Initiative To Promote Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion In Medicine Through A Bottom-Up Approach, Somaya Albhaisi

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Purpose and background: According to the Pew Research Center, Hispanics are 17% of the workforce but only represent 8% of people in a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) position. African Americans are 11% of the workforce but hold 9% of STEM jobs. The Research4Life (R4L) program is designed to increase the number of minority students who pursue medical education and careers in Medicine and research. A formalized mentorship and clinical research program is one pipeline to increase representation of underrepresented groups in medicine and academic medical careers.(1)

Description of Innovative Practice: The R4L scholar program is a structured summer …

The Neoresident Curriculum: A Combined Learning Experience For Pediatric Residents, Kelly Stanley

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Purpose and background, including relevant citations: All pediatric residents are required to rotate through the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The NICU is a unique unit that provides care for premature and ill neonates. At Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU (CHOR VCU), pediatric residents complete 12 weeks in the NICU, 4 weeks each year. As a part of this rotation, these residents are responsible for attending high risk deliveries. At birth about 10% of neonates will require resuscitation (1). Before starting residency, each resident is required to complete the neonatal resuscitation program (NRP). This certification requires renewal every two …

Pilot Test Of A Large-Scale, First-Hand Research Opportunity For Medical Students, Brian Cassel

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Purpose and background: While VCU is an R1 university, many students graduate without first-hand research experience. We sought to create a new learning opportunity for second year medical students (M2s) through access to real-world clinical data from a federated research network of healthcare organizations, TriNetX. TriNetX gives users access to millions of de-identified patient records for a wide variety of purposes: cohort discovery; determining possible enrollment rates for clinical trials; evaluating outcomes; and evaluating disparities. Several VCU researchers have published studies using TriNetX data [i]. Prior to our project, TriNetX access and instruction had not been pushed out to medical …

Standardized Patient Simulations: A Pilot Program In The Ophthalmology Residency Curriculum, Yusrah Hasan

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Background: Patient simulations are being used to provide a safe environment for learners to practice giving bad news to patients.

Methods: This series of simulations was implemented at Virginia Commonwealth University Ophthalmology Residency program among three cohorts of residents in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Each simulation involves a case scenario in which the learner must synthesize clinical information to recognize a patient’s diagnoses and deliver bad news to the patient in a tactful manner.

Results: Post-simulation surveys were completed by the 2020 and 2021 cohort of residents. All learners felt that the experience improved their communication skills with patients. 44% …

Strength In Caring: An Interprofessional Innovation To Cultivate Organizational Wellness, Kelly Lockeman

Health Sciences Education Symposium

Background. The impact of COVID-19 on the physical and mental health of individual providers and entire health care systems has had a devastating blow to already fragile networks.[1] It is imperative to identify strategies that heal, repair, and build capacity in health care providers and fix the system in which they practice. Building resilience through self-care is only a part of the solution.[2,3] Health care organizations are striving for solutions that target issues such as psychological safety, interprofessional teamwork, and wellness-centered leadership, which are more likely to reduce burnout than individualized self-care programs.[4,5] The purpose of the Strength in Caring …

Chesterfield Fire And Ems Mobile Integrated Healthcare: Background And A Case Study, David Bigelow

Case Studies from Age in Action

Learning Objectives

• Explain the history of Mobile Integrated Healthcare.
• Understand the importance of reducing hospital readmissions.
• Learn how MIH partners with Adult Protective Services and others for the benefit of their patients.

The Effect Of Periodic Ketogenic Diet On Newly Diagnosed Overweight And Obese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Tryphena Pilli

VCU's Medical Journal Club: The Work of Future Health Professionals

Ketogenic diet can help lower blood glucose levels in newly diagnosed overweight and obese patients with T2DM.

Cd4+ T Helper 2 Cells Suppress Breast Cancer By Inducing Terminal Differentiation, Arjun Jagdeesh

VCU's Medical Journal Club: The Work of Future Health Professionals

In this 2022 publication, Boieri et al. investigated how thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) can activate CD4+ and CD8+ T cell helper 2 (Th2) for breast cancer suppression. T cell helper 1 (Th1) cells are involved in the targeted immune response by attracting cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. However, Th2 cells are known to inhibit the T cell helper 1 immune response by causing allergic inflammation. Th2 activation in patients with allergic diseases conferred decreased risk of breast cancer. PyMt-tg mice were retroorbitally injected with TSLP and tumor growth and survival rate were compared between wild type mice and …

Adult Day Services: A Model That Works, Heather Turbyne-Pollard

Case Studies from Age in Action

Learning Objectives

1. Demonstrate the need for adult day services.

2. Illustrate the benefits beyond those to the older adults served.

3. Demystify common misconceptions about adult day services.

Care At The Intersections: A Case Study, Alyssa Camp

Case Studies from Age in Action

Learning Objectives

1. Increase understanding of trans elder care.

2. Recognize the ethical considerations of caring for a trans elder with dementia.

3. Understand the value of LGBTQ+ training and programing in assisted living.

Inhibition Of Type 1 Immunity With Tofacitinib Is Associated With Marked Improvement In Longstanding Sarcoidosis, Devam Purohit

VCU's Medical Journal Club: The Work of Future Health Professionals

This presentation focused on the inhibition of type 1 immunity with tofacitinib and its effect on patients with sarcoidosis. The drug tofacitinib is mainly a rheumatoid arthritis drug, and the main objective of the study was to see if the drug could be used for sarcoidosis. After the completion of the experiment, it was found that the drug dramatically reduced the CSAMI activity score (a score used to indicate the activity of sarcoidosis) by 82.7% on average after six months of use.

Neural Coding Of Vibration Intensity, Brendon Murphy

VCU's Medical Journal Club: The Work of Future Health Professionals

The article I presented on details effects of the vibrations all of us are surrounded by every day, whether it be cars driving outside, the multitudes of machines running around us, or those we succumb ourselves with the music we listen to and electronics we carry with us everyday may have on our brain. They used EEG to examine correlation of the brain with different intensities of vibration (no vibration, low vibration, and high vibration) applied to the phalanx of the left index finger using a vibrotactile actuator. Their results primarily consisted of analyzing the location of the brain in …

Cancer Therapy And Oral Mucositis, Breanna E. Walker, Heidi Berczes

Dental Hygiene Student Scholarship

Cancer therapy can cause various adverse effects on the oral cavity. The development of oral mucositis is one of the most common oral condition associated with both chemotherapy and radiotherapy. As dental professionals it is our duty to prevent and treat this condition in our patients. OM is very painful and has been known to decrease the quality of life in those with the condition. We have looked at studies evaluating the effectiveness of various agents in the prevention and treatment of OM. Our hope is to bring awareness to OM while educating providers on treatment options.

School Division Policies Related To Suicide Prevention And Response, David Naff, Fatemah A. Khawaji, Morgan Meadowes, Jill Flynn, Meg Sheriff, Lauren Powell, Lisa Gwyn, Tameka Burroughs, Jean Samuel

MERC Publications

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among youth age 10-19, and is an increasing concern in the wake of COVID-19. K-12 schools are crucial spaces for offering mental health support to students, and can implement policies to help prevent suicidal thoughts and behaviors. This MERC research and policy brief focuses on education policy related to suicide prevention and response. It is structured to answer five questions: 1) What are recent trends in youth suicide? 2) What does research show about school division policies that are effective in suicide prevention and response? 3) What policies in Virginia and …

Perceptions About Human Papillomavirus Vaccine And Oropharyngeal Cancers, And The Role Of Dental Care Providers In Human Papillomavirus Prevention Among Us Adults, Shillpa Naavaal, Christina A. Demopoulos, Abigail Kelly, Eric Tranby, Julie Frantsve-Hawley

Dental Public Health and Policy Publications

Background: The authors examined adults' perceptions about the importance of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine in preventing oropharyngeal cancers and dental care providers' role in HPV prevention and identified associated factors.

Methods: Adults (≥ 18 years) completed a national survey of consumer and patient attitudes, experiences, and behaviors on oral health. Descriptive and multivariable logistic regression models determined associations between perceptions regarding HPV and attitudes toward dental care providers' role and HPV knowledge, HPV vaccine recommendation, and sociodemographic characteristics.

Results: One in 3 adults (32.8%; n = 5,320) said the HPV vaccine was very important, 1 in 2 said it …

A Multifaceted Approach Using Implementation Science Methods To Increase Chg Bathing Compliance And Reduce Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections On A Non-Icu Unit, Emily E. Warwick

VCU Health Nursing

BACKGROUND or RATIONALE:

The Acute Care Surgery unit (ACS) is a General and Progressive level of care post-operative unit at VCU Health system. Between quarter four 2021 and quarter one of 2023, five Central line associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) occurred. NDNQI data revealed ACS had a higher CLABSI rate per 1,000 patient days than the national average of other similar type units in other magnet hospitals.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

A GAP analysis revealed ACS did not achieve the 80% CHG compliance goal set by VCU Health’s Infection Prevention Department in all six quarters that these five CLABSIs occurred. …

Dermatologic Manifestations Of Rheumatic Disease: Cutaneous Manifestations Of Vasculitides, Julianna S. Kang, Julia Nunley, Tiffany Ho, Mavra Masood, Fnu Nutan, Beth Rubinstein

Open and Affordable Course Content at VCU

No abstract provided.

Do Caffeine And Alcohol Use Predict Depressive Symptoms Among College Students, Yvette Asare, Arlenis Santana Phd, Shaiyano Hicks, Chelsea D. Williams Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Predicting Alcohol Consequences Using Family History And Audit-C Scores, Victoria Ell, The Spit For Science Working Group, Karen Chartier Phd, Msw

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Exploring Substance Use Initiation In Adolescent Twins: Unveiling Age-Specific Patterns And Sex Differences, Darren Farmer, Elizabeth Prom-Wormley Mph, Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

How Do Physical Activity And Personality Traits Affect Depressive Symptoms Among Young Adults Over Time?, Shaiyino Endia Hicks, Arlenis Santana Phd, Mehak Ahmed, Chelsea D. Williams Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Does Ethnic-Racial Discrimination And Alcohol Use Predict Anxiety Symptoms In Female Black And Latine College Students, Paloma Rodriquez Saucedo, Arlenis Santana Phd, Johanna Pasquel, Chelsea D. Williams Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Early Onset Age Of Regular Alcohol Use In Indigenous Persons, Angel Lewis, The Spit For Science Working Group, Amy Adkins Phd, Karen Chartier Phd, Msw

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Relational Disruptions And Mental Health Among Sexual Minority College Students During Covid-19, Nia Warren, The Spit For Science Working Group, Traci Wike Phd

IRBEH/Spit for Science Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Observing Ceramide Pathway With Ferroptosis Via Mia Paca-2 Cell Treatment With Rsl3, Tazrin Rahman

AUCTUS: The Journal of Undergraduate Research and Creative Scholarship

Composed of sphingosine and a fatty acid, ceramides are lipid molecules that serve as key metabolic signaling molecules of a sphingolipid pathway. While it acts as a precursor of complex sphingolipids, inducing ceramide generation can cause cell stress leading to subsequent cell death via apoptosis, necrosis, and even mitophagy. With regards to cell death specifically, a novel form of regulated cell death, ferroptosis, has recently been recognized of necrotic nature. Its unique morphological features and distinct properties have been observed over the last several decades; however, the molecular features were not identifiable as pure evidence of cell death, until recently …

Adolescent Thc Usage In Virginia: Post-Legalization Challenges And Strategies For Schools, David Naff, Meg Sheriff, Jill Flynn, Marzia Farhana, Kris Herakovich-Curtis, Gerron Scott, Fred Gatty, Priyadarshini Pattath, Diane Williams, Kiana Bradford, Reena Desai, Lauren Powell, Lisa Gwyn

MERC Publications

Recreational marijuana was legalized for anyone over the age of 21 in Virginia in 2021. This research and policy brief explores evidence of the impact of such legalization on Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) usage in PK-12 aged youth, including smoking, vaping, edibles, and dabbing. It addresses the following questions: 1) What are the recent trends in marijuana usage among PK-12 aged youth? 2) What are the impacts of THC usage in schools, particularly after legalization? 3) How can schools and school systems effectively respond to THC usage? 4) What are relevant federal, state, and school division policies that guide responses to youth …