Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Zoom Support: Virtual Health In The Times Of Covid, Patrick Clarke

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Assessing the feasibility of implementing a "how-to" video for elderly or disabled persons utilizing Zoom to access telehealth.

Migrant Farm Workers Flu Clinic, Alice Peng

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Vermont's dairy industry relies heavily on migrant workers. These migrant farmworkers are mostly Latino and undocumented thus ineligible for health insurance. The Open Door Clinic in collaboration with UVM Extension Bridges to Health and Colchester Family Practice provided free satellite flu clinics to Northern Vermont Latino dairy farmworkers. This project served 12 dairy farms and vaccinated 48 farmworkers.

Onecare Vermont Aco Quality Metric Evaluation, Alexander Braun

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This project explores OneCare Vermont ACO quality metrics and how they can be used to improve patient care and reimbursement in a Vermont family medicine practice. Perspectives of physicians within the practice and others familiar with OneCare Vermont operations are shared. Several metrics were identified as areas for improvement within the practice by comparing ACO metrics with patient data.

Hepatitis C Education And Screening In A Rural Northern Vermont Mat Clinic, Jack Fitzsimons

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Increases in hepatitis C infection rates have mirrored increases in opioid use disorder. This project attempted to determine screening rates of HCV in a medication assisted treatment clinic for opioid use disorder. Additionally it attempted to provide education to patients that had not been screened for HCV.

Reducing No Show Rate In The Primary Care Setting, Heng Tan

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Healthcare systems consumed 17.7 % of the U.S. GDP. Efficiently using clinical resources is critical. No-show appointments decrease the provider’s productivity, increases healthcare costs, and limits the health clinic’s effective capacity. Address patients with history of no show with targeted questionnaire and provide corresponding support can not only decrease the rate and improve the efficiency of health care but also decrease unnecessary emergency and urgent care visits

Addressing Exercise Accessibility In Winter Conditions In Milton, Vermont, Liam Du Preez

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Exercise is a critical aspect of health maintenance, especially in the context of chronic medical problems such as diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Weather and climate conditions in Vermont directly impact Vermonters' ability to exercise, and this results in negative impacts in their health maintenance and healthcare costs nationally and locally. This project explores the direct and indirect impact of decreased exercise and explore a modality for informing patients on how to stay active safely in the winter.

Implementing An Educational Resource On Cannabidiol (Cbd) For Patients In Western Connecticut, Michael H. Weber

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

An educational handout on cannabidiol (CBD) was created and implemented into a family medicine practice in Western Connecticut. The handout described the basics of CBD including production, legality status in Connecticut, efficacy in treating certain conditions, and consumer considerations when purchasing CBD.

A Health Resource List For Transgender Patients In Vermont, Kathryn Kurchena

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Transgender folks encounter barriers to accessing healthcare for a multitude of reasons. Recent surveys have found that 28% of the transgender people delayed care due to past discrimination within healthcare. In an effort to improve upon this issue in the Burlington area, a list of affirming and effective healthcare resources, services, and providers was created to be distributed at the Community Health Centers of Burlington.

The Primary Care Shortage In Vermont And Medical Student Interest In Primary Care, Kenneth Michael Palanza

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The state of Vermont is currently faced with a primary care workforce shortage. There are currently not enough primary care physicians to meet the states needs and the problem is expected to get worse. The primary care physician workforce is aging, there is an inability to recruit primary care providers to Vermont, and there is stagnant interest of medical students in fundamental primary care fields such as family medicine. The aim of this project is to examine the barriers medical students identify that decreases their interest in pursuing a career in primary care, specifically family medicine, and how systematic changes …

Pap Smears In The Somali Immigrant Population, Garrett Chan

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Lewiston, Maine is home to a population of Somali refugees. Women within this community have faced cultural and language barriers that have prevented them from obtaining Pap smears. We have collaborated with a local health clinic, where a cultural broker and member of the Somali community who is familiar with this population, to understand challenges Somali immigrant women face in cervical cancer screening. Together, we developed a pamphlet and health resource card, both in Somali, to lower barriers to care.

Identifying Food Insecurity In A Rural Vermont Primary Care Setting, Jessica Lyon

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Recent years have shown an emergence of interest in social determinants of health by healthcare providers, community leaders, and social service organizations alike. Among the social determinants of health, food insecurity has been associated with higher incidences of chronic disease and poor health outcomes as compared to rates among individuals not screening positive for food insecurity. This project aims to compare the effectiveness of screening patients for food insecurity via formal paper questionnaires versus the traditional approach of an open patient-provider dialog guided by provider intuition in identifying food insecure individuals in a primary care setting.

The "Best Snacks Ever" Series, Catherine M. Westbom

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Vermont rates of obesity jump from 15.1% 10-17 year-old children to 27.5% in adults. In addition, studies show that keeping weight off is incredibly difficult with low success rates. Of the many factors that contribute to obesity, nutrition is among those that can be altered with great results. Taken in combination, this information speaks to the great change that can be made in targeting healthy eating habits in the youth population prior to the jump in obesity rates. This project aims to provide education to the child population in Montpelier, Vermont through the local Step 2 after-school program. A class …

Coping Skills For Daily Life: Cost-Effective Strategies To Prevent And Address Mental Health Disorders, Shae Ian Rowlandson

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Mental health disorders, along with their associated cost and negative outcomes, have continued to persist in Vermont and have become one of the largest, growing challenges to public health in the United States. Unfortunately, Vermont does not appear to have enough resources or providers to optimally address it. Concurrently, coping strategies of minimal cost that have the potential to prevent or address mental health disorders may often be underutilized or misconstrued by the population. A pamphlet providing information on evidenced, cost-effective coping strategies was designed and distributed to providers and patients to enable patients with the skills to help themselves …

The Green House Project: Accessible, Empowering And Sustainable Communities For The Elderly, Jessica Sikka

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Many members of our geriatric community face challenges in attending appointments with their healthcare providers. The many barriers to healthcare that these patients face can range from financial to physical ones. Home health visits have become an invaluable resource for these patients. However, home healthcare is an expensive resource that many patients cannot afford. The Green House Project aims to empower elders and patients with barriers to healthcare, who thrive in the home health setting, by building communities where patients are treated with equality and mutual respect regardless of economic status.

Distribution Of Resuscitative Measures In Lamoille County, Vermont Schools, Jared J. Bomba

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This study evaluates the availability of resuscitative measures within the public schools of Lamoille County, Vermont. This includes primarily access to Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), naloxone (Narcan), and epinephrine auto injectors (Epi-pens) subsequent to recent introduction of naloxone into schools in response to widespread opioid addiction in the region.

Safe Disposal Of Unused Pharmaceuticals In Vermont, Sarah E. Sherman

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This community project aimed to research local infrastructure for the safe disposal of unused pharmaceuticals and provide a user friendly summary to be made available to patients. In doing so, the long term goal was to increase participation in drug disposal programs to improve the health of the community by decreasing drug diversion, use of expired medications, and improper disposal resulting in environmental accumulation.

Addressing Barriers To Physical Activity In Vermont's Geriatric Population, Stephanie Udawatta

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

A wide array of barriers exist which prevent many geriatric patients from engaging in regular physical activity. This project addresses the barriers unique to Vermont's population of geriatric patients and explores potential solutions.

Vaping: What Are The Risks?, Matthew Eric Lebow

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

In recent years there has been a precipitous rise in the number of individuals using e-cigarettes or vaping devices. According to the Vermont Department of Health, in 2016, there were 22,000 adults who used e-cigarettes. However, even more, concerning was that there were approximately 3,000 high school Vermonters who used electronic vaping products. The dangers around vaping products are multifactorial, including the lack of perception of harm by youth, the risk of nicotine addiction, ease of access, and the potential harms including chemicals, contaminants, and metals.

Even more concerning has been the rise of E-Cigarette and Vaping Produce Use- Associated …

The Effects Of Initiating Metformin, To Prevent Or Delay Type Ii Diabetes, In Patients With Prediabetes, Kelsey K. Abraham, Jeanie Mchugo

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

The purpose of this literature review is to explore metformin’s role in the treatment of patients with prediabetes within the primary care setting. The efficacy of metformin versus lifestyle modifications will be compared as well as metformin, as adjunctive therapy, to lifestyle modifications. Along with efficacy, a systematic analysis will examine the three above mentioned therapies regarding diabetes risk reduction. Lastly, this review will examine the safety and tolerability of metformin, specifically in patients with prediabetes. The data presented shows evidence that lifestyle modifications are first line treatment for prediabetes while metformin use should be reserved for those who fail …

The Effect Of Proton Pump Inhibitors On Normal Gastrointestinal Flora Leading To Weight Change, Emi L. Binstock

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

The goal of this literature review was to determine what effects proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) have on the normal gastrointestinal (GI) flora and how that may lead to weight loss or weight gain. A literature search was performed using the database PubMed. Only articles from the last ten years (2009-2019) were included in this review. Keywords used in the search are listed below. After exclusion criteria was applied, 30 articles were relevant and used in this review. Five themes were identified in the literature review. An investigation of normal GI flora associated with weight loss and weight gain identified a …

Cannabis Effectiveness On The Motor Symptoms Of Parkinson’S Disease, Austin Fridrich

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Fueled by news media reports, cannabis use has been ever growing in popularity for the treatment of both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using cannabis to treat the motor symptoms and levodopa-induced dyskinesia of PD. In this literature review electronic databases were searched and included PubMed, CINAHL, Embase, DynaMedPlus, Cochrane Library, Academic Search Premier, and Clinical Key. A variety of keywords and mesh terms, as listed below, were used to define a set of literature. There were 16 studies chosen for review that …

Surgical Innovations For Gerd: Comparing Outcomes Of Magnetic Sphincter Augmentation And Nissen Fundoplication, Steffani N. Johnston Mack

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common chronic upper gastrointestinal disease with both objective and subjective components. While most cases of GERD are uncomplicated and can be managed with oral medication, refractory cases require surgical intervention. The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of GERD’s gold standard surgical technique, the Nissen fundoplication, with a new surgical technique, magnetic sphincter augmentation.

Mental Health Resources & Healthcare Professional Students, Matthew A. Knealing

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

The reasoning for this review of literature is to determine if implementing mental health resources in graduate healthcare programs decreases the rate of depression and suicidal ideations. In this review of literature, five databases were searched. They included: PubMed, PsycInfo, CINAHL Complete, Clinical Key, and the Cochrane Library from September 15 to January 3, 2020. Due to the topic being dynamic and receiving more acknowledgment in recent years, articles reviewed were restricted to the last six years within the United States. Works chosen were peer reviewed, which included meta analysis, cross sectional, systemic reviews, longitudinal and, survey method studies. Sources …

Antibiotic Efficacy In Lower Back Pain, Alexander M. Lee

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

Chronic lower back pain affects approximately eight percent of the American population, yet no treatment has been agreed upon universally. Studies suggest that between 20-30 percent of lower back pain cases are caused by a low-virulence bacterial infection of an intervertebral disc. • This scholarly project investigated: In patients with chronic lower back pain and Modic changes after disc herniation, what is the effect of antibiotic therapy on reducing pain symptoms compared to placebo. • The literature review used the following electronic databases: ClinicalKey, Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed. Keywords and mesh terms refined searches to the most recent and …

Catheter Ablation Of The Accessory Pathway In The Asymptomatic Patient With Wolff-Parkinson-White, Erin B. Mondry

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

The purpose of this research and literature review was to analyze the safety and efficacy associated with invasive catheter ablation of the accessory pathway, in comparison to risk of sudden cardiac death and malignant arrythmias in non-ablated, asymptomatic individuals with Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW). In this review, five databases were searched including CINAHL, Clinical Key, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Dynamed Plus. Both keyword and mesh terms were used to define a set of the literature discussing Wolff-Parkinson-White, ventricular preexcitation, radiofrequency catheter ablation, and sudden cardiac death. Works chosen for review were published from 2009 to 2019, and included surveys, case control studies, …

Low-Dose Naltrexone For Treatment In Crohn’S Disease And Fibromyalgia, Hannah R. Tkach

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

The United States has experienced a dramatic increase in opioid abuse and overdoses, leading to a national epidemic. Contributing to this epidemic is the use of opioid therapy for complex chronic inflammatory and neuropathic conditions that remain difficult to treat. Many traditional treatments are ineffective or have intolerable side effects, forcing providers to utilize opioid therapy as a last resort. Recently, there is increased interest in the use of partial opioid antagonist naltrexone to treat Crohn’s disease and fibromyalgia. Previous research suggests the potential for naltrexone to provide analgesic effects when administered in low doses via its unique interaction with …

Resting Heart Rate And Its Effect On All-Cause Morbidity And Mortality, Peter V. Tronset

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

According to the American College of Cardiology (ACA 2019), approximately every 40 seconds an individual has a myocardial infarction (MI).

▪ While the ACA reports a decrease in death rate from cardiovascular disease by 18.6% (2006-2016) and a decrease in death rate from coronary artery disease by 31.8% (2006 – 2016); Heart disease remains the leading cause of death, affecting approximately 5.7 million American adults.

▪ A literature review was conducted through systematic reviews, metaanalyses, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and peer-reviewed medical journals, The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), and The Journal of the American College of Cardiology …

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For The Treatment Of Traumatic Brain Injuries, Jordan A. Wiedmann

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

This research and systematic literature review evaluates the safety and efficacy of Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) to improve treatment outcomes in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). This review included the search of PubMed, Cochrane Review, Clinical Key, and DynaMed. The search included randomized control trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in the last 20 years.

• Several studies show evidence to support the use of HBOT in TBIs, however the majority of research suggests overall insufficient evidence on the topic. Several studies also address the concern for safety and side effects, as individuals are exposed to increased pressures for long lengths …

Kcu Magazine, Winter/Spring 2020: A Bold Way Forward, Kansas City University

KCU Magazine

Contents: A Future So Bright -- Reaching Out -- Bold Way Forward -- Shining a Light on Holistic Health Care -- Comfort & Compassion -- Letter from the President -- Five Things -- Class Notes.

Analysis Of Tech-Based And Telemental Health Approaches Within The Adolescent And Young Adult Populations Of Rural America, Audrey K. Smeenk

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Posters

The incidences of depression and anxiety among adolescent and young adult populations are intensifying, and resources remain limited for the management of these diseases within rural America.

• Evaluation on different interventions was completed to assess ease of access, efficacy, and patient adherence with the hope to decrease incidence of disease and increase availability of resources to rural areas.

• Based on the current completed research, there is a predominance of evidence that has shown moderate statistical data and promising outcomes from tech-based mobile applications and telemental health. Statistical evidence supports that technological based interventions are a potential treatment option …