Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Implementing Visual Supports Through Vocational Training Modules For Students Preparing To Exit School-Based Services, Kaitlynn Karthan

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Unemployment and underemployment remain persistent barriers for autistic and developmentally disabled individuals, with up to 75% of autistic adults in the United States experiencing difficulty obtaining or maintaining meaningful work. To address this disparity within school-based transition services, this capstone project evaluated the effectiveness of video modeling as an instructional method for vocational skill acquisition among seven young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities (DD). Grounded in the Occupational Justice framework, this study utilized a quantitative pretest–posttest–follow-up quasi-experimental design to measure accuracy and task completion time on two vocational tasks: rolling silverware and filling condiment cups. …

Disability Awareness And Inclusion, Claudia C. Gonzalez, Raquel C. Vasquez, Bruce J. Reed

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2021) reported an increase in the prevalence of persons with disabilities affecting one in four people in the United States. Disability awareness and inclusion describe how a combination of understanding, acknowledgment, compassion, and acceptance can allow persons with disability the same opportunities as those without disabilities. This can be seen with the increase in persons with a disability graduating from postsecondary institutions, about 14% from 2012 to 2022 of persons over 25. This chapter covers foundational material regarding disability awareness and inclusion, including the prevalence of disability in general and in educational settings, …

Integrating Technology To Support Learning And Accessibility In Counselor Education And Supervision, Yung-Chen Jen Chiu, Heekyung Lee, Junfei Lu, Kayi Ntinda, Roy K. Chen, Yuleinys A. Castillo

School of Rehabilitation Services & Counseling Faculty Publications

The rapid evolution of technology has profoundly impacted the delivery of counseling services and the field of counselor education. This transformation has introduced both opportunities and challenges for students from underrepresented backgrounds, including students with disabilities. This chapter delves into the integration of technology in counselor education and supervision, highlighting considerations of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. It explores strategies to enhance accessibility, including improved access to program information, optimized class preparation, and enhanced quality of clinical supervision. Key implications for counselor educators and supervisors include bolstering their own technological proficiency, familiarity with legal and ethical considerations, enhancing disability awareness, …

Predictors Of Dietary Meat Reduction In Gen Z College Students: A Cross-Sectional Survey Using The Com-B Model, Deanne Moosman

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Overconsumption of meat negatively impacts human and environmental health, and these challenges are expected to worsen due to global population growth and increasing meat consumption. Many consumers appear unwilling to reduce their meat intake, and this resistance to dietary change is more common among adult men than women. However, data about meat-eating attitudes and behaviors are lacking for younger generational cohorts. Generation Z (i.e., those born between 1995 and 2010; Gen Z) is a growing consumer group whose dietary decisions will have environmental and human health consequences. Little is known about Gen Z's meat consumption habits and behaviors and whether …

Complete High Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury Causes Bowel Dysfunction In Mice, Olivia Wireman, Ellie L. Sams, Lynnet E. Richey, Gabrielle V. Hammers, Andrew N. Stewart, William M. Bailey, Samir P. Patel, John C. Gensel

Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center Faculty Publications

Bowel dysfunction, is a prevalent and life-impacting comorbidity of spinal cord injury (SCI) with no long-term treatment available. SCI-induced colon changes including motility and fibrosis are understudied as are strategies to address SCI bowel dysfunction. This need remains partly due to the lack of a mouse model that recapitulates the human condition. We hypothesized that a high thoracic spinal transection in mice would trigger bowel dysfunction with coincident colon pathology similar to humans and rats after SCI. We observed bowel dysfunction as increased fecal pellet numbers within the colon, smaller pellet size, and decreased motility. Fecal pellets numbers in the …

“I Learned To Bottle Up My Feelings From A Young Age”: A Narrative Analysis Of Latina Young People’S Family Mental Health Socialization, Jenn M. Lilly

Social Service Faculty Publications

Latina young people report high levels of mental health problems and low levels of helpseeking

compared with their white peers, but little research has examined factors influencing

their mental health views. Inductive analysis of 25 participants’ narratives revealed that Latina

young people described three stages in the development of their mental health-related beliefs,

attitudes, and behaviors: undergoing a process of family mental health socialization, suffering

in silence, and attaining a new perspective. Within each of these phases, participants shared

stories that attest to their agency and resilience. This research uncovers a novel theoretical

construct, “family mental health socialization,” which elucidates …

Digital Zines As Mental And Sexual Health Communication Tools For Latina Teens: Format And Content Acceptability And Initial Findings, Jenn M. Lilly, D'Andrah Almanzar, Susan R. Pace, Dante D. Bryant

Social Service Faculty Publications

Recognizing the potential of digital zines (defined as selfpublished,

online publications combining artwork and

text) as culturally tailored health communication tools,

this article examines the acceptability and impacts of two

digital zines about mental and sexual health created by

Latina young people for Latina teens as a health communication

strategy. We conducted an anonymous online

survey completed by Latina teens who read the zines (32

for sexual health and 33 for mental health). Data analysis

aimed to explore, summarize, and interpret the collected

data using an artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced

approach. Survey participants found the zine format and

content acceptable and …

Design And Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Pilot Program To Support New Graduate Nurses' Transition To Professional Practice: Application Of Soft Skills Education In An Associate Degree Program, Torri Crosby-Martin

All Capstone Projects

Problem Statement:
Post-pandemic nurse graduates experienced difficulty transition to professional practice due to limited focus on soft skills acquisition in pre-licensure nursing curricula.

Background:
Faculty characterized graduates as underprepared for professional practice, stating concerns affecting retention, patient outcomes, and work satisfaction.

Aim:
The quality improvement project goal was to address the transition to practice readiness by providing soft skills education to associate degree students.

Theoretical Framework:
This project applied Benner's Novice-to-Expert MOdel and Duchscher's Stages of Transition.

Methods:
Utilizing a mixed methods approach, March-April 2024, a sample size of 28 participants completed both pre- and post-Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice Surveys …

Evaluating Ai-Generated Essays For Bias In Public Health Topics, Spring Cooper

Open Educational Resources

This is a sample assignment: Students will use AI tools to generate essays on public health topics, critically evaluate these essays for potential biases, and understand the ethical implications of using AI-generated content in public health.

Systems Evaluation Supporting Feeding Program Development, Marquetta Moore

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Prior to the development of a feeding therapy program, a system evaluation was completed in an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic. Changes were implemented to support the program, while planning and the initial phases of the feeding therapy program began.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to enhance daily clinic operations and initiate the development of a feeding therapy program, with a focus on establishing evidence-based, family-and child-centered care.

This capstone project addressed the following objectives:

1. Assess clinic systems to identify strengths and weaknesses as well as threats and opportunities while evaluating existing processes that may impact program …

Addressing Fine Motor Skills In Kindergarten Through Embedding Occupational Fine Motor Skills In Classrooms, Mary L. Hesterwerth

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Projects

Background: Fine motor and visual–motor delays are becoming more common among young children, driven by the shift from traditional physical play to screen time and worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. These issues are particularly concerning for kindergarten students, whose academic demands for handwriting and classroom participation are increasing despite their limited prior school experience.

Purpose: This Capstone project aimed to evaluate the effects of an occupational therapist-led training workshop for kindergarten teachers, focusing on how it helps integrate fine motor activities into daily bellwork routines. The main research question was whether this Tier 1, classroom-based strategy could enhance students’ fine …

Correction: Roles Of Specialized Pro-Resolving Mediators And Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids In Periodontal Inflammation And Impact On Oral Microbiota, Chun-Teh Lee, Gena D Tribble

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

This corrects the article "Roles of specialized pro-resolving mediators and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in periodontal inflammation and impact on oral microbiota" in volume 4, 1217088.

Facilitators And Barriers To Reducing Maternal Mortality Rates In Non-Hispanic Black Women: An Integrative Review, Melissa Marie Andersson, Elizabeth L. Goes

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction - Black maternal mortality remains a crucial public health crisis in the United States despite a plethora of research on the incidence. This presents in the persistent disparities in health outcomes between Black and White mothers and newborns. While numerous studies have explored isolated factors contributing to this issue, few have synthesized the full scope of barriers and facilitators influencing Black maternal health outcomes in the United States specifically.

Research Aim - This integrative review aims to identify and organize the key facilitators and barriers to reducing Black maternal mortality in the United States using the socio-ecological model as …

Breaking Down Silos: Creating And Implementing A Longitudinal Interprofessional Education Curriculum For Graduate Health Science Professional Students, Robert Wellmon, Jill D. Black, Wendy Wachter-Schutz, Kathleen M. Youse, Adrienne N. Pinckney, Lori L. Felker

Health Professions Education

Background. Accreditation standards for graduate health professional programs require the inclusion of interprofessional learning and collaboration (IPL/C) activities in entry-level curricula. This implementation necessitates collaboration among educators from multiple disciplines and openness to innovation and to educate students in a manner that breaks down uni-professional curriculum silos that are known barriers to the creation of meaningful IPL experiences.

Objective. The purpose of this paper is to describe one institution’s process for creating a longitudinal interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum that aligns with accreditation mandates and meets the call to foster IPC competency skills.

Methods. Widener University established an interprofessional thread of …

The Remote Supervision Road To Registrar Training In Australia - Paving The Path With Pixels And Phones (A Narrative Review)., Nicholas Coburn, Kylie Fitzgerald, Brett Vaughan

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Specialist medical training in rural or remote Australia is limited due to current requirements of specialist medical colleges to supervise and train registrars onsite. Remote supervision, where the registrar is supervised via telephone and videoconferencing technology remotely, offers a solution that allows doctors to train in rural or remote areas. This review describes the opportunities, challenges, and recommendations to pave the path for a best practice model of remote supervision for private practice focused registrar training in Australia which may offer insights for other countries with rural and remote medical workforces.

Methods: Ovid Medline and Ovid Embase were …

Procedural Skills Gaps And Ultrasound Training In Saudi Medical Interns: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Rajkumar Rajendram, Abdullah Abdulrahman Alshamrani, Waleed Khalid Jarwan, Afnan Ali Alghamdi, Arif Hussain

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Medical internships lay the foundation for physicians' careers. While the scope of medical practice has broadened, the emphasis on procedural skills remains crucial. However, concerns persist regarding the adequacy of current internship training programs, particularly in the context of the increasing importance of ultrasound-guided procedures (UGPs). This study aims to assess the perceived relevance of procedural skills training and identify skill gaps among medical interns at our institution.

Aim: To assess medical interns' perceptions of the relevance of procedural skills training, with a specific focus on ultrasound guidance and to identify skill gaps within the internship program at our …

Enhancing Learning Methods In Medical Education: Effective Strategies For Student Success, Syed Tawassul Hassan, Syeda Kashaf Batool, Muhammad Liaquat Raza

Health Professions Education

This perspective highlights three often overlooked but highly effective methods for boosting student performance in medical education. Active recall, which involves retrieving information from memory during learning, helps strengthen understanding and retention of complex medical concepts. Spaced repetition, spreading out study sessions over time, enhances long-term memory formation and reduces forgetting. Both techniques have been shown to outperform traditional passive review and cramming. We have also emphasized the importance of lifestyle factors, particularly sleep and diet, in academic success. Studies using wearable devices have linked better sleep quality to higher grades, with poor sleep habits significantly hurting performance. To implement …

The Students’ Conceptions Of Assessment (Scoa) Instrument: A Validation Study In Medical Education Context, Diantha Soemantri, Nadia Greviana, Najila Ramadhina

Health Professions Education

Purpose: To validate the Students’ Conceptions of Assessment (SCoA) instrument for the medical education context as a tool to examine Indonesian medical students’ conceptions of assessment in general before its implementation.

Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted to validate the translated SCoA instrument. The original 45-item instrument was translated to Indonesian with some modifications. The study was conducted on a total of 308 preclinical and clinical participants in two public medical schools: Universitas Indonesia and Universitas Udayana.

Results: The samples were found to be suitable for exploratory factor analysis, as indicated by a high Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin value (0.949) and a significant …

Active Learning In Respiratory Care Education: A Narrative Review, Tisha Ann Skariah, Udaya Kumar Rao, Manjush Karthika

Health Professions Education

Purpose: This study evaluates the effectiveness of active learning strategies in respiratory care (RC) education, specifically examining their impact on student engagement, critical thinking, and clinical competency to address limitations inherent in traditional passive instructional methods.

Methods: A comprehensive narrative review of peer-reviewed literature was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Thematic analysis was utilized to explore the influence of key active learning methodologies, including simulation-based learning (SBL), flipped classroom (FC), problem-based learning (PBL), and team-based learning (TBL).

Results: The findings demonstrate that active learning approaches significantly enhance clinical decision-making, collaborative skills, and knowledge retention …

“Globes" Module (Guiding Learners Towards One Health, Biodiversity, And Environmental Stewardship): Catalyzing Synergies To Advance Leadership And Scholarly Engagement With One Health In Under Graduate Medical Education, Krishna Mohan Surapaneni

Health Professions Education

Background: The concept of One Health addresses the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment, offering a critical framework for tackling complex health challenges. However, gaps in the integration of One Health principles into medical education limit the ability of future healthcare providers to operationalize this knowledge in practice. The "GLOBES" module (Guiding Learners towards One health, Biodiversity, and Environmental Stewardship) was designed to bridge these gaps, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3, 13, 14, 15) to promote holistic and interdisciplinary healthcare education. Methods: The "GLOBES" module was developed with 22 competencies across ten categories, incorporating case-based learning, …

Effect Of Problematic Smartphone Usage On Reaction Time And Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency Among Medical Undergraduate Students In Chennai, South India - A Cross-Sectional Study, Saisubramanian Abeetha, Angappan Suba, Mourali Chitra, Chirag D Jain, Saisubramanian Sadhana

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Smartphones are vital for communication and learning, especially among medical students, but excessive use can cause physical, psychological, and cognitive issues. Problematic Smartphone Usage (PSU), marked by compulsive use, is linked to attention deficits and reduced cognitive function. Reaction Time (RT) reflects sensory-motor speed, while Critical Flicker Fusion Frequency (CFFF) indicates sensory processing and neural fatigue. Prolonged smartphone use may impair these parameters. Despite growing concern, data on PSU’s impact on RT and CFFF in medical students is limited. This study explores their association among undergraduates in Chennai.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 402 medical undergraduate students …

Artificial Intelligence In Pharmacy Education: Balancing Technological Advances And Ethical Concerns Among Aspiring Pharmacists, Ubada Aqeel, Shibu John

Health Professions Education

Background Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming healthcare, including pharmacy practice, by enhancing access to information, reducing errors, and supporting decision-making. However, its integration into pharmacy education remains underexplored. This study investigated pharmacy students' perceptions of AI's impact on their profession and the need for curriculum reform. Materials and Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 245 Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) students from Jamia Hamdard, India. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering knowledge, perceptions, and opinions on AI in pharmacy. Responses were analyzed using non-parametric tests, including the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis H tests, to examine group differences. Exploratory …

Analyzing The Impact Of Geographic Location, Owner Knowledge, And Veterinary Guidance On Equine Vaccination Protocols, Colleen Mcanally

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how equine owners decide which diseases their horses are vaccinated for based on their geographic location, the knowledge they have on specific equine diseases, and how much they rely on their veterinarian’s recommendations. A total of 55 horse owners throughout the United States completed an online survey. The results showed that while most owners vaccinate for common core vaccines including West Nile Virus, Tetanus, and Rabies, fewer vaccinated for risk-based vaccines like Leptospirosis. Many owners felt confident in their knowledge of national guidelines for annual core vaccinations, but only a small number of owners were able to …

Online Learning-Driven Human Intent Estimation And Control For Human-Robot Interaction, Irfan Ganie, S. Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a novel Stackelberg-game theoretic multilayer-online learning framework for cooperative control of nonlinear Physical Human-Robot Interaction (pHRI), where the human is modeled as the leader guiding a robot follower. This hierarchical interaction is captured as a dynamic Stackelberg game, with the human's intention estimated in real-time through online multilayer neural networks (MNNs). We introduce SVD-based weight update laws for actor-critic MNNs, which approximate value functions and control inputs for both human and robot, eliminating the need for predefined basis functions. In this framework, the human objective is first inferred and used to guide the robot actions by shaping …

Improved Optimal Tracking Of Uncertain Nonlinear Discrete-Time Systems Using Experience Replay, Maxwell Geiger, Sarangapani Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper addresses the infinite horizon optimal tracking control problem for partially uncertain control-affine nonlinear discrete-time (DT) systems, where the control input dynamics are known. Multi-layer critic and actor neural networks (MNNs) are utilized for online estimation of the infinite horizon value function and optimal control input. The NN weights are tuned online using a direct temporal difference error (TDE)-driven learning approach, which modifies the singular values of the gradient with respect to the NN weights to accelerate their convergence. The critic NN uses a novel experience replay technique to improve sample efficiency without introducing biased TDEs and guarantee the …

Multi-Model Safe Neuro-Optimal Output Tracking Control Of Autonomous Surface Vessels With Explainable Ai, Behzad Farzanegan, S. Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a safety-aware deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based trajectory tracking control of autonomous surface vessels (ASVs). A multilayer neural network (MNN) observer estimates the ASV's state and uncertain dynamics. By utilizing the estimate state vector from the observer, a safety-aware DRL-based optimal policy is formulated using control barrier function (CBF) and Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) conditions. An actor-critic MNN with singular value decomposition (SVD)-based update mitigates vanishing gradients. To enhance adaptability, an online safe lifelong learning (SLL) scheme counters catastrophic forgetting across varying ASV dynamics. The Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP) method identifies key features influencing the control policy. Simulations on an …

Online Adaptive Optimal Tracking Control Of Uncertain Strict Feedback Discrete-Time Systems With Hardware Verification Using A Quadrotor Uav, Maxwell Geiger, S. Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This article considers the infinite time horizon optimal tracking control problem for discrete time (DT) partially uncertain strict feedback systems with application to quadrotor UAVs. First, the strict feedback DT system is transformed into an equivalent affine nonlinear DT system in terms of tracking error dynamics. The optimal tracking control problem is solved using an augmented system approach, where a horizon of future reference trajectory points are used in the augmented state, as compared to using a single point. The internal dynamics of the original nonlinear strict feedback system and the transformed affine system in terms of error dynamics are …

Reinforcement Learning-Based Nonlinear Optimal Discrete-Time Control Of Power Systems, Vijay Kumar Singh, Behzad Farzanegan, S. Jagannathan

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This paper presents a partially model-free adaptive optimal tracking control method for power systems, specifically targeting a synchronous generator connected through a reactive transmission line. By integrating the tracking error dynamics with reference trajectory dynamics, an augmented system is created. A discounted performance function is introduced to address the nonlinear tracking problem optimally. Unlike traditional methods that compute feedforward and feedback terms separately, the proposed approach calculates both simultaneously by minimizing the discounted performance function. The discrete-time tracking Bellman and Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equations are derived, and a reinforcement learning (RL)-based technique is employed to solve the optimal policy online without …

Exploring Institutional Stratification: Minority-Serving Institutional Pathways To Medical School Acceptance In The United States, Amanda K. Burbage, Eushekia Y. Hewitt

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

Introduction

Recruiting and training a diverse pool of physicians from historically excluded groups is vital to solving complex scientific problems and increasing access to patient care. Disparate educational and health outcomes of COVID-19 amplified this need. In stratified higher education systems, underfunded institutions that serve greater numbers of underrepresented in medicine (URM) students face unique barriers to entering physician training. However, pathways from historically underfunded minority-serving institutions (MSIs) in the United States to medical school (MD) are not well understood.

Method

A hierarchical logistic regression analysis of 328 488 de-identified applicants to US MD-granting medical schools for academic years 2017-2018 …

Team Science In Interdisciplinary Health Professions Education Research: A Multi-Institutional Case Study, Peggy Gesing, Joni Tornwall, Violet Kulo, Sarah Mcbrien, Thuha Hoang, Hyun-Jin Jun, Amanda Burbage, Yuane Jia, Christina Cestone

EVMS School of Health Professions Faculty Publications

The interdisciplinary nature of health professions education requires exploration of problems by interdisciplinary research teams. Drawing on the Dynamics of Cross-disciplinary Research Development conceptual framework, this study explores the processes and experiences of an interdisciplinary research team, identifying elements of successful collaboration. Case study data were collected from a team of nine researchers from six universities. Data included meeting minutes and researcher reflections. Researcher reflection and meeting minute themes converged within the framework constructs: Contexts and inputs, social learning processes, social capital outcomes, and knowledge and human capital outcomes. This study provides a blueprint for interdisciplinary researchers indicating that successful …