Medical Education Commons^™

Teaching Medical Students To Identify Social Determinants Of Health Through Observation And Reflection, Bridget Croniger Ockunzzi, Kathleen Liu Young, Jennifer Mendez, Rima Charara

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Purpose: Social determinants of health (SDOH) impact 80-90% of health outcomes in the United States. To address SDOH, innovative teaching of future healthcare professionals is needed. At one large urban medical school in an area with a high population of underserved individuals, first-year medical students participated in a Service Learning curriculum, assessing community needs in local ZIP Code areas. This single-institution descriptive program evaluation describes the implementation and feasibility of this educational activity and reports students' identified community priorities and self-reported engagement.

Participants and Methods: During the 2022-2023 academic year, forty-one groups of 6--8 first-year medical students conducted neighborhood observations, …

Using Mask-Making To Foster Growth Mindset And Address Implicit Bias, Nazeh Saad, Rima Charara, Jennifer Mendez, Dena Nazer

Internal Medicine Faculty Publications

Introduction: Implicit biases, defined as unconscious attitudes influencing clinical decisions, can negatively affect patient care and contribute to health care disparities. Growth mindset—the belief that abilities can be developed through effort—encourages learners to view biases as modifiable rather than fixed. The mask expression project is an educational activity designed to foster growth mindset in first-year medical students and promote patient-centered care.

Methods: Three hundred five (305) first-year medical students completed the project during a service-learning course. Students wrote or drew on a paper mask template divided into two halves: one side challenged identified implicit biases; the other depicted actions …

Development And Assessment Of A Low-Fidelity Aortic Cross-Clamping Simulation Model, Abdul Naser Zamzami, Omer Abdullah, Trisha Ray, Lauren Malinzak

Medical Student Research Symposium

Title: Development and Assessment of a Low-Fidelity Aortic Cross-Clamping Simulation Model

Authors: Abdulnaser Zamzami(1), BS; Omer Abdullah(1), BS; Trisha Ray(1), BS; Lauren Malinzak(2), MD

Wayne State School of Medicine(1)

Division of Transplant Surgery, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan(2)

Background: Aortic cross-clamping is a high-stakes, technically challenging procedure typically reserved for highly-trained staff, which often excludes resident experience, leaving a crucial training gap for emergency situations. To address this, a mini-curriculum and 3-D hands-on simulation model for supra-celiac and infra-renal clamping were developed.

Methods: Participants, including medical students and up to fourth-year residents, completed pre- and post-surveys as well as hands-on …

Ghastly Growths And Bone Chilling Cases Pediatric Tumor Diagnosis Demystified, Alexander Aly Restum, Arif Musa

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background:

Pediatric skeletal tumors range from benign to malignant and require multimodal imaging for accurate diagnosis. Recognizing key features enables early detection, guides management, identifies underlying syndromes, and improves outcomes. This presentation provides an educational overview of pediatric tumor evaluation.

Methods:
We conducted a focused review of peer-reviewed literature and representative pediatric imaging studies to outline the radiologic characteristics of common benign and malignant bone tumors in children. Core imaging patterns, diagnostic challenges, and modality-specific advantages were synthesized to create a practical interpretive framework for radiologists.

Results:
The reviewed literature and imaging demonstrated consistent defining features across pediatric bone tumors. …

Enhancing Medical Student Readiness To Provide Care For Youth Involved In The Juvenile Justice System, Tara Rahmani, Noah Kos, Kristen Bartow, Sospeter Machani, Jonathan Hakim, Elyse Vanderwoude, Anastasia Sahu, Abigail Schuch, Jennifer Mendez Ph.D, Laura Benjamins Md,Mph, Faap, Aahivms, Anupama Devara, Adeel Khan D.O.

Medical Student Research Symposium

Title

Enhancing Medical Student Readiness to Provide Care for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice System

Authors

Tara Rahmani, Noah Kos, Kristen Bartow, Sospeter Machani, Jonathan Hakim, Elyse VanderWoude, Anastasia Sahu, Abigail Schuch, Jennifer Mendez, Ph.D, Laura Benjamins, MD, MPH, Anupama, Devara, MD, Adeel Khan, DO

Background

Youth involved in the juvenile justice system face profound health inequities with higher rates of mental health needs, substance use, and trauma. Despite this, medical students rarely receive preparation to work in correctional health settings. Prior research has shown that youth in detention often exhibit behaviors shaped by past trauma and neglect, which …

From Learners To Leaders: A Peer-Led Simulation Program For Anesthesia Procedural Skills Training In Medical Students, Noah S. Kos, Ryan Beyers, Chloe Sutlick, Benjamin Sun, Tochi Mbagwu, Dr. John D. Mitchell Md

Medical Student Research Symposium

Title: From Learners to Leaders: A Peer-Led Simulation Program for Anesthesia Procedural Skills Training in Medical Students

Authors: Noah Kos, Ryan Beyers, Chloe Sutlick, Benjamin Sun, Tochi Mbagwu, John D. Mitchell, M.D.

Background: Procedural skill competency is vital in medical education, but limited faculty availability poses challenges. We implemented a peer-led simulation program teaching peripheral IV insertion (PIV) and endotracheal intubation, with a focus on student leadership.

Methods: Sixteen peer educators, trained by attendings, conducted monthly workshops from July-October 2025. Students practiced at PIV and intubation stations, assessed via validated rubrics (17 items for PIV, 21 for intubation; 5-point scale). …

Real-World Clinical Outcomes Of Robotic-Assisted Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Propensity-Matched Comparative Study, Hassan Yassine, Amir Ghafarian, Jawad Saad, Abdel Kareem Hilo, Muaaz Wajahath, Khaled Saleh

Medical Student Research Symposium

Background:

Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) is increasingly utilized to improve component alignment and soft-tissue balance, yet its impact on clinically meaningful outcomes in large real-world populations remains uncertain. Although prior studies demonstrate improved radiographic accuracy, whether robotic assistance reduces postoperative complications, opioid utilization, or midterm mechanical failure has not been established at scale.

Methods:

We conducted a retrospective, propensity-matched cohort study using the TriNetX US Collaborative Network to identify adults undergoing primary TKA from 2018–2023. Robotic-assisted procedures were defined by CPT 27447 with concurrent robotic navigation codes. Propensity score matching (1:1) was performed to balance demographics and comorbidities, yielding …

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Quality Housing, Education And Healthy Environment In 48219 Reflection, Dina Charara, Edward Hill, Michelle El-Sayah, Zaid Jani, Joseph Gjonaj, Zaynab Lughmani, Maxwell Braker, Melanie Cohn

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Healthcare Access, Food Desert, And Transportation, Charmaine White, Nicholas Cominos, Hassan Yassine, Nicholas Saeedi, Maria Pacheco Martinez, Miranda Baumbick, Turner Tomatti, Ariel Wallace

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Sdohs: Environment, Food Scarcity, Community, Leigha Diegel, Ryan Smith, Haidy Aziz, Timothy Zhu, Lauren Timmer, Christian Smolen, Tavan Zadeh, Danielle Foster

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Education, Built Environment, And Access To Primary Care, Parita Patel, Sarah Haidar, Laura Flores, Dane Hubers, Faris Mahjoub, Daniel Serpas-Medina, Sahana Oglesby, Kris Shah

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Social Determinants Of Health Related To Air And Food Quality, Ryan Christian, Shridula Kotakondla, Yousef Emara, Adel Zeibo, Hwajeong Yi, Ava Boutrous, Jordan Hicks, Nicolas Basaka

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Education, Employment And Nutrition Needs And Reflection, Ninotchka Valdez, Tyler Forbes, John Pirau, Rachel Perez-Cruet, Nicholas Durand, James Ha, Annie Liang, Willa Roberts

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Financial Insecurity, Alexandria Merrill, Chichi Amanze, Mohammad Muntakim, Jawad Saad, Kenneth Skoug, Kristina Avakumov, Sion Na, Joshua Kidd

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Food Access, Housing, Religious Community, And Health Care Access Reflection, Celene Philip, Michaela Kizy, Haley Montgomery, Akash Dantuluri, Josh Hailo, Abdel Kareem Hilo, Shadi Charara, Sarah Schenck

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Financial And Transportation Barriers, Hassan Hachouche, Matthew Spaulding, Mark Garmo, Michael Hwang, Alondra Prado, Abigail Margolis

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Social Determinants Of Health: Food, Transportation, Healthcare Facilities And More, Eboni Sawyer, Jesse Hawkins, Sephora Dafinescu, Andrew Robinson, Dev Patel, Sara Mccurry, Lauren Collins, Brandon Rogers

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Education Access/Quality, Economic Stability, Built Environment/Infrastructure And Team Reflection, Alan Carbajo, Samiollah Mohammad, Muhammed Zahriyeh, Grace Drexel, Aster Disbrow, Reagan Recchia

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Employment, Education, Fitness, Healthy Food, Pharmacies, And Reflection, Annika Tekumulla, Vamsi Gollapalli, Sebastian Reczek, Alston Prabhu, Matthew Haerens, Ashna Mehra, Susan Dong, Madison Martin

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Observation And Reflection Of Food Availability, Housing, Public Spaces, Recreation, And Healthcare In The Community, Celestino Mangulabnan, Melanie Kajy, Gabriel Hay, George Naguib, Arya Mohanty, Schednah Laraque, Charles Dickson

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Education, Access To Healthy Foods, Neighborhood & Physical Environment, Economic Stability, Taylor Brown, Tanya Bhardwaj, Sara Komaiha, Duncan Mcleod, Jonah Harman, Jai Kukreja, Dominic Marsalese, Elizabeth O'Brien

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Neighborhood & Built Environment, Social & Community Context, Health Care Access & Quality, Courtney Alexander, Sarah Okeke, Bashar Jawich, Joshua Weiss, Shoshana Leflein, Mitchell Finesilver, Liz Ana Palacios

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Food Insecurity, Transportation, And Educational Scarcity, Cindy Shkembi, Adithi Voleti, Sumayah Ahmed, Amogh Govind, Rafid Farjo, Ravel Ray, Jerick Kim, Chidera Orabueze

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Sdoh Needs: Food And Community Spaces Reflection, Mohamed Attie, Katie Gahn, Maggie Lomasney, Emerson Woodbury, Muhammad Hatim, Justinas Sapiega, Isaac Agranoff, Braysila Ford

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Income, Education, Food Insecurity And Reflection, Tonia Jones, Habib Serhan, Shriya Karmarkar, Arham Kaiser, Mohammad Turaani, Andre Yazhbin, Jacob Kroll, Jennifer Park

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: The Employment Of Residents In 48203 & Its Impact, Mahmood Sanad, Michelle Wang, Steven Katzman, Nikhil Uppal, Alvin Dong, Yuting Ruan, Makayla Hickmon, Dhara Patel

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: A Reflection On The Limited Resources Available For A Healthy Lifestyle, Jana Hatahet, Steven Jones, Laila Shatela, Pegi Laci, Anushka Dalvi, Michael Becker, Albert Oh, Anthony Marquez

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Provider Availability, Healthcare Coverage, Access To Healthy Food Options, Income, Neighborhood Walkability, And School/Education Reflection, Kayla Hogan, Elizabeth Ajaero, Muhammad Hashem, Alina Ciesielski, Amanda Elashoff, Erik Pedersen, Hamza Mohammad, Tyler Dawson

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Social Determinants In Action: A Field Reflection On Community Health, Jamaica Jordan, Razanne Zaghloul, Raj Khuperkar, Lissette Valdez, Nathan Morren, Cole Duvall, Alexis King

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.

Observation And Reflection Of Neighborhood And Community 2026: Education, Environmental Conditions, And Food Insecurities Reflection, Skylar Hall, Badruddin Mahamed, Jenna Andersen, Evan Robyns, Andrew Singh, Julia Correll, Yousef El-Magharbel, Tiffany Adam

Patient Education Projects

No abstract provided.