Medical Education Commons^™

Medical Student Research: A Literature Review On Impact And Perceptions, Jyothi Mathew Maruthanal, Kate Whelihan, Venkat Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background:

• The 2022 transition from numerical to pass/fail scoring for USMLE Step 1 and COMLEX Level 1 has changed the way medical students perceive their competitiveness.
• In a 2020 report, it was found that Osteopathic students were more likely to see the transition as negatively impacting their residency match and specialty choice.
• With the belief that residencies will now place greater focus on extracurricular achievements, attention to medical student research has increased since the transition.
• Understanding the outcomes and perceptions of research programs is necessary to identify these barriers and devise ways of integrating research more effectively into medical training. …

Vaccine Booster Hesitancy And Factors Associated Amongst Minority Students In South Jersey, Charles Ezenwanne, Resty Mercado, Priya Patel

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In October 2022, COVID-19 vaccine coverage for two doses in NJ was 77.4%. This exceeded the US national average of 67.8%. However, initial booster uptake remained low at only 50% statewide, and bivalent booster uptake was just 16.8% by March 2023. South Jersey, including Gloucester County and Glassboro, contains large marginalized populations that have experienced barriers to vaccination access, misinformation, and skepticism regarding government and pharmaceutical intentions. This health equity service project was to provide clear, factual, and relatable information to increase vaccine confidence and uptake among minority students at Rowan University and the broader South Jersey community. By addressing …

Teaching Students To Provide Effective Feedback With The Situation-Behavior-Impact (Sbi) Framework, Steve Garwood

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Formal training in delivering effective feedback is often absent in educational curricula, despite its critical role in professional development, particularly within medical education. This study implemented a one-hour virtual workshop designed to enhance medical students' feedback proficiency. Participants engaged in activities to identify attributes of effective feedback and applied the Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) framework. Post-workshop data demonstrated significant improvement in participants': 1) knowledge of effective feedback qualities, 2) ability to provide actionable feedback, and 3) comprehension of the SBI framework. These findings suggest that targeted interventions can effectively equip students with essential feedback skills.

Child Sex Trafficking In Pediatrics: From Screening To Comprehensive Care, Victoria Shwe, Tracy Lin, Nicole M. Leopardi

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Child sex trafficking is a significant issue in New Jersey, with minors making up 22% of trafficking victims in 2023. While screening tools exist to identify at-risk youth, there is a major gap in understanding the steps healthcare providers should take after identification to ensure appropriate care, support, and referrals. Current research highlights the lack of data on the use of trafficking screening tools and the absence of standardized post-screening protocols. Most pediatricians rely on referrals to social services or law enforcement, yet limited coordination between healthcare providers and these agencies complicates effective care. The shortage of child abuse pediatric …

Beyond The Label: Understanding And Addressing Occupational Stigma In Psychiatry, Mahesh Vasudevan, Madeeha Sheriff

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction:Stigma is a social classification that devalues individuals or groups, and occupational stigma targets entire professions. Psychiatry is particularly affected, often viewed by the public and medical community as lacking scientific rigor and prestige. This negative perception has far-reaching consequences.

Methods:A narrative literature review was conducted to explore the scope, sources, and impact of occupational stigma toward psychiatrists. Peer-reviewed articles and professional resources published between 2002 and 2023 were selected based on relevance to psychiatric stigma, education, and public perception. Databases searched included PubMed, Google Scholar, and professional association websites using keywords such as “psychiatry stigma” and “psychiatrist …

Impact Of The Acgme Merger On Ophthalmology Match Success: A Pre- And Post-Merger Comparative Analysis, Anna Flts

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background

In 2020, the ACGME merger unified the residency match process for MD and DO applicants into a single, standardized system. The merger aimed to promote equity in graduate medical education by streamlining training pathways and matching processes across applicant backgrounds.

Hypothesis

Despite the merger’s goal of standardization and equity, disparities in ophthalmology match outcomes between MD and DO applicants may persist.

Methods

Data from the SF Match and AUPO were collected for ophthalmology applicants from 2016 to 2024. Applicants were divided into pre-merger (2016–2019) and post-merger (2020–2024) cohorts. Match rates for MD and DO applicants were calculated and compared …

Pathways Beyond Performance: How Curriculum Style Impacts Emotional Intelligence And Interpersonal Communication In Medical Students, Dan Yacubovich, Jonathan Tadros, Jennifer Fischer, Dana Zambito

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Medical schools employ various curricula to foster medical knowledge and professional competencies. Emotional intelligence (EQ)—the capacity to manage emotions and interpersonal relationships—is essential in clinical care. While research links EQ to academic and communication skills in nursing and international medical students, limited data exist for U.S. medical students, particularly regarding curriculum type.

Objective: This study evaluates whether different curricula—Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Synergistic-Guided Learning (SGL)—are associated with differences in EQ and interpersonal communication skills (ICS) at Rowan-Virtua SOM.

Methods: EQ was measured using the MySkills Profile (EIQ16). ICS scores were derived from standardized patient encounters in the pre-clinical years. …

Assessing The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Mental Health In Patients Presenting To A Student-Run Free Clinic, Sabah Iqbal, Kirsten Carlberg, Emily Reilly, Jessica Ivanov, Victoria Youssef, Lily Roessler, Maikel Monsour, Nils Brolis

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background

Mental health is an important part of patient care, therefore it is imperative to understand how it’s recognized and treated. Socioeconomic status and the COVID19 pandemic contribute to disproportionate incidences of mental illness^{1, 2, 10, 11, 12}. This study uses data from a student-run clinic, the Rowan-Virtua Community Health Center (RVCHC), to examine disparities in mental health needs and screenings among the local population.

Hypothesis

It was hypothesized that underserved populations are at a disadvantage when it comes to both mental health screenings and treatment due to restricted access to healthcare and other unmet needs. Additionally, the …

Improving Primary And Gynecological Care In Transmasculine Patients, Alison N. Mautner, Joanna Petrides

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Introduction: This study aimed to assess the healthcare experiences of transmasculine individuals in primary and gynecological care settings. An online, anonymous survey was conducted to gather insights into positive and adverse encounters, factors influencing care-seeking behaviors, and strategies for improving care delivery in this population.

Methods: A survey was administered between June 1st and July 23rd, 2023, recruiting participants from three LGBTQ+ affirming healthcare offices in South Jersey and via Reddit. Data analysis involved SPSS to gain information from 499 valid responses.

Results: The majority of participants (55%) were aged 18-24, with 51% identifying as transgender men. Over two-thirds (68.5%) …

Incorporating Ai Tools To Enhance Information Literacy And Critical Thinking In First Year Medical Students, James Martin Ii, Mercedes Byrd

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

This study aims to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention incorporating medical databases, search engines, and generative artificial intelligence (GAI) tools on the critical thinking skills and confidence of first-year medical students at Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM). Approximately 125 students participating in a three-week pre-matriculation program will be subjects of the study. The intervention will consist of a curriculum focused on developing research questions, using search tools and GAI, evaluating sources, and writing a research paper. Pre- and post-tests, including a CARS assessment and a perceived knowledge and abilities questionnaire, will be administered to measure changes in …

Addressing Gaps In Care Through A Medical Student-Led Cancer Screening Project, Matthew Green, Hannah Ngo, Dakota B. Pastore, Jenna Zappetti, Olivia Siciliano, Meghan Mcquade, John Sauer, Anne Jones

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC), breast cancer (BrCa), and cervical cancer are three of the most preventable cancers. Despite the known significance for early detection and treatment, barriers to screening remain. We developed a medical student-led project to improve adherence to national cancer screening guidelines in patients across Rowan-Virtua Family Medicine (FM) practices. This study assesses the initiative’s efficacy in improving adherence to CRC, BrCa, and cervical cancer screenings.

Methods: Rowan-Virtua FM patients between the ages of 21-75 (n=735) were identified as due or up-to-date on cancer screenings based on chart review. Student volunteers were trained to contact patients to discuss …

The Effect Of Guided Meditation On Student Doctor-Patient Interactions, Aneela Rampersad, Samantha Plasner

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Healthcare students are under stress and can use different methods to cope with it. Mindfulness techniques such as guided meditation has been used as a way of helping these students reduce their stress levels. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether guided meditation has an effect on student doctors that translates into more positive interactions with patients. This study found that the student doctors who completed guided meditation felt less frustrated and less impatient while interacting with patients than student doctors who did not perform the guided meditation. Future studies on this topic should recruit more participants so …

Impact Of Acceptance Date On Medical Students' Stress & Academic Success, Portia Tasnim Shaheed, Alissa Hochman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Each year, medical school admissions committees use various predictive factors to determine the demographics of their incoming cohorts, including undergraduate or graduate GPAs, MCAT scores, socioeconomic background, gap years, and more. Put together, these factors can paint a picture of how ready an applicant is to face the rigors of medical school. Once applicants are accepted, they face similar life stressors accompanied by the transition to medical school, but the amount of time they have to handle these life stressors is variable depending on when they are admitted. This study aimed to determine if late acceptance into medical school would …

Practicality In Pocus: Benefits Of Ultrasound Training In Medical Education, Robert Martin, Ho An Lau, Ryan Morrison, Kate Deiling

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

As point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) becomes an integral component of healthcare, both undergraduate and graduate medical POCUS education is urgently necessary in curricula. Despite the apparent need of POCUS curricula, there remains a lingering question: Are there evidence-based benefits to POCUS training in undergraduate and/or graduate medical education settings? This systematic review utilized PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus to identify articles of interest that met the inclusion criteria and relevance to undergraduate and/or graduate medical education. Qualitative evaluation of research was conducted to identify common themes for benefits of POCUS and the requirements or characteristics for effective POCUS educational curricula. Results …

Mental Health Of Medical Students Regarding The Covid-19 Pandemic, Parth Patel, Richard Jermyn, Arvind Venkataraman

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Mental health has taken a global priority as more realize that it is just as important as physical health in the overall health of a person. Medical students have faced mental health issues for decades and have been shown to suffer more than the general population. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has only deteriorated this issue. Many primary databases such as PubMed were used. The results indicate that medical students have extremely high rates of depression, burnout, anxiety, and stress that can affect their education but also carry over into their professions. Although many interventions increase mental wellness in medical school, …

Art For Healing: Fostering Creativity And Compassion In Medical Education, Salma Emara

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

A physician's career is shaped by a need for constant learning and adapting to the world around them. Similarly, the medical school curriculum is ever evolving in order to train and shape medical students into the best physicians they can become. In recent years, the search has shifted to a need for the well-rounded physician: one not only with medical competency, but also skills of effective communication, interpersonal skills, problem solving skills, critical thinking skills, emotional intelligence, and empathy. Although the visual arts has been used as a teaching tool throughout centuries, it still has not officially become part of …

Bedside Teaching In Emergency Medicine Brief Review And Practical Suggestions, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna, Frank Wheeler, Sergey Medlenov, Robin Lahr, James Lee

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Bedside teaching has been a tradtional practice and value in medicine. There is literature attesting the positive role of bedside teaching in medicine in general---and in emergency medicine in particular. The value proposition is centered around teaching overall clinical skills, communication skills and procedural skills. There is very little actual data concerning the outcomes of various bedside teaching approaches in EM. There are a number of very interesting suggestions In this review, we will discuss practical strategies to support bedside teaching in the speciality of emergency medicine.

Addressing The Health Needs Of The (D/D)Eaf And Hard Of Hearing Community, Zainab Krayem, Rachel Jeff-Macauley, Nicolette Falco, Vanesa Pizutelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The term deaf refers to individuals with total or partial hearing loss. However, it encompasses much more, representing a culture—Deaf culture. The distinction in spelling is important: "Deaf," with an uppercase "D," refers to individuals born Deaf who have been raised within Deaf culture, while "deaf," with a lowercase "d," typically refers to those who lost their hearing later in life and may not have grown up in Deaf culture. People who identify as deaf, Deaf, or hard of hearing (d/D/hoh) are often mistakenly assumed to have cognitive impairments or are broadly categorized as disabled. However, many in the community …

The Effectiveness Of Cleaning Protocols In Medical School Omm Labs By Medical Students, Harrison Patrizio, Riley Phyu, Thomas Boyle, Todd Schachter

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, disinfection in healthcare has taken center stage. Healthcare has adjusted workflows to accommodate for more robust cleaning regimens to help protect the community. This has resulted in the need for medical institutions to reevaluate the current cleaning protocols down to the student level. Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) lab provides an optimal avenue for assessing medical student’s examination table cleaning effectiveness. With OMM labs being an activity with a high level of interaction, the quality of examination table cleaning is important for the health and safety of students and teaching faculties. Our study highlights that …

Healthcare Disparities In The Lgbtqia+ Community: A Scoping Review Of Community Vs Provider Experiences, Uttara Hardikar, Alisha Vincent, Venkateswar Venkataman, Millicent Channell

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Background: It is well-established that healthcare disparities exist in the LGBTQIA+ community. The divide is a growing concern exacerbated by recent changes in the healthcare and sociopolitical climate. To eliminate this divide and find ways to deliver better outcomes to the LGBTQIA+ is a dire need. This report analyzes the possible reasons from the community as well as the providers perspective, with a goal to find best practices that could be implemented in both components.

Methods: A scoping literature review was carried out as described below to collect perspectives from both sides: patients as well as providers.

Results: From patient …

Standardizing Sti Screening In Child Sexual Abuse Cases At The Cares Institute, Usha Modukuru, Sarah Kleinle, Laura Brennan

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Children who are sexually abused have a higher risk of contracting STIs and/or becoming pregnant. CDC STI testing guidelines should be adhered to in order to provide the safest outcomes for patients. Physician compliance with testing guidelines plays a significant role in ensuring patient safety, which highlights the importance of ensuring high physician compliance. Identifying ways physicians can improve compliance can enhance patient care. In order to determine compliance rates of the CARES Institute physicians, data was extracted from 275 patient charts from 2017 and 100 patients charts from 2021, before and after a continuing medical education (CME) training was …

Improvements In Cardiac Auscultation Utilizing Multisensory Learning In Medical Students: A Preliminary Study, Harrison Patrizio, Riley Phyu, Bum Kim, Nils V. Brolis

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Objective: To explore interweaving visual, auditory, and tactical stimulus into traditional education methods to improve cardiac auscultation teaching outcomes.

Methods: A pilot randomized controlled trial was conducted at our institution’s simulation center with 32 first year medical students from a single medical institution. Participants were randomly divided into two groups, and completed an educational module on identifying and understanding the pathophysiology of five common cardiac sounds. Participants in the control group (n=16) utilized traditional education methods, while the interventional group (n=16) incorporated visual, auditory, and tactical stimuli. Afterwards, participants listened to randomly selected cardiac sounds and competency data was collected …

Patient Perception Of The Semantics Of Medical Students Am I A “Medical Student” Or A “Student Doctor”, Brianna Nghiem, Samantha Plasner

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Patients may perceive medical students differently depending on one of two titles that are traditionally used in clinical settings: “medical student” or “student doctor.” Previous studies have indicated that patient understanding of the medical hierarchy is poor and that a misunderstanding of the role of providers has been found to adversely affect patient satisfaction. To further understand this relationship, this study investigates differences in patient perceptions of the terms “medical student” and “student doctor" in university-affiliated and private family practices. Awareness of patient preferences can help guide the student’s clinical behaviors.

Brief Review: Kano Model In Healthcare, James Espinosa, David Ho, Alan Lucerna, Henry Schuitema

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Here we discuss the use of the Kano Model in the hypothetical example of a re-design of resident conference experience. Kano appreciated that there were a number of attributes to quality. These are discussed in this brief review.

Zoom Fatigue: Case Presentation And Brief Review, Alan Lucerna, James Espinosa, Risha Hertz, Robin Lahr, James Lee

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

In this review, we discuss the phenomenon of what has been called Zoom Fatigue—a sense of fatigue as well as physical and emotional stress that can be associated with teleconferencing (especially long teleconferences with minimal breaks). The Zoom Fatigue Scale is discussed as well as various theories to explain the phenomenon. Some preventive strategies are discussed.

End Of Life Symptom Management In The Emergency Department, Alice Chang, James Espinosa, Alan Lucerna

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

The Emergency Department is at times the only place patients can turn to for symptom relief. In an aging population, this means that more patients are presenting to the ED towards the end of life (EOL). Emergency medicine (EM) prides itself as a specialty that handles disease-directed treatment for a variety of acute conditions. In contrast, palliative care (PC) is focused on improving the quality of life (QOL). It has become essential for EM physicians to care for patients who are not seeking life-sustaining measures, but instead quality of life interventions. Patients with serious illness, even hospice patients, present to …

Assessing Correlation Between Manual Dexterity, Specialty Choice And Desire To Practice Omt In Newly Admitted Osteopathic Medical Students, Valerie Rome, Nils Brolis

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Is there any relationship between manual dexterity, specialty choice, and the use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in newly-admitted osteopathic medical students? Hand dexterity has previously been associated with surgical skill development in medical residents. There is currently a gap in the scientific literature in regards to the use of one’s hands and the career choice they ultimately pursue, in addition to interest in performing OMT in their respective fields. To help elucidate the answer this question, this SMRF project aimed to evaluate the relationship between manual dexterity, specialty choice, and use of osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) in newly admitted …

Lecture Transcripts And Closed-Captioning: Addressing Ada And Udl At Rowan-Virtua Som, Steve Garwood, Dawn Shell, Jackie Giacobbe

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

At the Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine (SOM), recordings of all live lectures are available to students via the Echo360 Lecture Capture system. To improve the accessibility, usability, and usefulness of the recordings, beginning in the 2022-2023 Academic Year, we incorporated automated speech recognition (ASR) to create a transcript and closed-captioning for lecture recordings in the Synergistic Guided Learning (SGL) curriculum. For quality control, work-study medical students and volunteers reviewed and edited the transcripts and released updated versions for student use. Use and perceived impact were measured using a survey administered via Qualtrics. Eighty-eight percent of respondents indicated that adding …

Comparative Assessment Of Grit In The Allopathic Versus Osteopathic Physician, Amber Cheesman, Meagan Vermeulen, Joanna Petrides, Charalampos Papachristou

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Matriculating into medical school is a strenuous process, including numerous roadblocks unique to both allopathic and osteopathic schools, with osteopathic applicants often jumping more hurdles in the journey.

Grit: passion and perseverance towards long term goals, especially in the setting of failure/adversity

High levels of grit correlate with low levels of burnout

Purpose: examine grit in allopathic versus osteopathic physician to help identify resources to prevent physician burnout

When Are Inpatient And Emergency Dermatology Consultations Appropriate?, Hershel Dobkin, Timothy Blackwell, Robin Ashinoff

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Hospitalists and emergency physicians continue to struggle with the assessment of dermatologic conditions, often consulting dermatology whenever a patient has a “rash” or skin concern. Dermatology is still not emphasized in medical education and often is taught to most medical students in an abbreviated fashion, which results in physicians feeling ill-equipped to deal with any dermatologic condition—either mundane or potentially life-threatening.

Better guidelines are needed for physicians in the ED and on inpatient units to guide them on appropriate use of dermatologic consultation outside the ambulatory office and the clinic. We constructed a consultation flowchart to help guide the triage …