Interprofessional Education Commons^™

Intraoperative Imaging In Orthopedic Settings: An Assessment Of Changes In Adherence To Imaging Guidelines, Emmanuel Franco, Tabitha Abraham, Zayd Ayas, Frank Gerold

Research Symposium

Background: High-quality intraoperative photography is vital for treatment planning, patient counseling, and surgical education. Inconsistencies in image quality are prevalent in orthopedic literature due to the absence of formalized criteria specific to orthopedic settings. In 2014, "Medical Photography: Principles for Orthopedics" introduced guidelines intending to standardize protocols for capturing clinical images. By comparing the quality of images taken both before and after these proposed guidelines, this project aims to evaluate whether this has influenced a trend toward standardization and consistency in intraoperative orthopedic photography.

Methods: To assess quality differences in orthopedic images before and after the 2014 guidelines, 60 intraoperative …

Redefining Possibilities: A Template For Mission-Based Medical School Innovation, Yossef Alsabawi, Elias Arellano, John M. Gaddis, Tyler Torres, Dominic Chau-Zanetti, Victor Espinoza

Research Symposium

Background: Small, mission-based medical schools play a vital role in shaping future healthcare providers by offering meaningful and unique opportunities for students to learn patient-centered care. However, these institutions often face challenges when compared to larger, research-intensive universities. Specifically, they tend to be less research-oriented and are limited in their ability to provide early exposure to diverse medical subspecialties. Traditionally, these limitations have been viewed as institutional challenges requiring top-down solutions. This study seeks to challenge that perspective by demonstrating that student-led initiatives can serve as innovative, cost-effective, and impactful strategies to overcome these barriers. Additionally, this research aims to …

Atypical Dengue Fever With Severe Hematological Manifestations: A Case From The Rio Grande Valley, Elias Arellano Villanueva, Alhasan Asaad, Jose Campo Maldonado

Research Symposium

Background: Dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral illness, is endemic in tropical regions, including border regions like the Rio Grande Valley while often self-limited, severe presentations such as dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome highlight its challenges and complexities. This report describes an atypical dengue case with severe hematological manifestations, underscoring the diagnostic challenges and the importance of early recognition, multidisciplinary evaluation, and evidence-based management.

Case Presentation: A 22-year-old Hispanic female with no significant past medical history presented to the ED with hematemesis and fever following her travel to Monterrey, Mexico. Initial symptoms included high fever (107.6°F), chills, diarrhea, vomiting, …

Spontaneous Tumor Lysis Syndrome In A Patient With Recent Diagnosis Of Multiple Myeloma — An Unusual Presentation, Taha Al Hassan, Olga G. Cantu-Rodriguez, Eunbee Cho, Edgar G. Dorsey Trevino

Research Symposium

Background: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) is an oncologic emergency that surfaces as a constellation of metabolic imbalances due to the rapid destruction of cancer cells and subsequent dissemination of their contents. However, a markedly rare subtype of TLS, known as spontaneous TLS (STLS), occurs without an evident trigger, such as cytotoxic therapy, and carries a similar mortality risk. It is paramount to recognize high-risk cases early and implement therapeutic measures to prevent complications of STLS.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 74-year-old gentleman with a recent diagnosis of Kappa-restricted multiple myeloma who presented with worsening weakness, tremors, ataxia, …

How Risk Perceptions And Level Of Trust Of Information Influence Individuals’ Health Services Usage, Wan-Lin Chang

Research Symposium

Background: When facing health-related issues, decision-making is not an easy thing. Some people look for advice from health care professionals, and some people trust their family members' and friends’ experiences more. Previous studies in health communication have suggested differences across various demographic groups in information seeking access and skills, including variables related to the knowledge gap assumption and individuals' risk perceptions.

Methods: Multiple linear regression and logistic regression are used to examine how individuals’ health risk perceptions influence their health service usage by analyzing the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) 5 Cycle 4. HINTS conducts national surveys to monitor …

Expanding Health Professional Education In The Rio Grande Valley During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sabrina R. Orta, Samantha G. Alvarado, Shuchita Jhaveri

Research Symposium

Purpose: The COVID-19 Pandemic has prompted innovation in health professional education, such that learners are able to recognize and mitigate healthcare disparities in the outcomes of vulnerable populations. The objective of our project was to increase education on preventing, preparing for, and responding to COVID-19 and other locally prevalent infectious diseases that disproportionately affect RGV communities.

Description: This project had 3 goals: (1) provide learners with virtual patient-interaction simulations (2) provide interactive training modules on the identification, prevention, and treatment of infectious diseases affecting South TX and strategies to increase child vaccinations, and (3) provide learners an opportunity to coordinate …

The Fortify Resilience Initiative, Nausheen Jamal, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz, Salvador Arellano Iii

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Fortify Resilience Initiative focuses on building and sustaining a culture of wellbeing for Residents and Fellows (R/Fs) at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine’s (SOM) Graduate Medical Education (GME) residency and fellowship programs. In order to address the multitude of threats to physician wellness and to mitigate the silent, but pernicious effects of burnout on these physician learners serving in the RGV, this Initiative from the Office of GME will strengthen existing wellbeing pathways while expanding additional solutions that will work to sustain wellbeing. Utilizing a combination of prevention, promotion, and intervention strategies …

Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary And Behavioral Healthcare (I2pbh) Initiative, John Ronnau, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz

Research Symposium

Purpose: The Interdisciplinary Integrated Primary and Behavioral Healthcare (I²PBH) initiative will train University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) mental health graduates to deliver high quality, evidence-based Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) services in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) – a high-need, high-demand, medically underserved Hispanic region along the US-Mexico border. Specifically, the I²PBH initiative will train 24 UTRGV mental health graduates annually to deliver high-quality Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) clinical services through the evidence based Primary Care Behavioral Health (PCBH) model. With a training emphasis on basic/advanced theory and clinical skills in the PCBH model, students …

Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (Pcbh Paths), Kristan Diaz-Rios, Deepu George, Maria Hernandez, Evan Garcia, Myrna Ruiz, Salvador Arellano Iii

Research Symposium

Purpose: Primary Care Behavioral Health Partnerships Advancing & Transforming Health Sciences (PCBH PATHS) is a workforce development pipeline project aimed at permanently augmenting UTRGV’s institutional capacity to address shortage of an Integrated Behavioral Health (IBH) competent workforce locally, regionally and nationally. Our initiative, aligned with UTRGV strategic priorities and key initiatives, will integrate basic(model specific strategy and operational elements), mid-level (role identity and profession specific behavioral competencies specific to each health profession), and advanced (behavioral medicine clinical skills) applications of the evidence based PCBH model of delivery. A PCBH focused delivery system (clinical and educational), in which primary care providers …

Qi In Resident Leadership Workshop, Heidi Y. Pareja, Chelsea H. Chang, Daniel Aragon, Deepu George

Research Symposium

Background: Many residency programs provide some type of leadership training for chief residents. As these emerging leaders transition into their role, it is imperative to provide them with skills and knowledge to help them develop their leadership style. UTRGV’s department of Graduate Medical Education (GME) organized their first “Resident Leader Workshop” for all rising Chiefs and GME Resident Leadership Council (RLC) members. Using a pre and post survey, participants provided feedback on the effectiveness of knowledge and skills presented during the workshop.

Methods: All residency and fellowship rising Chiefs and GME RLC members were invited. The workshop took place …

Patient Safety Workshop: A Graduate Medical Education Interprofessional Simulation Half-Day, Ans Albustamy, Roque Mifuji, Michelle Lopez, Teresa Villagomez, Chelsea Chang

Research Symposium

Introduction: As per the National Academy of Medicine, patient safety is considered indistinguishable from the delivery of quality health care, and is referred to as the foundation upon which all other aspects of quality care are built. Throughout the years, graduate medical education (GME) across the world has evolved to ensure the training of future medical professionals includes exposure to many of the elements that compose patient safety, such as implementing root cause analysis, systems thinking, and disclosing adverse events. University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is the sponsoring institution for 19 GME programs across different specialties. As part …