Psychiatry Commons^™

Designing A Wellness Initiative Residents Actually Use: Data From Four Years Of Opt-Out Check-Ins, Meghan O’Meara, Phd, Lpc, Alexandra Hughes, Lcsw, Shawn Blue, Psyd, Emily Lisco, Md

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Posters

Background

• Resident well-being remains a critical concern in GME, with increasing rates of burnout, mental health challenges, and persistent barriers to accessing care.^2,4
• Burnout among residents is linked to higher rates of medical errors and lower patient satisfaction.^4,5
• ACGME emphasizes the importance of fostering a culture of wellness including the opportunity for residents to attend healthcare appointments during working hours; however, programs often struggle to translate these goals into sustainable, practical interventions.¹
• Opt-out programs have been used to target residents and medical students to increase help-seeking and provide access to mental health care with limited barriers.
• Stigma, …

Resident Mental Health: Creating An Innovative, Sustainable, And Scalable Counseling Program, Emily Lisco, Md, Alexandra Hughes, Lcsw, Shawn Blue, Psyd Thomas Jefferson University, Meghan O’Meara, Phd, Lpc

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Posters

Background

• The ACGME Common Program Requirements emphasize resident well-being and expect GME programs to support resident mental health.¹
• There are limited specific guidelines on how mental health support should be delivered, resulting in wide variability.^1,3
• Research on resident-specific mental health services is limited, making best practices difficult to define.
• Medical students typically receive care through student counseling centers; but this support ends after graduation.³
• Residents occupy a dual role as both hospital employees and learners, creating gaps in existing support models, as employee assistance programs are often underutilized by residents.
• Residents experience higher rates of burnout than …

Communication's Effect On Consent, Spencer Hood, Anthony Carter, Kyle Jiganti, Jesse Hinckley

Continental and Mountain Divisions GME Resarch Day 2026

No abstract provided.

Suicidality, Self-Neglect, And Medical Refusal In Advanced Illness: An Ethical Case Report, Austin Supak, Sarah Greene, Madeline Adelman, Whitney Snyders

Continental and Mountain Divisions GME Resarch Day 2026

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Stepped-Care Mental Health Program On Trauma Recidivism At A Level I Trauma Center, Gabriella Rivas, Juliette Gammel, Kola George, Kenneth Ruggiero, Tatiana Davidson, Hannah Espeleta, Langdon Hartsock, Kristoff Reid

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

When The Caregiver Becomes The Victim: Root Cause Analysis Of A Provider Safety Event And Development Of A Quality Improvement Framework, Sadia Akram, Barbara Gracious, Anjali Pathak, Muniza Shah

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Recognizing Early Serotonin Syndrome From Ssri-Buspirone Combination: A Case Report, Jacob Moore, Barbara Gracious

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Finding Harmony: Music Therapy As An Adjunct In Acute Psychosis, Brandon Szwydky, Rebecca Low, Nelay Govan, Marcus Decarvalho

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

A National Evaluation Of A Novel Quality Measure Of Emergency Behavioral Health Care., Martin Wegman, Marshall Johnson, Hannah Cortero, Natalia Badillo-Velez, Crystal Bharat, Sanket Patel, Caroline Mills, Des'ree Garvin

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Calcineurin Mediated Immunosuppressant Cyclosporine On Binge Alcohol Drinking And Stress Responsivity, Brock Goeden, Emily Dorn, Jennifer Agar, Thomas P. Beresford, Patrick J. Ronan

Scholarship Pathways Program

Stress and neuroinflammation are increasingly recognized as interdependent processes that contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders. This study investigates the bidirectional relationship between stress exposure and neuroimmune activation, focusing on the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and behavioral outcomes in rodent models. Using the learned helplessness (LH) paradigm, the authors demonstrate that stress-induced neuroinflammation, particularly elevated IL-1β expression in the hypothalamus, is associated with susceptibility to maladaptive behaviors. The immunosuppressant cyclosporine A (CsA) was shown to attenuate stress-induced expression of neuroinflammatory markers, including IL-1β, IL-6, and CRF. Furthermore, direct intracerebroventricular administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR4 agonist, induced LH-like behavioral …

Venlafaxine Exposure In Pregnancy And Its Association With Pre-Eclampsia Development, Jhanvi Patel

Posters

Venlafaxine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI), is widely used to manage depression and anxiety, including in pregnant women. However, its known hypertensive side effects raise concerns about a potential link to pre-eclampsia, a serious pregnancy complication characterized by new-onset hypertension and proteinuria. Pregnant women with psychiatric disorders already have an increased risk of hypertensive disorders, and while untreated depression can lead to adverse outcomes such as preterm birth and fetal cortisol elevation, the safety of venlafaxine remains uncertain. Current research lacks wellcontrolled studies assessing its association with hypertensive complications in pregnancy. This systematic review aims to evaluate whether venlafaxine use …

Empowering Resident Autonomy, Competence, And Relatedness Through Opt-Out Visits, Emily Lisco, Md, Alexandra Hughes, Lcsw, Meghan O’Meara, Phd, Lpc

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Posters

Background

• House staff officers are more likely to experience burnout than their age-matched peers in the general population.³
• ACGME Common Program requirements emphasize the importance of well-being in residency programs, including the opportunity to attend healthcare appointments during working hours.¹
• Opt-out programs have been used to increase help-seeking behavior and provide low-barrier access to mental health care and other supports.^{2, 4-5}
• Self-determination theory proposes that individuals’ well-being can be enhanced if the core psychological needs of autonomy, competence, and relatedness are met.⁶
• The lack of perceived autonomy, competence, and connection felt by residents can lead to …

Comparing Efficacy Of Psychotropic Classes To Control Aggression Among Pediatric Patients Hospitalized With Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Orestes Hadjistamoulou, Sindhura Kompella, Melissa Ricardo, Samuel Neuhut

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Video Games In The Management Of Adhd: A Novel Approach To Adjunct Traditional Treatment, Lekhya Kintada, France Leandre

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Emerging Role Of Liafensine In The Treatment Of Treatment Resistant Depression: Insights From The Enlighten Trial, Karla Narvaez, Saad Masud, Richard Callahan

East Florida Division GME Research Day 2025

Background: Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a significant unmet need, affecting about one third of patients with major depressive disorder who fail to respond to two or more antidepressant trials. There is a need for new pharmacological approaches. Liafensine (also known as DB104) is a first-in-class triple reuptake inhibitor targeting serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine transporters, whose development has recently incorporated a precision medicine approach. Mechanism of Action: Liafensine inhibits reuptake of all three major monoamines (serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine) distinguishing it from existing SSRIs, SNRIs, or other agents which typically target one or two systems. A genetic biomarker, ANK3 (also called …

Nitrous Oxide Induced Psychosis: A Case Report, Brianne Kimmet, Barbara Gracious

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Neurosyphilis Mortality Trends In The United States (1999–2023): A Cdc Wonder Database Analysis, Amy Mackenzie, Barbara Gracious

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

The Hatchet Man Of Baghdad: A Serial Killer Under The Ba’Ath Regime, Amy Mackenzie, Muniza Shah

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Case Series Of Psychiatric Patients With Hypothermia: A Clinical Review, Amy Mackenzie, Brianne Kimmet, James Free, Ubaid Khokhar, Barbara Gracious

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2025

No abstract provided.

Enhance Resident Physician Well-Being: How And Why To Implement Opt-Out Wellness Check-Ins, Emily Lisco, Md, Alexandra Pierlott, Lcsw, Meghan O’Meara, Lpc

Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior Posters

Abstract

• The stress of transitioning to residency can lead to new or worsening depression, anxiety, and burnout among house staff.¹
• Lowering barriers to accessing mental health services and emphasizing preventative mental health care can improve the mental well-being of residents.
• Opt-out programs have been used to target resident physicians and medical students, to increase help-seeking and provide low-barrier access to mental health care and other supports.^2-5
• Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) is a multi-state not-for profit academic medical system that trains approximately 2,100 house staff/year.
• Opt-out visits began at TJUH as a pilot in 2021 with 2 residency …

Barriers To Mental Health Treatment Among Medical Students: Preclinical Vs. Clinical Years, Urvashi Singh, Agnes Wrobel

Posters

Our study aims to:

• Investigate medical students’ attitudes towards seeking assistance from mental health professionals.
• Compare the importance of various barriers that deter help-seeking in preclinical vs. clinical years of medical education.

Lai Delivery Qi: Improving Compliance And Time To Treatment, Esteban Garcia, Cody Teleki, Jennifer Lee, Zachary Robinson

Continental, MidAmerica, & Mountain Divisions GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Increased Confidence And Knowledge Of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics In Nursing, Improving The Timeliness To Intervention, Barbara Gracious, Marc Macaluso, Haryashpal Bhullar

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Demographic And Psychographic Trends Among Patients Discharged On Multiple Antipsychotics, Nicola Eric, Tringali Joseph, Finazzo John, Jeffrey Ferraro, Eileen Venable, Mark Strickland, Erica Paulos

North Florida Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Serotonin Syndrome Following Drug Overdose : An Overview, Shruti Verma, Michael L. Ahrens, Shivangi A. Gohil, Scott Rawson, Heather Kort

Continental, MidAmerica, & Mountain Divisions GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Hormone Replacement Therapy In Adult Women As A Treatment Adjunct For Psychosis: A Literature Review, Parker Stocking, Lucille Schiffman, Lindsay Wallace, Caitlin Aquino, Cody Teleki

Continental, MidAmerica, & Mountain Divisions GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Incidence Of Syphilis And Neurosyphilis Testing In A Large Sample Of Adults, Amy Mackenzie, Nayda Parisio-Poldiak, Caroline Minton, Barbara Gracious

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Case Report: Psychiatric And Behavioral Disturbance In Lgi-1 Antibody Encephalitis, Amy Mackenzie, Emytis Tavakoli, Hassan Al-Obaidi, Keera Fishman, Sarah Elmi

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

A Case Of Major Depressive Disorder In An Adolescent Patient Exacerbatied By Montelkast, Samuel Polhemus, Samantha Fleck, Christopher Rogers

Continental, MidAmerica, & Mountain Divisions GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.

Functional Neurologic Disorder (Seizure Type) Leading To Intubation Successfully Treated With Cbt, Hersheth Aggarwal, Kamal Albright

South Atlantic Division GME Research Day 2024

No abstract provided.