Medical Education Commons^™

Hpv Vaccine, Alejandra Vivas

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Human Papilloma virus has been related not only to 98% of cervical cancers but also to mouth and throat cancers. There is a vaccine that prevents contraction of this virus: HPV vaccine. This vaccine although proven effective and safe there are still children who have not received the vaccine, mainly due to myths and misconceptions that parents have about the vaccine. The purpose of this project was to demystify the myths and provide parents with real knowledge about the vaccine.

Assessing Barriers To Mental Health Treatment, Britta J. Kilgus

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

It has been well established that individuals with mental illness and substance use disorders face numerous barriers to accessing adequate health care treatment including inability to pay, lack of insurance coverage, lack of provider availability, and stigma. The 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment for Washington County, Vermont identified substance use and mental health as priority health needs for the county. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the specific barriers individuals with mental health and substance use disorders are experiencing in Waterbury, Vermont. A survey was distributed to patients being seen at Waterbury Family Practice with behavioral health or …

Increasing Completion Of Advance Directives In The Primary Care Setting, Emily A. Vayda

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

In the state of Vermont we have an increasing senior population that is greater than the national average. with this increase comes a greater need to end of life care planning. Completion of advance directives in the primary care setting reduces costs in end of life care, but also reduces stress and anxiety for family members of the patient receiving care. To increase completion of advance directive patients and providers will be educated on advance care planning and informed of community resources that aid in completion of the many forms available to patients.

Discouraging Use Of Benzodiazepines For Anxiety And Insomnia, Jackie Tsao

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Benzodiazepines are commonly prescribed for anxiety and insomnia because patients respond quickly to them. Although they are meant to be short-term solutions, patients often use them for more than ten years. Long-term use is associated with tolerance, dependence, rebound anxiety and insomnia, painful withdrawal symptoms, and higher rates of falls and motor vehicle accidents. The purpose of this project is to educate patients about the dangers of using benzodiazepines and encourage consideration of safe alternative therapies for anxiety and insomnia. Results suggest that patient education in the form of a handout may effectively discourage new benzodiazepine users from continuing or …

Educating High School Students On The Negative Health Effects Of Vaping, Nicholas Bompastore

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

E-cigarettes surpassed conventional cigarettes in 2014 to become the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. Vaping exposes users to multiple toxins that have been shown to cause asthma and other lung diseases, heart disease, neurologic problems, and cancer. The goal of this project was to provide educators at Londonderry and Bishop Guertin High School, and physicians at Primary Care of Hudson, with evidence based information on the harmful effects vaping has on adolescents. The information was given in the form of a pamphlet that was designed to appeal to teens and written at a level they would understand.

Fluoride And Dental Health: Franklin County, Massachusetts, Ava Bakhtyari

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This project was designed to identify the unique dental needs specific to Franklin County, MA and to identify potential preventative measures. It focused on dental hygiene and the importance of fluoride in supporting strong and healthy teeth, as the majority of Franklin County, MA does not have fluoride in public drinking waters. The specific intervention consisted of distributing educational flyers to patients and providers on the importance of fluoride-products. The project was designed to increase the awareness and use of in-office fluoride varnish treatments.

Lyme Disease Prevention, Russell D. Himmelstein

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This project focused on Lyme Disease prevention, specifically for cub scouts from 5-10 years of age and their families.

Shingles & Pneumococcal Vaccines: Recommendations For Older Adults, Benjamin Flinn

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

As the immune system tends to weaken over time, patients aged 50+ begin having increased risk for certain potentially preventable diseases, especially shingles and pneumonia. Although there are vaccinations to protect against these diseases, there are many significant barriers preventing patients from receiving the vaccines that they need, including potentially confusing guidelines, concerns over risks, and recent changes to vaccine recommendations. This project aims to produce a clear and concise educational brochure to help overcome some of these barriers, and to drive patient-provider conversation about their vaccine recommendations.

Establishing A Pediatric Prenatal Visit At The Health Center (Thc) In Plainfield, Vt, Katherine Price

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The AAP has long recommended a prenatal visit as part of the continuum of well-child care. However, this visit is underutilized by new families. Most prenatal education focuses on labor and childbirth with little to no information about parenting and the postpartum period. The PRAMS VT Survey 2012-2014 identified “a class for new parents (parenting, not childbirth)” as a requested resource by respondents. The pediatric prenatal visit provides infant care guidance and can connect families with community organizations that provide postpartum education. The Health Center (THC) does not currently have an established pediatric prenatal visit for expecting parents.

Understanding Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (Dexa) Bone Scan Results And Treatments, Jennifer C. Morris

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Patients come into the St. Albans NOTCH primary care office for a follow-up to their DEXA scan to learn about what their results mean and discuss any questions/concerns. This brochure will help to standardize the information presented by providers about the results.

The Association Of Hormonal Contraception With Depression, Pamela Derickson

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Hormonal contraceptives are widely used by women during their reproductive years. Currently, over 100 million women worldwide use the pill, and 82% of sexually active women in the USA will use oral contraceptive pills at some time during their reproductive years (Carrol, 2017). Oral contraceptive use, especially among adolescents, is associated with subsequent use of antidepressants and a first diagnosis of depression, suggesting depression may be a potential adverse effect of hormonal contraceptive use (Skovlund, 2016). This project focused on educating health care providers at the Community Health Center of Burlington, VT (CHCB) about the association of depression and oral …

Tips For Successfully Managing Your Type 2 Diabetes, Allison Reeder

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that is all too common in our country. There are a variety of lifestyle modifications that can have a positive impact on disease control, such as watching sugars and fats in the diet and getting consistent exercise to decrease weight. Patients should receive better education on how to control their disease without medications so that the cost of diabetes in the United States does not continue to rise.

Using Relief From Mental Health Symptoms As Motivation For Exercise And Lifestyle Changes. Brookfield Family Medicine, Ct, Nicholas Selig

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

There is a high prevalence of mental illness in the Brookfield CT community mostly anxiety, depression and insomnia. These are often comorbid with other chronic disease. There is a lack of knowledge about exercise's benefits on mental health symptoms as well as chronic disease.

Building Confidence In The Prescribing And Monitoring Of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (Prep) In Vermont, Scott Neary

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Vermont has the goal of zero new transmissions of HIV in the state by 2020. PrEP is a key component of achieving this goal. As of 2016 less than 50% of physicians felt confident in discussing and prescribing PrEP to their patients. This health project created a reference for physician's to utilize when prescribing and monitoring patients on PrEP

Motivating Patients To Complete Advance Directives, Eva Petrow

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Advance directives are important clinical tools for assuring that patient’s end-of-life goals are met. Earlier referrals to palliative and hospice care through health care planning could better assist Vermonters in attaining their care goals. This project sought to improve advance directive completion in Vermont, increase awareness of health care planning among patients, and aid discussion between patients and providers in the clinic.

Exercise Education For The Winter Season, Benjamin H. Lin

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

This project aimed to identify barriers and provide a list of resources within the Addison County community to enhance access to exercise during the winter months.

Exercise Education for the Winter Season

Ambulance Response Times In A Rural Vt Town: Is There A Role For Fema’S “Ready” Training In Hinesburg, Vt?, Kyna Silvana Donohue

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

The purpose of this project was to examine the ambulance response times in a rural town in Vermont. The goal was to determine if there is a role for FEMA's "Until Help Arrives" campaign to increase bystander ability to provide immediate and life-saving medical care.

Using Online Behavioral Health Modules To Expand Care In Rural New York State, Matthew Sommers

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

There are substantial barriers to receiving behavioral health in rural areas such as Upstate New York. Online modules are an evidence-supported option that could exist within a primary care focused stepped-care model, expand access, and increase efficiency of existing resources.

Diabetic Eating At The Dollar Store, Lee Hiromoto

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Ideas on following a diabetic diet using ingredients from a dollar store.

Incontinence And Pelvic Floor Pt In The Primary Care Setting, Nikolas A. Moring

Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

Stress incontinence and overactive bladder are two causes of decreased quality of life in the general population. Many patients report a long latency between the onset of symptoms of incontinence and identification and treatment. This project aimed to provide educational materials to both providers and patients about incontinence to help better identify patients who may benefit from pelvic floor physical therapy. Pelvic floor physical therapy has been demonstrated as a safe, non-pharmacological intervention for stress incontinence which may be overlooked in the primary care setting.