Symposium

The 22nd Annual Medical Student Health Sciences Research Symposium was held on Friday, November 15, 2024 in Stanton-Gerber. Seventy-one students gave poster presentations about the research they participated in during the Summer Research Program. Monetary awards and certificates were given to the top three presentations in the basic science research, clinical/population health A clinical/population health B and C divisions.

Basic Science Division Winners

Clinical/Population Health A Division Winners

Clinical/Population Health B Division Winners

Clinical/Population Health C Division Winners

• Basic Science Projects

  Abigail Nash Northway
  Informing on student interest and attitudes toward global health and travel Mentors: Dr. Mark Hernandez (Medical Education) & Dr. David Wood (Pediatrics)

  Shawn Janairo
  Synthesis of Allyl-α-D-Mannopyranosyl-(1→6)-α-D-Mannopyranoside, A Building Block for the Synthesis of Mannan Glycomimetics Mentors: Dr. David Williams (Surgery) & Dr. Zuchao Ma (Surgery)

  Rupert Congmon
  Hepatocellular Carcinoma and CAR-T Cell Therapy in Appalachia and Beyond Mentors: Dr. Qian Xie (Biomedical Sciences), Dr. Joseph Lee (Surgery), & Dr. Phillip Musich (Biomedical Sciences)

  Brice Walkowski
  Effects of a "Forever Chemical" on Renal Hemodynamics and Injury in Rats Mentor: Dr. Aaron Polichnowski (Biomedical Sciences)

  Gabrielle Rueff
  AI Modalities in Health Sciences Professions Education Mentors: Dr. Mark Hernandez (Medical Education) & Dr. Antonio Rusinol (Medical Education)

  Kathleen Quiroa
  Exploration of CRISPR-based mutation using Hoxb8 hematopoietic progenitor cells Mentor: Dr. Valentin Yakubenko (Biomedical Sciences)

  Jason Ramos
  Chronic Stress Augments the Cardiogenic Sympathetic Afferent Reflex in Sprague-Dawley Rats Mentors: Dr. Michelle Chandley (Biomedical Sciences) & Dr. Matthew Zahner (Biomedical Health Sciences)

  Grayson Blount
  Investigating Teacher Health with Non-Invasive Biomarkers: Lessons from a Field Trial Mentor: Dr. Chad Frasier (Biomedical Sciences)

• Clinical/Population Health A Projects

  Ashlyn Songer
  Attempts to Improve Screening Practices for Hepatocellular Carcinoma in At-Risk Populations Mentors: Dr. Jim Holt (Family Medicine) & Dr. Max Bayard (Family Medicine)

  Leslie Matherne
  Considerations for Intersectionality Recruitment in HIV Cure Related Research at End of Life Mentor: Dr. Robert Diess (Infectious Diseases – UCSD)

  Jessica Holcomb & George Lear
  Meta-Analysis on Zinc Supplementation in Preterm Infants in Developed vs. Developing Countries: Why Zinc Supplementation Matters? Mentor: Dr. Darshan Shah (Pediatrics)

  Hannah Hart, Ajay McLaughlin, & Ashlyn Hammonds Validation and Testing of a Cardiac Risk Score for Geriatric Trauma Mentor: Dr. Lou Smith (Surgery)

  Hannah Keller
  Improving Blood Pressure Methods and Reducing Rechecks in Bristol Family Medicine Clinic Mentor: Dr. Mary Axelrad (Family Medicine)

  Jordan Moore
  Establishing a Food Pantry in an Appalachian Pediatric Clinic Mentors: Dr. Karen Schetzina (Pediatrics) & Meredith Jordan (Pediatrics)

  Baytes Gabriel Regan-Jordan & Zachary Shelton
  Prospective Evaluation of Chest Tube Thoracostomy Placement by General Surgery Residents at Two Level I Trauma Centers Mentor: Dr. Lou Smith (Surgery)

  Makayla Conley & Chandni Naidoo
  Mapping the Impact of ETSU Department of Pediatric Initiatives Using a Data Dashboard Mentor: Dr. Karen Schetzina (Pediatrics)

  Nikko Beady, Henrik Hahamyan, Hassan Assaad, & Aarsh Patel
  Evaluating the Implementation of a Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis Protocol for Trauma Patients at a Rural Appalachian Level I Trauma Center Mentor: Dr. Bracken Burns (Surgery) & Dr. Keelin Roche (Surgery)

  Toree Baldwin & Nathan Barnes
  Investigation of Research Supporting the Use of 12 Step Programs in Eating Disorder Recovery Mentor: Dr. Melissa Robinson (Family Medicine) & Dr. Amanda Stoltz (Family Medicine)

  Lauren Phemister, Verina Sawiers, & Samuel Cartwright Evaluating resource utilization after implementation of a minimal traumatic brain injury guideline at a rural Appalachian Level 1 Trauma Center Mentor: Dr. Bracken Burns (Surgery)

  Grace Petty
  Minimally Invasive Glaucoma Surgery Program at the Mountain Home Veterans Affairs Medical Center Mentor: Dr. Brent Aebi (Surgery)

  Aliya Burns
  Utility of Delta Shock Index in Predicting Mortality and Clinical Outcomes at a Rural Level One Trauma Center Mentor: Dr. Bracken Burns (Surgery)

• Clinical/Population Health B Projects

  Natalie McDaniel
  Post-partum Follow-up of Patients who have Tapered Buprenorphine Dose During Pregnancy Mentor: Dr. Martin Olsen (OB/GYN)

  Maria Eckmann, Jacob Snipp, Eric Olsen, & Alex Mays
  GLF VS Other Mechanisms Of Injury In Patients With A Shock Index Of Greater Than One At A Rural Level 1 Trauma Center Mentor: Dr. Bracken Burns (Surgery)

  Holeh Heydari
  An Atypical presentation of an optic neuropathy Mentor: Dr. Brent Aebi (Surgery)

  Kassidy Morton
  Grit and Guardrails: Motivating Preventive Health Habits to Mitigate Suicide Risk in College Students Mentor: Dr. Jameson Hirsch (Psychiatry) & Dr. Morgan Treaster (Pediatrics)

  Cooper Bullough & Landon Brown
  Does Living Environment Affect Development of Infants with Prenatal Substance Exposure? Mentor: Dr. Darshan Shah (Pediatrics)

  Emma Self
  Mapping Community Resilience: Evaluating Food and Nutrition's Role in Community Health Mentor: Dr. Anthony DeLucia (Surgery)

  Anna Wisniewski
  Blessed and Stressed: Optimism, Caregiving Perceptions, Stress, and Health in Parents of a Child with a Disability Mentor: Dr. Jameson Hirsch (Psychiatry) & Dr. Morgan Treaster (Pediatrics)

  Megan Barnes
  Neuroimaging for Papilledema Leads to Chiari 1 Malformation Diagnosis in Two Pediatric Patients Mentor: Dr. Brent Aebi (Surgery)

  Philopatir Ghattas
  Artificial Intelligence in an Outpatient Ophthalmology Clinic: Using a Large Language Model to Summarize Imaging Results for Patients Mentor: Dr. Brent Aebi (Surgery)

  Gatkek Kueth, Noah White, & Connor Belcher
  Development of a Nomogram, ICU Discharge Algorithm and An Epic Dot Phrase to Enhance Decision-Making to Reduce Unplanned Readmissions to Trauma ICU Mentor: Dr. Lou Smith (Surgery)

  Jared Lentchner & Lexi Lacey
  Risk factor analysis for trauma patient readmitted within 30 days Mentor: Dr. Lou Smith (Surgery)

  Gabrielle Shipstone
  Assessment of Laboratory Results and Prenatal Care of Pregnant Patients who Receive Buprenorphine in Pregnancy Mentor: Dr. Martin Olsen (OB/GYN)

  Alex Mays, Aarsh Patel, & Ali Burns
  Identifying Barriers to SCD Compliance Among Patients at a Rural Level 1 Trauma Center Mentor: Dr. Bracken Burns (Surgery)

  Rachel Summers
  Rural Primary Care Track Graduates 1996 to 2021 Mentor: Dr. Melissa Robinson (Family Medicine) & Dr. Laura Hunt Trull (College of Health Sciences)

  
  
  
• Clinical/Population Health C Projects

  Jacob Ricketts & Bo Cotten
  Pediatric Anxiety Trends in East Tennessee: A Comparative Analysis Mentors: Dr. Stephanie Layne (Pediatrics), Dr. Kiana Johnson (Pediatrics), & Meredith Jordan (Pediatrics)

  Mary Brown, Ana Moreno-Allen, & Ryleigh Fleming
  Evaluating the Impact of Cost-Effective Workflow Intervention on Patient Flow, Provider Interaction, and Satisfaction in an Academic Internal Medicine Setting Mentor: Dr. Deidre Pierce (Internal Medicine)

  Radina Porashka
  Emergency Department and Behavioral Health Consultant Risk Assessments for Suicidality: Comparing Rates of Admission to a Psychiatric Facility Mentors: Dr. Aubrey Dueweke (Psychology), Dr. Dawn Tuell (Pediatrics), & Dr. Matthew Tolliver (Pediatrics)

  Devan Woody
  How Special Programming Increases Rural Physician Workforce Mentor: Dr. Tom Kincer (Family Medicine)

  Mei Lin Dye
  Morbidity and Mortality of Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Mentors: Dr. Brad Feltis (Surgery) & Dr. Hongsong Yang (Surgery)

  Andrew Pierce, Caroline Baggett, & John Harbin
  The relationship Between Standard Nutritional Evaluations in Geriatric Isolated Extremity Orthopedic Trauma and Favorable Discharge Disposition Mentor: Dr. Lou Smith (Surgery)

  John Kelley
  In Appalachia, Transportation is Public Health Mentor: Dr. Anthony DeLucia (Surgery)

  Andrew Gaudet de Lestard
  Assessing Educational Resource Needs for Dietary Management of Type 2 Diabetes: A Clinician Survey Mentors: Dr. Erin Harris (Family Medicine), Dr. Sarah Hewitt (Family Medicine), Dr. Chris Galletti (Family Medicine)

  Radha Awasthi
  Review of Methamphetamine Abuse in Pregnant Patients Mentor: Dr. Martin Olsen (OB/GYN)

  Allison Franklin
  Comparing Outcomes of Crisis Evaluations in the Emergency Department Versus Behavioral Health Consultation within Primary Care: A Retrospective Chart Review of ETSU Pediatrics Patients Mentors: Dr. Morgan Treaster (Pediatrics) & Dr. Matthew Tolliver (Pediatrics)

  Gwendalyn Johnson
  Comparing Length of Risk Assessments for Suicidality: Emergency Department vs. Primary Care Behavioral Health Consultations Mentors: Dr. Stephanie Layne (Pediatrics) & Dr. Matthew Tolliver (Pediatrics)

  Alexandria Shepherd
  Looking Forward vs. Feeling Stuck: Does a Parent’s Perception of their Child’s Disability Shape their Well-Being and Life Satistifaction? Mentor: Dr. Jameson Hirsch (Psychiatry) & Dr. Morgan Treaster (Pediatrics)

  Connor Boruff
  Predicting Unplanned ICU Admission in Trauma: Early Warning Signs on the Floor Mentor: Dr. Lou Smith (Surgery)