poster presentations


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Addison, S., Veuthey, T., Rahaman, V., Onbasi, L., Kirkland, M., Doherty, B., Dash, S., & Nahvi, R. The NeuroEquity Coalition Residency Wishlist

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The ongoing COVID pandemic has highlighted disparities in care for marginalized patients with neurologic conditions. The pandemic has also driven rapid adaptations to neurology training, such as widespread adoption of telehealth and increased medical advocacy for vulnerable patient communities. This time of change provides an opportunity to rethink how neurology residencies engage with more longstanding disparities in care. As medical students we have organized into the NeuroEquity Coalition, a grassroots organization whose mission is to improve healthcare equity in neurology. Towards this goal, we believe that targeted residency curricula on healthcare disparities are essential to our future training. Here we outline suggestions for flexible modules that can be tailored to individual institutions.


Al-Muhanna, K., Raiz, L., & Nichols Larsen, D. Fostering Student Understanding of Team-Based Care for Underserved Populations Through an Immersive Interprofessional Poverty Simulation*

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Through an Immersive Interprofessional Poverty Simulation Background: Research suggests that students in professional healthcare programs have limited understanding of the complex interaction between social determinants and health, and limited opportunities to engage in interprofessional collaboration during their academic programs. Purpose: This study describes outcomes of a longitudinal interprofessional simulation intended to enhance students’ understanding of diverse underserved populations, social determinants of health, and the need for team-based care. Methods: As part of an interprofessional case-based course (Fall 2017-Fall 2020), 81 students from Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Social Work, and others were divided into multidisciplinary teams to simulate the life of diverse families living in poverty. Groups were tasked with making financial, nutritional, medical, and situational decisions. Upon completion, each student submitted a reflection on the experience. Using a grounded theory approach, three independent reviewers qualitatively analyzed students’ reflections by identifying, coding, and categorizing themes. Results: Seven primary themes emerged: 1) Reflection on personal experiences. 2) Intention and confidence in working with underserved populations. 3) Implications for practice. 4) Value of interdisciplinary teams. 5) Emotional empathy. 6) Cognitive empathy. 7) Knowledge of resources and awareness of resource availability vs. access. Themes reflected a broad range of emotion, understanding, acquired knowledge, and appreciation of other team members, consistent with the intent of the simulation. Students acknowledged the need for interprofessional collaboration and indicated increased confidence and/or intent to work with underserved populations. Conclusion: Interprofessional simulations can be an impactful teaching strategy for enhancing entry-level student understanding of diverse patient populations, social determinants of health, and team-based care.

*This poster was declared the winner of the poster contest.


Arce, J., Contreras, E., Parth , V., Goyal, K., & Balta, J. Using Soft-Preserved Anatomical Specimens to Improve the Anatomy Learning Experience for Orthopedic Residents

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Objective: This study is a comparison of alcohol preserved donors to standard formalin preserved donors in the teaching of anatomy to orthopedic residents. The results from this study will help inform orthopedic residencies to consider different preservation techniques of human donors in teaching their future students for better learning outcomes. Methods: Orthopedic Residents filled out a dissection survey after they had dissected for each week over a course of six weeks. At the end of the study, residents and observers then filled out an overall study of the experience between the donors. The surveys are in a likert scale format from 1 to 5. These survey questions range in questions on bone, tendon, muscle, ligament, nerve, vessel quality; ease of dissection; similarity to in vivo tissue, ease of finding specific structures, etc. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the differences in resident opinion/experience between the two types of cadavers. Results: 24 residents participated in the dissector surveys, and 30 residents completed the observer surveys. 88.3% of residents in the dissections and 86% of residents in the observer surveys stated that overall, they favored learning from alcohol preserved donors. When residents were asked to evaluate the differences in the donor preservations, residents favored alcohol preservation. Conclusions/Implications: Orthopedic Residents ultimately agree that the alcohol preserved donors are more effective when it comes to identifying the human body framework through dissection. The results suggest that orthopedic residency programs should take into consideration the preservation techniques when teaching their students anatomy from human donors.


Arnold, C. & Posid, T. A Career Exploration Week Didactic and Simulation-Based Session Increases Student Interest In and Exposure To Urology

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INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Though urology attracts well-qualified applicants, students are not provided exposure to this smaller specialty until late in their clinical years. While simulation-based medical education continues to gain popularity to supplement medical training, there is a lack of programming to teach specialty-specific procedural skills to medical students and those outside the specialty. We report a half-day simulation and didactic-based approach to increase exposure to urology and identify opportunities for early experience to interested second year medical students. METHODS: As part of Career Exploration Week at our institution, we held a half-day didactic- and simulation-based session for M2s (n=12). After a didactic-based overview of the specialty performed by a urology resident, fellow, and surgical educator, the students were split into small groups to complete pelvic exam and foley cathter simulations on male and female silicone models. The students completed a survey measuring knowledge gains and soliciting feedback on the session. RESULTS: Students were primarily Caucasian (8 female; Mean Age=23.9 years) and six students stated they were potentially interested in pursuing Urology as a specialty prior to the start of the session. >80% of students were interested in pursuing a surgical field. Students reported pre- to post-curriculum gains in knowledge (30-55%) about a career in Urology and basic urologic procedures (ps<0.001). Students overwhelmingly reported that the session helped them better understand what a career in Urology would look like, was beneficial to their understanding of common urologic procedures, was beneficial to their broad medical education, and said they would report the curriculum to their peers (ps<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Given that exposure to Urology as a specialty in medical school is often limited and/or late, a half-day didactic- and simulation-based experience for second-year students provided early exposure and experience with the specialty and its common bedside procedures. Source of Funding: N/A


Bagian, L., Wyatt, T., & Balta, J. Whole-Body Donation in the Buckeye State: An Examination of the Procurement of Anatomical Material for Healthcare Education in Ohio

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Body donors provide a vital learning experience in anatomical and clinical education. Universities rely on institutional programs to source whole-body donations so that they can provide the opportunity for hands-on learning. The aim of this study was to assess the state of whole-body donation at universities across Ohio to better understand how anatomical materials are procured for the purpose of education and research. A survey was administered to the 8 body donation programs affiliated with Ohio universities. The questions in this survey addressed the donor recruitment process, registration and admittance, donations over time, and institutional policies. The results show that donors are given little choice about what will happen to their bodies once the donation has been made. Of the 6 institutions that responded, none allow prospective donors to dictate the specific use of their remains or the maximum duration that their remains will be retained by the university. Only one program allows donors to opt out of certain projects by special request. Of the donations received, over 90% are white individuals, and none of the institutions have any methods in place to promote diversity among their donor population. There are 3,202 donation applications received by these Ohio institutions each year, but the results indicate a stark lack of diversity among the donor population. These findings can be used to make recommendations about donor enrollment and program operations to build trust with prospective donors and ensure that Ohio institutions may continue to provide valuable educational resources for future clinicians.


DeMarsh, S., Flaherty, R., Grogan, E., & Patrick, M. Assessment of a resident-created pediatric board review podcast

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Background/Significance of the Problem: Podcasts are becoming an increasingly popular method for material review. Little is known about the engagement preferences of learners using podcasts as teaching tools in pediatric medicine. Purpose: To objectively describe user engagement of a resident-created pediatric board review podcast over several platforms, including the audio podcast, Facebook, Twitter, and an informational website. Secondary objectives include ascertaining a demographic profile of listeners and their user preferences. Process/Methodology: This study is based on the creation, publication, and dissemination of a case-based review of high yield pediatric clinical topics to serve as supplemental material for pediatric board exam preparation. Objective metrics were obtained from the associated technology platforms and subjective data was obtained from an IRB-approved anonymous listener survey. Findings/Results: There have been over 4600 downloads to date with an increasing number of downloads each month since inception. The highest number of downloads occurred just prior to boards. The most frequently downloaded single episode to date was downloaded 167 times. Twitter surpassed Facebook in user engagement. The highest number of new followers was on initial podcast release but with sustained increases each month. Survey data of subjective user preferences is being collected and will be included. Conclusions: Outcomes and Future Directions: Number of listeners continues to increase with increasing duration of podcast existence. Surge of engagement appears to correlate with temporal relation to board exam. Twitter engagement was higher than Facebook for review. The data collected from a listener survey may help modify episode construction to provide an ideal learning experience.


Dhakal, K., Feyh, K., & Hartel, L. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resource Guides: Partnering for Success

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Background/Significance of the Problem: In the midst of civil unrest in summer 2020, there was a need to bring together resources for facilitating classroom and workplace discussions about race and inequalities as well as support Medical Center anti-racism efforts. Librarians and staff of the Health Sciences Library began participating in action groups and open discussions on these topics and taking steps to improve our own diversity and inclusion efforts. Building on librarians’ expertise of finding and evaluating resources, we engaged in “collaborative curation”, gathering recommendations and feedback from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) experts in the College of Medicine and other health sciences colleges to build a resource guide designed to kick start important conversations and safe environments in online or in-person classes and meetings. These resources are designed to offer increased opportunities for our diverse students to see themselves in course materials and discussion readings and activities. Purpose: This poster provides some details for how our collaborative efforts have contributed to the current Anti-Racism Resource LibGuide and have ensured that resource selections reflect the diversity of our students. It highlights sections of this guide, how the HSL assesses guide usage, and provides an update on additional DEI guides under collaborative development led by HSL librarians. Process/Methodology: In 2020, the Health Sciences Library collaborated with the College of Medicine to develop the Anti-Racism Resource LibGuide to provide one location for curated information for students, faculty and staff members. The resources were selected by librarians who are involved in anti-racism education efforts at the Health Sciences Library. This poster will provide insight to the steps that were taken to develop the guide with input from COM faculty, students and Health Sciences librarians and library staff. It will also demonstrate the value and success of this collaboration to develop a DEI resource that is regularly being used in classrooms and beyond. Findings/Results: The Anti-Racism Resource LibGuide provides select highly recommended resources on topics that inform medical education both in and out of the classroom. Since its initial creation, the Anti-Racism Resource LibGuide has had 808 views including its homepage and other pages: general books and readings, OSU campus-wide resources, videos and podcasts, and other toolkits and packages for education. Resources are continually assessed and updated based on suggestions and feedback from guide users from across the health sciences. Conclusions: Outcomes and Future Directions Due to the success of this collaborative educational effort, the HSL is developing a LibGuide focused on LGBTQ resources and information tools. This guide will also be developed in collaboration with campus DEI experts and those with personal identity and interests in this space. The HSL hopes these resources and activities will support teaching, research, and learning for our diverse communities.


Dralle, B., Ioerger, M., & Heacock, A. Selecting for Value: The Development and Evaluation of an Inclusive, Virtual High-Value Care “Selective” Course for Pre-Clinical Medical Students

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Background/Significance: High-value care (HVC) has the potential to decrease health care costs, improve affordability, and eliminate health inequities. However, few opportunities exist for pre-clinical medical students to learn about HVC. Purpose: We developed and evaluated an eight-hour virtual high-value care course designed to fit into students’ “selective” schedule. With an emphasis on inclusion and equity, the course centered research and personal narratives that demonstrated patients’ experiences with costly, low-value care. Process/Methodology: Students were surveyed prior to and following the course to assess their knowledge of HVC, HVC attitudes, and HVC-related self-efficacy. Pre- and post-survey results were analyzed using odds ratios for HVC knowledge, Chi-squared tests for attitude measures, and paired t-tests for self-efficacy. Findings/Results: 57 pre-clinical medical students enrolled in the course, and 53 (93%) completed both pre- and post-course surveys. The percentage of students who correctly answered three HVC questions improved from 60% to 91% (OR 6.80, 95% CI: 3.61-12.81). Students displayed positive shifts toward cost-conscious and equity-focused attitudes for all survey items.


Eid, S., Kraft, M., McLaughlin , D., Redmond , M., & Macias, C. Implementing Penicillin Allergy Education for Pediatric Residents: A Quality Improvement Approach

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Introduction Our pediatric residency program lacks formal penicillin allergy curriculum. All pediatric residents (N=113) are required to participate in quality improvement (QI) initiatives during their training. We developed a QI project aimed at increasing resident participation in a penicillin allergy learning module, as penicillin allergy is reported in up to 10% of the population. Methods A multi-disciplinary team of physicians from Allergy/Immunology, Primary Care and trainees designed an electronic tutorial for assessing and de-labeling low risk penicillin allergy in the primary care setting. Multiple Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycles were conducted between January- May 2021. The specific aim was to increase the number of pediatric residents who completed the module from 0 to at least 4 residents per month by June 2021 and sustain for one year. Multiple key drivers and associated interventions were utilized. Results Over the course of 6 months, an average of 2-3 residents per month completed the module. Barriers included accessibility of the platform and lack of resident awareness. PDSA cycles included adding the module to the residency’s online Learning Center, sending intermittent reminder emails to the residency program, and the addition of the module to the primary care and Allergy/Immunology elective rotations. Conclusion Despite increasing recognition surrounding the importance of de-labeling erroneous penicillin allergies, formal curriculum is lacking during residency training. QI methodology can be utilized to improve education of pediatric trainees to better assess and ideally de-label penicillin allergy in the primary care setting.


Fair, J., Agnor, C., Boucher, L., & Balta, J. Anatomy and Clinical Education: Influence of integration using soft preservation

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Practitioners and educators continually evaluate alternative teaching methodologies to increase the learning of anatomical and clinical based skills. Doctor of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy educational focuses on anatomical structures and procedural skills separately. Anatomical education typically utilizes formaldehyde as the primary embalming methodology but has been described as lacking when utilized within educational institutions. This study aimed to evaluate the integration of clinical skills into anatomical education using alternative preservation techniques, Imperial College London- Soft Preservation (ICL-SP). While evaluating the Ohio State Musculoskeletal Anatomy course for physical and occupational therapy, students were presented with donors preserved with either formaldehyde or ICP-SP. The students were tasked with traditional dissection and with performing clinical based skills on the different donors followed by the administration of a questionnaire. The inclusion of ICL-SP donors showed there was a better model for the representation of the vascular system and the nervous system without showing significant deficits in any other categories when compared to formaldehyde. The integration of clinical skills and anatomical curriculum presented increased student perceived understanding of associated anatomy (p-value< 0.05), gave better understanding of how anatomy is important to their professions (p-value< 0.05) and increased motivation to learn anatomy (p-value< 0.05). Students noted ICL-SP was more beneficial for clinical skill procedures (Lachman’s test: p-value< 0.05; Valgus Stress Test of the Elbow: p-value< 0.05). In conclusion, the integration of clinical skills into anatomical education can potentially provide better outcomes for clinicians and may be complemented by the utilization of the new ICL-SP methodology.


Farrell, M., Flanigan, M., & Macerollo, A. Introduction of Teaching Scripts to an Adult Ambulatory Clerkship

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It is well documented that finding/retaining quality Family Medicine outpatient preceptors has been challenging. Clinical teaching resources can reduce the burden of teaching and ensure preceptors are using current policies/procedures to teach and engage students in the clinical setting. Teaching scripts are short documents describing commonly seen topics encountered on rotations to aid and formalize the instruction given by teachers. Teachers can choose to use the scripts or not. In order to improve engagement between preceptors and students, teaching scripts have been written by the OSU Adult Ambulatory faculty. The initial scripts cover a few commonly seen topics in the adult outpatient primary care setting. Each script is written to be no more than 1 page front and back and employs bullet-point style for easier use. The scripts have been deployed to the preceptors of the Clerkship with an explanatory cover letter that encourages their use. Preceptors are given free rein on when and how to use the teaching scripts, whether that is during a formal teaching time (e.g. at the end of the half-day with the student) or “on-the-fly” as they are seeing patients together. Preceptors and students are being surveyed to gauge uptake and overall satisfaction of the teaching scripts. The scripts are intended to be deployed for the 2021-2022 academic year with periodic surveys throughout that time. As a resource, the teaching scripts will hopefully continue to be used indefinitely.


Flaherty, R., DeMarsh, S., Grogan, E., & Patrick, M. How to Create a Resident-Led Pediatric Board Review Podcast

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Background/Significance of the Problem: Podcasts are becoming an increasingly popular method for material review. There is no guidance on how to construct a board review podcast series and no clear guiding principles based on user preferences and needs, especially in the pediatric realm. Purpose: To create a step-wise guide for residents in various disciplines to develop a specialty-specific board review podcast series and to provide a framework that can be tailored to target unique educational needs.Process/Methodology: High yield board topics were reviewed and categorized into themed months. Clinical cases were created to review pertinent information based on careful evaluation of peer-reviewed literature and societal guidelines. Episodes were published on all major podcasting platforms via PodBean. Engagement on Facebook and Twitter provided weekly reinforcement of the podcast content. An IRB-approved anonymous listener survey was created and distributed as a needs assessment to guide further production. Findings/Results: Objective data obtained from podcast and social media platform metrics indicate an increasing amount of user downloads over time. Twitter showed a higher user engagement than Facebook for review of material. Qualitative survey measures will provide user demographic and preference data for listeners as well as ratings of effectiveness and efficiency as a supplementary board review material. Conclusions: Outcomes and Future Directions: The creation of a sub-specialty specific pediatric board review podcast is feasible with appropriate mentorship, working knowledge of podcasting technology, and access to sound clinical information on which to formulate review. Listener preferences can be obtained to guide future production.


Hall, T. & Balta, J. Current Status of Graduate Anatomy Education in The State of Ohio

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It is unclear as to what is included in a graduate anatomy education in the United States. The purpose of this study was to examine the current status of graduate anatomy programs in the state of Ohio to determine their similarities and differences. A survey regarding graduate anatomy education was sent to a graduate anatomy faculty member at all Ohio institutions with a graduate anatomy program. These institutions included: Case Western University, Wright State University, Northeast Ohio Medical University, and The Ohio State University. Four institutions (100%) responded to the survey. One institution (25%) reported having an anatomy doctoral program, four (100%) institutions reported having an anatomy master’s program, and one (25%) institution reported having an anatomy graduate certificate program. The mean (standard deviation) number of students enrolled annually in anatomy master’s programs was 20.8 (7.6), and, on average, those students were required to complete 31.3 (2.5) semester credit hours in order to complete their anatomy master’s program. Three (75%) programs reported that students in their master’s anatomy programs are required to complete coursework in gross anatomy, histology, embryology, and neuroanatomy, while one (25%) institution only required coursework in gross anatomy and neuroanatomy. Four (100%) institutions reported that the students in their anatomy master’s program complete a full body dissection on a human body donor as part of their gross anatomy training. More information is needed regarding graduate anatomy programs outside the state of Ohio.


Heitman, K., Fanelli, S., & Taylor, C. Pandemic Perceptions: Insights from Students in an Inaugural Clinical Master’s Program

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Background: The Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) recently developed a Future Education Model (FEM) program designed to allow students without an undergraduate degree in dietetics to become a registered dietitian through a two-year, clinical master’s program. The Ohio State University was selected as an early adopter demonstration site for this program, with the inaugural class beginning in August of 2020, coinciding with the COVID-19 university requirements for virtual learning. Purpose: This study aimed to qualitatively explore student perceptions of a novel clinical master’s program delivered virtually due to COVID-19. Methods: Students enrolled in the MDN program (n=11) beginning August of 2020 participated in at least one of two focus groups during the first academic year of the program. The focus groups were conducted and recorded over Zoom, and transcribed verbatim prior to analysis. Semi-structured interview guides and a grounded theory approach were used for data collection and analysis. Coding was conducted independently by two trained reviewers. Results: Students expressed that faculty provided many interactive learning activities to mimic in-person clinical training, including virtual standardized patients and multidisciplinary case simulations. Students noted specific barriers and challenges to virtual education, including Zoom fatigue, limited social interactions, and learning limitations for skills application, particularly for physical assessment. Conclusions: Facilitators and barriers to online education elucidated in this study can inform successful virtual learning for students in the health sciences.


Hu, K., Niedermier, J., Start, A., Horseman, C., & Teater, J. Holistic Opioid Curriculum in Undergraduate Medical Education

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Background: Despite efforts to prevent opioid overuse and train providers to recognize and treat opioid use disorders (OUD), the opioid epidemic has raged on. In Ohio the drug overdose death rate increased 6.7% from 2018 to 2019.1 Education of medical students in OUD and treatment is imperative. Purpose: The aims of this study are to educate medical students about OUD and offer clinical exposure, including the incorporation of an approved buprenorphine waiver training curriculum. Methods: Medical students were provided in person or virtual buprenorphine waiver training and in person clinical experiences. Students completed a pre and post training knowledge test, a self-reported clinical experience survey, and an evaluation of their ability to screen patients with opioid use disorders and manage acute and chronic pain. Paired samples t-tests were estimated to assess improvements in knowledge and approach to clinical management principles from pretest to posttest. Results: 405 students completed the buprenorphine waiver training. Students demonstrated a significant increase in their overall knowledge and reported a significant improvement in their overall understanding of clinical management principles from pretest to posttest. Conclusions: Insufficient access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) remains a barrier for many patients suffering from opioid use disorders. This study provides evidence that in person and virtual training of undergraduate medical students in OUD and its treatment improves knowledge and understanding of clinical management principles and may better prepare students to treat patients with opioid use disorders in the future.


Huffman, A. & Zimmer, J. Comparing Efficacy of Virtual and In-Person Education for Beginner Ultrasound Students

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The Ultrasound Interest Group is a student-led group at Ohio State University College of Medicine with the mission of teaching proficiency in point-of-care ultrasound to medical students. Nearly 70% of first-year students participate in this extracurricular activity. The curriculum traditionally offers hands-on training; however, the 2020-2021 school year posed a significant challenge to this convention. Online instruction was implemented as a substitute to ensure students received this important supplement to their learning. Following relaxation of restrictions, we have returned to traditional instruction methods.  Our objective was to compare the effectiveness of online to in-person ultrasound instruction for students in Beginner Ultrasound (BUS). First and second-year medical students in both BUS classes were invited to participate in a survey characterizing their experiences learning ultrasound following their first session. The survey assessed student comfort in performing and interpreting a scan, enthusiasm level to learn ultrasound, and overall effectiveness of the ultrasound instruction. Ninety-two students who are enrolled in the in-person curriculum or who completed the online curriculum responded to the survey. Statistically significant differences included ratings of the effectiveness of the ultrasound instruction (p <0.00001), comfort in choosing the correct ultrasound probe (p <0.00001), knowledge of ultrasound general principles (p <0.00001), optimizing the image (p <0.00001), and confidence in ability to teach others an ultrasound scan (p=0.0026). The results indicate that in-person ultrasound curriculum is significantly more beneficial than online instruction. Future studies will compare changes in pre- and post-curriculum scores from both cohorts.


Leake, M., Ejaz, A., Chen, X., & Balta, J. Does Alcohol-Preservation of Human Body Donors Improve Surgical Resident Learning?

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Surgical skills have traditionally been acquired in the operating room on live patients. However, due to new work hours restrictions, ethical and patient safety concerns, and the limitations of traditionally fixed human body donors, surgical skill acquisition has largely shifted to porcine models. With that being said, very little is known about alcohol-preserved human body donors and their utility in surgical resident learning. Utilizing a mixed-methods study design, we administered Likert-scale surveys to 17 general surgery residents and conducted semi-structured interviews with 5 surgical faculty attendings. Descriptive statistical analysis and thematic analysis revealed that there was substantial variability with regards to the utility of porcine and human body donor models in the context of surgical knowledge and skill acquisition. While participants indicated that the alcohol-preserved human body donor more accurately reflected the gross human anatomy and colon suturing/stapling, the porcine model was more representative of operating conditions in tissue elasticity and artery/vein structural integrity. Most participants also reported that practicing the laparoscopic colon resection procedure on both models improved their anatomical and surgical knowledge of the procedure, while also increasing their confidence in performing the procedure in the operating room. Overall, more participants perceived that alcohol-preserved body donors helped them develop their surgical skills than the porcine model, with 82% of participants noting that the alcohol-preserved human body donor was beneficial in the development of their surgical skills. It is evident that the alcohol-preserved human body donor model has utility in the acquisition and development of surgical skills.


Marek, M. & Balta, J. Surgical Skills in General Surgery Residency Program: Current Trends and Future Directions

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Today, general surgery residents (GSR) face unorthodox challenges due to variation in caseloads and the implementation of duty hour restrictions. It has been stated that the most concerning change in the education of GSRs was the downward trend in weekly operative cases. The integration of surgical skills labs utilizing human body donors could prove to be beneficial for education. Use of human body donors for anatomy education is not a novel idea, however research has been done to better understand pros and cons of different preservation methods for surgical skill training. Traditionally formaldehyde is used as the main preservative however soft-preservation techniques (such as alcohol and Thiel) and fresh-frozen methods have been gaining popularity as an educational tool for professional students and surgical residents due to the many lifelike qualities the tissue retains during preservation. Studies using soft preserved donors have investigated skill confidence of GSR; all showed an increase in confidence for surgical skills for all PGY residents. Skill include; surgical airway, tracheoesophageal injuries, thoracotomy-cardiac injury, solid abdominal organ injury, and more. Integration of human body donors into GSR programs has proven to be advantageous for development of surgical skills and confidence in the capabilities of surgical residents. In an effort to improve anatomy education and surgical skill development for general surgery residents additional research can be done. Future studies need to compare the various educational anatomical models and preservation methods could prove to be advantageous.


Posid, T., Cronin, T., & Toelke, R. Identifying Barriers to First-Generation College Students’ Successful Navigation of the Pre-Medical Track

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Introduction: Although Urology boasts a competitive applicant pool at the residency level, early exposure to the specialty in medical school is limited. This is particularly true for underrepresented student groups. We developed a two-month ‘UroScholars’ program for medical students between their M1-M2 years with the goal of offering students exposure to Urology prior to their third-year clerkships. Methods: Two rising M2 medical students (both female) from our institution applied (8 applicants) to and were accepted to a pilot ‘UroScholars’ program. This was an 8-week experience consisting of clinical exposure in the O.R./ambulatory settings, participation in weekly didactics, participation in simulation sessions, engagement with a faculty PI in an independent research project, and a living stipend. Students completed a program evaluation via survey. Results: Both participants reported significant gains in knowledge of research projects in the department (50%), how to develop a research question (30%), how to write an IRB protocol (40%), how to utilize data sources (20%), and how to prepare/give a research presentation (20%). Participants thought the program was beneficial to their clinical knowledge, helped them better understand Urology concepts, were satisfied with amount of clinical time allotted, and would recommend the program to peers (100%). Students felt the program was beneficial to their research endeavors and helped them better understand the research process (100% agreement). Conclusions: A proof-of-concept ‘UroScholars’ program for underrepresented, rising M2s provided critical early exposure to Urology, including clinical knowledge/procedures and research. Students felt the experience better prepared them for their M3 year and increased their interest in Urology as a specialty.


Posid, T., Stout, M., Crescenze, I., Pohar, K., Lee, C., & Springer, E. A Two-Month Summer ‘UroScholars’ Program Promotes Specialty Exposure and Research Engagement in Second-Year Underrepresented Medical Students: A Proof-of-Concept Implementation

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Introduction and Objective: First-generation college students often come from underrepresented and/or underserved backgrounds. Although this makes them well-suited for a medical career interacting with these diverse patient populations, only 30% of all entering freshmen are first-generation college students and are much more likely to drop out of college. Little-to-no focused education or training exists to increase this retention. Our objective was to investigate challenges faced by this demographic to inform educational programming. Methods: Semi-structured interviews (n=5) were conducted with first-generation college student via Zoom (~45-60 minutes each). Participants were asked to reflect on their experience via prepared questions, including perceived barriers/obstacles. Qualitative content analysis was conducted to identify relevant themes/sub-themes by three independent researchers. Results: Global-Theme: First-generation pre-med students reported barriers across (1) the college application process, (2) upon entering college, (3) while specifically navigating the pre-med track. Students overwhelming reported their inability to rely on their parents/family for help and having to navigate all stages ‘on their own.’ Sub-Themes: Students reported feeling behind their non-first-generation peers in their knowledge of available resources for pre-med success. Students also reported some advantages of their experience: (a) resiliency/grit, (b) ability to problem-solve/troubleshoot, (c) feeling independent (vs. non-first-gen peers). Finally, specific suggestions on how educators can better facilitate learning/access to resources for first-gen students are reported. Conclusions: This qualitative study sheds light on critical barriers faced by first-generation pre-med students as they navigate a career towards medicine and provides key insights to educators who may be designing or providing educational experiences or resources to this underserved student demographic.


Rubadue, K., Gish-Lieberman, J., Vakil, J., & Jeff, B. Diversifying Instructors’ Teaching Methodologies through Clinical Scenario Vignettes

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Clinical faculty often implement some of the established teaching and learning theories of constructivism, social constructivism, behaviorism, cognitivism, and social cognitivism, but do not necessarily recognize or negotiate them. This project will build a survey instrument to measure five established theoretical constructs in medical faculty teaching practices and to provide faculty with the data to diversify their teaching. The survey will ask clinical faculty to identify the teaching theory that they practice most often in their instruction based on expert-vetted clinical scenario vignettes and survey questions.This research project extends the work of Chen and Elliot (2004) in their quest to understand the beliefs of teachers who subscribed to either the constructivist teaching theory or a traditional teaching approach and on the work of Taylor and Hamdy (2013), who contend that “clinicians are expected to adopt practices on the basis of the best available evidence,…[medical] educators should make use of the best available evidence to guide their educational decisions.” Through a rigorous validation and reliability process of two survey instruments, we aim to identify the theories to which medical educators align. With this new knowledge, clinical faculty members can identify methods which they currently practice as well as overlook. After getting the results of the survey, faculty can reflect upon and incorporate targeted, evidence-based teaching practices into their teaching to better improve their diverse student outcomes. Teaching theory constructs will be analyzed for reliability using Cronbach’s alpha and an exploratory factor analysis. Vignette responses will be tested for reliability using Cronbach’s alpha and then tested for correlation with the survey results.


Singh, A., McCallister, J., & Cooper, A. Creating and Implementing a novel anti-racism curriculum for Pulmonary and Critical Care Trainees

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Given the persistence of health disparities in access and provision of care, it is a moral imperative to address the effects of structural racism on the health of all underserved and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Previous literature identifies graduate medical education as a crucial component in increasing awareness of the historical context, understanding the impacts of implicit bias and institutional racism, and teaching trainees to provide culturally competent care. To address this, the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine (PCCM) distributed an assessment of need to its trainees. Data from the initial needs assessment has been analyzed with responses from 18 trainees and 32 faculty members. Using the data obtained from these initial responses, we have created a novel anti-racism curriculum built into the existing core educational series for all PCCM trainees. The educational content designed for this curriculum utilizes current medical, psychological, sociological, and anthropological literature to first build a common foundation of the historical legacy of slavery, Jim Crow discrimination, and colorblind racism. The subsequent lectures focus on pathologies specific to PCCM with literature reviews and discussion questions to encourage classroom engagement. Following the full implementation of the curriculum, a survey and assessment of satisfaction with the educational content will be distributed for comparison against the initial data. The curriculum will be in a state of revision with this feedback to ensure ongoing timeliness and evolving evidence.


Wyatt, T., Riley, L., & Balta, J. Investigating the Contributions of Human Body Donors to Education & Research in the State of Ohio

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The use of human cadavers for anatomical education dates back to the Middle Ages. This invaluable gift of human body donation is essential to education, research, and clinical skills training. In this study, we aim to investigate the work supported by human body donors at academic institutions in Ohio and how to best maximize this gift. A questionnaire using Qualtrics was sent to the eight body donation programs in the State of Ohio. From eight invited programs, six completed the questionnaire. From those Ohio institutions, a sum of 1,545 body donors is received annually. From this sum, 54.35% are utilized for teaching, 42.02% for clinical skills training, and 3.63% utilized for research purposes. Along with traditional utilization of the human body donors, four of the institutions allow faculty to take photos of the donors for the development of educational tools for their students. Lastly, to further maximize this gift of body donations, two of the institutions allow the use of their donors to teach anatomy to the public (example: high school anatomy courses). This data shows that the gift of human body donors is an important aspect in learning anatomy. Additionally, it shows how intuitions in Ohio are maximizing this gift, not only to college and professional level students, but to the community as a whole.