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Students at the Uniformed Services University (USU) are passionate about learning and carry that passion into the medical electives they choose to pursue during their post-clerkship time.
At USU, students are given the opportunity to follow a personal area of scholarly research interest via an elective framework known as the Capstone Project (or senior project). It’s designed to help medical students gain additional knowledge about a specific specialty, develop their career direction, and prepare them for residency.
Taking the elective is a time for students to focus on the aspects of medicine they’re passionate about, as well as a time to learn and have fun.
“When students are in their senior year at USU,” says Dr. Martin Ottolini, assistant dean for student research and director of The Capstone Program at USU’s School of Medicine, “they’re allowed to do a diversity of clinical electives that are unique, but they’re also allowed to pursue scholarly research in areas that they’re excited about. This is the time when students can do something on their own and find out what they really like to do. It could be performing research in a lab or working on a hospital ship or going to an experience in another country. USU has an impressive variety of research centers of excellence and very strong academic departments that provide something for everyone’s interests.”
Four recent graduates from USU’s class of 2023 offer a snapshot of the electives they chose and thoughts about passion playing a part in their selection.
Navy Lt. Michael Goldstein
Elective/Capstone: “Developing an App-Based Solution for Increasing PrEP Prescribing Habits in Primary Care Specialties”
Details: A mobile app development project to design a tool that clinicians can use in the clinic to increase their comfortability with screening and prescribing pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV transmission. Mentor: Dr. Katerina Shvartsman, Department of Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics.
How did you become interested in this subject?
I was approached by an attending [physician] during my Gynecologic Surgery and Obstetrics sub-internship to join a resident who was investigating ways to increase PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxsis) prescriptions. My background in app development led to the idea for “The PrEP Resource App,” which is currently out of beta testing and is available on the App Store as The PrEP Resource.
Why do you feel passionate about this research?
Only 20% of patients who would benefit from PrEP for HIV are actually prescribed PrEP. The most commonly cited cause in literature from the clinician point of view is a lack of comfort due to insufficient training and/or lack of resources. Providing a point-of-care tool to streamline the screening and prescribing process will help bridge that gap, which may lead to an increase in the number of cases of HIV prevented. This elective is important because it allowed me the opportunity to get involved in a project that has the potential to help large numbers of patients.
Thoughts on passion and learning: Passion is a great motivator. It pushes us to learn as much as we can about our work.
Navy Lt. Keren Lee
Elective/Capstone: “Exploratory Study of Pain and Sleep Biomarkers in Participants Undergoing Orthopedic Surgeries”
Details: A study of how new lab tests (biomarkers) might identify those patients with the combined problems of sleep disturbances and chronic pain. Working with: Dr. Krista Highland, Department of Anesthesiology.
How did you become interested in this research?
When I decided on anesthesia, I wanted to make sure that I had a good understanding of how patient care can be improved before and after a surgical case. When introduced to Dr. Highland and this project, I knew it was something I wanted to be involved with. This elective gave me the opportunity to engage in scholarly activity and work with people who have a different perspective in the field of medicine I plan to practice.
Why do you feel passionate about this research?
As a budding anesthesiologist, I feel it’s important to expand my knowledge on all aspects of not only patients undergoing surgery, but also the patient as a whole. This study gives unique insight into how patients with certain biomarkers can be predisposed to more or less pain following surgery and how that affects their sleep and vice versa. By being able to target these biomarkers before or after surgery, physicians can enhance patient recovery in various ways.
Thoughts on passion and learning:
Passion is important to effective learning. When passion is added to the equation, one can dive deeper into topics and be more creative. This can lead to advances that are seemingly impossible without the element of passion.
Air Force Capt. Sierra Pence
Elective/Capstone: “Circadian Rhythm Disruption in Urologic Malignancy”
Details: An extensive literature review of the effect of circadian rhythms on treatment of urogenital cancers. Working with: the Center for Prostate Disease Research. Mentor: Dr. Ayesha Shafi, Department of Surgery.
How did you become interested in this research?
My interest in urologic malignancy stems from working with patients, which led me to the [USU] Center for Prostate Disease Research and Dr. Ayesha Shafi’s lab. Dr. Shafi introduced me to the idea of circadian disruption as a possible contributing factor to prostate cancer formation. Once I began researching the data, I was filled with questions and ideas of my own. It’s a very interesting topic that is relatively unexplored in urology.
Why do you feel passionate about this research?
Urology is a wonderful field that allows providers to impact the lives of patients deeply. With my specific research analyzing circadian rhythms and disruption in prostate cancer, there is so much potential. We know that circadian disruption affects certain genes, and those genes are expressed differently in cancer samples when compared to normal tissues. How much disruption is required? Can you fix the disruption with melatonin or improved sleep hygiene? Once the cancer has formed, do circadian rhythms affect treatment response? The questions are endless. I love the ability to think creatively in medicine and explore the unknown. I was also able to complete my first full manuscript, which has now been accepted.
Thoughts on passion and learning:
Passion is everything in learning. It’s what keeps you going after working long hours or having setbacks. Somehow, the time passes quickly because you’re not actually “working,” but rather doing what you love.
Army Capt. Harvey Harper
Elective/Capstone: “The Harper Safety Suture Kit”
Details: I wanted to develop a safe suture training kit. This simulation kit significantly reduces the potential for sharp injury by eliminating the scalpel and suture scissors, and replacing those tools with blunted needles and safety shears similar to those used in pre-K and kindergarten classrooms. Working with: Navy Ensign Brandon Neal and Army 2nd Lt. Ysehak Wondwossen. Faculty adviser: Army Lt. Col. (Dr.) Michael Orestes, program director for otolaryngology in the Department of Surgery.
How did you become interested in this research?
My interest in the subject was born out of the combination of the feedback I received from Dr. Daniel Tran and my desire to spend time with my daughter. This project, although initially designed to share my passion for surgery with my daughter in a safe manner, eventually morphed into a STEM project. The resulting kit introduces some basics of surgery, including showing the various layers of tissue and teaching suture techniques.
Why do you feel passionate about this research?
This kit represents my collective passions for family, community outreach, and medicine. Like many others from my community, becoming a doctor, let alone a surgeon, was little more than a fantasy. So, I hope that the project, which began as daddy‒daughter time, will expose them to medicine in fun and educational ways and help them believe in themselves and their dreams.
Thoughts on passion and learning:
Passion can be a strong catalyst for learning. It has fueled my desire to comprehend more and become better. Passion is what motivates me to get back up and return to work after failure. Passion is what drove me to pursue a career in medicine and continues to be my guiding light as I reapply for residency in otolaryngology.
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 06.02.2023 09:50 |
| Story ID: | 446056 |
| Location: | BETHESDA, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 45 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, What is Your Passion? USU Class of 2023 Find Meaning in Electives, by Vivian Mason, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
