 |
| Dr. Stephanie Pearce, an orthopaedic surgery resident at the University of South Alabama, explains her research to Dr. Amy McRae, director of quality management and education at USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital. McRae served as a judge at the inaugural USA Resident and Fellow Exposition. |
Twenty-eight residents and fellows presented their research at the event. Winners were selected in three categories -- clinical and translational research; quality and performance; and patient safety, education and advocacy.
Dr. Samuel McQuiston, assistant dean of graduate medical education and associate professor of radiology at the USA College of Medicine, said this was the first time residents and fellows had presented research at a forum of this scale at the College of Medicine. “Residents and fellows work hard, and this venue gives them the opportunity to demonstrate to the public their work and scale of knowledge,” he said.
Dr. Brett Martin, a fifth-year radiology resident at USA, won in the patient safety, education and advocacy category for his poster, "Radiation Dose Reduction in Pulmonary Artery Computed Tomography Angiography.” He said that research encourages a love of lifelong learning.
Dr. Martin plans to use his research to find ways to do as little harm to patients during procedures and screenings, which was the subject of his poster. “Our goal is to make sure we do no harm by creating an environment for patients with the lowest radiation exposure,” he said.
Dr. Stephanie Pearce, a third-year orthopaedic surgery resident, was recognized for her poster presentation, “Transgluteal Approach for Drainage of Obturator Internus Abscess in Pediatric Patients.” She recommends that residents and fellows get involved with medical research because it helps them understand another side of medicine and learn how to relay it to colleagues in an efficient way. “We say that we practice medicine, because we are not masters of medicine; we are learning every day to reach the newest treatment, understand the smallest pathophysiologic changes and find simple ways to make life-changing differences. Research is a really good way to do that,” she said.
Dr. Jonathan Gillig, a second-year orthopaedic surgery resident, was recognized for his poster presentation, “Safety and Complications Associated with MRI-Conditional External Fixators." He said that medical research enables researchers to find successful, functional outcomes that will positively impact patients. “Research forces physicians to ask the tough questions that ultimately change health care policy and patient outcomes,” he said.
Dr. McQuiston said the residents’ and fellows’ research will positively affect the medical community at USA. “Residents and fellows learn so much through this process, and they can then disseminate information out across USA Health, giving inspiration to others,” he said. “Those who attended the exposition today can learn from these projects and gain inspiration, perhaps expanding on these ideas and next year taking them to the next level.”
Judging the research posters were Dr. Kimberly Littlefield, assistant vice-president of research and development at USA; Dr. Edward Panacek, professor and chair of emergency medicine at the USA College of Medicine; and Dr. Amy McRae, director of quality management and education at USA Children’s and Women’s Hospital.
To see photos from the event, click here.
