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| Jada Ashford presented a poster on pediatric gun violence at the conference. |
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Poster presentation winners included, back row, Kaitlyn Riggins, second from left, and Jacob Holston, center. |
First-year medical student Jacob Holston won first place for his summer research project on lung injury during pneumonia. He said it was an honor to represent the University of South Alabama and share their work at the conference.
“Contributing to the understanding of a condition with such a high mortality rate was both humbling and rewarding. Winning first place in the poster presentations made the experience even more special,” Holston said. “I’m incredibly grateful for the mentorship and guidance of Dr. Ji Young Lee and Dr. Reece Stevens throughout this project.”
Kaitlyn Riggins, also a first-year medical student, took second place for her presentation on misinformation about birth control on TikTok.
“In my generation, social media is a big part of how we interact with each other and how we consume information — especially health-related information,” Riggins said. “Being able to share my work on this topic was such a meaningful experience, and winning second place felt like a huge accomplishment. It reminded me that I can use my passion for communication to help improve the way information is shared and understood in healthcare, especially on social media platforms.”
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Among the participants were Jada Ashford, Brandon Schonour, Madison Hogans, Megan Rasmussen, and Isabella Dinelli. |
“I was especially grateful for the chance to practice and strengthen my oral presentation skills in a professional setting,” Schonour said. “I also gained valuable insights from the diverse research being presented and appreciated learning more about ongoing efforts to advance patient care in Alabama. Presenting at the conference reinforced the importance of clinical curiosity and collaboration, and I’m thankful to have contributed to the dialogue."
Jada Ashford, a rising third-year medical student, presented a poster on a five-year analysis of pediatric gun violence trends along the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast, using trauma registry data to explore demographic patterns, mechanisms of injury, and opportunities for prevention.
“Presenting at MASA was not only an academic milestone but also a deeply meaningful experience. I had the chance to speak with physicians across multiple specialties — trauma surgeons, pediatricians, family medicine doctors — each offering unique insights into how this public health crisis intersects with their clinical work,” Ashford said. “Those conversations reminded me how vital multidisciplinary collaboration is when addressing complex issues like firearm injury prevention.”
“I’m grateful to have shared this space with such an inspiring group of classmates and mentors!” she added.
Medical students, residents, basic medical sciences graduate students, and faculty from the University of South Alabama presented or contributed to the following abstracts at the conference:
“Improving Cancer Outcomes through Personalized Care Planning and Symptom Management”
Presenting Author: Rachel Cotter (M2)
Additional Authors: Jennifer Young Pierce, M.D., MPH.; Chelsea McGowen, M.S.
Presenting Author: Ryan Ford (M3)
Additional Authors: Brian Gelpi, M.D.; Melinda Goslawski, M.D.
Presenting Author: Brandon Schonour (M3)
Presenting Author: Jeremie Bourget, D.O. (PGY3)
Presenting Author: Isabella Dinelli (M3)
Presenting Author: Noel Godang (M2)
Presenting Author: Priscilla Agyemang (M1)
“The Impact of the SmartBX System on Prostate Cancer Detection”
Presenting Author: Hridhay Sheth (M2)
Additional Authors: Christopher Keel, D.O.; Charu Shastri, M.D. (PGY2); Christian Manganti, M.D. (PGY1)
“Carbonic Anhydrase IX Increases Lung Permeability but Does Not Affect Bacterial Clearance During Pneumonia”
Presenting Author: Jacob Holston (M1)
Additional Author: Reece Stevens, Ph.D.
“Evaluating the Role of Discipline-Specific Liaisons and Board Membership in Enhancing Interdisciplinary Participation at a Student-Run Free Clinic”
Presenting Author: Megan Rasmussen (M3)
Additional Authors: Isabella Dinelli (M3); Qays Aljabi (M3); Thomas Robinson (M3)
“Trends of Pediatric Gun Violence Along the Alabama and Mississippi Gulf Coast: A 5-Year Retrospective Analysis”
Presenting Author: Jada Ashford (M3)
Additional Authors: Benjamin E. Cockrell (M4); Ali A. Albalakhi (M2); Caleb Butts, M.D.; Jon Simmons, M.D.; Yann-Leei Lee, M.D.; Maryann Mbaka, M.D.
“Permitless Carry Laws and Firearms-Related Injuries at a Level I Trauma Center”
Presenting Author: Jay Herrin (M2)
Additional Authors: Lee Givens (M2); Chase Jordan (M2); Maryann Mbaka, M.D.; Yann-Leei Lee, M.D.; Steven Miller, M.D.; Thomas Capassi, M.D.; Christopher Kinnard, M.D.; Andrew Bright, D.O.; Ashley Williams, M.D.; Nathan Polite, D.O.; Jon Simmons, M.D.
“Patient and Pathogen Diversity in Urinary Tract Infections”
Presenting Authors: Maddison Hill (M1)
Additional Authors: Sicily Hardy (Ph.D. student); Ryan Walde, M.D. (PGY4)
“Research Productivity of Successfully-Matched Ophthalmology Applicants from Medical Schools With and Without an Ophthalmology Home Program”
Presenting Author: Sridhar Karne (M3)
Additional Authors: Qays Aljab (M3); Mariam Omar (M2); Ali Albalakhi (M2); George Chen (M2); Harris Bolus (M3)
“The Prevalence and Effect of Misinformation About Birth Control on TikTok”
Presenting Author: Kaitlyn Riggins (M1)
Additional Author: Jung Hwa Choi, Ph.D.
“Time to Revascularization and Clinical Outcomes in Acute Limb Ischemia”
Presenting Author: Jensen Hammons (M2)
“Implementing Health-Equity Checklists in OB/GYN Outpatient Care”
Presenting Author: Brianna Gilner (M2)
Additional Author: Candice Holliday, J.D., M.D.
“Characterizing the Success of the Difficult Catheter Insertion Protocol”
Presenting Author: Abby Castillo (M2)
Additional Author: Christian Manganti, M.D. (PGY1)
“Antibiotic Impregnated Calcium Sulphate Beads in Spine Surgery: An Analysis of 61 Consecutive Patients”
Presenting Author: Charles Ogles (M2)
Additional Authors: Richard Menger M.D.; Garrett Dyess (M1); Ryan Mumford (M2); Adnan Shahid, M.D. (PGY8); Maxon Bassett (M3); Danner Butler (M4)
“Post-Intubation Hypotension in Isolated Traumatic Brain Injury”
Presenting Author: Chase Jordan (M2)
Additional Authors: Jay Herrin (M2); Lee Givens (M2); Yann-Leei Larry Lee M.D.; Steven Miller M.D.; Thomas Capasso, M.D.; Maryann Mbaka, M.D.; Christopher Kinnard, M.D.; Andrew C. Bright, D.O.; Ashley Williams, M.D.; Nathan Polite, D.O.; Jon Simmons, M.D.
“The Impact of Psychosocial Factors on Ovarian Cancer Patient Outcomes”
Presenting Author: Victoria Pitruzzello (M2)
“Genomic Landscapes and Prognostic Signatures in Endometrial Cancer”
Presenting Author: Joseph Tucker (M2)
Additional Authors: Victoria Pitruzzello (M2)
“Barriers and Enablers to Integrating Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) in a Primary Care Student-Run Free Clinic”
Presenting Author: Isabella Dinelli (M3)
Additional Authors: Thomas Robinson (M3); Roger Smith (M2); Rogan Sullivan, MPH (M2), Christopher Musselwhite, M.D.
“Analyzing Follow-Up Rates and Visit Patterns Among Patients at a Student-Run Free Clinic”
Presenting Author: Thomas Robinson (M3)
Additional Authors: Isabella Dinelli (M3); Rogan Sullivan, MPH (M2); Roger Smith (M2); Allen Perkins, M.S. (M3)
“Resistance Exercise Elicits Sex-Specific Improvements in Cognition But Not Brain Blood Flow”
Presenting Author: Christian Cooper (M2)
Additional Authors: Genevieve B. Batman; Nicholas R. Cooper; Miranda K. Traylor; Kyndall V. Ransom; Benjamin D. Hill, Ph.D.
“Tube Thoracostomy Output and Likelihood of Complications After Removal”
Presenting Author: Lee Givens (M2)
Additional Authors: C. Caleb Butts, M.D.; Chase Jordan (M2); Jay Herrin (M2)
“ChatGPT-4 Omni Performance in USMLE Disciplines and Clinical Skills: Comparative Analysis”
Additional Authors: Danner Butler (M4); Garrett Dyess (M1)
