Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

These projects were completed by students in the University of Vermont Family Medicine Clerkship. Block Clerkship Projects were completed during a five-week period, while Longitudinal Clerkship Projects were completed over the course of a 12-month longitudinal clerkship.

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Clinic in the Community Outreach

Andries Feder
Short-term Project
Improving Mental Health Among Residents of Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, by Facilitating Access to Exercise-Related Resources

Jonathan Palmer Fee
Short-term Project
Mental illness represents a significant public health challenge, particularly in rural areas like Androscoggin County, Maine, which faces high rates of depression, sedentary lifestyles, and a shortage of behavioral health providers. Addressing these interconnected issues is crucial for improving community well-being. This project aimed to empower residents of Lewiston-Auburn to enhance their mental health through increased physical activity, offering a cost-effective intervention independent of clinical infrastructure limitations. The intervention involved creating and distributing a two-sided, three-leaf informational pamphlet at the Central Maine Medical Center Family Medicine Residency Clinic. Written at a basic reading level, the pamphlet educates readers on the multi-factorial mental health benefits of exercise, cites official activity recommendations, and provides a compiled list of accessible, low-cost local and online physical activity resources. This resource is available for patients to take or can be provided by clinicians, streamlining patient education on exercise benefits and resources. Direct measurement of the intervention's impact is ongoing due to the project timeline. However, initial feedback from clinicians indicates the pamphlet has potential to increase access to exercise-related resources. The project hypothesizes that providing this accessible information will lead to increased physical activity among some readers, subsequently yielding mental health improvements such as reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, improved mood, and stress reduction. While acknowledging limitations such as the pamphlet's inherent inability for personalization, this project offers a valuable, immediate step towards addressing urgent community health needs where resources are scarce. Future directions could explore broader health benefits or target specific populations.
HTN in Hinesburg: Improving Patient Management of Hypertension

Jacquelyn Ferguson
Short-term Project
One in four Vermont adults have been told they have hypertension. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases risk for heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in the U.S. and in Vermont. Lifestyle changes that can improve hypertension may include changing eating habits. This project focused on improving patient management of blood pressure through education and outreach efforts in Hinesburg, VT.
Prevention Through Education: Advancing Women’s Health Through Screening Awareness

Emma Fleming
Short-term Project
Preventive healthcare is essential in improving women’s health outcomes, yet adherence to screening guidelines remains inconsistent, partly due to rapidly evolving recommendations. To address this challenge, this patient-friendly handout was created outlining essential screening guidelines, their purpose, and the appropriate timing based on age and risk factors. This resource was designed to empower individuals to participate actively in their preventive care, highlighting the importance of accessible health information and the role of patient education in bridging gaps in healthcare delivery.
Chronic Pain Management in Primary Care: Adaptive Sports in Medicine

Lindsey A. Gleason
Short-term Project
Chronic pain affects over 50 million adults in the U.S., contributing to reduced quality of life, poor mental health and increased healthcare utilization. Primary care physicians (PCPs) play a critical role in managing chronic pain through both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic means. While there is a need for more robust research on the impact of exercise on chronic pain conditions, data suggests that exercise is likely to result in improvements in pain and function through breaking the cycle of pain, sedentary behavior, and worsening disability. This project aims to connect patients living with chronic pain with Vermont Adaptive, a nationally recognized organization that empowers individuals with disabilities through inclusive sports and recreational programming. To streamline referrals, a dedicated EPIC dot phrase (.chronicpainadaptsport) has been developed, enabling PCPs to efficiently promote physical activity in a supportive, accessible environment.
AI-Powered Meal Planning: A Community Health Initiative

Anna Gorbacheva
Short-term Project
Vermonters face high levels of food insecurity, with residents of Washington County being disproportionately affected. The Vermont Foodbank is an organization that works in collaboration with local food shelves to distribute food directly to the community. The Waterbury Common Market is a food shelf that serves the Waterbury, Vermont area. Patrons of the food shelf may struggle to create balanced, nutritious recipes out of the rotating items available at a given time. The goal of this project was to develop a user-friendly template for clients to input food shelf items and home ingredients into ChatGPT, generating recipes with step-by-step instructions and allowing for modifications to be made for different kitchen appliances. While implementation of the template has not yet begun, the project may ultimately help people create nutritious meals from available food, reduce food waste, and improve dietary quality as well as increase valuable time for people utilizing the resource. Future projects may aim to translate the template into multiple languages as well as conduct surveys to assess the efficacy of the intervention.
Accessing and Utilizing Medical Interpreters in a Rural Setting

Michael Greenberg
Short-term Project
Medical interpreters are a vital resource for people with limited English-proficiency (LEP) but can be under utilized in rural settings. This project aims to provide interprofessional education in accessing and utilizing medical interpreters in a rural primary care clinic.
Suboxone Starter Guide: Essentials for Healthcare Providers

Molly Greenblat
Short-term Project
Suboxone is an affordable, effective, and frequently prescribed medication in the primary care setting. There are many anticipated challenges for patients who initiate medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with suboxone. Having guidance for providers in a single, accessible location has the potential to improve provider confidence with suboxone prescription as well as patient outcomes with MAT.
Bridging the Gap in Mental Health Training of First Responders

Tyler Hastings
Short-term Project
Recent studies have identified a mismatch in the amount of training first responders receive regarding the evaluation, treatment, and transport of patients with psychiatric conditions.

Therein lies the need institute a training system of first responders to include topics of mental illness.
Addressing the Language Barrier

Steven M. Hepp
Short-term Project
There is never enough time for patient education during office visits, this is especially true when using a translator service. Digital resources in many languages could now help improve patient education and outcomes.
Hypertension in Brazilian-diaspora Americans

Michael Hermanto and Michael Hermanto
Short-term Project
Brazilian Americans represent an underserved population at risk for undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension. Despite evidence of need, there is a striking absence of U.S.-based research focused on this group. Community-engaged research and targeted interventions—such as bilingual screening programs and cost-access initiatives—are urgently needed to address disparities and reduce the public health burden of hypertension in this growing community.
The Silent Shift: Making Sense of Perimenopause and Menopause

Mikayla N. Howie
Short-term Project
This community health project explores the spectrum of menopause, focusing on the often overlooked transitional period of perimenopause and the long-term impact of postmenopausal changes on brain health. Through interviews with experts in reproductive health and infertility, cognitive psychology, and the patient perspective; this project highlights major education gaps and opportunities for early intervention. A two-pronged approach was implemented by providing relevant education on both breast cancer risk related to HRT and menopause-associated cognitive decline, empowering patients to make informed decisions about their health during this transition. The goal is to increase awareness, promote proactive counseling, and advocate for more inclusive, lifespan-informed health practices.
Stay Steady: Medications and Fall Prevention for Older Adults

Syed Jafri
Short-term Project
Falls related to medication use are a significant public health concern among older adults, resulting in substantial morbidity and healthcare costs. This community health project involved creating an educational pamphlet targeted to older residents of New Milford, Connecticut, outlining common medications known to increase fall risk and providing medication-specific strategies to mitigate these risks. The pamphlet highlighted drug classes such as antihypertensives, sedatives, opioids, and antidepressants, and offered practical advice, such as slow position changes to reduce orthostatic hypotension. The intervention aimed to increase awareness, promote safer medication practices, and ultimately reduce falls, injuries, and associated healthcare utilization in the elderly population.
Seated Exercise Program for Strength and Fall Prevention in Older Adults

Anthony Y. Jeong
Short-term Project
This project addressed the lack of structured exercise guidance for older adults with limited mobility by developing a two-page seated exercise program focused on strength and fall prevention. The handout was reviewed by a physical therapist assistant for safety, shared with patients at Newtown Primary Care, and taught in a workshop at Maplewood Assisted Living. Feedback showed participants found the exercises easy to follow, motivating, and helpful for staying active. This intervention provided a simple, accessible way to reduce fall risk and promote physical activity among older adults.
Understanding Provider Awareness of Sex Trafficking: Prevalence, Identification, Resources, and Documentation Practices at CVPH Family Medicine Center

Caroline L. Johnston
Short-term Project
This study aimed to assess the knowledge of healthcare professionals at the CVPH Family Medicine Center in Plattsburgh, NY, regarding the prevalence of sex trafficking, available resources, and documentation practices to ensure the safety of trafficking victims. Previous research has shown that over 60% of trafficked women interact with a healthcare provider while in captivity. Participants completed surveys before and after an educational intervention to measure changes in understanding. An in-person educational session was conducted for medical residents, while other healthcare staff received paper-based materials. Results demonstrated a clear increase in knowledge related to the prevalence of sex trafficking, identification of victims, resource provision, and safe documentation practices within the electronic medical record (EMR).
Concussion Reporting and Education: A Public Health Intervention

Nick Jowkar
Short-term Project
Abstract

Introduction:
Concussions are a common and serious injury in high school sports, yet underreporting remains a major barrier to timely diagnosis and care. Many student-athletes continue to play through symptoms due to poor understanding of risks or fear of letting down their team. Schools often lack standardized concussion education, especially in areas without robust athletic trainer (AT) support.

Methods:
This project developed and distributed an educational brochure aimed at student-athletes to improve awareness of concussion symptoms, risks, and the importance of self-reporting. The brochure was shared with local high school ATs, who were invited to complete a brief survey evaluating the current state of concussion education at their schools and their impressions of the brochure.

Results:
Of the 15 ATs contacted, 2 responded. Both reported that their schools do not offer formal concussion education. They rated their confidence that athletes understand concussion risks at 4 out of 5 but acknowledged encountering reluctance to report symptoms (3 out of 5). Both ATs indicated “Maybe” when asked if they would distribute the brochure, whether they felt it would help students better understand concussions, and if they would like additional resources.

Discussion:
Though limited in scale, the results highlight gaps in concussion education at the high school level and suggest interest in accessible tools like brochures to support ATs in delivering key information.

Conclusion:
This brochure is a small but practical step toward empowering student-athletes with knowledge and promoting safer reporting behaviors in sports environments lacking formal education programs.
Gender-Affirming Care Signage Pilot

Arya P. Kale
Short-term Project
In Vermont, LGBTQ+ adults are more likely to delay health care access than non-LGBTQ+ Vermonters. This project seeks to signal a comfortable and safe space at the South Burlington Family Medicine clinic to increase access to primary care for local trans- and gender diverse patients seeking gender affirming care.
Xylazine Test Strips: Harm Reduction in Chittenden County

Ruja Kambli
Short-term Project
Most opioid use disorder resources in Vermont are concentrated in Burlington. This project focused on harm reduction pertaining to the increase of xylazine-related fatalities in recent years. An educational brochure containing local test strip locations was created for the TCHC community and test strips were given to the office to raise awareness surrounding the opioid epidemic and the dangers of xylazine.
Assessing Patient Comfort when Discussing Mental Health Topics with Primary Care Providers

Kristin Karpowicz
Short-term Project
Mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression, remain critical public health issues. However, the extent to which individuals feel comfortable discussing these topics with their primary care providers (PCPs) varies by community. This study assesses the comfort levels of New Canaan, Connecticut, residents in discussing mental health issues with their PCPs and explores their awareness and use of third-party online platforms for obtaining prescriptions. A short electronic survey was distributed in a primary care clinic, with a subsequent paper survey to increase participation. Findings indicate that most respondents (75%) prefer in-person appointments for mental health discussions, and half have spoken to their PCP about anxiety or depression. Comfort levels were influenced by age, gender, and income, with older individuals and females reporting greater ease in discussing mental health concerns. Awareness of online prescription services was low, with only 14.3% of respondents having used such platforms. The study highlights the need for PCPs to initiate conversations about mental health and adapt their approach to patient preferences. Despite limitations such as a small sample size (n=20) and recruitment challenges, the findings offer valuable insights for improving mental health care accessibility in primary care settings. Future research should explore broader population samples and alternative recruitment strategies.
ADHD Diagnosis in Adults: When to Refer to a Specialist

Nicholas Q. Khoo
Short-term Project
Androscoggin County, Maine, faces a critical shortage in behavioral health care access. With a ratio of one primary care physician per 855 patients and one psychiatrist per 11,625, the need for accessible mental health services is urgent. The recent closure of Community Clinical Services (CCS) at St. Mary’s Hospital—one of the region’s primary psychiatric care providers—has further strained the system. Remaining facilities such as Central Maine Medical Center, Sweetser, and Spurwink are now experiencing increased demand, often resulting in months-long wait times for appointments.

A significant portion of behavioral health referrals in the area are for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a condition that can be diagnosed by a patient’s primary care provider. However, providers may lack confidence in making this diagnosis independently, contributing to unnecessary specialist referrals and delays in care.

To address this gap, a pocket-sized reference booklet was developed to support providers in diagnosing ADHD. The booklet outlines the diagnostic process and includes key questions to help differentiate ADHD from other conditions with overlapping symptoms. The goal is to distribute this resource to clinics throughout Lewiston and greater Androscoggin County, empowering providers to make timely, accurate diagnoses and ultimately improving access to behavioral health care in the region.
Bridging the Gap Between Milton Seniors and Community Resources

Sulekha Kilas
Short-term Project
Patient Education: Colorectal Cancer Screening

Grace Kim
Short-term Project
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the world with good prognosis if treated early, making routine screening essential. However, patients show reluctance to getting colonoscopies due in part to barriers in healthcare literacy, communication, and procedure discomfort.
Improving Access to Exercise in Rural Vermont

Oliver Karl Koch
Short-term Project
Residents of Essex and Orleans Counties face elevated rates of obesity and comorbid chronic diseases. This is at least in part due to lack of physical activity, which is complicated by exercise resources, harsh winters, geographic isolation, and high poverty rates. This project aimed to improve exercise accessibility by enhancing an existing patient education handout. Revisions included simplified language, seasonal activity suggestions, and exercise modifications for different fitness levels.
Maintaining Muscle Mass on GLP-1s

Sarah Krumholz
Short-term Project
Many patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists for weight loss or diabetes management experience a reduction in both fat and muscle mass. While weight loss can have significant metabolic benefits, the accompanying loss of muscle mass can lead to decreased strength, functional impairment, and long-term health risks. This project aims to address this gap by providing accessible, evidence-based resources to help patients maintain muscle mass through targeted nutrition and resistance exercise strategies.
Understanding Antibiotic Stewardship in the Outpatient Setting in Burlington, VT

Anna Landis
Short-term Project
There are more than 230 million antibiotic prescriptions sent annually to pharmacies in the United States, and more than 28% of outpatient prescriptions are not necessary. This leads to antibiotic resistance and increased healthcare cost. To mitigate this risk, antibiotic stewardship aims to correct provider and patient behavior to ensure that the right drug, at the right dose, for the right duration and the right indication are prescribed. This project focused on community perspectives on this issue as well as provided resources to a local community health center for patients and providers on information regarding common infections and when antibiotics should be utilized.