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.

Printing is not supported at the primary Gallery Thumbnail page. Please first navigate to a specific Image before printing.

Switch View to Grid View Slideshow

Headphones and Adolescents: Hearing Loss Prevention

Taylor Sommer
Short-term Project
Headphone use of adolescents is on the rise due to increased availability of personal listening devices. Hearing loss has also increased in adolescents. This project aims at preventing noise-induced hearing loss by educating adolescents on proper use of headphones.
Promotion of Skin Protection in Children in Waterbury, VT

Kelsey M. Sullivan
Short-term Project
Background: Vermont has among the highest rates of skin cancer in the nation. Between 2001 and 2005, Vermont had the highest incidence of melanoma of any state, 63% higher than the national average. It is also estimated that if children under 18 regularly used sunscreen of at least SPF 15, the incidence of squamous and basal cell carcinomas would decrease by 78%. Modeling by the EPA and CDC suggests that recommended sun protection measures could prevent 11,000 cases of skin cancer, 50 deaths, and $30 million in cancer treatment costs nationwide. Intervention: To create an information sheet on skin protection and skin cancer prevention to be included in well-child visits at the Waterbury Health Center. Method: I integrated state-specific data, national data, and epidemiologic facts about the risks of sun exposure and other risks for skin cancer with recommendations made by the UVM Dermatology residents who I interviewed, in order to create a brief yet fairly comprehensive fact sheet on skin protection in children.
Improving Breastfeeding in New American Communities of Burlington, VT

Amelia V. Tajik
Short-term Project
Community Health Centers of Burlington (CHCB), a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), provides healthcare services including social work and financial assistance to these New American communities. The flagship site, Riverside, provides a specialized OB clinic where many of these community women obtain prenatal and postnatal care. Continuing to understand the barriers these communities and families face in providing the recommended healthcare to their newborns allows mission-driven CHCB to most effectively communicate, support, and effectively direct resources to these barriers. Barriers and challenges to breastfeeding were identified during this rotation through confidential interactions with patients, shared with the staff and providers at CHCB.
Management of Prenatal Depression

Soraiya Thura
Short-term Project
Depression affects many women during and after pregnancy. As many as 1 in 5 women will experience a depressive episode during their pregnancy, however, studies have shown that less than 20% of these women will discuss their symptoms with their healthcare provider and receive care. Barriers to treatment include poor screening, lack of understanding about safe treatment, and stigma against mental illness in pregnant women. This project aimed to address this issue locally, by presenting to a group of family medicine providers in Vermont on the topic of prenatal depression screening and treatment. The presentation was received well and developed further discussion on research looking into maternal depression at this site.
A Patient's Perspective on Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms

Curran Uppaluri
Short-term Project
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have been increasing in incidence and prevalence in the United States. With a large annual health care cost, an association with a significantly reduced quality of life, and an aging population, LUTS is increasingly becoming more of a burden on the health care system. The American Urological Association created a symptom index in 1992 that assesses for the severity of seven LUTS associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia. This project seeks to address the question of which symptoms from the index score are more common; whether certain symptoms are more concerning from a patient’s perspective.
Tackling Healthy Food Insecurity in Vermont’s Windham County

Marc J. Vecchio
Short-term Project
The goal of this community project was to help bring healthy, nutritious food to underserved community members in Windham County, Vermont. It was designed to be an extension of the Vermont Foodbank's VeggieVanGo program, supplying fresh produce to those who cannot afford it. It was also designed to educate local businesses regarding available tax reductions for those who donate food to families in need.
Intimate Partner Violence in Immigrant/Refugee Populations

Lisa H. Wang
Short-term Project
Intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common type of violence affecting women. Globally, Central Africa and South Asia have some of the highest rates of IPV. In Vermont, the majority of refugees are from these regions. Individual, interpersonal, and especially cultural values play critical roles in the definition/appraisal and decision to seek help in these women. This study examines ways to mitigate challenges that healthcare professionals have in identifying women who need help and barriers preventing these women from seeking help.
E-Cigarette Prevention Among Vermont Youth

Tyler W. Wark
Short-term Project
E-cigarettes are increasingly used by U.S. adolescents, a trend that is particularly troublesome from a public health perspective because they have been linked to conventional tobacco smoking. In Vermont, recent data from 2015 reports that 30% of high school students ever used electronic vapor products. At present the scientific, regulatory, and lay communities all have a dearth of quality information regarding e-cigarettes and their potential adverse health effects. This school-based intervention aims to promote awareness and educate at-risk youth in the Milton School District about e-cigarettes through an educational fact sheet and health blog post.
Approaching Refusal of Colorectal Cancer Screening

Greg Whitcher
Short-term Project
This project aimed to investigate the reasons why patients refuse colonoscopy, the screening rates for colonoscopy, alternatives to colonoscopy and methods primary care physicians can use to encourage patients to have colorectal cancer screening.
Expanding Access to Dental Care for Patients on Suboxone

Nathan E. White
Short-term Project
Those using Suboxone® for medication-assisted treatment for opioid dependence are at increased risk for poor oral health for a variety of reasons including lifestyle factors, effects of opioids and the direct impact of Suboxone® on the oral environment. Medication assisted addiction treatment programs do not regularly address these concerns. This project aims to educate patients about the importance of oral health, remind providers to screen for dental issues and make referrals for dental care and to promote oral health as an important aspect of well being in this vulnerable population
Nutrition and Exercise Resources for Clinton County

Paige M. Wood
Short-term Project
The obesity epidemic is a nation wide problem that has increased prevalence in Clinton County, NY when compared to the surrounding areas. Obesity leads to many co-morbid health conditions and is associated with a large increase in health care spending costs. This brochure tackles the limited resources, such as limited number of fitness centers, lack of nutrition education and an overall lower socioeconomic status, that is present in the Clinton County area. This brochure offers help in these areas through free phone applications which cover nutrition education, healthy shopping guidance, at home exercise routines, motivation, habit trackers and mindfulness exercises.
Promoting Awareness of Resources Available at Syringe Exchanges in Windsor County, VT

Erica Worswick
Short-term Project
Heroin addiction is a problem nationwide, and is especially prevalent in the state of Vermont. Individuals who inject heroin are at risk of infection with HIV or hepatitis C, and of death by heroin overdose. Currently, two syringe exchange sites operate in Windsor County in Vermont, located in White River Junction, VT, and Springfield, VT. These programs distribute clean syringes to prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis C, sharps containers to promote safe disposal of dirty needles, and naloxone to prevent deaths from opioid overdose. They also provide testing for HIV and hepatitis C and information regarding local resources for treatment and recovery from substance abuse. This project aimed to increase awareness of the resources available at syringe exchange sites in Windsor County by means of a pamphlet distributed to clients of these programs.
Caring for Caregivers: Addressing Caregiver Burden in Newtown, Connecticut

Zachary Wunrow
Short-term Project
In 2015, thirty-four million Americans provided unpaid care to an adult 50 years or older. Due to an aging population and an increased number of individuals living with chronic disease, the niche that caregivers occupy in healthcare administration will only become more invaluable in the coming years. However, studies demonstrate that one-third of caregivers report a high burden of care, and these stresses are accompanied by documented health risks including higher rates of depression, insomnia, and all-cause mortality. This project aims to increase awareness about caregiver burden via a pamphlet for caregivers listing local resources that may alleviate burden, and a presentation to healthcare providers at Newtown Primary Care.
Screening Youth for Suicide Risk in Middle School Setting

Nina Xue
Short-term Project
Depression and suicide ideation is a concern among the middle school population in Rutland County, VT. Youths who experience suicidal ideation are more likely to plan and/or attempt suicide later on in life. Standardized suicide screening and educational pamphlets would aid school counselors working with at risk students.
E-Cigarettes: What Primary Care Providers Need to Know

Jennifer S. Albert
Short-term Project
E-cigarettes are gaining in popularity, yet our understanding of their health effects remains uncertain. Many people believe that they can aid in smoking cessation, however the evidence is inconclusive. The conflicting information in the public media has led some providers in Central Vermont to recommend e-cigarettes to their patients. This intervention aims to educate primary care providers about e-cigarettes by creating and distributing a fact sheet that can guide patient-provider interactions.
Hematuria Awareness for Patients

David Arsanious
Short-term Project
In the United States, cancer of the urinary bladder is the most common malignancy of the urinary system, and in the state of Vermont, the prevalence of bladder cancer exceeds that of the nation. The marked discrepancies in outcomes between different stages in bladder cancer represents an exceptional opportunity for improving cure rates by way of strenthening patients' motivation to present to their PCP for evaluation. The most common presentation of patients with bladder cancer is painless hematuria. As such, this project has produced a public service awareness poster that could be adapted for presentation in a variety of print, electronic, and public space media. Furthermore, translation of the text of the poster into Arabic, French, Nepali, Somali, and Spanish is expected to be of significant benefit to those communities which make up visible minorities in the greater Burlington, VT area.
Vermont Concerns and Trends in the SBFP Sub-populations

Paul C. Baresel IV
Short-term Project
Analysis of specific vaccination trends over a 1 month period at South Burlington Family Practice.
Energy, Nutrition, and Exercise: An Effort to Prevent Childhood Obesity in Vermont

Eric Franklin Bennett
Short-term Project
Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the United States affecting 17% of all children. In Vermont 12.5% of children are obese. This carries increased risk for many health problems and an increased cost of medical care averaging $19,000 per obese child over a lifetime. This project aims to teach children about healthy food choices and exercise.
Patient Education: Airway Viral Infections in Danbury CT

Aniruddha Bhattacharyya
Short-term Project
Viruses are the most common cause of respiratory infections, and the most common illness encountered by patients. Antibiotics are frequently requested by the patient to treat viral infections, and efforts by physicians to educate patients on the inefficacy of this treatment plan is often unsuccessful.
Caught Between the Lines

Moshe Bitterman
Short-term Project
The Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patient care experiences, and reduce health care cost.This project, conducted at the Hardwick Area Health Center, focused on quality improvement by exploring the patient experience in communicating with the health center by telephone.
Access to Diet and Exercise Resources

Andrea Blood
Short-term Project
In Vermont, about 22% of adults are obese, which has led to many medical co-morbidities and costs the state an estimate of $141 million annually. It is well known that diet and exercise can help tackle this problem yet the vast majority of obese adults do not meet CDC guidelines for physical activity level. This project aims to evaluate barriers and access to diet and exercise resources in a subset of obese patients in Waterbury, VT.
Wellness Resources for Colchester Vermont's Senior Population

Shannon R. Brady
Short-term Project
Vermont's elderly population (>65 years old) is growing rapidly- by 2032, almost 25% of the VT population will be >65. 90% of seniors in VT wish to age in place in their homes. Healthcare providers in VT could play an integral role in connecting seniors who are looking to remain active and involved in their community to resources. Older adults who are connected have a higher level of functional health and increased life satisfaction. Goal was to create a pamphlet highlighting services and activities that can fulfill three meaningful areas of VT senior's lives to help them to continue leading healthy, independent lives. Three areas including: wellness, social enrichment and volunteering.
Increasing Patient Understanding & Provider Awareness of Pap Smears

Stephanie Alexis Brooks
Short-term Project
Pap smear rates are lower than perceived by many primary care providers, and women refuse or miss pap smears for a variety of reasons. This project investigated both reasons for which women miss or refuse pap smears and ways in which physicians can increase pap smear rates, create a more positive environment during the pap smear experience, and more effectively communicate with patients about pap smears. Intervention consisted of an informational flyer about pap smears for female patients.
Vitamin D Screening and Supplementation

Christina Cahill
Short-term Project
Vitamin D helps protect against osteoporosis (by promoting calcium absorption), moderates cell growth, aids in neuromuscular and immune function and reduces inflammation. However, there is insufficient data to access the benefits and harms for screening for Vitamin D deficiency. This study looks at current recommendations for Vitamin D screening and aims to provide information to providers and patients about Vitamin D.
Understanding Opioid Addiction and Relpase Risks for Patients in an Office Based Buprenorphine Treatment Program

Rachel E. Carlson
Short-term Project
Opioid abuse is a serious problem in Maine with a societal cost of 1.4 billion dollars. Buprenorphine has been used as an office based treatment for addiction management. In Maine there is a provider shortage for substance abuse and a large need in the community for treatment. In fact there were 272 deaths in 2015 attributed to overdose. It is important that once patients begin treatment they remain in treatment without relapse. At EMMC Center for Family Medicine we explored risks for relapse from the provider perspective, patient perspective, and retrospective chart analysis in order to guide future interventions at this treatment program.