Family Medicine Clerkship Student Projects

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  Safer Prescription Opioid Use in the Greater Danbury Area

  Ying K. Loo

  Short-term Project

  Opioid use disorder continues to be a major public health concern worldwide, with over 16 million people affected, and is associated with increased health care costs, reduced quality of life, lost productivity, and loss of life due to opioid overdose deaths. The neurobiology and susceptibility for opioid dependence and addiction is not well-understood by patients, and the lack of understanding of the safe use of prescription opioid regarding its intended effect of pain-relief versus other potential side effects and withdrawal symptoms may lead to misuse. This community health improvement project aims to empower patients and their family members to better understand indications for opioid use, improve awareness of potential for addiction, how to recognize signs and symptoms of misuse, and how to manage their opioid use through safe storage and disposal practices.

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  Patient Education for Proper Inhaler Administration in Richmond, VT

  Jessica M. Lucas

  Short-term Project
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  Improving the Assessment of Patient Dietary Choices

  Jiayi Luo

  Short-term Project

  Asking about a patient's diet has always been a critical part of primary care wellness visits, as well as in managing chronic medical problems like hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. However, patient responses when asked to recall their diet is time-consuming, subjective, and can even be uncomfortable. This project aims to create a qualitative and objective tool for patients to report back their dietary habits. This project will 1) create a short dietary questionnaire for patients in Newtown Primary care and 2) assess for patient receptiveness to sharing dietary habits through said questionnaire.

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  Improving Polypharmacy and Medication Review in the Elderly

  Caleb P. Maness

  Short-term Project

  Polypharmacy in elderly patients increases risk of adverse drug events, which can cause health and functional impairment, necessitating considerate medication review. Many patients do not remember the names or doses of their medications when asked in the office. To successfully deprescribe and avoid adverse drug events, we need accurate medication information. By asking elderly patients to bring all of their medications to each visit, we can ensure the most accurate information possible.

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  Discussing Firearm Safety with New Parents: Utilizing major life events to positively impact a polarizing public health challenge

  Caitlin E. Marassi

  Short-term Project

  Childhood deaths from firearms have increased in recent years. Those living in more rural areas are more likely to own a firearm. Only 49% of Vermont households store a weapon locked and unloaded in their home, though that number is slightly higher for households with children (63%). This project discusses the issue of broaching the topic of firearm safety with parents of young children.

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  Managing Constipation: A Community-Level Intervention in Newtown, CT

  Weida Ma

  Short-term Project

  The prevalence of chronic constipation in adults is 10-15%. Constipation is associated with a lower quality of life and poorer psychological well-being. This goal of this project was to perform a community-level intervention by creating a pamphlet detailing first-line lifestyle modification and over-the-counter laxatives for the treatment of consitpation to be handed out at a primary care office in Newtown, CT.

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  Community Doula Resources in Vermont

  Grace Merritt

  Short-term Project

  Doulas are an important but underutilized resource in the perinatal period. This project explores the benefits of doula care and provides resources for patients and providers at the UVMMC Family Medicine - South Burlington clinic. The result of this project was to produce an Epic dot phrase that providers can use and share with patients. This project concludes by addressing limitations of doula care and provides suggestions for follow-up and future projects.

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  Healthcare Against Exploitation: Empowering Clinics to Identify and Support Human Trafficking Survivors

  Daniel Mitchell

  Short-term Project
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  Increasing Provider Awareness Around Siblings of Individuals With Intellectual and/or Developmental Disability (IDD)

  Louisa Moore

  Short-term Project

  Siblings of individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) are not often thought of as a group that needs support in the primary care setting. However, the literature on siblings demonstrates that they have a variety of needs, including support with future planning, caregiving, and their mental and physical health. This project aims to increase awareness of the unique experiences of siblings as well as suggest changes that can be implemented in primary care to provide better support.

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  Creating a community-centered zine to communicate options for alleviating bottom dysphoria in transgender patients

  Hunter Myers

  Short-term Project
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  Surgical and Non-surgical Gender Euphoria Options for Bottom Dysphoria

  Hunter Myers and Neeki Parsa

  Short-term Project
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  Interpreting Your Cholesterol Panel – A Patient-Centered Infographic

  Kadi Nguyen

  Short-term Project

  While lipid panels are a staple of lab work for patients receiving annual wellness exams, many patients struggle to interpret their results and understand how cholesterol levels play a major role in their health. This project will center upon the creation of an easily accessible, straightforward infographic/guide designed to educate patients on the purpose of a cholesterol panel, the meaning of the results they receive, and recommended lifestyle modifications to optimize lipid levels.

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  Aging and exercising gracefully

  Karena P. Nguyen

  Short-term Project

  Exercise and physical therapy are concerns among patients experiencing menopause and patients who near the age of menopause. Newtown Primary Care serves a population, whose census indicates an aging population. An interdisciplinary pamphlet on weight-bearing exercises and community resources for the peri- and postmenopausal population was developed with input from physical therapists and doctors.

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  Promoting fluoride varnish in non-fluoridated communities, Greenfield MA

  Leland Nguyen

  Short-term Project

  Community water fluoridation has been shown to save money, both for families and the health care system. Fluoride benefits children and adults throughout their lives; leading to fewer and less severe cavities, fewer fillings and extractions, less pain and suffering from tooth decay. This project looks into the public sentiment in Greenfield, MA surrounding fluoride and works to promote fluoride varnish treatment at doctors visits for children ages 6 months to 5 years of age. Also included is an information sheet with an oral health questionnaire that would help guide patients and physicians towards better oral health.

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  Assessing Adherence with Naloxone Prescription Guidelines for Chronic Pain Patients: Recommendations for Improvement

  Elizabeth O'Neill

  Short-term Project

  Although the Vermont statute governing prescription of opioids for chronic pain states that patients taking over 90 morphine milliequivalents daily or opioids with a benzodiazepine should receive a naloxone prescription, there is no mechanism within the Chronic Opioid Protocol report at Colchester Family Medicine to assess adherence to that policy. This project sought to determine if there is a gap between patients who should receive a prescription and patients who have a prescription to see if there is a need to alter the Chronic Opioid Protocol or provide greater monitoring to ensure patient safety while on opioids for chronic pain.

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  Pediatric Firearm Safety: Education for Caregivers

  Brittney Palermo

  Short-term Project
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  Creating a community-centered zine to communicate options for alleviating bottom dysphoria in transgender patients

  Neeki Parsa

  Short-term Project
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  Xylazine as an Emerging Risk in Vermont: Harm Reduction for Primary Care Providers and Patients

  David J. Patlak

  Short-term Project

  Xylazine, a sedative primarily used in large animals, has emerged as an increasingly prevalent adulterant in the illicit opioid supply in the state of Vermont. Xylazine use poses significant health risks to individuals who use illicit substances due to increased risk of overdose in conjunction with opioids and chronic injury, especially skin ulceration and necrosis. This project focused on increasing education and awareness around xylazine in opioid user populations and primary care providers who work with these patients. The project's outcomes and effectiveness will be evaluated through assessments and feedback from healthcare providers. By equipping healthcare professionals and patients with knowledge and resources, this intervention will contribute to reducing the adverse health outcomes associated with xylazine use, thereby improving patient care and public health in the state of Vermont.

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  Increasing Awareness of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and RSV Immunizations

  Joanna Pierce

  Short-term Project

  Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common seasonal respiratory virus that can cause severe respiratory infection in infants, young children, and older adults. Recently, the FDA approved RSV vaccines and monoclonal antibody products to help protect individuals at risk of developing severe infection. Since these approvals, there has been an increase in questions about RSV and immunizations from patients and healthcare professionals. This project aimed to create educational materials about RSV and immunization guidelines, safety, and efficacy for patients and healthcare staff. The goal of these educational materials was to increase awareness of RSV, increase discussions between healthcare providers and patients about RSV and immunizations, and to increase RSV immunization rates among at risk populations.

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  Using narrative medicine to address healthcare stigma in Washington County, Vermont

  Finlay Pilcher

  Short-term Project

  Stigma is a barrier to good health for people with certain medical conditions and non-medical circumstances. The purpose of this project is to use stories from members of the Washington County Community to advocate for the use of narrative medicine to mitigate healthcare stigma. A 10-minute recording was shared of an interview with someone with opioid use disorder during the presentation. Afterwards, healthcare professionals were asked whether the presentation, including the recording, impacted their percetion of narrative medicine and its clinical utility.

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  Assisting Rural MAT Patients Through Peer Social Support

  Anthony Plochocki

  Short-term Project

  Throughout the COVID19 Pandemic, there has been a spike in opioid relapse and opioid overdose related death. This problem, though multifactorial, can be attributed to lack of social outlets for MAT patients. Now that different social support groups are reopening, there is a greater emphasis placed on groups for patients suffering with alcoholism rather than those suffering from opioid addiction. This project hopes to plant the seeds for group therapy for MAT patients, giving them a social outlet with the hopeful outcome assisting patients with forming non-user networks.

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  Community resilience in Vermont after the 2023 flooding event

  Alex Poniz

  Short-term Project

  Between July 10th-11th 2023 Vermont experienced catastrophic flooding after receiving prolonged heavy rainfall of up to 9” over 48 hrs. Damage from the 2023 event rivals the historic destruction of Hurricane Irene in 2011 and is exceeded only by the Great Vermont Flood of 1927, an event predating modern flood controls. We collected oral histories from Vermonters to better understand their lived experience of the flood and its impacts, and identifed common themes related to community and individual resilience.

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  Implementing a Patient Resource Guide on Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) at a Connecticut Primary Care Practice

  Mahima R. Poreddy

  Short-term Project

  Intimate partner violence is an ongoing public health crisis in the United States. According to the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, nearly 39,000 victims were served in 2021, which was a 5% increase from the year prior. As intimate partner violence continues to affect numerous lives in Connecticut and across the nation, the risks of seeking assistance in these situations prevent those experiencing domestic violence from accessing support services. The cost of intimate partner violence can range from an increase in health care utilization to restricted access to safe housing. The Ridgefield Primary Care practice does not currently have educational materials or resources displayed regarding domestic violence or sexual assault. By designing a brochure on intimate partner violence, primary care patients will have increased awareness of local and national services. The patient resource guide highlights how to identity intimate partner violence, including emotional abuse as well as physical or sexual abuse. By increasing awareness on this subject and including contact information to access support, patients are better equipped to seek assistance safely and connect with their medical provider.

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  Bridging Cultural Barriers to Perinatal Mental Health Care in New Americans

  Madeline Yvette Powell

  Short-term Project

  Perinatal mental health outcomes are worse in New Americans, particularly in refugee patients. Mental health stigma and cultural differences in views on mental illness impact New Americans’ willingness to discuss mental health concerns with healthcare workers. This is in addition to language barriers, time constraints, financial barriers, and general mistrust of medical professionals.

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  Improving Knowledge of Contraceptive Options in Teenage Male Populations

  Anthony Quach

  Short-term Project

  Despite a plethora of contraception available on the market, nearly 50% of pregnancies in Vermont are unintended. Currently, most educational initiatives aimed at improving contraceptive usage are targeted towards individuals with uteruses, and not their partners with penises. Both qualitative and quantitative data suggest that there are significant gaps in this latter population’s knowledge about contraception for various reasons like limited contraceptive education within formal sexual education in schools, lack of parental and/or physician discussions about contraception, and various complex social and cultural factors. This intervention aims to bridge the knowledge gap in this population by using an educational pamphlet. Improving the awareness and understanding of contraception options in populations who do not actively use contraception may help partners have more open and informed discussions that lead to more consistent contraceptive use.