7th annual Independent Investigative Inquiry Poster Presentations bring students awards and recognition

by WWAMI  |   

Students from the WWAMI School of Medicine and the UAA/ISU Doctor of Pharmacy program took part in the 7th annual Independent Investigative Inquiry Poster Presentations on Nov. 7, 2022. The celebration of scholarly work drew community, faculty, and staff together to learn more about the hypothesis-driven research and Rural Underserved Opportunities Program (RUOP) projects conducted by students. The wide range of topics were relevant to communities across the state and reflected the diverse interests of members of the student body, who are well poised to innovate and move medicine forward in an equally wide range of domains.

A panel of judges assessed students' posters and presentations in each category and announced winners whose projects demonstrated excellence in research as well as projects selected to invite to present at the 2023 Western Medical Research Conference in Carmel, CA in January. Several teaching awards were also announced, honoring program faculty and clinical teachers who have made significant contributions to WWAMI's mission in supporting the next generation of doctors. Congratulations to the following students and faculty:

Abraham Correa-Medina

Scholarship of Discovery Poster Presentations Award

Abraham Correa-Medina, Interactions Between Raptor and Translation Genes Controlling Hypoxic Death

"Insert judge's quote about why they recognized this project"

Jessica presenting

Scholarship of Discovery Poster Presentations Award

Jessica Reisinger, Association Between Social Vulnerability and Neutrophillymphocyte Ratio

"Insert judge's quote about why they recognized this project"

Noelle Coniglio

RUOP Poster Presentation Award

Noelle Coniglio, Injury Prevention Through School-Based ATV Safety Education in Rural Alaska

"Insert judge's quote about why they recognized this project"

ALH Immunization Program

UAA/ISU Doctor of Pharmacy Award

Mary Spatafore, Duane Wood, Tristan Underwood, Joseph Diaz, David Besh, Retooling the AK Assisted Living Home Immunization Program: Refocusing on High Need Communities

"I think it is a very exciting and important project that provides a service to a underserved and often overlooked part of our community," said Dr. Kathy Young, Assistant Dean of the Alaska WWAMI School of Medical Education.

 

WWAMI Alaska Outstanding Clinical Teaching Award

Dr. Jon van Ravenswaay, Primary Care Practicum Preceptor and a RUOP (Rural and Underserved Opportunity Program) Preceptor, was awarded the WWAMI Alaska Outstanding Clinical Teaching Award in recognition of his excellence in Clinical Teaching in RUOP and the Primary Care Practicum. 

Ravenswaay is an E2009 WWAMI graduate who entered the profession of medicine with the idea to serve Alaskans in need. After training, he returned to Alaska and established the Mountain View View Urgent Care in 2018 to provide high quality medical care to the Mountain View community. He has successfully grown this clinic, adding 2 additional physicians and 2 physician associates.

In addition to all of this and despite a pandemic, Ravenswaay has found the time and energy to precept both Primary Care practicum and RUOP students in his clinic. His teaching skills have been recognized by students; they often express gratitude for the opportunities he has afforded to work with him as they practice their newly formed clinical skills. As expressed by one WWAMI student referencing his time with Ravenswaay, “My experience was awesome!” 

Dr van Ravenswaay – thank you for all that you do for our communities and for the WWAMI program. 

Shannon Uffenbeck

WWAMI Alaska Excellence in Teaching Award

Dr. Shannon Uffenbeck, professor academic support coordinator for Alaska's WWAMI School of Medical Education, was awarded the WWAMI Alaska Excellence in Teaching Award in recognition of her dedication to Medical Students and PreMedical students in academic support and advising. Uffenbeck was also invited to present on the topic, "Recognizing Anxiety in Our Learners," at the UW School of Medicine Center for Learning Innovation in Medical Education (CLIME). 

Uffenbeck joined the faculty at WWAMI in Dec. 2017 as the academic skills advisor. She has worked with multiple years of students as they transition from undergraduate to the intense and challenging medical school curriculum and prepare for their first professional licensing exam – Step 1. The fast pace and sheer quantity of material that WWAMI students are expected to master in a short period of time often requires rethinking basic study strategies and test taking skills. Uffenbeck’s success in guiding students through this has been recognized as Seattle students reach out to her, and as she was charged along with Dr. Karen McDonagh with developing a new Integration weeks for the entire UWSOM and the 5 state WWAMI program. 

Uffenbeck has been tirelessly active in the Pre Medical advising arena as demand for Committee letters have risen and with the new Post Bac Certificate in PreMedical studies, where she is working on assessment and is developing a new course offering to help students with MCAT preparation.

For all that you do for our pre medical and medical students – thank you.

  • Abraham

  • David Chen

  • Noelle Coniglio

  • Sophie Nethercut

  • Ian Richey

Invitations to present work at the 2023 Western Medical Research Conference

  • Abraham Correa- Medina, “Interactions Between Raptor and Translation Genes Controlling Hypoxic Death”
  • David Chen, “Cell-Free DNA Accurately Distinguish Visceral Metastases in Radium -223-Treated Prostate Cancer”
  • Noelle Coniglio, “Injury Prevention Through School-Based ATV Safety Education in Rural Alaska”
  • Sophie Nethercut, “Needles, Narcan, and Neighborhood Services: Reimagining Syringe Access in Ketchikan, Alaska”
  • Ian Richey, “Harm Reduction Strategies to Lower Opioid Mortality in Southcentral Alaska

 

All 2022 Independent Investigative Inquiry Poster Presentations

Rural Underserved Opportunity Program (RUOP) Projects

  • Gelsey Carmichael, Community-based Strategies to Prevent Adverse Childhood Events in Soldotna, AK; Kristen Lee, MD; Soldotna, Alaska
  • Christina Cho, Exploring the Clubhouse Model as an Approach to Supporting Single Adults Experiencing Homelessness and Serious Mental Illness in Anchorage, AK ; Jonathan M. Van Ravenswaay, MD; Anchorage, Alaska
  • Noelle Coniglio, Injury Prevention Through School-Based ATV Safety Education in Rural Alaska; Katherine Van Atta, PA-C, CNM; Naknek, Alaska
  • Daniel Head, Promoting Public Health in Cordova Alaska via Mental Engagement / Physical Activity; Paul Gloe, MD; Cordova, Alaska
  • Courtney Ibabao, Keep Our Children Healthy! Improving Children’s Vaccination Rates in the Bering Strait Region; Marc Levin, MD; Nome, Alaska
  • Audrey Juliussen, Self-measured Blood Pressure Monitoring to Address Hypertension on Kodiak Island; Elyse Pletnikoff, MD; Kodiak, Alaska
  • Sophie Nethercut, Needles, Narcan, and Neighborhood Services: Reimagining Syringe Access in Ketchikan, Alaska; Peter Rice, MD; Ketchikan, Alaska
  • Sagar Patel, Addressing Regional Substance use Recovery Through a Peer Support Mentor Program in Dillingham, Alaska; Ronald Talaga, MD; Dillingham, Alaska
  • Sarah Rasmussen-Rehkopf, Caring for Our Elders in Rural Communities; Lynn Prysunka, MD; Wrangell, Alaska
  • Ian Richey, Harm Reduction Strategies to Lower Opioid Mortality in Southcentral Alaska; Keith Kehoe, PA-C; Sunshine Community Health Center, Matanuska-Susitna Borough, Alaska
  • Romal Safi, Proper Continuous Glucose Monitor Use & Diabetic Episode Documentation; Travis King Weaver, MD; Anchorage, AK

Scholarship of Discovery

  • David Chen, Cell-Free DNA Accurately Distinguish Visceral Metastases in Radium -223-Treated Prostate Cancer; Gavin Ha, PhD, University of Washington School of Medicine Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington
  • Abraham Correa-Medina, Interactions Between Raptor and Translation Genes Controlling Hypoxic Death; Michael Crowder, MD, PhD; Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
  • Lauren Cuddihy, Prognostic Significance of Temporal Muscle Thickness in Patients with Low-grade IDH-mutant Astrocytomas; Jerome Graber, MD, MPH, FAAN; Department of Neurology University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
  • Ariana Gross, PrEP Awareness, Use, Willingness and Physician Engagement Across Sexually and Gender Diverse Veterans Who Use Drugs; Emily Williams PhD; MedSTAR, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
  • Thomas Hanks, Do Grit and Self-control Impact Outcomes Following Spine Surgery?; Sethi Rajiv, MD; Virginia Mason Center for Neurosciences and Spine; University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
  • Jessica Reisinger, Association Between Social Vulnerability and Neutrophillymphocyte Ratio (NLR) Among Men diagnosed with Localized Prostate Cancer; Jessica Hawley, MD; Medical Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, Washington
  • Madilyn Short, Evaluation of a HEPA Filtration Pilot Project on Alaska Native Communities; Rosalyn Singleton, MD; Clinical and Research Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, Alaska MD; Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington

UAA/ISU Doctor of Pharmacy Program

  • Madison Kalke , PHARM-BLT: Increasing Pharmacist’s in Healthcare Access to Resources through Medical Billing Learning / Teaching Forum: Bringing in the Bacon; Tom Wadsworth – Pharm D; Elaine Nguyen Pharm D, MPH; Amy Paul Pharm D; Brandy Seignemartin -Pharm D; Renee Robinsons, Pharm D, MPH, MSPharm, MBA
  • Tristan Underwood, Hojung Jang , ADAPT RX: Academic Detailing Aimed at Provider Training for Safe Opioid Use; Megan Penner, Pharm D
  • Annie Enderle, Jessica Goodman, Jiyoung Park, Student-Pharmacist Outreach, Hands-on-Training, and Community Engagement; Renee Robinson, PharmD, MPH, MSPharm, MBA
  • Mary Spatafore, Duane Wood, Tristan Underwood, Joseph Diaz, David Besh, Retooling the AK Assisted Living Home Immunization Program: Refocusing on High Need Communities; Renee Robinson, PharmD, MPH, MSPharm, MBA
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