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Summer Science Program 2009
This summer, the Department of Pediatrics’ Summer Science Program provided 16 outstanding college students the experience of a career in academic medicine—in both the clinical and the research aspects. These students spent their summer shadowing physicians, attending rounds and clinics, and touring different hospital units, as well as participating in mentored research projects involving children’s health. Faculties from various pediatric subspecialties taught basic science and clinical research techniques and helped the students gain exposure to clinical medicine. In addition, the Summer Science Program hosted a lecture series focusing on various aspects of academic medicine, graduate school, medical school, residency, research, and clinical medicine for its participants. At the end of the program, each student gave a scientific presentation on his or her mentored research project.
Dr. Robert Fiser, Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics (1975 to 1994), created the Summer Science Program in 1989 to encourage Arkansas college students to pursue careers in medicine and science. Initially, a few college students worked in various research laboratories in the department. Throughout the history of this program, it has been funded using seed money from drug companies, then private companies and a medical clinic, and currently through the Department of Pediatrics and Arkansas Children’s Hospital Research Institute—testimony to the broad range of research and clinical support for this program. Currently, Joanne Szabo, MD, is the Director of the Summer Science Program and Jenny Kubacak is its Coordinator.
Since 1992, over 200 students and 100 pediatric research faculty members have participated in the program. This year, the program selected its 16 participants from 90 applications, and received the support of 17 faculty members serving as mentors. This year’s Summer Science students had an average GPA of 3.93; three of the students attend school out of state. Of the seniors in the group, one will be attending medical school this fall and while another is pursuing a doctorate in psychology.
The Summer Science Program has an application deadline of March 1, 2010, for next year’s participants. Any faculty member wishing to share in the program as a mentor should contact Dr. Szabo or Ms. Kubacak.
| Student |
School |
Project |
Mentor |
Brittany Bailey |
Arkansas State University |
STDs in Adolescents |
Dr. Amy Scurlock, MD, and Dr. Jennifer Woods, MD |
Colby Baker |
University of Arkansas |
Injury Prevention: A Close Look at Teen Driving |
Dr. Mary Aitken, MD, MPH |
Emily Coffman |
Ouachita Baptist University |
Birth Defects Research: Maternal Smoking and Congenital Heart Defects |
Sadia Malik, MD, MPH |
Rachel Gibson |
University of Arkansas |
Role of Thromboelastography, Heparin Level, Antithrombin III Levels in Children Supported on ECMO |
Dr. Umesh Dyamenahalli, MD |
Ryan Harris |
University of Arkansas |
Folate and Vitamin B6 and B12 Intakes and Biomarkers in Arkansas Women of Childbearing Age after Folic Acid Fortification |
Mario Cleves, PhD |
Wes Hewett |
Hendrix College |
Delays in the Transfer of Pediatric Trauma Patients |
Stephen Bowman, PhD, MHA |
Dushyant Mann |
University of Arkansas |
Chlamydial Neurogenic Inflammatory Pathway |
Roger Rank, PhD |
Luke McCage |
Henderson State University |
Trauma and Acute Renal Injury in Children |
Parthak Prodhan, MD |
Gray Millsap |
University of Georgia |
Transmission of Obesity to Offspring and the Fibroblast Growth Factor 21 Mechanism |
Kartik Shankar, PhD, DABT |
Nick Scanlon |
Harding University |
Pathogenesis of Necrotizing Enterocolitis |
Sam Smith, MD |
Allyson Shelton |
Colorado Christian University |
Obesity and Developmental Delay |
Wendy Ward-Begnoche, PhD |
Danielle Tucker |
University of Arkansas |
Predictive Risk and Significance of Prophylaxis Against Opportunistic Fungal Infections Among Pediatric Patients with Decreased Absolute Lymphocyte Count (ALC) |
Amir Mian, MD, MS |
Sky Vanderburg |
Harding University |
Elucidating the Role of Trichloroethylene in Promoting Autoimmune Disease in the NZBxNZW Mouse Model |
Kathleen Gilbert, PhD |
Emily Whitaker |
Vanderbilt University |
Resident Education on Patient and Family Centered Pediatric Palliative Care |
Carrie Brown, MD |
David Wilkins |
University of Central Arkansas |
Care of Ventilator Dependent Children and of Lung Disease in Cystic Fibrosis Patients |
Martin Bauer, MD |
Garrett Williams |
University of Central Arkansas |
The Effect of ER Overcrowding on Blood Culture Contamination Rates |
James Graham, MD |
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