{"id":242647,"date":"2026-03-19T11:45:52","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T15:45:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=242647"},"modified":"2026-03-23T12:06:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T16:06:54","slug":"graduating-medical-students-present-their-research-findings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2026\/03\/graduating-medical-students-present-their-research-findings\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduating Medical Students Present their Research Findings"},"content":{"rendered":"

Soon to be future\u00a0doctors\u00a0inched closer to earning their\u00a0medical degrees\u00a0from UConn School of Medicine with the successful presentations of their scholarly Capstone Projects\u00a0on March 19.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s\u00a0all part of the annual\u00a0Clinician Scholar Symposium at UConn School of Medicine.\u00a0The student presentations are\u00a0one\u00a0part of the culmination of their medical school journey as they march toward UConn Health\u2019s 55<\/span>th<\/span>\u202fCommencement on May 11.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Presentations
Presentations of capstones for the Class of 2026 occurred in the Academic Rotunda as well as its surrounding classrooms with faculty and students listening in (UConn Photo\/Lauren Woods). <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

UConn Health\u2019s\u00a0Dr.\u00a0Amanda Hernandez\u00a0who holds both an MD and Ph.D.\u00a0delivered the keynote address for the 2026 Clinician Scholar Symposium\u00a0entitled\u00a0<\/span>\u201cPathways Towards Incorporating Translational Research into Your Medical Career, the Importance of\u00a0Curiosity.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Event
Event poster for the annual Clinician Scholar Symposium.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Hernandez cares for neuroimmunology patients\u00a0at UConn Health\u00a0experiencing conditions such as multiple sclerosis, neuropathy, and other inflammatory immune system diseases. She has\u00a0expertise\u00a0in using\u00a0botox\u00a0and Electromyography (EMG) for her patient care. She graduated from Columbia University with a BA and completed her MD and Ph.D. at Yale University along with her neurology residency and neuromuscular fellowship training.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s phenomenal that UConn School of Medicine has a capstone project as part of its curriculum,\u201d says Hernandez\u00a0sharing\u00a0how research experience early on in medical school can be \u201ctransformative\u201d for the careers of future doctors and their patients.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe can use patient care experiences as a lens as we work to move discoveries from the bench to the bedside,\u201d she says. \u201cPhysicians can be in patient\u00a0care\u00a0and\u00a0also\u00a0engrossed in research too!\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0important to keep patients at the\u00a0forefront\u00a0of all that we do.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She\u00a0advises\u00a0members of the Class of 2026 to: \u201cStay curious, be inspired, and have passion for your patients.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Celebratory
Dean Dr. Bruce T. Liang (center) joined by faculty and medical students for a celebratory group photo at the 2026 Clinician Scholar Symposium.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cOur medical students have developed an outstanding portfolio of capstone projects across basic biomedical science, clinical research, medical education, and community health, many of which address pressing questions in patient care and health systems. These efforts have led to\u00a0numerous\u00a0presentations at today’s UConn Health Clinician Scholar Symposium, as well as regional and national conferences, and specialty meetings, where our students\u00a0represent\u00a0UConn with distinction. Importantly, a growing number of these projects have resulted in peer-reviewed publications, highlighting the rigor and impact of their work,\u201d applauds<\/span>\u00a0co-chair\u00a0of the Clinician Scholar Symposium Stefan Brocke, MD, Ph.D.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cUConn supports students at every stage of their scholarly journey.\u00a0I am incredibly proud, directing the Scholarship and Discovery Program together with my colleagues, of what our students have\u00a0accomplished\u00a0and of the vibrant scholarly community we have built together,\u201d said Brocke. \u201cThis\u00a0program\u00a0empowers our medical students to pursue meaningful\u00a0scholarship, build lasting mentor relationships, and prepare for future carers as leaders in medicine and research. The success of this program is truly a shared accomplishment, and we are excited to continue building on this momentum.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alyssa
Alyssa Lam, SOM ’26.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Class of 2026 medical students like\u00a0<\/span>Alyssa Lam, <\/span><\/b>27,<\/span> of Shelton, Conn. were thrilled to finally present their capstones.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI am very excited to showcase the project I\u2019ve been working on for the past couple years!\u201d said Lam, whose research adds to the ever-growing field of improving and optimizing patient care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her research was on the\u00a0<\/span>\u201c<\/span><\/i>Association Between Female External Urinary Catheter Use and Clinical Outcomes Among Older Inpatients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/i>Her mentor was Dr. Jennifer Baldwin\u00a0of UConn Health.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Class
Class of 2026′ Alyssa Lam presenting her capstone on the \u201cAssociation Between Female External Urinary Catheter Use and Clinical Outcomes Among Older Inpatients: A Retrospective Cohort Study.\u201d (UConn Photo\/Lauren Woods).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

She reports that a<\/span>mong older female\u00a0inpatients,\u00a0female external urinary catheters (FEUC) use was associated with longer length of stay (LOS) and increased likelihood of discharge to post-acute care settings. \u201cThese findings highlight the importance of thoughtful FEUC utilization and suggest opportunities for enhanced mobility support, early therapy involvement, and proactive discharge planning for patients who receive FEUCs,\u201d\u00a0she reports.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe practice of medicine is complex and\u00a0influenced heavily\u00a0by the healthcare system itself. Every\u00a0new innovation\u00a0or process we add to the workflow can have both positive and negative outcomes for patients, though not always understood,\u201d she says.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Sonn
Soon to be future doctor Alyssa Lam presenting on March 19, 2026. (UConn Photo\/Lauren Woods).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lam reports in her capstone project that research in patient safety and quality improvement is often overlooked but can have real and helpful implications in how we care for patients as physicians.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith modern technology, we can easily access data via the electronic health record that can be analyzed statistically and give us a lot of insight,\u201d Lam says.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Alyssa
Alyssa Lam SOM Class of 2026 presenting her capstone research findings to faculty and students (UConn Photo\/Lauren Woods).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For\u00a0Lam,\u00a0being so close to Commencement and receiving her\u00a0MD\u00a0feels surreal\u00a0and so does National Match Day on March 20 when she\u00a0finds\u00a0out where she will be entering the field of emergency medicine for her residency training.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFour years goes by so fast, and I\u2019m both nervous and looking forward to graduating,\u201d says Lam. \u201cI look back on these years with a lot of amazement for how much I\u2019ve learned and grown as a person and all the people I\u2019ve met and experiences I\u2019ve had.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the capstone directors and faculty mentors Dr. Kristyn Zajac shared at the event, “This is really an opportunity for our medical students to showcase all of their hard work.”<\/p>\n

\"Chelsea
Chelsea Rutagengwa, SOM ’26.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Class of 2026 graduating medical student <\/span>Chelsea\u00a0Rutagengwa<\/strong>, 28, of\u00a0<\/span>Nashua, New Hampshire\u00a0says, \u201cI am thrilled to be able to complete my capstone requirement, it was great to see my project come to life and finally conclude.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She\u00a0chose to research the relationship between inflammatory bowel disease and mental health.\u00a0Her mentor was\u00a0UConn Health\u2019s\u00a0Dr. John Birk for her capstone entitled,\u00a0<\/span>\u201cEvaluation of Gut-Brain Interaction in Chronic GI Disease.\u201d<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI believe there\u00a0is still so much left to discover\u00a0in regard to\u00a0how our brain and gut are related (scientifically referred to as the gut-brain axis). I also have a personal interest in the topic because there are people in my life who have suffered from both gut issues and mental conditions. I wanted to explore if there was a potential connection,\u201d reports\u00a0<\/span>Rutagengwa\u00a0who\u00a0for her capstone project explored further whether the presence of mental illness gives rise to chronic gastrointestinal pathology.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Class
Class of 2026 medical student Chelsea Rutagengwa presenting her capstone on the \u201cEvaluation of Gut-Brain Interaction in Chronic GI Disease.\u201d (UConn Photo\/Lauren Woods).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Her\u00a0research project consisted of a survey that was\u00a0administered\u00a0to patients with\u00a0and\u00a0without inflammatory bowel\u00a0disease,\u00a0and they were\u00a0asked about their past medical and psychological histories.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat I found is that the rate of mental conditions was actually the same between the two groups, which suggests there is no significant correlation between IBD and mental health diagnoses,\u201d concludes\u00a0<\/span>Rutagengwa.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With graduation from medical school just around the corner on May\u00a011,\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>Rutagengwa<\/span>\u00a0also says it\u00a0feels surreal.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI’m so\u00a0glad with\u00a0how much I’ve grown as a learner and a clinician in the past 4 years,\u201d\u00a0<\/span>Rutagengwa\u00a0says. \u201c<\/span>After graduation, I hope to continue my medical career in the field of neurology.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

She\u00a0concludes, \u201cHopefully\u00a0sometime\u00a0in the future, I will get another chance to explore the gut-brain axis in my research.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Chelsea
Soon to be Dr. Chelsea Rutagengwa presenting in the Academic Rotunda on March 19, 2026 (UConn Photo\/Lauren Woods).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Over 100 fourth-year medical students presented their Capstones at the annual Clinician Scholar Symposium of UConn School of Medicine. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":242655,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_crdt_document":"","wds_primary_category":0,"wds_primary_series":0,"wds_primary_attribution":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2388,2076,1868,2712,2233],"tags":[],"magazine-issues":[],"coauthors":[1873],"class_list":["post-242647","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthcare-workforce","category-research","category-meds","category-student-success","category-university-news"],"pp_statuses_selecting_workflow":false,"pp_workflow_action":"current","pp_status_selection":"publish","acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-02 09:01:04","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=242647"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":242825,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/posts\/242647\/revisions\/242825"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media\/242655"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=242647"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=242647"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=242647"},{"taxonomy":"magazine-issue","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/magazine-issues?post=242647"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/wp-rest\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=242647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}