AAPA 2019 Student ePoster Winners Announced

Winners Feature Research on Medication Reconciliation, Maternal Mortality, Puzzle-based Ultrasound Education

May 21, 2019

By Jenni Roberson

Submissions from Case Western Reserve University, the University of Kentucky, and Wagner College took home the top honors in this year’s JAAPA Student Poster competition.

Each year, JAAPA holds the popular ePoster competition to showcase student research about the PA profession and PA education. This year JAAPA reviewers awarded the prizes to three research teams that used interesting and innovative approaches along with important questions that resonated with contemporary issues relevant to PAs.

AAPA 2019 attendees had the opportunity to view and discuss all submissions during the Meet the Author Presentations. The winners were later announced during the AAPA National Medical Challenge Bowl, the legendary competition that brings together PA students from across the country.

Congratulations to this year’s winners and to all participants whose submissions ensured this year’s contest was yet another round of tough competition and top-notch research!

The 2019 winners are:

• Does Mom Know Best? – Trial of Labor vs. Cesarean Delivery by Maternal Demand (PDF)
  • Student Investigators: James Napolitano, Benjamin Rispoli, Alexander Zelez, Jessica Wilm, Cassandra DeOcera, Oriel Rafaelov
  • Faculty Investigators: Nora Lowy, PhD, MPA, PA-C; Nisha Lakhi, MD, FACOG (of Richmond University Medical Center)
  • Research Advisor: Robert Marchese, MS, PA-C
  • PA Program: Wagner College
  • The team investigated the following question: Among full-term pregnant women and their newborns, is there a relationship between choice of modality of delivery and neonatal and maternal outcomes?

• Puzzle-based Ultrasound Education for Physician Assistant Students (PDF)
  • Student Investigator: Mariah Bower
  • Faculty Investigator: Ryan Nazemian MD (of University Hospitals)
  • Research Advisor: Mada Helou MD (of University Hospitals)
  • PA Program: Case Western Reserve University
  • This poster featured curriculum designed to teach distinct U.S. scanning techniques using puzzles specifically designed to test individual skills.

• Standardization of the Medication Reconciliation Interview (PDF)
  • Student Investigators: Dominique Wade, Alayna Stayer, Edward Wells, Daniel Mullins
  • Research Advisor: Kevin Schuer DrPH, PAC-C
  • PA Program: University of Kentucky
  • The project aimed to improve the process of medication reconciliation in order to prevent prescribing errors or adverse effects that stem from an inaccurate medication list.

Jenni Roberson is director, media relations for AAPA. Contact her at [email protected].