A Wayne State University School of Medicine senior student took a top prize at a Medical Student Day co-hosted by the American College of Physicians' Michigan Chapter and the Society of Hospital Medicine.

The Class of 2018's Alexandra Haluska won first place for her poster presentation, "Familial MEN1 Syndrome Presenting as Vertigo Secondary to Fourth Ventricle Ependymoma," in the clinical vignette category of the annual event, held May 5 in Sterling Heights, Mich.

Haluska wrote about a 34-year-old previously healthy male who presented in the emergency room with worsening continuous vertigo. The case demonstrated the importance of a physical exam to distinguish central and peripheral causes of vertigo. MEN1, or multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1, is also known as Wermer's Syndrome. It is a member of a group of disorders that affects the endocrine system through the development of lesions in glands and the pancreas.

"We had many students who presented posters as well. All medical schools in the state participated in the meeting, including Michigan State University, the University of Michigan, Central Michigan University, Oakland University and several off-shore schools, including Ross, Trinity and St. George," said Department of Internal Medicine Associate Professor and Vice Chair of Education Diane Levine, M.D., F.A.C.P., who also directs the Internal Medicine Clerkship. "Of 80 abstracts presented in research and clinical vignette categories, 27 were from the Wayne State University School of Medicine, and our student won first place for her presentation."

(Abstracts are available online here. WSU abstracts begin on page 53 of PDF).

First, second and third place winners are automatically entered in the abstract competition at the Michigan Chapter's annual Scientific Meeting, to be held Oct. 19-22 in Acme, Mich.

WSU students also participated in the event's first "Doctor's Dilemma," competition, coming in second place. Team members included Danielle Olson, Shikhil Kharotia, Ammaar Wattoo and Henry Kwon. The top four winning teams will participate in the final competition at the October annual meeting.