December 15, 2022

Wayne State University medical students, residents and alumni impress at American College of Physicians statewide meeting

Bridge Croniger, left, and Mikaela Grudzien, presented their abstract at the American College of Physicians Michigan Annual Scientific Meeting held in October.

Projects designed and presented by Wayne State University School of Medicine students represented more than one-third of the poster abstracts accepted for the Medical Student and Residents Abstract Competition at the 2022 Michigan American College of Physicians Annual Scientific Meeting.

WSU School of Medicine students presented 22 posters of the 72 accepted, or 31%, the largest number from any of the allopathic and osteopathic schools across Michigan, as well as two Caribbean schools whose students are sent to clinical sites in the state.

The meeting, held Oct. 13-16 at Shanty Creek Resort in Bellaire, Mich., included the competition, a COVID-19 symposium, advocacy and informational sessions, meetings with program directors for the students and more.

Medical student Alexandra Manaila shared her abstract at the meeting in Bellaire, Mich.

“I am so impressed with all of you,” said Professor of Medicine Diane Levine, M.D., FACP, in a message to the students who presented. “You have initiative and follow through.”

Dr. Levine is also vice chair of Education for the Department of Internal Medicine and faculty advisor to the Internal Medicine Interest Group at the School of Medicine.

Residents in the School of Medicine’s Internal Medicine residency and School of Medicine alumni also attended and presented at the meeting. Winners from the WSU School of Medicine placed in several categories, including:

Medical student Michael Castellani presented his research on HIV admissions in Detroit.

Medical student winners:

First Place Clinical Poster: Avinash Ramkissoon, “Management of Trigeminal Neuralgia Secondary to Neurosarcoidosis Using Stereotactic Radiosurgery”

Third Place Research Poster: Kaycee Ching, “Life-Altering News Delivery with Empathetic Communication: A Curriculum Enhancement Intervention”

Overall Winner in Quality Improvement: Nedda Elewa, “Knowledge and Attitudes of Medical Students and Residents Who Manage Diabetes in Muslim Patients Who Fast During Ramadan”

Resident and/or alumni winners:

Medical student Samantha Pfiffner presented at the annual meeting.

First Place Research Poster: Asra Shaik, M.D., Ph.D. ’20, Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University, “Mutation Concordance Between Somatic Tumor DNA and Blood-Derived Circulating Tumor DNA in Pancreatic Cancer”

Third Place Research Poster: Mohamad Almujarkesh, M.D., Detroit Medical Center/Wayne State University, “Incidence of Rheumatological Diseases in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients as a Function of Race”

Second Place Clinical Oral: Alumna Brigid Jacob, M.D., ’22, Henry Ford Health/Henry Ford Hospital, “Percutaneous Transesophageal Gastrostomy for Palliative Gastric Decompression”

Overall Winner in Continuous Quality Improvement/Evidence-Based Medicine: MacKenzie Mayo, M.D. ’19, Trinity Health Ann Arbor Hospital, “Breast Cancer Screening Rate Improvement in an Academic Internal Medicine Clinic”

ACP is the nation's largest medical specialty organization. Membership comprises more than 161,000 internal medicine physicians, medical students and allied health professionals. The Michigan chapter offers educational, professional and social programs for internists. The chapter also addresses the state Legislature, speaking on behalf of members and their patients to reflect the interests and concerns of the specialty.