Wayne State University Class of 2024 medical student Jasmine Coles won the American Academy of Neurology’s Medical Student Diversity Annual Meeting Scholarship to attend and present her research at the organization’s scientific gathering, to be held April 21-25 in Boston. 

She will present the poster “A Look at Social Disparities in Pregnancy Outcomes in Women with Epilepsy,” showcasing a retrospective analysis of data from women with epilepsy who attended a high-risk epilepsy and pregnancy clinic in the Detroit Medical Center during a nearly seven-year period ending in April 2021.

Coles, classmate Aila Rahman and mentor Deepti Zutshi, M.D., found that women with epilepsy who become pregnant may have complications related to higher rates of prematurity and are less likely to have planned pregnancies and use folic acid pre-conceptually. Coles asserts public awareness among health officials and providers can focus on these vulnerable populations to improve pregnancy outcomes in women with epilepsy.

“I am so excited to have won the AAN Medical Diversity Student Scholarship,” Coles said. “Neurology is a specialty that I am passionate about, and I hope to bridge the gap in understanding of neurological conditions in women during pregnancy and the postpartum period. I am grateful to attend a university like the Wayne State University School of Medicine that allows us the opportunity to be involved in research experiences and explore our passions before residency.”

She is mentored at the School of Medicine by Dr. Zutshi, an associate professor of Neurology.

“Jasmine has displayed, through her drive in taking up volunteer, research and leadership roles, that she is a strong model of what it means to be an inspiring trailblazer dedicated to empowering and improving herself and those around her,” Dr. Zutshi said. “I believe that Jasmine will be a fantastic graduate and a strong representative of what our medical students can achieve and do during their four years with us.”

Coles grew up in Detroit. “My home hospital where I got most of my care was Sinai Grace. I decided to become a doctor to help bridge the health disparities that I saw in my community. I wanted people to see that health literacy was achievable and the health care field is diverse,” she said.