Graduating PURCH Medical Students Present 4-Year Capstone Projects

Passion Drives These Students' Projects

Yesterday, fourth-year medical students in the Population-based Urban and Rural Community Health (PURCH) track and their peers in the UMass Chan Medical School's Class of 2022 gathered virtually to present their Capstone projects—the culmination of their work over four years of medical school.

The Capstone Scholarship and Discovery (CSD) course is a mentored, student-driven, four-year-long scholarly experience. Project topics are chosen by students based on their interests.

2022 Capstone Merit Award

This award recognizes students who exemplify the spirit of the CSD course—they not only accomplish an advanced level of scholarship, they also exhibit tenacity and maintain high levels of professionalism.

DEIDRE BUCKLEY | Rescreening Following Positive Test for Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) in the Department of Pediatrics
Project Advisor - Zoon Wangu, MD | Learning Community Mentor - Eric Churchill

CHRISTINE DONOHUE | Culinary Medicine in Continuing Medical Education
Project Advisor - Barbara Olendzki | Learning Community Mentor - Elizabeth Eagleson

MEGHAN HARRINGTON | Addressing Foster Care in Western Massachusetts: Expanding the Provision of Care Packages to Children at UMass Medical School’s Regional Campus
Project Advisor - Ian Goodman | Learning Community Mentor - Elizabeth Eagleson

LEO KUWAMA | Advocacy Curriculum Integration into the PURCH Population Health Clerkship Experience
Project Advisor - Rebecca Blanchard PhD | Learning Community Mentor - Samuel Borden

SIMONE THIBAULT and ANTHONY FOSCOLOS | Impact of Intersectional Identities on Perception of Learning and Work Environment at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School
Project Advisor - Jules Trobaugh | Learning Community Mentor - Jacqueline Wu

2022 PURCH Capstone Projects

All capstone abstracts are available in the program (pdf)

EMILY ADLER | Beyond Mentoring: Integrating Patient Care, Education and Research into a program for Homeless Teen Mothers in Worcester
Project Advisor - Judy Savageau | Learning Community Mentor - Samuel Borden

Project Advisor - Katherine Callaghan, MD | Learning Community Mentor - Eric Churchill

LAUREN CRALLE | Visually Diversifying the UMMS Medical Education
Project Advisor - Jules Trobaugh | Learning Community Mentor - Elizabeth Eagleson

CHRISTINE GRECH | Death and Dying: Perceptional Change of Healthcare Workers During the COVID19 Pandemic
Project Advisor - Vandana Nagpal | Learning Community Mentor - Jacqueline Wu

MOLLY INGEMI | Exploring Community Health Through Viticulture: An Immersive Education Experience for Third-year Medical Students
Project Advisor - Rebecca Blanchard PhD | Learning Community Mentor - Eric Churchill

ALEXANDER KAPLAN | Improving the Sexual and Gender Minority Advocacy Curriculum
Project Advisor - Carol Bova | Learning Community Mentor - Elizabeth Eagleson

IHA KAUL | Implementing the “Enhanced Recovery After Surgery” (ERAS) Program for Caesarian Sections at Baystate Medical Center
Project Advisor - Jennifer Fantasia | Learning Community Mentor - Eric Churchill

JESSICA MA | Examining the Impact of Rurality on 1-year Outcomes Following COPD-related Hospitalizations
Project Advisor - Peter Lindenauer MD | Learning Community Mentor - Jacqueline Wu

ELEANOR MCCLEMENS | Development of Decision Aid for Initiation of Suboxone in the Emergency Department
Project Advisor - Elizabeth Schoenfeld | Learning Community Mentor - Eric Churchill

THEODORE MEDLING | Patient Opinion of Alcohol Use on Cardiac Health: Does It Impact Patient Alcohol Intake?
Project Advisor - Quinn Pack | Learning Community Mentor - Eric Churchill

KIMBERLY REIMOLD | The Case for Medical Respite for the Homeless in Springfield, Massachusetts
Project Advisor - Jackie Spain | Learning Community Mentor - Samuel Borden

BRONWYN WADA-GILL | Behavioral Health Integration into Primary Care Practices within Western MA
Project Advisor - Phoebe Walker | Learning Community Mentor - Samuel Borden

MARY BASSALY, OLIVIA NUELLE and HELOISE DUBOIS | Medical Interviewing in Spanish
Project Advisor - Lisa Morris | Learning Community Mentor - Elizabeth Eagleson, Jacqueline Wu

RYAN PAYNE and PATRICK JOSLIN | Physical Diagnoses: A Video Series
Project Advisor - Stephanie Clegg MD | Learning Community Mentor - Jacqueline Wu, James Broadhurst

DINA ROCHE and MEGAN HANSEN | Addressing Social Determinants of Health in St. Anne’s Free Medical Clinic Through Implementation of Case Management Services
Project Advisor - Jane Lochrie | Learning Community Mentor - Samuel Borden