Academic symposium spotlights medical students’ research

Yu's motivation in exploring further outcomes is fueled by her interest in pediatric development, global health and neuroscience.

"I think having a larger sample would be interesting to see whether some other factors can be controlled for, such as how much time the child spends alone, or how much education plays a role," Yu said.

This year's student presenters also included Elizabeth Doss, who discussed her research into the efficacy of neurocognitive assessments in adults and adolescents with sickle cell disease. Alex Jin presented an evaluation of Rhode Island's Street Medicine Program on health care utilization among unhoused patients, showing a decline in the amount of emergency room visits. Sanjana Konda shared research that explored links between reactive oxygen species, endometriosis and ovarian aging.

Whether they presented or not, all medical school students are de facto researchers, said Dr. Daria Szkwarko, an associate professor of family medicine at the Warren Alpert Medical School. By virtue of pursuing new conclusions through inquiry and systemic investigation, much of the work done in an academic setting has already set medical students on a path toward discovering their passion, she said.

In a keynote address, Szwarko encouraged students to give themselves the grace to explore and pivot during their hopefully long careers.

"I want you to own the contribution that you've made up to this point and trust that the work you're doing now, even if you don't really like it or maybe you think it could have been much better, plays a really important role in where you will end up," Szwarko said. "Figure out your passion and stay true to it."

This story was adapted from a feature published on the Warren Alpert Medical School website.