The Research Scholar Program provides structured educational research opportunities for undergraduate students. Within each session, students apply for positions offered by health network departments. Each position involves a combination of research, as well as professional and clinical observations. The program offers educational experience for students and additionally provides valuable assistance to health network departments.
Go to Lehigh Valley Health Network's website for more information about the Research Scholar program.
2025
Outcomes of Acute Infective Endocarditis with Antibiotic Treatment in Cardiothoracic Surgery, Ella Amadio; James K. Wu MD; and Bryan D. Nelson MBA, CPHQ, NRP (Poster)
The Effect of Intravenous Contrast on Creatinine in the Emergency Department, Brianna Andersen and Kathleen E. Kane MD (Poster)
The Effect of Lab Processing on Turn Around Time in the Emergency Department, Brianna Andersen; Kathleen E. Kane MD; and Shelbi Taylor MSN, MBA, RN-BC (Poster)
Comparing Concussion Recovery Rates Over Time, Francesca Andronic MD, William Kane, Daniele Shollenberger CRNP, and Mark Cipolle MD (Poster)
Focused Rapid Assessment Process (fRAP) 3.0: A Community-Led, Train-the-Trainer Model for the National Diabetes Prevention Program for Local Spanish-Speaking Adults, Rachel Apiolaza, Carolyn Peterseim MD, and Miguel Chuidian MD (Poster)
Understanding Flow States to Inform Post-Secondary Pathways, Na'Ciya Datus Bascus and Kerri Green EdD, MS (Poster)
Public Safety: Roles and Responsibilities, Yaritza Berrios and Joshua Houck BA NRP (Poster)
Exploring the Intersection of Healthcare and Climate Change with a Socio-ecological Model Approach, Shae Billmyer; Ashwini Kamath Mulki MD, MBBS; Nyann Biery MS, DHSc; and Lynn M. Wilson DO (Poster)
Linking Curiosity to Career: A Master Adaptive Approach to Resident Elective in Family Medicine Training, Shayna Blikshteyn, Drew Keister MD, and Karla J Felix PhD (Poster)
109 Frequency of Visible Long Term Scarring in Split Thickness Donor Sites, Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD, Sakura Helm, Shaliz Aflatooni, and Nicole Natarelli (Article)
529 Clinical Performance of Synthetic Dermal Skin Substitute in 77 Patients, Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD, Laetitia Roegner, Kurt Glaser, Hamed Amani MD, and Kyle Shaak BS (Article)
33 Real World Cell Viability in Cell Spray Suspension, Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD, Caitlin Stoudt, Hamed Amani MD, Sakura Helm, and Kyle Shaak BS (Article)
Impact of the Junior Research Scholar Program at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), part of Jefferson Health, Yashimabet Burke and Kerri Green EdD, MS (Poster)
Implementing the Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Junior Research Scholar (JRS) Program: Mentoring at the Secondary Level, Magdalene Burnham and Lisa Keller MEd (Poster)
A National Hospital Review and Community Survey: Assessing Fall Risk Concern and Fall Prevention Program Awareness Among Older Adults, Luciana Carnero; Kendal Davis; Daniel Patruno; and Doree Feldman MD, MBA (Poster)
Insufficient Pap Smear Results in Transgender Male Patients, Ella Choi and Patricia L. Mara MD (Poster)
Cell Yield and Viability of “Spray-on” Skin Comparing Automatic vs. Manual Device Preparation, Faith Cook and Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD (Poster)
Evaluating the Value of AI Solutions in Healthcare: A ROI Assessment, Michael Corrado, Devang Gor, Adam Flanders, Avishkar Sharma, Jessa Tunacao MD, Luis Taveras PhD, and Richard Kerr (Poster)
Emergency Department (ED) Patients with a Sepsis Alert Discharged with a Prescription for Oral Antibiotics, Mckenna Dempsey, Jarrod W. Kile RPhD, Megan Taylor PharmD, and Eric Young MD (Poster)
An Analysis of 10 Years of Actinomyces Cultures at a Large Academic Institution, Evan Dittus and Amy Slenker MD (Poster)
Application of NOVA & DENOVA for use of TEE on patients with E. faecalis Bacteremia, Chideraa Emma-Ugwuoke, Sameer Rahman, and Raul E Davaro MD (Poster)
Analysis of Consistent Self-Care and Mobility Scoring Across the Inpatient Continuum, MaKenzie Epting; Kasey Hutter MS, CCC-SLP; Michael Pechulis DPT; and Christopher Johns PT, DPT, OCS, Cert. MDT (Poster)
Connecting the Community in Research – Through a Community-Based Participatory Research Approach, Ava Fortner; Nicole M. Burgess; Autumn Kieber-Emmons MD, MPH; and Ashwini Kamath Mulki MD, MBBS, MPH (Poster)
Concordance of Management of Early and Locally Advanced Esophageal and Esophagogastric Junction Tumors with National Comprehensive Cancer Network Guidelines, Kanchan Gupta; Melissa Kratz RN, MSN, AOCN; Sean Quinlan-Davidson MD; and Savitri Skandan MD (Poster)
A retrospective analysis of the association of obesity with anthracycline- and trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity in the treatment of breast cancer and lymphoma., Mallorie L. Huff; Ranju Gupta MD; Rahul Gupta MD; Kelly C. Schadler MSN, CRNP; Shae Duka MPH; Vienna Histon-Figliolini; Joshua A. Kalter; Amogh M. Joshi DO; Nadeem V. Ahmad MD; Wilbert S Aronow; and Deborah W Sundlof DO (Article)
Commonalities of 30-day Readmitted Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Patients, Rosemarie Incorvaia; Hanna Sumner; James K. Wu MD; and Bryan D. Nelson MBA, CPHQ, NRP (Poster)
Investigating the Neural Mechanisms Underlying Values-Based Leadership Behavior, Brooke Johnson and Gerald Mcglinn M.A., ACC (Poster)
Quality Improvement Project to Increase Utilization of Oral Step-Down Therapy for Prosthetic Joint Infections (PJI), Juliane Kallenbach and Amy Slenker MD (Poster)
Comparing Concussion Recovery Between Men and Women Using Vision Therapy, Peter Kozloff, Francesca Andronic MD, Daniele Shollenberger CRNP, and Mark Cipolle MD (Poster)
A Hairy Situation: Investigating Facial Hair's Role in Central Line Dressing Integrity, Jaylen Lesser; Elisa C. Moyer BSN, RN, CEN; Jonathan T. Berback MPH, CIC; Joseph Yashur BSPH; and Brenda Croll-Stachelek MSN (Poster)
A Baseline Assessment of Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QuIPS) in a Graduate Medical Education Environment; Does Programmatic Experience Influence ACGME Survey Data?, Emma Lincoln, Joseph E. Patruno MD, and Terri Vian MS (Poster)
Understanding Interpreter Services, Mariana Castano Lizarazo and Joumana De Santiago (Poster)
Fitness Feedbacks and Improvements, Ganasia Lopez, Brielle Gregoli MS, and Dana Levano MS (Poster)
Peering Within: Exploring X-Ray, IR, and MRI, Sabrina Lopez and Tamantha Garman RT, CRA (Poster)
From Feedback to Framework: Improving Mentorship Through Resident Insights In Scholarly Activity, Eleni Mastrokalos and Angela Colistra LPC, PhD, MS (Poster)
Impact of Virtual Visits on Antibiotic Prescribing for Upper Respiratory Infections, Anna Mikulski, Jarrod W. Kile RPhD, Brooke Broczkowski PharmD, Kathryn Zaffiri MPH, and Eric Young MD (Poster)
Exploring the Intersection of Health Care and Climate Change with a Socio-Ecological Model Approach, Ashwini Kamath Mulki MD, MPH, MBBS; Shae Billmyer; Nyann Biery DHSc; Lynn M. Wilson DO; and Roya Hamadani MPH (Poster)
Adherence to the 2022 Down Syndrome Guidelines in Children Less Than 18 Years of Age in the Greater Lehigh Valley Area, Constance Mulligan and Christopher P. Raab MD, MS (Poster)
Rationale for Pre-Procedure Dental Interventions to Enhance Medical Outcomes, Harsha Pamulapati; Rebecca Frank RDH, PHDHP; and MIchele Pisano-Marsh DMD (Poster)
Mechanical Circulatory Device Impella Usage in Patients with Cardiogenic Shock on ECMO support, Julia Pekala; James K. Wu MD; and Bryan D. Nelson MBA, CPHQ, NRP (Poster)
Perioperative Business Services, Laila Perez and Jacquelyn Mancini MBA (Poster)
Assessing the Inpatient Utility of Echocardiography and its Clinical Impact, Briana Prieto and Shuisen Li DO (Poster)
Hepcidin Overexpression in Burn Patients Causes Decreased Red Blood Cell Synthesis, Joshua Rushing; Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD; Gordon Lindberg MD; Nadine Koenig BMST, TC-NRCC; Cynthia Berger BMST-ASCP; Elizabeth Berger; and Tomas Ganz (Poster)
Impacts of Care Navigation on Patient Readmissions Post Total Joint Replacement Surgery, Prajeet Santra; Teresa Latvis MA, BSN, RN; Jessica Snyder BSN, RN; and Carissa Hrichak MBA, BSN, RN (Poster)
Barriers Preventing Discharges Home Before Noon, Julia Sealing; Heather Faust MSN, RN, CMSRN; and Karanda Erdman BSN, RN (Poster)
Long Term Outcomes of Dermal Substrate Treated Burns and Wounds, Sarvesh Senguttunvan and Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD (Poster)
Patient Education: A Multidisciplinary Model at Lehigh Valley Health Network (LVHN), part of Jefferson Health, Morgan Strecker and Lisa Keller MEd (Poster)
The Influence of Renal Function on 30-Day Post-Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Readmissions, Hanna Sumner; Rosemarie Incorvaia; Bryan D. Nelson MBA, CPHQ, NRP; and James K. Wu MD (Poster)
Characterization of Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) in Neonatal Patients, Jeremy Sumner; Kristin Held Wheatley PharmD, BCOP; and Tibisay Villalobos-Fry MD (Poster)
Cholecystectomy Outcomes Following the Implementation of Robotic Surgery at LVH-M, Amber Unger, Kathryn L Wheel MD, and Joseph J. Stirparo MD (Poster)
2024
Evaluating the Validity of Telehealth Nutrition Focused Physical Assessment for Malnutrition Diagnosis: A Comparative Study, Olivia Ahn; Melissa Faura RD, LDN; and Ann Flickinger MS, RD, LDN (Poster)
The DIRECT Index: A Tool for Equity, Inclusion, and Relationship-Centered Care, Kwame Otoo Appiah and Ashwini Kamath Mulki MD, MBBS, MPH (Poster)
Firearm Injury Prevention through Design and Delivery of a Gun Lock Distribution, Afiya Bentinck and Melissa Mee BSW (Poster)
Identifying and Addressing Equity Gaps Among LVHN Health Plan Members, Jessica Berman; Cynthia Kusorgbor-Narh MPH, CHES; Brigid Tray MPH, CHES; and Lori Piltz BS, RN, CPHQ (Poster)
Analysis of the ED Pharmacy Process: From Medication Order to Administration, Hope Boldizar, Kathleen E. Kane MD, and Beth Lally PharmD (Poster)
Streamlining Split Flow: Evaluating Emergency Department Efficiency, Hope Boldizar, Rose Morgan, Cayden Rex, and Kathleen E. Kane MD (Poster)
EPIC Education: The Value of Utilizing Outpatient Billable Notes and the Creation of Efficient Training, Maggie Cygan, Kerri Green EdD, Katerina C. Valavanis MD, and Anne Vanderpool MBA (Poster)
Evaluating Influence of Pharmaceutical Detailing on Osteoporosis Management in Outpatient Primary Care Settings, Sarah Davenport and Grant M. Greenberg M.D., M.H.S.A., M.A. (Poster)
Unentered Patient Surveys: How to Collect Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Data, Julianna Ehm; Karlee Posivak; and Kay Young MSN, RNC-OB (Poster)
Performance of a Biodegradable Temporary Matrix in Clinical Practice, Kurt Glaeser, Laetitia Roegner, and Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD (Poster)
The Efficacy of an Integrated Visual-Vestibular Rehabilitation Model in Concussion Patients Suffering from Prolonged Vestibulo-Ocular Dysfunction, Megan Hammer, Mark Cipolle MD, David Clark, Eden Hunt MD, and Daniele Shollenberger CRNP (Poster)
Prevention of Pressure Injuries Caused by Endotracheal Tube (ETT) Securement Devices, Grace M. Hercik; Kenneth Miller MEd, RRT-NPS; and Daniel R Ofak MHA, RRT-NPS (Poster)
Evaluating the Use of a Single Question Derivative to Determine Post-Acute Needs Following Total Joint Replacement, Kiya Humphries; Brittany N. Shockency BS; and Carissa Hrichak MBA, BSN, RN (Poster)
Comparative Efficacy of Transthoracic vs. Transesophageal Echocardiogram in Diagnosing Endocarditis, Mackenzie Johnstone and Raul E Davaro MD (Poster)
Using TQIP Data to Determine the Effect of Adding Emergency General Surgery Services to Trauma Outcomes, William Kane; Bree A. Harrison BSN, RN, TCRN; Jaclyn Sharkazy PA-C, MSPAS; Kathryn L Wheel MD; and Joseph J. Stirparo MD (Poster)
Telling the Story: Long-term experiences of Valley Preferred Quality Improvement (QI) Program participants, Kourtney Keim and Johnny Stoeckle MD (Poster)
Evaluation of Patients Admitted to the Hospital with Sepsis, Febrile Neutropenia, or Pneumonia Following Administration of Chemotherapy, Abigail Kennedy; Savitri Skandan MD; Dennis Sopka MD; and Melissa Kratz RN, MSN, AOCN (Poster)
Improvement of Satisfaction of the Patients from the Caregiver in the NICU, Jackson Kondak, Kamran Ahmed MD, Jose D. Salazar MD, and Brian Repetz BS (Poster)
The Effect of Vision Therapy in Post Concussion Recovery, Alexandra Kundek, Mark Cipolle MD, David Clark, Eden Hunt MD, and Daniele Shollenberger CRNP (Poster)
Machine Learning-Driven Prediction of Severe Thrombocytopenia Risk in CRRT Patients, Michael Li and Divakar Sharma MD (Poster)
Long-Term Outcomes of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) in Patients with Renal Failure on Dialysis, Shree Manivel; Bryan D. Nelson MBA, NR-P; and James K. Wu MD (Poster)
Gestational Changes in eGFR among Patients with CKD, Sharon E. Maynard MD, Anam Ali, and Shae Duka MPH (Article)
Accuracy of Rapid On-Site Cytology (ROSE) for the Diagnosis of Peripheral Lung Nodules during Robotic Bronchoscopy, Carly Mehta, Daniel Schwed-Lustgarten MD, and Brian Civic MD (Poster)
Exploring Contributors to Cervical Cancer Disparities in Hispanic Women across Lehigh Valley Hot Spots: A Mixed Methods Analysis, Jocelyn Mertz; Roya Hamadani MPH; Nicole M. Burgess BS; Melanie B. Johnson MPA; and Autumn Kieber-Emmons MD, MPH (Poster)
Assessing the Efficacy of a Therapeutic Thermoregulation Protocol (TTP) for the Burn Surgical Patient, Gwendolyn Minogue; Morgan Strecker; and Jill Krystofinski Mantell DNAPc, CRNA (Poster)
Developing a Quick Reference Guide for Staff on CT Policies and Protocols, Rose Morgan, Jason Morgan MD, and Kathleen E. Kane MD (Poster)
Evaluation of Specimen Collection and Processing Workflows to Improve ED Throughput, Rose Morgan; Shelbi Taylor MSN, MBA, RN-BC; and Kathleen E. Kane MD (Poster)
Evaluating Lehigh Valley Health Network's Stage 1A Lung Cancer Care in Concordance with National Guidelines, Katie O'Connor; Melissa Kratz RN, MSN, AOCN; Savitri Skandan MD; and Dennis Sopka MD (Poster)
Powering Master Adaptive Learning: How Family Medicine Residents Embody a Growth Mindset, Prital Prabhu, Drew Keister MD, and Karla J Felix PhD (Poster)
Mapping the Lived Experience: Access to Food and Green Spaces in Franklin Park, Allia Proctor, Cheryl Arndt PhD, and Samantha A. Shaak PhD (Poster)
Mitral Valve Surgery Outcomes for Severe Mitral Annular Calcification (MAC), Hoang Quach; Bryan D. Nelson MBA, NR-P; and James K. Wu MD (Poster)
Getting Narcan to Post-Partum Patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) at Time of Discharge, Joshua Raggi; Courtney Boyle DO; Katelin Kimler PharmD; and Kay Young MSN, RNC-OB (Poster)
Assessing Emergency Computed Tomography Throughput, Cayden Rex and Kathleen E. Kane MD (Poster)
Performance of a Biodegradable Temporary Matrix in Clinical Practice, Laetitia Roegner, Kurt Glaeser, and Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD (Poster)
Optimizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in Graduate Medical Education (GME) at LVHN, Paulina Royzman, Joseph E. Patruno MD, and Robert Sweeny MHA (Poster)
Analyzing Patient Outcomes and SLP Perspectives to Prepare for the Onboarding of FEES, Kaitlyn Shaffer and Kasey Hutter MS, CCC-SLP (Poster)
Residency Redesign: Building Sustainable Family Medicine Residency Learning Networks (First Place), Athira Shastry, Drew Keister MD, Nyann Biery DHSc, and Karla J Felix PhD (Poster)
Increasing Access to Orthopedic Providers in Dickson City, Samantha Simmers; Dene Palazzi-Khan MBA, B.Sc; Kathryn Paone; Ashleigh Solomon; Aidan Alco; and Matthew Smith (Poster)
Assessing the Need for a Therapeutic Thermoregulation Protocol (TTP) for the Burn Surgical Patient, Morgan Strecker; Gwendolyn Minogue; and Jill Krystofinski DNAPc, CRNA (Poster)
Adherence to Guideline-Based Treatment of Recurrent C. difficile within LVHN Hospitals, Zoe Tarun, Kathryn Zaffiri MPH, Eric Young MD, and Jarrod W. Kile RPhD (Poster)
Retrospective Assessment of Donor Site Scarring Following Split-Thickness Skin Graft Procedure, Lauren Thomas, Sakura Helm, and Sigrid A. Blome-Eberwein MD (Poster)
Satisfaction Survey of Living Kidney Donors Patients with Enhanced Recovery Protocol, Aiden Tobin; Jill Knolle LMSW, MPH; and George Rofaiel MD (Poster)
Comparision of Combination Test (CT and Troponin) Against the Gold Standard Echocardiogram to Assess Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Acute Pulmonary Embolism, Nandini Venkiteswaran and Divakar Sharma MD (Poster)
The Fate of Post Open-Heart Surgery Patients With Newly Developed Renal Failure, Chris Wickenheiser; Bryan D. Nelson MBA, NR-P; and James K. Wu MD (Poster)
Impact of the Emerging Health Professionals Program on Nursing Career Trajectory within the Lehigh Valley Health Network, Brooke Wunderler and Kerri Green EdD, MS (Poster)
2023
Gestational Change in Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) and Risk of Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes (First Place), Anam Ali and Sharon E. Maynard MD (Poster)
Barriers Faced by Unstably Housed Persons When Seeking Care from a Behavioral Health Specialist in Street Medicine, Madelyn Amadio and Kate Dreisbach MSW, LCSW (Poster)
Optimization of Guided Scheduling in the Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute, Miko Barbe and Justin Kashner MBA (Poster)
Readmissions in Isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Patients, Annalise Barner; James K. Wu MD; and Bryan D. Nelson MBA, NR-P (Poster)
Researching the Profitability and Necessity for an Orthobiologics Center for the Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute (LVOI) at Lehigh Valley Health Network, Matthew Barraco, Jennifer Roeder MBA, Jennifer Burrell MHA, and Chelsea Evans DO (Poster)