SOMA names first Student Research Fellowship winners

The Student Osteopathic Medical Association is pleased to announce recipients of the new Student Research Fellowships, established in partnership with the AOA Council on Research to encourage osteopathic medical students’ scientific investigations.

The winners, each awarded $2,000 each to help fund their work, were selected on the basis of their proposed research projects:

• Ivan A. Alger, OMS II, of the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) in East Lansing: “Mechanisms of Pressure Inhibition on Mucosal Healing.”
• Youssef Kousa, OMS IV, of MSUCOM: “Intra-amniotic Gene Delivery to the Periderm Using an Adenoviral Vector.”
• Rung-Chi Li, OMS III, of the Touro University California, College of Osteopathic Medicine in Vallejo: “Study of Neuronal Sensitivity to Oxygen Glucose Deprivation in an Alzheimer’s Disease Transgenic Mouse Model.”
• Shane R. Sergent, OMS III, of MSUCOM: “Growth and Nutritional Status of Peruvian Children.”
• Vi Song Tring, DO, who graduated in May from the Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.: “The Variable Influence of Health Care Reform on Osteopathic Medical Students’ Career Specialty Choices.”

The winners will submit abstracts and present posters summarizing their progress at a poster forum during OMED 2011 in Orlando, Fla. Fellowship recipients will complete a final report on their research, or a proposal for additional outside funding, by Dec. 1.

I congratulate the winners and hope their achievement will be a driving force for them and an example to their colleagues on how to conduct cutting-edge osteopathic medical research.

SOMA and the AOA place a high priority on student research. Our goal is to produce osteopathic physicians well-versed in research methodology and prepared to impact clinical and basic science.

Osteopathic medical students interested in submitting a research proposal for next year’s research fellowship award must do so by Feb. 1, 2012.