Second-Year Students Present Research at Annual Symposium
The Class of 2025 shared their research and findings at the annual Wake PA Graduate Project Symposium on March 3 in the Biotech Atrium. M. Tiye Young, MMS, PA-C, ’24, delivered the keynote address, relating how the focus of her own Graduate Project research – the role of poor communication in cervical cancer disparities in Black and Hispanic communities – translates to improved patient care.
Professor Robert L. Wooten, PA-C '81, presented Young with a certificate recognizing her leadership during relief efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene. Young is a Major in the NC Army National Guard and served as the Command & Control and Operations Officer for the NC Western Branch Emergency Management Headquarters in Conover, NC. Read more about Young’s service in this alumni spotlight.
The Graduate Project course series spans both the pre-clinical and clinical years. Working in small teams, students formulate a relevant topic, review related literature, and critically appraise and synthesize results. Research teams present summary findings to a faculty panel, prepare a scholarly manuscript, and share with their work with first-year students, faculty, and other guests at the symposium.
One of the research teams at this year’s symposium was also invited to present their poster, “Evaluating Racial Disparities in the Quality of Care of Patients with Epilepsy in Ambulatory Clinical Settings,” at the North Carolina Neurological Society Annual Meeting held in late February. To reach their conclusions, second-year students Janerys Muñoz Feliciano, June Sohn, and Liam Forstein Sharanya Uchil and Antione J. Trent conducted a secondary analysis of National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) data. The team was mentored by Wake PA faculty members Kelly Conner, PhD, MMS, PA-C, and Chris Gillette, PhD, as well as Heidi Munger-Clary, MD, MPH.
2025 Project Titles and Research Teams
Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) Screening: Role in Primary Care
Connor Curtin, Thea Pflum, Samantha Roberts, Sarah Stim, Deja Wright
Among Individuals With Substance Use Disorders, How Does the Presence of Provider Bias in Treatment Delivery and Decision-Making Impact Treatment Outcomes?
Diana Cheney, Jennifer Labrano, Erin Morken, Hannah Zimmer
Colorectal Cancer Screening: Identifying the Barriers to Completion and Proposed Solutions to Increase Screening Adherence in Adults Aged 45–75
Maggie Gebauer, Kelsey Graziose, Micaela Jackson, Jenny Kim, Molly Moran, Melissa Petri with Delaney Provenza, MMS, PA-C
Evaluating Outcomes and Access Disparities: In-Person vs. Virtual Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
Megan Swintosky, Erin Palmer, Ashley Vines Ivey, Kaitlin Jenkins, Lauren Raich, Gannon Millsaps with Caroline Sisson, PA-C
Evaluating the Clinical Utility of Pharmacogenomics in the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder
Madison Phillips, Blake Bloomfield, Justin Suarez with Samuel Pendergraft, PhD, MMS, PA-C
Evaluating Racial Disparities in the Quality of Care of Patients with Epilepsy in Ambulatory Clinical Setting
Janerys Muñoz Feliciano, June Sohn, Liam Forstein, Sharanya Uchil, Antione J. Trent with Heidi Munger-Clary, MD, MPH, Kelly Conner, PhD, MMS, PA-C, Chris Gillette, PhD
Evaluation of Adolescent Depression and Suicidal Ideation Screening in the Primary Care Setting
AJ Chen, Gillian Danielson, Madison Massey, Kamryn Sheffield, Samantha White
Exploring the PA Role in Reducing and Improving Outcomes of Peripartum Cardiomyopathy
Erin Howard, Chelsey Wylder, Amoli Kothari, Jessica Hopper, English Flaherty, Vandana Padmaraju with Lauren Eyadiel, MMS, PA-C, FHFSA
Hormone Optimization in Menopausal and Post-Menopausal Women: Efficacy, Safety, and Options
Isabella Kallo, Katherine Miller, Amari Smith, Elizabeth Strom with Sarah J. Garvick, MS, MMS, PA-C
Primary Prevention of Fragility Fractures in Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Patients
Lorenzo Bayuga, Kirsten Ornelas, Kendra Dumsky, Grace Simmons, Mariam Kharbat, Taylor Wilson with C. Taylor Jensen, MMS, PA-C
The Impacts of Humanitarian Crises
Kathryn Trovato, Darryl Beauchamp, Ileah Cartagena, Michelina Nardone, Abigail Murphy
The Intersection of Palliative Care and Mental Health: Barriers to Access and Integration
Elizabeth Ashley, Alex Ficarro, Shachi Hegde, Kyle Jonas, Rachel Moorman, Emily Simonson
Tuberculosis (TB) Prevention in South Africa
Kayla Clark, Jasmine Essa, Juliet Kelly, Josephine Mannino, Danielle McManus, Olivia Pelaez
Viability of Heat Exposure Therapy as a Complementary Treatment in Patients with Heart Failure
Cole Cibu, Charlotte Plehn, Polina Cherkez, Gabrielle DuFour, Brandon Bolton with Cathy Shull, MPAS, PA-C
What Are the Clinical Outcomes of Antibiotic Therapy Compared to Appendectomy in the Management of Acute Appendicitis?
Addison Butler, Caroline Womack, Elizabeth Kitslaar, Parker Smith, Rebecca Prettyman