Hughston Foundation researchers worked with Mercer medical students during their summer rotations. At the end of the term, the medical students completed poster presentations at Mercer’s Summer Student Research Symposium. The Hughston Foundation’s staff assisted the research teams with editing and layout of the posters. J. Kenneth Burkus, MD, of the Hughston Foundation Research Committee, organized the Hughston program that matched Mercer students with Hughston researchers and guided the students while completing the research and presentations.
At the symposium, 3 judges from Mercer faculty ranked the 23 posters and presentations based on 5 categories: poster content, appearance, and organization, as well as presentation flow and a lightening round. Each category carried 10 possible points. Those who achieved the 3 top scores received awards based on the overall score out of 50 possible points and the 4th to 6th best scores were given an honorable mention. Poster subjects included academic, bench, population health and clinical. Mercer professor, Emily McMackin, PhD, presented the awards.
Three medical students who worked with Hughston researchers placed in the competition:
Poster Award: Mathew McGinty, MS2, Sohrab Vatsia, MD, L. Erik Westerlund, MD. “Early Phase Outcomes in ACDF with a 3D-Printed Gyroid Architecture Porous Titanium Interbody Reconstruction Spacer.”
Poster Award: Michael Saint-Jean, Reily Cannon, Matthew Stewart, MD. “Incidence of Complications for Hip Arthroplasty on Obsess Patient through the Direct Anterior Approach.”
Blake Cromie, MS2, Rourke Stay, MD, won an honorable mention with “Spinal Arachnoid Cysts: Why they Should be Considered in the Differential Diagnosis for Radiculopathy and Myelopathy.”
Last edited on September 13, 2022