Most of my days over the past two weeks have been spent reviewing literature, screening charts, and collecting data. The first few days were very heavy in literature review as we were waiting for IRB approval for our study. Andy gave me a textbook on fractures in children with an entire chapter on supracondylar fractures of the distal humerus. Reading this chapter provided me with a great amount of knowledge on what I’ll be researching. I learned everything from how the fractures occur, how they can vary, the categorization of the fractures, and the different treatment options. He also gave me 2 journal articles to read and take notes on. Next week, I will go over these articles with him at a sort of journal club over lunch. So far, I have learned a lot about how clinical research is carried out and what to expect from the literature.
Once my study was IRB-approved, I was able to move on to doing chart screens. In chart screening, I am responsible for reviewing each patient in our database to determine if they are eligible for our study. Age at the time of injury, date of injury, fracture type, and previous fractures are just some of the things I look for in these screens. I have enjoyed looking at the radiographs and reading how the injuries occurred. Most screens end up ineligible, mainly because this type of fracture is more common in younger children. Luckily, this means I have fewer charts to dive into because only the eligible charts are subjected to data collection. After screening, an eligible chart is reviewed for MANY different things. Details of the injury, procedure, patient demographics, and treatment outcomes must all be collected, which requires a lot of sifting through the chart and visit reports. I have only gotten through a handful of data collection forms because it is such a meticulous and time-consuming process. After 2 weeks of this, I have come to understand the difficulties of clinical research and am much more appreciative of those who have worked in this field!
One of the many perks of being an intern here has been the endless supply of lectures we’re able to attend. So far, attending lectures has been one of my favorite parts of working and I have learned SO much.
Last week I attended two lectures. The PubMed lecture was a walkthrough of the resource and how to best utilize it as we’re digging for literature. It was very helpful to understand the algorithm instead of blindly searching, and I know it’s a skill I will use for the rest of my healthcare career. The second lecture looked at the implications of skeletal muscle stem cells in rotator cuff injuries. There was a TON of information packed into only one hour! It included some cool visuals I’d never seen before and I certainly walked away with a better understanding of the intersection of cellular biology and clinical research. I have to admit, my favorite part of this lecture was where it was held. We had to walk over to the brand-new Anschutz Health Sciences Building, and I was honestly taken aback by how beautiful it is. The lobby opens into a huge atrium as soon as you walk in and there’s even a rooftop deck you can sit on. I imagine Ella and I will be looking for excuses to go over there.
This week, we attended two more lectures. The Gait lab lecture was more of a walkthrough of the lab and an explanation of what they can analyze and how. The lab is very high-tech and is more on the engineering side of medicine, but it was still fascinating. At the end, Ella even got to have her gait analyzed. The second lecture about early-life influences on later-life health was given by a neonatologist who does more research than clinical work. She explained how they use pregnant sheep as animal models to study fetal growth restriction which honestly sounded pretty fun to me. Overall, she did a great job expressing a physician’s responsibility to continually learn throughout their career.
During the week I have 2 goals outside of work every day: go on a walk and study for the MCAT. Ella and I have been walking in a nearby park with plenty of trails most days. I also attempt to do some content review and practice questions for my MCAT each night. Additionally, after spending the last two weekends flying home, I made sure to jam-pack this weekend with all sorts of Colorado fun. On Friday, Carson and I drove to Loveland to see one of my favorite singers, Lee Brice. Saturday was spent watching him play baseball in Colorado Springs and Sunday was spent watching even more baseball at a Rockies game! I have come to enjoy the area, and I know I will make many memories while here.
I cannot believe all I’ve soaked up in just 3 weeks. The amount of knowledge I have gained surrounding healthcare is something I know I wouldn’t have received without this experience, and I know it will only continue to add up. I have really learned to love the desire the healthcare providers here have to learn. Every lecture we attend is almost full of staff going out of their way to expand their knowledge base, and I’m even more certain healthcare is the right path for me because of it.
Our view of Coors Field while we watched the Rockies.