Project Mentor
Dr. Richelle deMayo
Department of Pediatrics
Undergraduate Research Opportunity Description
| Project Description | Research in the Division of Biomedical Informatics involve translational research projects, applying evidence-based health information technologies to improve health care processes and outcomes. Projects in the division often focus on identifying and reducing errors, improving clinician or patient satisfaction, improving team-based care, improving cross care continuum coordination, reducing cost, improving efficiency and improving systems usability. The student would select a project from the following: – evaluation of aspects of telemedicine (provider wellbeing, telehealth equity, provider training effectiveness) – evaluation of artificial intelligence/machine learning for provider documentation efficiency, – evaluation of predictive models to better identify septic pediatric patients, – evaluation of pediatric-specific medication alerts to improve safety and reduce alert fatigue, – evaluation of the use of self-service analytics tools to support quality improvement efforts. – evaluation of a tool to reduce ICU-related delirium in pediatric patients. The student researcher could select any existing initiative and would expect to work closely with a faculty member to participate in a variety of research activities, such as conducting literature reviews or policy analyses; collecting, summarizing and interpreting data, preparing materials for Institutional Review Board and or grant-making agency submission; writing or editing materials for publication and/or presentation; preparing articles and reports and attending project meetings. |
| Project Direction | Members of the Division of Biomedical Informatics engage in clinical research to guide the use of health technology and achieve improvements in patient experience, provider experience, population health and cost of health care. The summer project will represent a formal evaluation of a recently implemented health technology and its findings will be used to recommend further action: encouraging adoption, optimization or consideration of alternative technology implementation. Research projects could ideally lead to an independent study or thesis, connecting the evaluation to trends in health policy, to evidence-based models of practice or to health service delivery strategies for prevalent health issues. Student researchers will be encouraged to submit their project to the American Medical Informatics Association’s Annual Symposium Student Paper Competition. |
| Mentorship and Supervision | Our division hosts a residency rotation and we are accustomed to welcoming participants who engage with us on short to mid-term projects. Residents will receive an orientation to the division and the project personnel, and they will, depending on their project, receive provisioning and training for the necessary systems to access data (Epic, REDCap, Qlikview) and perform analyses. Student Researchers will meet weekly with the Biomedical Informatics team as a group and will meet independently with the Principal Investigator of their particular project who will offer regular feedback and suggestions. Student researchers are invited to participate in the Division’s monthly Journal Club, which are designed to develop research and presentation skills. Student researchers will submit a weekly update on their progress and identify any anticipated barriers that would benefit from assistance/attention of faculty members. |
| Student Qualifications | Current enrollment in the undergraduate programs with interest and/or experience in the subject matter of the research project in question. Students will find a background in epidemiology, statistics, public policy and/or economics helpful, though such courses are not essential. Student researchers must have an ability to work independently, accurately and a willingness to problem solve issues that arise during the course of the research. Strong organizational and interpersonal skills are an asset for any researcher. |
| Summer Schedule Options | Research Dates: May 24 to July 30, 2021 Schedule: M-F, 8am-6pm Location: Connecticut Children’s Medical Center (CCMC) |
| Project Continuation | Fall 2021, Spring 2022 |
| Academic Year Time Commitment | 3-6 hours/week |
| Possible Thesis Project | Yes |
Application
Submit an online application for this research opportunity at https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/HRP21-9. The application deadline is Monday, February 1, 2021.
This application requires a cover letter, a resume or CV, an unofficial transcript, and a brief statement of research interests.