Aspiring Physician-Scientists Share Research at DREAM Symposium

Last year, nine medical students at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine began conducting full-time research with Miller School faculty thanks to the Dean’s Research Excellence Award in Medicine (DREAM) program. Now, one year later, they shared the outcomes of their work during the DREAM Symposium.

The DREAM program is open to all third-year medical students at the Miller School and is designed for students interested in pursuing careers in academic medicine as a physician-scientist. As part of the program, students receive a $40,000 stipend and mentorship support from a Miller School faculty member. They spend a full year in research training and professional development — specifically designed to enhance the physician-scientist training experience and prepare them to excel in academic medicine careers.

“The DREAM program integrates the Miller School’s outstanding basic science and clinical training, research, and professional development to enhance the physician-scientist training experience,” said Grace Zhai, Ph.D., professor of molecular and cellular pharmacology and DREAM program director. “The DREAM scholars share many of the professional development activities with our flagship MSTP program, which is the only NIH-funded physician-scientist training program in the state of Florida.”

Before each student gave their presentation, Carl Schulman, M.D., Ph.D., senior associate dean for research operations at the Miller School, gave guidance to the class.

“Seek guidance from your mentors, they really know what’s best for you and look for differentiators throughout your career as a way to get expertise in other areas,” Dr. Schulman said. “Don’t always say yes, but always be willing to collaborate, and last, have an open-door policy, but leave the door closed.”

Opportunities in Dermatology Research

Five participants from the DREAM program spent the year focused on dermatology research with mentors from the Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery. Siri Choragudi began the presentation portion of the event with her research on pediatric eczema, pruritus patients and skin disorders. Her mentor was Gil Yosipovitch, M.D., director of the Miami Itch Center and professor of dermatology at the Miller School.

“This was an incredible opportunity to expand my methodological skill set by using large data sets and novel patient insights,” Choragudi said. “I had the opportunity to explore the relationship between itch and quality of life from various perspectives and with several different patient types.”

Other students focused on wound research, like Nicole Vecin and Gabrielle DiBartolomeo, who conducted studies on hidradenitis suppurativa, a chronic skin disease and radiation-induced skin fibrosis. Their research showed the need to continue searching for new therapies to improve the physical and emotional health of patients.

Yet another student, Shrey Patel, spent his research year evaluating the impact of artificial intelligence and telemedicine in dermatology. Tara Samra, another scholar, examined new treatments for alopecia, such as melatonin.

Tackling Health Disparities in Breast Cancer

Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center had its fair share of aspiring researchers in the DREAM program. Daniel Gomez, mentored by Kristin Rojas, M.D., assistant professor of surgical oncology at Sylvester, spent his year as a sub-investigator in breast cancer and health disparities research. His research demonstrated that minorities often do want to partake in clinical studies, but they are frequently omitted and have more barriers to accessing trials than their white counterparts.

“This work is important because it shows the power of representation,” Gomez said. “Throughout history, minorities have not had the best care, leading to underrepresentation in clinical trials. Our results will inform the development of more equitable clinical trial recruitment strategies to ensure population sampling is not influenced by investigator bias or disparities in access.”

Similarly, Maya Lubarsky researched health disparities in breast cancer under the supervision of Neha Goel, M.D., assistant professor of surgery. Lubarsky’s work showed the correlation of patients with unmet social needs and how they have a later-cancer stage diagnosis in breast cancer resulting in shorter survival rates.

“This has been a unique opportunity to dive into the research I’ve been a part of,” Lubarsky said. “Today feels like a culmination of all the hard work we’ve put in as DREAM scholars. Getting a chance to present our work to our peers and mentors is even more exciting.”

Algorithms in Medicine

The use and efficacy of machine learning algorithms were also examined by the scholars. Meghan Sharma, under the mentorship of Alana Grajewski, M.D., professor of ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, discussed the limitations of using the Esterman visual field test, especially in patients with glaucoma.

Though the test is widely used in the U.S., Sharma’s research noted its limitation in addressing compensation for visual impairment. The test is lagging behind those used in European countries and doesn’t consider new algorithms, such as driving simulations.

Alexander Rasgon, mentored by Michael Benatar, M.D., Ph.D., professor of neurology and public health sciences, presented a review of early detection of Alzheimer’s using the loewenstein-acevedo scale for semantic interference and learning and other measures. His project shows how disease-specific patterns of citation drift among literature, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare neurological disease, being the most evidence appropriately critiqued or propagated.

The event concluded with closing remarks from Stephen D. Nimer, M.D., director of Sylvester and executive dean for research, as certificates were handed out to the participants, and celebrations among peers and mentors ensued.

“This program has given each of you first-hand experience in what it’s like to be a physician-scientist,” Dr. Nimer said. “Although your medical career will take you on many paths, what you have learned this year will set the foundation for your future in research.”

For the full list of winners and mentors click here.

Tags: Dean’s Research Excellence Award in Medicine, DREAM scholarship program, research