The Miller School’s Class of 2025 Scholarly Concentration Capstone Symposium
The mentorship-focused program gives students an opportunity to conduct research under the guidance of a faculty member.
Research posters filled the hallways of the Schoninger Research Quadrangle during the second annual Scholarly Concentration Capstone Poster Symposium at the University of Miller School of Medicine.
The symposium concludes the scholarly concentration aspect of the school’s NextGenMD curriculum, which gives students an opportunity to focus on a research area of interest with the guidance of a faculty member. All students at the Miller School pursue a scholarly concentration, culminating in a dual degree or a research pathway.
“Participation in scholarly work deepens the understanding of medical evidence and develops critical thinking skills,” said Peter Buchwald, Ph.D., associate professor of molecular and cellular pharmacology and director of the scholarly concentration program. “Engaging in research enables students to contribute to the advancement of medical science, and having such experience is also increasingly important to improve their prospects of getting into competitive residency programs.”
Capstone Symposium Award Winners
Displaying Dual-Degree and Pathway Research
This year’s event featured posters from 16 dual-degree students and explored themes such as mental health, hypertension and cancer screenings. Presenters Adriana Colombiana Baez, M.D., J.D. Class of ’25 shared her investigation into why more female physicians aren’t completing hysteroscopy procedures in an office setting, which is low-cost and faster than the operating room.
“Being in this dual-degree program allows me to get a better top-down approach to how to best council my patients and impact health care policies,” Baez said. “My work reviewed medical malpractice claims of those receiving a hysteroscopy procedure in an office setting. The data I gathered shows we need better guidelines regarding what type of patients are suited for this procedure.”
Twenty-four students in the pathway track presented, with the most popular areas of focus the business of medicine, oncology, regenerative medicine and vision science. Following two rounds of jurying by medical faculty, James Lai, M.D. Class of ’25, received the Best Poster Award for his research on antifungal eye treatments.
“I’m privileged to have the support of my lab and mentors to achieve this win,” Lai said. “My research uses Rose bengal, a photosensitive dye activated by green light to produce free radicals that kill resistant fungi. My lab developed a device that uses electric current to further improve its efficacy to drive Rose bengal deeper into the cornea, leading to an 80% improvement.”
Guiding and Supporting Future Clinicians
The event also recognizes a faculty mentor whose outstanding efforts have impacted future physicians. This year’s Mentorship Award was presented to Anat Galor, M.D., M.S.P.H., professor of ophthalmology at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute.
Dr. Galor views mentorship as a vital part of medicine. Mentors serve as a bridge to pass on knowledge, clinical skills and professional values. She focuses on guiding and supporting future clinicians as they grow personally and professionally.
“It is truly an honor to have my mentorship efforts recognized and appreciated,” Dr. Galor said. “I consider mentorship a key pillar in academic medicine, as it shapes the future of the field. This recognition reinforces my commitment to supporting the growth and development of future medical professionals.”
Tags: Dr. Anat Galor, medical education, Senior Capstone Course, student research