These executive summaries are from past student projects.

• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Cultural Competency and Reproductive Medicine: Improving Reproductive Health Resources for Minority Communities. She completed a website which aims to present reproductive health information in a culturally competent manner aimed towards Middle Eastern women. She emphasized the competencies of Patient Care, and Interpersonal and Communication Skills.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Cardiovascular Disease in the Armenian-American Community. He completed a literature review, obtained epidemiological data, researched the most effective methods of decreasing the risk of CVD, proposed a public health intervention program, and effectively presented his findings. He also completed a supplemental rotation in Child Psychiatry to strengthen his ability to provide quality care to his patients. He emphasized the competencies of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems-Based Practice.  He advanced entrustability in EPA1: Gather a history and perform a physical examination; EPA5: Document a clinical encounter in the patient record; EPA6: Provide an oral presentation of a clinical encounter; EPA9: Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team; and EPA13: Identify system failures and contribute to a culture of safety and improvement.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Patients in San Joaquin Valley. He completed clinical research on the topic. He emphasized competencies in Medical Knowledge, and Interpersonal and Communication Skills. He advanced entrustability in: EPA7: Form clinical questions and retrieve evidence to advance patient care; and EPA11: Obtain informed consent for tests and/or procedures.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Culinary Medicine.   She completed 33 Culinary Medicine courseware modules through the Health Meets Food curriculum. She emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care and Interpersonal and Communication Skills.  She also gave a presentation on Nutrition in PCOS patient during DREAM Team weekly didactic, including the importance of including a patient’s cultural background during patient education.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Dietary Interventions for People with Diabetes and Pre-Diabetes. He completed a pamphlet with low-carb recipes and performed H&Ps under the guidance of Dr. Ahmed. He emphasized competencies in Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, and Professionalism. He advanced entrustability in EPA1: Gather a history a perform a physical examination; EPA2: Prioritize a differential diagnosis following a clinical encounter; EPA3: Recommend and interpret common diagnostic and screening tests; EPA6: Provide an oral presentation of a clinical encounter; EPA9: Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team.

• NAME completed a Clinical Distinction experience in Peer Education: Blunt Thoracic Injury.  He developed a review article and consolidated student guide, emphasizing the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Practice Based Learning and Improvement.  He advanced entrustability in EPA2: Prioritize a differential diagnosis following a clinical encounter; EPA3: Recommend and interpret common diagnostic and screening tests; EPA6: Provide an oral presentation of a clinical encounter; EPA7: Form clinical questions and retrieve evidence to advance patient care; EPA 10: Recognize a patient requiring urgent or emergent care and initiate evaluation and management; and EPA13: Identify system failures and contribute to a culture of safety and improvement.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Management of Renal Disease on the Inpatient Nephrology Service. She emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Practice Based Learning and Improvement.  She advanced entrustability in EPA1: Gather a history and perform a physical examination; EPA2: Prioritize a differential diagnosis following a clinical encounter; EPA3: Recommend and interpret common diagnostic and screening tests; EPA5: Document a clinical encounter in the patient record; EPA6: Provide an oral presentation of a clinical encounter; EPA7: Form clinical questions and retrieve evidence to advance patient care; EPA8: Give or receive a patient handover to transition care responsibility; and EPA9: Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Leadership and National Service.   Through her role on the national Council of Osteopathic Student Government Presidents she accomplished several overarching goals including leading a committee of eight student leaders to coordinate the Student Researcher of the Year Award, a national award through COSGP which recognizes two osteopathic medical students for their contributions to research. Student was able to highlight osteopathic student researchers on social media, create and provide additional informational resources for osteopathic students interested in research, and promote awareness of racial injustice in medical research to create a more equitable understanding and delivery of healthcare for all. She emphasized the competencies of Osteopathic Principles and Practices, Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Sleep Loss Education and Research. He completed making a lecture on sleep loss to be used by and provided to future students as an adjunct to the Touro educational curriculum. He emphasized the competencies of Osteopathic Principles and Practices, Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Practice Based Learning and Improvement.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Improving Medical Education.  She helped create a new course in our curriculum: Diverse Perspectives on Developmental Disabilities and Health. She further developed a protocol for insuring that the course is delivered annually.  She emphasized the competencies of Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Systems Based Practice and Structural Competency.  She advanced entrustability in EPA9: Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team; and EPA13: Identify system failures and contribute to a culture of safety and improvement. 
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Gynecologic Care for Gender/Sexual Minority Populations.   She synthesized current publications and developed a doctor-patient communication plan for her continued training.  She emphasized the competencies of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Interventional Radiology at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Professionalism, and Practice Based Learning and Improvement.  She advanced entrustability in EPA3: Recommend and interpret common diagnostic and screening tests; EPA9: Collaborate as a -member of an interprofessional team; and EPA12: Perform general procedures of a physician.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Fundamentals of Ultrasound. He completed an ultrasound course that involved Sonosim modules and ultrasound lab work with volunteer patients.  He emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal and Communication Skills ,and Practice Based Learning and Improvement. He advanced entrustability in: EPA3: Recommend and interpret common diagnostic and screening tests; and EPA10: Recognize a patient requiring urgent or emergent care and initiate evaluation and management.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Indigenous Culture and Western Medicine.  She completed a research paper, entitled “An Essay on Indigenous Culture and Western Medicine: The product of self-education by an Indigenous medical student” which emphasized the competencies of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems Based Practice.  She advanced entrustability in EPA13: Identify system failures and contribute to a culture of safety and improvement.

• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Health Education, particularly for Underserved Asian Populations. She rotated through the Asian Health Services clinic in Oakland, CA, to learn about the community’s specific needs and develop her Medical Cantonese. She created health education videos to teach patients how to conservatively manage common conditions such as for MSK pain in various Asian languages for patients. She emphasized the competencies of Osteopathic Principles and Practices, Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, and Interpersonal and Communication Skills.  She advanced entrustability in: EPA3: Recommend and interpret common diagnostic and screening tests; EPA5: Document a clinical encounter in the patient record; EPA7: Form clinical questions and retrieve evidence to advance patient care; EPA9: Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team; EPA10: Recognize a patient requiring urgent or emergent care and initiate evaluation and management; EPA12: Perform general procedures of a physician; and EPA14: Integrate Osteopathic Principles and Practice into your clinical practice.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Community Health: Amenability of Patients Living with Diabetes to Group Visits. He completed a project in which he coordinated group visits for patients living with diabetes, under the supervision of various health care providers, including physicians, pharmacists, dietitians, and social workers. He emphasized the competencies of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Practice Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems Based Practice.  He advanced entrustability in EPA3: Recommend and interpret common diagnostic and screening tests; and EPA9: Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Medical Korean. He emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and the Pregnant Patient.  She emphasized the competencies of Osteopathic Principles and Practices, and Medical Knowledge.

• NAME designed her Clinical Distinction around Women’s Health and Health Policy.  She created contraception and abortion information brochures for legislators in support of California State Bill 999 (allowing providers to prescribe contraception support for a year in advance).  She also supplemented her core OB/GYN clerkship with APGO and MedU case study modules.  She emphasized each core competency but especially Interpersonal and Communication Skills and Systems Based Practice.

• NAME designed his Clinical Distinction experiences in Advanced Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.  For Advanced OMM he participated in national conferences, and extended his training through a longitudinal elective course, workshops and seminars.  He emphasized the core competencies of Osteopathic Principles and Practice, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Research.  His project involved ARDS incidence and emergency medicine protocol for treating methamphetamine users.  He focused on Practice-Based Learning and Improvement and Systems-Based Practice.

   

• NAME designed two Clinical Distinction experiences – Medical Spanish and Social Justice/Street Medicine.  She wrote a diverse longitudinal contract for mastering Medical Spanish with the goal of fluently presenting a case in Spanish.  She developed the Street Medicine Sacramento Winterization project and worked directly in the homeless community.  She emphasized the competencies of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism and Systems-Based Practice.  She focused on developing empathy and increasing entrustability in each major EPA.

• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Global Health.  She combined clinical training and research at our affiliate hospital in Debre Markos, Ethiopia. Her research phase focused on cervical cancer screening methods and their limitations, culminating in a co-authored manuscript.  She emphasized Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems-Based Practice.
• NAME designed two Clinical Distinction experiences, one in Medical Spanish and one in Advanced Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine.  She conducted survey research among her peers regarding their use of Spanish, developed a language learning resource guide, and developed a sustainable curriculum in Medical Spanish for her peers.  She completed a longitudinal elective in OMM, attended the OPSC conference, chronicled her use of OMT in the clerkship setting, including in an international volunteer setting.  She emphasized Osteopathic Principles and Practice, Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills and Professionalism competencies.  She set advancement goals in EPAs 2, 11 and 14.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Diabetes Medicine.  She simulated being a patient by doing home glucose monitoring and being ‘on’ an insulin pump.  She led a diabetic awareness group class and followed patients longitudinally in clinic. She emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care and Interpersonal and Communication Skills.  She focused on EPAs 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 9.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Patient-Centered Medical Care.  She followed a patient with a complex medical history through a major surgery and its aftercare, documenting the impact of medical care on the patient’s mind, body and spirit.  She emphasized each of the core competencies but especially Systems-Based Practice.  She submitted an extraordinary 2000-word self-reflection on this experience which is excerpted below but appended in full to this MSPE.

   

• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Narrative Medicine.  She used appreciative inquiry interviews of patients to better understand the impact of their disorders on their lives.  She emphasized the competencies of Interpersonal and Communication Skills and Professionalism.

• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Global Health.  Her learning contract included two research projects on cervical cancer at our affiliated rural hospital in Shirati, Tanzania. She emphasized inter-professionalism both in Tanzania and in analysis and publication of results. She developed the competencies of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems-Based Practice.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Pediatrics and Global Health.  She expanded her training in pediatrics through additional online case studies, and completed an internship at our affiliated rural hospital in Shirati, Tanzania.  She evaluated the Helping Babies Breathe protocol and emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism and Systems-Based Practice.

• NAME designed two Clinical Distinction projects.  For her first project she developed a mobile Pediatrics application for portable devices. 
  Her prototype app covers childhood rashes and is intended for parents.  She focused on Medical Knowledge and Systems-Based Practice competencies, and sought to advance entrustability in EPAs 1-3, 7, 11, 13 and 14.  For her second project she participated in a Food as Medicine research project with Dr. June Tester at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital.  She focused on Practice-Based Learning and Improvement and Interprofessionalism, with particular attention to EPAs 9 and 11.
• NAME designed two Clinical Distinction experiences – Medical Spanish and Generalist Medicine.  His goals were to be able to conduct an H&P and enter a SOAP note entirely in Spanish, and to broaden his competency and entrustable professional activity readiness in Nutrition, Geriatrics, Pediatrics, Obesity, Diabetes, Osteopathic Principals and Emergency Medicine.  He emphasized the core competencies of Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal and Communication Skills and Professionalism, and EPAs 7 and 10.
• NAME created two Clinical Distinction experiences based on Nutrition, Community Outreach and Patients with Disabilities. She completed a series of Nutrition in Medicine learning modules, participated in numerous community events including the United Samaritan Foundation Food Bank and the Turlock Farmer’s Market, and volunteered at Smile Farms (a non-profit dedicated to adults with disabilities).  She focused on the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Advanced Medical Spanish.  His learning contract included weekly meetings with his mentor, practicing H&Ps with fellow students, and composing a patient progress note entirely in Spanish.  He emphasized Interpersonal and Communication Skills and Professionalism among the competencies, and wrote advancement plans in each of the Entrustable Professional Activities.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine that incorporated an additional clerkship in OMM, an elective course, completing the Cranial Academy training, participating in student clinics, attending Convocation and holding 1-on-1 training and discussion sessions with OMM faculty members. She focused on the core competency of Osteopathic Principles and Practices.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.  He combined a specialty clerkship at Kaiser Permanente Roseville with writing an oncology case report abstract and a research review article on pediatric obesity. While on rotation, he was approached by his preceptor to write an abstract on a unique ALL patient. In the span of 4 weeks, NAME was able to achieve honors on his clinical rotation, send the abstract for review at a national conference, and complete the obesity review article. He emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, and Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and he advanced his entrustability in EPAs 1 – 7 and 9.
• NAME designed a Global Health distinction experience at Laniado Hospital in Netanya, Israel.  He sought to widen his breadth of experience in medicine via exposure to the different patient populations, practice patterns, and resources availability of a hospital abroad.  He concentrated on the core competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Global Health.  She and a colleague assessed the efficacy of the Helping Babies Breathe protocol at the district hospital level in East Africa.  They also administered the Shirati Babies Project, which NAME created, at our affiliated rural hospital in Shirati, Tanzania.  She emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills and Professionalism.
• NAME designed two Clinical Distinction experiences – Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice in Medical Education; and Research. For Diversity and Inclusion he led the effort to develop a Strategic Action Plan for all of Touro University California.  For Research he investigated physician perceptions of Type 2 Diabetes.  He emphasized the competencies of Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism and Practice-Based Learning and Improvement.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Geriatrics. She completed eight learning modules from POGOe (Portal of Geriatrics Online Education) and additional cases in MedU, and applied her progress to patients encountered in subsequent clerkships.  She emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, and Interpersonal and Communication Skills.   
• NAME designed a very successful Clinical Distinction project around Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  She designed a survey that received nearly 400 responses, enhanced her core psychiatry clerkship, and diligently pursued advancement in each of the core EPAs.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Cardiology and the Social Determinants of Health.  He wrote a unique learning contract combining his prior research, Master of Public Health focus, and social determinants literature study.  He emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge and Systems-Based Practice.
• NAME designed a distinction experience in Diversity, Inclusion and Social Justice in Medical Education.  She worked with campus leaders to draft a Strategic Action Plan for improving diversity and inclusion in our program.  She focused her efforts on the competencies of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement, and Systems-Based Practice.  She advanced her entrustability in EPAs 9 (Collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team) and 13 (Contribute to a culture of safety and improvement).
• NAME designed two Clinical Distinction experiences – Radiology and Mountain Medicine.  He expanded his skill set for graduate training through online case studies (MedU) and two patient presentations in his cardiothoracic surgery clerkship.  He then explored his passion for wilderness emergency medicine by attending the World Conference on Wilderness Medicine, revising an elective course that he created in 2015, and advancing his credentialing in AWLS.  He emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge and Systems-Based Practice.
• NAME designed an original Clinical Distinction experience in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.  She developed a series of K-12 lesson plans on health and nutrition and gave 11 live presentations to children and parents in the Stockton, CA, community. She emphasized the competencies of Medical Knowledge, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism and Systems-Based Practice.   She concentrated on advancing entrustability in EPAs 7, 9, 13 and 14.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in International Public Health and Research.  He studied midwifery and abortion services stigma in Ethiopia.  He focused on the competencies of Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based learning and Improvement, and Systems-Based Practice.  He sought to advance entrustability in EPAs 7, 9, 11 and 13.
• NAME designed a distinction experience in Research and Advocacy based at Natividad Medical Center. For research he developed a case presentation and subsequent peer-reviewed article (submitted for publication) on a Platypnea Orthodeoxia Syndrome.  This experience advanced his entrustability for  EPA 2 and EPA 7.   For advocacy he served as Vice Chair for the Student Committee at the 2016 Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC) conference and organized a community outreach event on home safety.  This experience advanced his entrustability for EPA 9 and EPA 13.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Clinical Research at University of Chicago Comer Children’s Hospital.  She collaborated on a research project in pediatric emergency medicine.  She focused on the competencies of Interpersonal and Communication Skills, Professionalism, Practice-Based Learning and Improvement and Systems-Based Practice.
• NAME concentrated her Clinical Distinction experience on Geriatrics.  She focused on the  competencies of Medical Knowledge, Patient Care, and Interpersonal and Communication Skills.  Her activities included research, online certification via the Alzheimer’s Association (essentiALZ), hospice volunteering with Dignity Health, and longitudinal case studies to quantify quality of life measures in geriatric patients on her elective Pain Management clerkship.  Michelle submitted a thoughtful and engaged 1000+  word self-evaluation, excerpted below.
• NAME designed two Clinical Distinction projects, one in Physician Advocacy and one in Radiology.  For Physician Advocacy, he served as the first intern of the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California (OPSC), and wrote an article based on his experience.  For Radiology, he structured an apprenticeship with an interventional radiologist.   He touched on all six core competencies and advanced his entrustability in EPAs 2,3,7,9 and 13.
• NAME designed an original Clinical Distinction experience in Osteopathic Principles and Practices and Martial Arts.  He supplemented his core training in osteopathic manipulative medicine with an appreciate inquiry approach to martial arts instructors and their guiding principles.   He participated in the AAO Convocation and served his peers as a table-trainer in the OMM lab.  He emphasized the competencies of Osteopathic Principles and Practices, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Professionalism.
• NAME designed a unique Clinical Distinction experience around Addiction Medicine.  He was selected for the Summer Institute for Medical Students at the Hazeldon Betty Ford Center, and supplemented that experience by creating a Rehabilitation Services Guide for Solano County physicians.  He focused on the competencies of Patient Care, Interpersonal and Communication Skills, and Systems-Based Practice.
• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction experience in Dance Medicine.  She described her competency focus as “I plan to expand my medical knowledge on Dance Medicine by studying common dancer’s injuries. I plan to contribute to patient care by volunteering at the free Healthy Dancers’ Clinic.I plan to use my interpersonal and communication skills and work on professionalism by collaborating on this study with those of various training backgrounds.  I plan to contribute to practice based learning and improvement by developing a study to assess utilization and feasibility of the Healthy Dancer’s Clinic.” She concentrated on advancing entrustability in EPAs 7, 9, 11 and 13.

• NAME designed a Clinical Distinction project in Research on the under-reporting of sports injuries among competitive high school athletes.  Her overall goals are to help injured young athletes have better long-term outcomes.  She focused on the competencies of Practice-Based Learning and Improvement and Systems-Based Practice.
• NAME designed a diverse Clinical Distinction experience in Integrative Medicine.  She obtained certification in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, studied integrative medicine approaches to women’s health, trained in the application of Pilates to clinical therapy, and studied use of complementary therapies in a psychiatric practice to reduce patient stress and anxiety.  She focused on the competencies of Medical Knowledge and Patient Care, with particular attention to EPA 9 – working in an interprofessional team.

Coming soon: we thought it might be interesting to see what kind of projects students with particular residency goals took on. After some effort and time , we will match specialty project summaries with Residency matches….