Arkansas Children’s Angel One Helipad

Author: Jessica Seymore | Majors: Public Health; Biology | Semester: Summer 2023

This summer, I had the honor of participating in the Summer Science Program at Arkansas Children’s Hospital in Little Rock, a program that is co-sponsored by the UAMS Department of Pediatrics and the Arkansas Children’s Research Institute.

I spent 8 weeks shadowing physicians from four different pediatric specialties, toured different areas of Arkansas Children’s Hospital, and participated in a mentored research project. I also attended bi-weekly lectures that focused on different areas of research, clinical medicine, and academic medicine. At the end of the program, I presented my mentored research project to 20 other Summer Science students, and members of ACH faculty.

I chose to apply to this program because of my passion for child health. I am a volunteer at Arkansas Children’s Northwest (ACNW) and Chief of Staff of Arkansas Dance Marathon, a Registered Student Organization that raises awareness about ACNW and provides many volunteering opportunities to benefit the hospital. I found the website for this program while looking at research opportunities last spring, and realized this program aligned perfectly with my interests and experience.

This summer, my research project involved an investigation into surgeon presence in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) on traumatic brain injury pathway compliance. My role in this project was to complete a retrospective chart review of patients admitted into the PICU with a moderate or severe brain injury before and after the implementation of a surgical intensivist. I recorded patient demographics, cause of injury, hospital course including operations and diagnoses, and pathway variables. I conducted my research under the Department of Pediatric Surgery, and was overseen by a Research Fellow.

This experience allowed me to learn more about basic science research and clinical research. At the end of the program, my peers presented their research projects, which allowed me to have a better understanding of current research happening at ACRI. The bi-weekly lectures from faculty allowed me to have a more in-depth view of different fields of medicine and research. I was also able to develop a broader knowledge of medical terminology, and awareness of guidelines of TBI protocol for pediatric populations.

During this program, I was able to interact with physicians, residents, medical students, and other research faculty. These individuals provided me with advice and encouragement for pursuing a career in medicine. Hearing different perspectives of medicine from various specialties was an incredibly unique experience. This program also allowed me to build relationships with the other outstanding students in my program from colleges across the country.

I would highly recommend getting involved in summer research opportunities. I specifically chose to apply to this program, because of my passion for child health. There are so many ways to get involved with research that aligns with your passions at the U of A, across the state of Arkansas, and across the county. Participating in this research project allowed me to develop my problem solving skills and presentations skills. I now have a deeper understanding of the interplay of medicine and research. This program has been one of my most meaningful experiences and further solidified my goal of becoming a physician.

Research Presentation