WesternU Medical Student's Research Project Ranked Among Top Six Regionally

A research report presented by a second-year medical student at Western

University of Health Sciences’ (WesternU) College of Osteopathic Medicine

of the Pacific (COMP), was ranked among the top six research papers

presented in January at a leading medical student research forum.

Jared M. Salvo’s paper was one of 328 student research projects presented

at the 27th Annual Western Student Medical Research Forum in Carmel,

California. The American Federation for Medical Research (AFMR) sponsors

the forum, attended by students from medical schools throughout the

western United States, including Stanford, UCLA and dozens of others.

“”This was a great forum at which to present our research work,”” the 25-

year-old Salvo said. “”More COMP students would like to pursue research as

part of our medical school education and the conference allows us to

present the results in a very supportive arena.””

The COMP students were the only osteopathic medical students at the

conference, Salvo said.

Salvo’s research presentation was titled “”Lipid Levels and Coronary Artery

Selection Correlate with Restenosis Following Stent Therapy.”” It addressed

how “”aggressive lipid lowering therapy may significantly improve the

prognosis”” of patients who have undergone a coronary angioplasty and

stent. Salvo performed his research under the direction of Neil Doherty

III, MD. Dr. Doherty is an adjunct professor of surgery at COMP.

Salvo was one of six COMP students who attended the conference. All are

second-year medical students. They are: Matt Haight, Stacy Naito, Kyle

Smart, Rick Sanders and Livinia Smultea.

Abstracts of the students’ research projects were published in the

February 1999 edition of the AFMR’s Journal of Investigative Medicine.

They performed their research projects during summer break, receiving a

grant of up to $2,000 from the University.

Medical students who undertake research projects and present them while

still in school improve their chances of landing a good medical residency

assignment after graduation, said James Martin, Dr. re. nat., professor of

physiology and faculty advisor for the student researchers. Since

osteopathic physicians (DOs) traditionally pursue careers in primary care

or family medicine rather than in research, osteopathic medical students

undertaking research projects and presenting them at forums where students

from allopathic medical (MD) schools abound-such as at AFMR’s January

conference-give the osteopathic and allopathic medical students a good

chance to interact with each other before graduation-long before they meet

in their medical residencies, Dr. Martin added.