Burnett School of Medicine at TCU Highlights Research And Discovery

FORT WORTH – A group of physicians gathered around a poster presentation by Claudia Perez, M.D. on a novel device for oximetry measurements, which is the measurement of oxygen levels in a person’s blood or oxygen saturation.

The most used pulse oximeters tend to be inaccurate when used on people of color leading to higher mortality due to hypoxia and chronic respiratory failure, according to Dr. Perez. The new device, developed by Shani Biotechnologies LLC, based in Dallas, allows physicians to better detect low oxygen levels in people of color and improve health outcomes.

“We always have the potential to improve medicine, and our goal is always to do the best we can for our patients,” said Dr. Perez, Associate Professor at the Anne Burnett Marion School of Medicine at Texas Christian University.

More than 200 physicians attended the Fort Worth medical school’s first Faculty Research Symposium & Open House on October 8 at Arnold Hall.

There were 30 presenters with their posters spread around the Learning Studio inside the Amon G. Carter Inspiration Commons in Arnold Hall sharing medical knowledge to improve health care for patients. The exchanges brought a smile to the face of Greg Kearns, PharmD, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research.

“Like our students who we want to be a lifelong learners, our faculty members have to be lifelong learners,” Dr. Kearns said. “We have to continually improve.”

The medical school has graduated two classes of physicians that all completed their required Scholarly Pursuit & Thesis (SPT) research projects alongside faculty mentors. As the medical school has blossomed, most of the research has been focused on students working with faculty. Now, faculty members are stepping into the spotlight with their own research, according to Dr. Kearns.

“Our faculty are the ones who help make the Empathetic Scholars®, which are our students, so this is a big day,” Dr. Kearns said.

Research at universities, particularly at medical schools, has many benefits including creating pathways for major advances in health care and science. The research by physicians at medical schools can incrementally build new knowledge to contribute to the larger scientific and medical community. It’s also a huge plus to the medical students learning alongside them, Dr. Kearns added.

“It can be research that is highly quantitative, some laboratory or qualitative research,” Dr. Kearns said. “Its broad ranging but we have to be engaged in it so we can be sure that the physicians we graduate are lifelong learners.”

Research also comes in many forms. Medical education and medical training are also areas where new discoveries can be made. Gamification is an innovative and growing practice in medical education.

Sandra Esparza, Assistant Dean for Clinical Curriculum at Burnett School of Medicine, presented her research poster that suggests games have the potential to promote learning, increase engagement, allow for real-world application and enhance collaboration.

“I think we should always be evaluating what we’re doing, and research is a great way to do that,” Dr. Esparza said.

Her research looked at the efficacy of using escape-room style exercises as a clinical skills teaching tool for medical students. Her team utilized Standardized Patients (SPs) to expose medical students to situations they may experience in future practice. Students used basic skills to identify heart sounds, lung sounds, and cardiac rhythms and rates. They also had to perform a physical exam properly to escape the room. By combining the principles of gamification and SP methodology, the Clinical Skills team designed an effective educational activity for first-year medical students.

“At the end when we surveyed the students, they felt like it was a great way to learn,” Dr. Esparza said. “They got to collaborate as a team and practice their skills.”

The more faculty research grows at the Burnett School of Medicine it also supports TCU’s larger research efforts.

Floyd Wormley, Ph.D., Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at TCU, served as the keynote speaker for the research symposium. TCU is well-known for its research in humanities, but the university is looking to position itself as a leader in STEM, biomedical engineering and health innovation, according to Dr. Wormley.

“The work that’s being done right now with the Burnett School of Medicine ties directly into all of the great things we’re hoping to elevate and enhance,” Dr. Wormley said. “It’s going to be that springboard that takes us to higher heights.”