The Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honors Society 47th Annual Scientific Research Symposium brought together third year medical students at Duke School of Medicine to present their scientific research projects. Students competed for several awards, and 12 medical students were chosen to give platform presentations – among them our very own Kathleen Campbell.
Kathleen won the award for the best platform presentation. Her talk, entitled "Quality Improvement of Screening for Autism in Primary Care” discussed the results of a project she completed under the mentorship of Dr. Geraldine Dawson. The quality improvement study was conducted in one of the Duke Primary Care clinics. It aimed to encourage physicians to screen every child for autism and refer children who screen positive for diagnostic evaluation and treatment. This allowed them to prospectively study screening practices at the clinic and track quality metrics. They also implemented a digital smart form that automatically administered and scored screening forms and helped physicians assess the risk for Autism for each child. The study showed a significant improvement in the quality of screening after the intervention. The project was completed in collaboration with Dr. Guillermo Sapiro of the Duke University Pratt School of Engineering and Dr. Jeffrey Baker of the Duke Department of Pediatrics, among others.
A main contribution of this work is the finding that a tablet-based screening form provided efficient and reliable risk classification, while preserving physician time for patient care. The Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development is committed to providing exceptional, compassionate care to families so that each individual with autism will realize his or her fullest potential. The project is one of many exemplifying our interdisciplinary spirit and efforts to expand our impact through education and innovative research.
Kathleen Campbell is a 4th year medical student at Duke University School of Medicine, applying for residency in Pediatrics in 2017. She first came to the Center to receive training and build upon her expertise in the field of Autism. She plans to practice clinical medicine in the field of Pediatric primary care and continue working in Autism research.
Congratulations Kathleen, on behalf of the Center for Autism and Brain Development!
The project was made possible by funding from:
Duke University School of Medicine
Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development
Social Science Research Institute (EDHi Award)
Department of Psychiatry (PRIDe grant)
Information Initiative at Duke (iiD)
Integrated Pediatric Mental Health Initiative
Duke-Coulter Translational Partnership Grant Program
Clinical and Translational Science Award TL1TR001116
Primary Care Leadership Track
You can learn more about educational and training opportunities at the Duke Center for Autism and Brain Development here.