Ob-gyn medical students earn awards for summer research
Students
Bethel Sampson and Victoria Tran awarded University of Toronto Chair’s Awards
(photos supplied)
Bethel Sampson and Victoria Tran
By
Matthew Tierney
Ob-gyn medical students Bethel Sampson (Mississauga Academy of Medicine) and Victoria Tran (Wightman-Berris Academy)are recipients of the University of Toronto Chair's Award for their respective summer research projects.
Sampson’s research evaluated outcomes for vaginal hysterectomies and explored the use of AI in surgical procedures. Tran’s research integrated mindfulness into surgical training, notably through the development of the Mindfulness Integration in Surgical Training (MiST) curriculum and its online platform.
The students were mentored by staff ob-gyns at Trillium Health Partners (THP): Elizabeth Miazga and Allan Kanee, assistant professors of obstetrics and gynaecology, and ob-gyn alumnus Jason Hermenegildo.
“Bethel and Victoria demonstrated great passion and dedication to their projects, and you can see this reflected in the impactful work they've accomplished,” says Ally Murji, Program Chief and Medical Director for the Women’s and Children’s Health Program at THP and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology.
“This year, the U of T Chair's Awards were matched by the Shah Family Hospital for Women & Children through Trillium Health Partners Foundation, which highlights our commitment at THP to advancing research and mentoring the next generation of ob-gyns,” he says.
Bethel Sampson
This experience deepened my understanding of the practical aspects of research and clinical work while also helping me develop important skills in critical thinking and problem-solving. The mentorship I received was invaluable, offering guidance and knowledge that will undoubtedly support my future professional journey in medicine.”
Supervisors: Kanee and Hermenegildo
Project: Bethel's research aimed to evaluate differences in practice patterns and outcomes for vaginal hysterectomies performed by fellowship-trained urogynecologists and those performed by generalists. She also contributed to a project examining the role of AI in hysterectomy procedures.
Key findings and accomplishments: Bethel's work involved analyzing differences in practice patterns and outcomes, helping to understand the evolving landscape of vaginal surgery. She found that there were no significant differences in surgical outcomes between fellowship-trained urogynecologists and generalists.
Victoria Tran
I’m incredibly grateful to my mentors. They role model what it means to be compassionate, dedicated teachers and physicians, and have supported my learning goals in a way that I strive to do for future learners when I am a physician! This research has furthered my interests in pursuing ob-gyn as a career.”
Supervisor: Miazga
Project: Victoria worked on the "Mindfulness Integration in Surgical Training" (MiST) 2 curriculum for OBGYN residents. She contributed to the development of an online platform, which includes meditation videos, module summaries, and surgeon testimonials to make the course accessible for residents.
Key findings and accomplishments: Victoria's research focused on understanding the impact of mindfulness training on residents' anxiety, confidence, burnout, and surgical performance. The project is ongoing, and her findings will be presented at the Canadian Conference for the Advancement of Surgical Education (C-CASE 2024).
