Students, faculty, staff shine in research, leadership

Published on Monday, May 2, 2022

SHRP Research Day showcases work of 245 students, faculty and staff

For the first time since the pandemic, the School of Health Related Professions welcomed participants to present posters face-to-face during Research Day April 22 in the Norman Nelson Student Union.

While the annual event was held virtually in 2021, it was canceled in 2020.

“How Funky is Your Chicken: A Comparative Microbiological Analysis of Commercially Available Poultry” was the overall winner. The authors, medical laboratory science students Madison Alford and Bryanna Miles, worked with faculty advisor Amber Reulet, assistant professor of MLS, to conduct the research, which also earned the first place award for Outstanding Clinical Table Research.

Alford and Miles, who raised farm animals and took part in 4-H competitions growing up, wanted to focus their research on food processing practices, said Reulet, admissions chair and clinical coordinator of the traditional MLS program. 

“We wanted to help settle the debate on whether or not you should wash your chicken, and to spread awareness of the hazards of improperly handling raw food,” said Miles, a Brookhaven resident.

Their findings: Not to wash raw chicken because of the amount of bacteria spread to other surfaces, which coincides with FDA, CDC and USDA guidelines, Miles said.

Alford was surprised their research was overall winner because of the number of competitors.

 “I am proud of all the work we put into this research and thankful to our advisor for guiding us through everything,” the Philadelphia resident said.

The trio competed across eight categories against 244 other researchers. The event is open to all UMMC students, faculty and staff, as well as Base Pair students from Murrah High School.

“It was nice to see hundreds of presenters at one place and learn about their research in person,” said Dr. Judy Gordy, committee chair and assistant professor in the health sciences program.

Daniels earns women’s leadership certification

Kimberlee Daniels, the Medical Center’s chief operating officer, has received her certificate from the Essential Women’s Leadership Academy.

The Academy is part of America’s Essential Hospitals, an association and champion for hospitals and health systems. The organization is dedicated to high quality care and since 1981 has initiated, advanced and preserved programs and policies that help hospitals ensure access to care.

As chief operating officer for adult hospitals, Daniels oversees the daily operations within the UMMC health system, which includes driving high-quality patient satisfaction, safety and financial success; and aligning strategic goals with the hospital’s mission.