School of Medicine student James Carlucci makes the long journey back to Vanderbilt following his Emphasis research project in Zambia.
VUSM students’ research road trips focus on HIV/AIDS
Three Vanderbilt University School of Medicine students have used their Emphasis research projects to help understand care barriers, therapeutic strategies and infection rates among patients with HIV/AIDS in Zambia and Peru.
The Emphasis program allows Vanderbilt medical students to undertake a research project of their choosing during the first two years of medical school.
“Two of three students have already published their findings, suggesting the positive view of peer scientists on the importance of their work,” said Sten Vermund, M.D., director of the Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, who worked with the students.
Fourth-year student James Carlucci journeyed to rural Zambia to study predictors of adherence to antiretroviral therapy, including whether traveling long distances is a barrier to care.
“I was aware of the impact that HIV/AIDS was having and continues to have on the developing world, but nothing could have prepared me for what I experienced,” said Carlucci. “The magnitude of the pandemic seemed so much larger than the cold hard numbers.”
His research appeared in the Journal of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
VUSM student Atia Jordan studied the efficacy of HIV/AIDS therapy strategies in urban Zambia.
“Choosing to go abroad was one of the best decisions I ever made,” Jordan said. “I was exposed to a different health care system, which was eye opening, and was able to appreciate the day-to-day workings of medical care in a major city referral hospital and small community clinics. My observations gave me a greater appreciation for the importance of international health initiatives and their potential impact on different communities.”
VUSM student Ellika Bartlett, center, participates in the Festival of San Juan during her Emphasis research project in the Amazon region of Peru.
The Peruvian government used her study to launch a new rural HIV control program in the area. Her research was published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases last November.
“Our study succeeded in raising awareness of a serious public health issue in a marginalized population and led to local policy changes,” Bartlett said. “It gave me the opportunity to collaborate with dedicated Peruvian physicians and scientists and participate in unforgettable fieldwork.
“My experience through the international Emphasis program will undoubtedly impact the direction of my medical career,” Bartlett added.