Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2007

Mentor: Darren McGuire
Department: Internal Medicine-Cardiology
Room number: HA 9.133
Mail Code: MC 9047
Phone number: 214 645 7520
E-mail: darren.mcguire@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title: TRIUMPH registry; CRESCENDO trial

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): 032005-044; CRESCENDO pending

Animal subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable): n/a

Project Type (patient-based research, animal-based research, or basic research; this characterization is only to permit a general classification for grouping similar types of projects) Patient-based research

Brief Description of Project:

1. TRIUMPH is a consecutive patient registry of patients admitted to Parkland Hospital with myocardial infarction. Student duties would involve daily screening of inpatient census with assistance of cardiology fellows to identify potential participants, obtaining informed consent for research, conducting an extensive health interview with patients, transferring survey response into a Web-based data collection system, and abstracting medical record for relevant data.

2. CRESCENDO is an international randomized clinical trial to include over 15,000 patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes and abdominal obesity, to be randomized to treatment with rimonabant (an endocannabinoid receptor antagonist) versus placebo to assess effects on major adverse cardiovascular events over a 5-year treatment period. We are one of ~1000 enrolling sites, and student duties would include screening, consenting, enrolling, and following patients with our staff of research coordinators.

Both studies will allow intensive exposure to human clinical investigation; will require certification in human subject research protection, HIPAA regulations, and ICH Good Clinical Practice Guideline training (all simple and online); and will familiarize students to the regulation of human research. Students will have extensive direct patient exposure in a clinical setting, and in addition to research experience, will have an opportunity to advance history taking and exam skills.

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

PACE-RX-a140 patient randomized study of Algorithm-based versus usual care following acute coronary syndromes; completed, with primary manuscript in preparation with 2 students (Sundeep Viswanathan and Jeff Yorio) as co-first authors.

Influence of Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome on Cardiovascular Risk: Observations from the Dallas Heart Study. Karen Chen, MS II presented findings at the 2006 American Heart Association Scientific Sessions and is 1st author of primary manuscript, in preparation.

3 students prior have worked on the TRIUMPH registry

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