Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2010

Mentor: Amit Khera, MD, MSc
Department: Internal Medicine-Cardiology
Room number: HA 9.133
Mail Code: MC 9047
Phone number: 214 645 7500
E-mail: amit.khera@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title: VIRGO Registry; CCRD-PCAD Registry

Human subjects IRB approved project number (where applicable):
VIRGO 012009-014; CCRD 012009-044

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. VIRGO is a national, multicenter, prospective observational study designed to investigate the excess risk of adverse outcomes in young women (<55 years old) with heart attacks. The overall objectives of this study are to determine sex difference in cardiovascular outcomes, risk factors (including demographics, clinical and psychosocial), and quality of care in young patients with myocardial infarction. Consecutive young women and a smaller number of young men admitted to Parkland Hospital with myocardial infarction will be enrolled in this registry. 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. The Cardiology Clinical Research Database/Repository (CCRD) registry is a local data and biological specimen repository run by the Division of Cardiology at UTSW. One module is devoted to collecting clinical data as well as blood and DNA specimens in patients with premature coronary artery disease (PCAD) to investigate how genetic and lipoprotein abnormalities contribute to malignant atherosclerosis. Student duties will be similar to those of VIRGO and include screening of appropriate 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.

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:

Chen K, Lindsey JB, Khera A, De Lemos JA, Ayers CR, Goyal A, Vega GL, Murphy SA, Grundy SM, McGuire DK. Independent associations between metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis: observations from the Dallas Heart Study. Diab Vasc Dis Res. 2008;5(2):96-101.
-- Karen Chen was a summer medical student with Dr. Khera's research group

Maroules CD, McColl R, Khera A, Peshock RM. Assessment and reproducibility of aortic atherosclerosis magnetic resonance imaging: impact of 3-Tesla field strength and parallel imaging. Invest Radiol. 2008;43(9):656-662.

Maroules CD, McColl R, Khera A, Peshock RM. Interstudy reproducibility of SSFP cine magnetic resonance: impact of magnetic field strength and parallel imaging. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2008;27(5):1139-1145.
-- Chris Maroules was a Doris Duke Scholar who is graduating with an MD degree with distinction in research. Dr. Khera served as one of his research mentors and thesis advisors.

Yorio J, Viswanathan S, See R, Uchal L, McWhorter JA, Spencer N, Murphy S, Khera A, de Lemos JA, McGuire DK. The effect of a disease management algorithm and dedicated postacute coronary syndrome clinic on achievement of guideline compliance: results from the parkland acute coronary event treatment study. J Investig Med. 2008;56(1):15-25.
-- Jeff Yorio and Sundeep Viswanathan both graduated with an MD degree with distinction in research. Dr. Khera served as one of his research mentors and thesis advisors.

Ji Song- I am currently serving as the primary mentor for this medical student on a project related to the role of ethnicity on program completion and risk factor reduction in a cardiac rehabilitation program.

4 students prior have worked on the TRIUMPH registry (a similar study) with our group