In late 2021, a visitor to Pennsylvania Hospital would have seen scientific research posters lining the halls of the Cathcart building. The posters displayed the research that had been conducted at the hospital in the past year, as part of the third annual Spotlight on Scholars program, sponsored by the PAH Library Committee.
“I think people appreciate knowing what’s going on and seeing all these great projects that have been taking place right here at PAH,” said Stacey Peeples, curator and lead archivist at PAH. “It’s a great way to get people excited about research and motivate their colleagues to share and develop their own ideas.”
In addition to poster displays, Spotlight on Scholars held presentations in a virtual setting, giving further insight into several projects conducted by PAH staff in 2021.
Some of the presentations focused on implementation of suicide-prevention practices in juvenile detention, age-friendly cancer care readiness, and the association between race and various medical treatments, expressing an interest in underrepresented populations in research.
“This event gives more visibility as to who is doing what at PAH, and this exposure can enhance partnerships in research,” said Ene Belleh, MLS, MBA, AHIP-D, clinical information librarian and chair of the PAH Library Committee. Belleh helped launch Spotlight on Scholars – her “brainchild” – at PAH in 2018, after seeing the success of her first iteration of the program at Christiana Care, where she previously worked.
Because of Spotlight on Scholars, Belleh has helped form connections between staff members at the hospital for research purposes. Recently, Belleh was approached by a resident who expressed interest in oncology research. Belleh remembered projects presented at previous Spotlight on Scholars events and connected the resident to those published authors, seeing if they could provide pointers or an opportunity to collaborate on a project.
“Prior to this event, typically only your small circle, your department or unit, would know about your published research,” said Belleh. “But this event is institution-wide. People from all units can see your work and ask questions and share their related research interests.”
As a clinical information librarian, Belleh spreads awareness about the value of the medical library, located on the third floor of the Pine building, and using its resources to spark ideas and shepherd studies. For staff in need of assistance for their studies, Belleh offers writing support, locates sources, and provides guidance on the publishing process.
“The library is an integral part of research,” said Belleh. “Since we started Spotlight on Scholars, more people have been submitting their articles and posters for the event each year. Even if it’s a small increase of a few people, it shows how impactful this event can be for inspiring the future of research at PAH.”
Spotlight on Scholars 2021 Published Projects
- Caroline Cox, Genome-Wide Association Study of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Using the Michigan Genomics Initiative
- Rebecca Hamm, Association Between Race and Hemoglobin at Delivery or Need for Transfusion When Using Race-Based Definitions for Treatment of Antepartum Anemia
- Melissa Hoffman, Long-term Physician and Psychological Outcomes of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis
- Maxwell Ambrosino & Sydney Emerson, A Striking Contrast Between Lipid Therapy Prescribing Patterns versus Achieving Optimal LDL Levels in Black and Hispanic Populations Following Acute Coronary Events
- Philip Landis, Think Health Literacy to Improve the Patient Experience
- John Lee, Near-Infrared Imaging with Second-Window Indocyanine Green in Newly Diagnosed High-grade Gliomas Predicts Gadolinium Enhancement on Postoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Mary Pat Lynch, Analysis of Age-Friendly Cancer Care Readiness
- Sean Snyder, Harnessing Quality Improvement and Implementation Science to Support the Implementation of Suicide Prevention Practices in Juvenile Detention