Fellowships
Student Summer Fellowships
The Paul M. Schyve, MD Center for Bioethics solicits applications for summer student fellowships in early spring. This 8-week experience allows up to 2 selected medical, graduate or undergraduate students to focus on research relevant to bioethical issues. The students will work with a team of faculty members and will have the opportunity to present their findings to the Schyve Center leadership group and/or other poster sessions.
For additional information, please contact Christine Donnelly for further information.
Current Awardees and Projects
Kegan Shreffler, Class of 2027
Project: “Adverse Childhood Experiences as a Barrier to Therapeutic Outcomes in the Adult Chronic Kidney Disease Population”
Faculty Preceptors: Lainie Ross, MD, PhD, Dean’s Professor and Chair, Department of Health Humanities and Bioethics, Director, Paul M Schyve MD Center for Bioethics Dr Fahad Saeed, Department of Medicine, Nephrology and Palliative Care
Description: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) presents enduring physical and psychological challenges for patients, often necessitating intensive and taxing interventions, each of which brings about physical, psychological, and logistical difficulties for the patient. Adverse childhood experiences have recently been correlated with the development of CKD but their impact on the care and outcomes of adult CKD patients remains understudied. This project intends to estimate the prevalence of ACEs within the hospitalized Rochester CKD population and better understand the correlation between ACEs, patient activation, shared decision making, and health outcomes.
Malika Rakhmonova, Class of 2028
Project: "Sight Unseen: A History of the Ethical Divide Between Child and Adult Anonymity in Clinical Photography in The Lancet from 1914 to 1966"
Faculty Preceptors: Christine Slobogin, PhD Assistant Professor of Health Humanities and Bioethics, University of Rochester Medical Center Joint Appointment: Assistant Professor of Art and Art History, University of Rochester
Description: This project investigates the historical ethics of clinical photography by analyzing anonymization practices of adult and child patients in The Lancet between 1914 and 1966. Guided by Dr. Christine Slobogin and contributing to the broader Anonymous Anatomies research initiative, the study aims to uncover whether patterns of anonymity reflect social hierarchies, particularly privileging some patient groups over others. Using archival issues of The Lancet, images will be categorized by anonymization method, patient demographics, and context. The research will apply theoretical frameworks from bioethics, photographic theory, and history to analyze visual data and its ethical implications. Findings will be used for academic publication and presentation and are intended to inform modern understandings of patient privacy and dignity.
Previous Awardees and Projects
Wendy Gonaver
Paul M. Schyve Postdoctoral Associate
“Examining the Past: The Struggle for Racial Equity at the University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry”
2-2-24 Health Humanities Grand Rounds - Gonaver
2025
Lilia Shen, Class of 2025
Project: “Narratives of Pain: A Qualitative Research Study in Adolescents and Young Adults with Sickle Cell Disease”
Faculty Preceptors: Dr. Jessica C. Shand, Departments of Pediatrics, Health Humanities and Bioethics; Dr. Suzie A. Noronha, Department of Pediatrics; Director, Pediatric Sickle Cell Program
Description: Adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease are particularly vulnerable to health disparities, racial bias, and social isolation. Lilia conducted a thematic analysis of interviews with sickle cell patients about their experiences with chronic pain which will be used to develop clinical and educational interventions that improve patient outcomes, while participating in the Pediatric Comprehensive Sickle Cell Clinic. Lilia has submitted her research as a first-author abstract to the 2022 American Society of Hematology national meeting and will continue on the study team.
Caleb Obregón, Class of 2025
Project: “Impact of spiritual care and chaplaincy consultation on ethical dilemmas in Neurology and the Neuromedicine ICU”
Faculty Preceptors: Dr. Jessica C. Shand, Departments of Pediatrics, Health Humanities, and Bioethics; Dr. Sue Ouelette, Department of Neurology, URMC Office of Chaplaincy
Description: Caleb’s research focuses on improving identification of spiritual care needs, particularly when ethical dilemmas arise around goals of care and capacity assessment, for patients with serious neurologic disease. Caleb worked with chaplain researchers to explore patterns of chaplaincy and ethics consultation, particularly in patients receiving palliative care. Caleb is submitting his work to the 2022 Conference on Medicine and Religion and will continue to research the impact of chaplaincy consultation on the resolution of ethical dilemmas in multiple settings.
2021
Carly Eiduson, Class of 2024
Project Title - Evaluating the perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs of bedside nurses in the NICU and PICU about the ethical use of renal replacement therapy in pediatric patients
Faculty Preceptors: Carly Eiduson; Marjorie Shaw, J.D., Ph.D.; Ayesa Mian, M.D.; and Ronnie Guillet, M.D., Ph.D.
Caroline Farmer, Class of 2024
Project Title - Themes in Medical Schools' Definitions of Professionalism
Faculty Preceptors: Caroline Farmer, URSMD Class of 2024 Research Mentor: David Lambert, M.D., URSMD
2019
Davy Ran, MPH. MD Candidate, Class of 2022
Project Title - Medial School Curricula and the Teaching and Conceptualization of Gender According to A Multi-Metric Bioethical Analysis
Faculty Preceptors: Dr. Chin-to Fong and Dr. Timothy Quill
Arielle Schecter, MD Candidate, Class of 2022
Project Title - Facilitators and Barriers to Safe Sex and Effective Contraceptive in Deaf Women: A Mixed-Methods Study
Faculty Preceptors: Tiffany Panko, M.D., M.B.A.
2018
Award recipient paper: 2020 Editor's Choice, Exemplary Resource
Rizk N, Jones S, Shaw MH, Morgan A. Using forum theater as a teaching tool to combat patient bias directed toward health care professionals. MedEdPORTAL. 2020;16:11022. https://doi.org/10.15766/mep_2374-8265.11022
Nina Ritz, MD Candidate, Class of 2022
Project Title - Dramatic Roleplaying Using "Forum Theatre" as a Teaching Tool to Combat Patient Bias
Faculty Preceptors: Margie Shaw, JD, Ph.D., and Adrienne Morgan, Ph.D.
Shuanpaul Jones, MD Candidate Class of 2021
Project Title - Dramatic Roleplaying Using "Forum Theatre" as a Teaching Tool to Combat Patient Bias
Faculty Preceptors: Margie Shaw, JD, Ph.D., and Adrienne Morgan, Ph.D.