Awards & Recognition

FIU medical students win award for NeighborhoodHELP cervical cancer screening project research

Medical students Izma Nadeem and Anastasia Amundson with Dr. Timothy De Santis, chief of the OBGYN Hospitalist Program at Memorial Healthcare System, at the Comprehensive Women's Symposium.

Medical students Izma Nadeem and Anastasia Amundson’s poster presentation on disparities in cervical cancer screening rates in Miami Dade County won second place at the 2024 Comprehensive Women’s Symposium hosted by Memorial Healthcare System.

Their award-winning research was part of the FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Cervical Cancer Screening Promotion Project, led by Dr. Frederick Anderson and physician assistant Catherine Busatto. It is one of several Quality Improvement (QI) projects of the Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Learning Education Program (NeighborhoodHELP).

 As part of the QI process, medical student teams work with faculty to review data on screenings for cervical, colon, and breast cancer. Students also develop health education materials and implement patient outreach to promote screenings. “We believe this model of med student-led QI initiatives under faculty supervision improves care, promotes health equity, and helps us better serve our local communities while giving students meaningful opportunities to make a real difference,” said Dr. Anderson, interim director for NeighborhoodHELP.

While collecting patient data, the team discovered the lowest rates of cervical cancer screening among Black patients, individuals who prefer to speak Haitian Creole, and those aged 30-39 and 60-69. Miami Dade County is especially concerning, with 14.09% of the population identifying as Black and 74.91% speaking a language other than English at home, according to Miami Dade Matters, 2024. “The results highlight the need for targeted outreach and education. By addressing these challenges and implementing the recommended interventions, we aim to ensure better health outcomes for all our patients,” said Izma.

The research team included medical students Julio Sanchez, Anastasia Amundson, Jessica Riopedre, Daniela Guerra, Samantha Barkan, Ana Ruas, Sophia Acosta, Darla Gelin, Izma Nadeem, and faculty supervisors Busatto and Anderson.