M3 Amankrah, M4 Montgomery excel in summer research

Each year, the University of Missouri School of Medicine Summer Research Fellowship Program supports original research under the direct supervision of a faculty member. Medical students work 8-10 weeks on-site at the medical school and each fellow is required to conduct 20 hours of research per week.

Third-year medical student Seth Adu Amankrah and fourth-year medical student Katelynn Montgomery recently participated in the program and later earned regional recognition for their research. This spring, the duo placed third in the Missouri American College of Surgeons (ACS) state paper competition, competing against a field of medical students, post grads and residents from across the state.

Amankrah and Montgomery’s abstract, “Kcentra versus Balfaxar for Factor Xa Inhibitor Reversal in Intracerebral Hemorrhage,” compared two medications that are used to stop serious bleeding in the brain among patients who are taking blood-thinners. The study’s goal was to determine whether one treatment worked better than the other in terms of controlling bleeding and improving patient outcomes.

Throughout their Summer Research Fellowship Program stint, Amankrah and Montgomery actively worked alongside Mizzou School of Medicine Springfield campus partner CoxHealth and its trauma department.

For Amankrah, having the opportunity to shadow trauma surgeons and see firsthand how the team works to ensure positive outcomes with their patients was a rewarding experience.

“We gained valuable insight into how trauma teams make rapid, lifesaving decisions in emergency situations and why having effective treatment options is paramount in overall patient outcomes,” said Amankrah. “These experiences helped Katelynn and I connect our research to real patient care, giving us a deeper appreciation for how research can influence clinical decision-making and ultimately improve the care patients receive.”

While crafting their abstract, Amankrah and Montgomery actively collaborated with an array of CoxHealth physicians and staff. Norrie Bradley, RN, trauma program manager, Palak Tiwari, clinical research coordinator, Joshua McElderry, MD, acute care surgeon, and Amanda Chelednik, MD, acute care surgeon and 2021 graduate from the Mizzou School of Medicine, each were instrumental to the success of their research.

Reflecting on his time in the Summer Research Fellowship Program, Amankrah was grateful for the opportunity to contribute to conversations about improving patient care while receiving constructive feedback from experts in trauma care. Looking ahead, he’s excited to continue his collaboration with Montgomery and presenting their findings to the medical community.

“By comparing real patient data, our research goal was to provide information that may help healthcare teams make informed treatment decisions during medical emergencies,” said Amankrah. “Presenting our findings at the ACS state paper competition and other various conferences has both been an honor and valuable learning experience. This has motivated us both to continue pursuing research throughout our medical training and future careers in healthcare.”