RESURG (Research Experience in Surgery) is a selective clinical research internship based in the UC Davis Medical Center's Department of Surgery.  Studies that we are working on range from the topics of rural health telemedicine, access to care for trauma patients, peripheral arterial disease, critical limb ischemia, bariatric surgery outcomes, and pediatric trials. As a member of RESURG, you will learn about and engage in clinical human subject research, work with clinicians, and gain valuable professional skills. You will be responsible for a number of tasks including, but not limited to, IRB project development, data collection, screening patients, surveying patients, and assessment of research projects.
 
We are looking for individuals who are driven, hardworking, creative, and effective communicators. This is a rigorous program that offers unique mentorship opportunities with experienced researchers and clinicians. Our goal is to train competent research professionals and to further students’ individual professional and educational goals.

Mission Statement: Our vision is to promote, develop, and train students to become competent research professionals, while mentoring them in their professional and educational goals.

Misty Humphries, M.D.“This program is a grassroots effort to develop a sustainable research experience for undergraduate students and give them experience with surgeons who are changing the face of surgery through their research. We hope to inspire young minds to contribute to science and encourage them as they look at the medical field for their future, and there is no greater specialty than surgery.”

- Dr. Misty Humphries, RESURG Program Director



RESURG est. 2019Contact Information:

For more information, please contact the RESURG Supervising Officer, Brian Luong:
Email: hs-resurg@ucdavis.edu
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/resurgatucdavis/

 

Project Assistance Request: Please download the RESURG PI Resource Request Form HERE and return the completed application to hs-resurg@ucdavis.edu.

Highlighted Current Projects

  • Effect of Bariatric Surgery on Pregnancy

    Research Classification: Retrospective
    Principal Investigator:
    Victoria Lyo, M.D.
    Research Assistants:
    Kanksha Koti, Charuthi Arul                                                                   
    Objective/Purpose:
    This study is conducted to determine if the chronological sequencing of when bariatric surgery happens in relation to pregnancy has effects on the mother's body (during and after pregnancy) and the resulting child's development. The data gathered can be split into 2 main categories: patients who received bariatric surgery prior to pregnancy, and those who underwent bariatric surgery post-pregnancy. We will use the values indicated in their charts to identify how well patients responded to pregnancy post bariatric surgery as well as bariatric surgery post pregnancy. The data comparison will determine whether or not there is a significant impact on pregnancy pre- and post-bariatric surgery.  
  • Improving Surveillance for Patients with known Aortic Aneurysms (ILLUMINATE)

    Research Classification: Retrospective
    Principal Investigator:
    Misty Humphries, M.D.
    Research Assistants:
    Emily Xu (Lead RA), Aida Mushell, Dena Sayrafi
    Objective/Purpose:
    Racial, gender, and ethnic minority groups less frequently receive screening but more frequently have aneurysms and worse outcomes with rupture and repair. Our study aims to improve surveillance for aneurysmal disease in these groups that could improve their outcomes on a population level. Using Natural Language Processing (NLP) software in conjunction with Electronic Medical Records (EMR) presents a unique opportunity to identify new aneurysms and patients who were previously lost to follow-up. Additionally, this software allows for the identification and surveillance of aneurysmal disease in patients who may not meet traditional screening criteria.
  • Investigating the role of Timing in Post-Operative Ankle/Toe Brachial Index

    Research Classification: Retrospective 
    Principal Investigator:
     Mimmie Kwong, M.D.
    Research Assistants: Brian Luong (Lead)
    Objective/Purpose:
    This study’s objective is to investigate the following areas: 
      1)  Investigate whether the ankle/toe brachial index changes over the course of the post-operative period.
      2) Compare the differences in ankle/toe brachial index timing between patients who received open vascular and endovascular interventions.
      3) Determine if there is an optimal time for obtaining a post-operative ankle/toe brachial index.             
  • Implementation of Telemedicine for patient with wounds and ulcers (K23)

    Research Classification: Quality Improvement
    Principal Investigator: Misty Humphries, M.D.
    Research Assistants: Neha Gondra (Lead)
    Objective/Purpose:
    The K23 study is a quality improvement project assessing if telemedicine can improve the specialty care offered for new patients with wounds and ulcers due to peripheral artery disease (PAD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) at rural health clinics (RHC). The study aims to implement telemedicine consultations at RHCs, evaluate and improve the time to specialist evaluation/treatment ratio, and determine if telemedicine patients with lower levels of activation need more resources to get additional care.
  • Improving Access to Primary Care for Trauma Patients (TAC)

    Research Classification: Prospective
    Principal Investigator: Joseph Galante, M.D. and Siobhan, Luce (co-PI)
    Research Assistants: Srikar Shrikantham (Lead), Rafael Ricon, and Emily Xu
    Objective/Purpose:
    The study aims to improve access to primary care services amongst trauma patients via inpatient counseling with or without referral to a free UC Davis student-run clinic to manage a chronic condition. The project is currently screening and enrolling patients for the study.
  • Effect of Prenatal Wildfire Exposure on Childhood Allergic Sensitization and Asthma Development

    Research Classification: Retrospective
    Principal Investigator: Anh Nguyen, M.D.
    Research Assistants:  Elisa Gonzalez  
    Objective/Purpose:
    The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of prenatal wildfire air pollution on the development of asthma and allergic diseases (allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and food allergies) and whether exposure at different stages of pregnancy impact the incidence of these conditions.

The positions listed below are all unpaid internships that are completed remotely. All of RESURG’s internship positions have a time commitment of 8 hours per week for 3 consecutive quarters. If accepted into the program, a mandatory 2-hour class will be required as part of the 8-hour requirement in the first quarter of the program.
  
All of the positions listed below will go through the same program training have the same general duties, such as RESURG program support, Department of Surgery research support, and designated research and project leadership (if applicable). All positions provide the intern with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) education and experience in clinical research and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship. Research Assistants can be placed on any divisions study and is dependent on need of the Department of Surgery. Pediatric Research Assistant work with RESURG to provide study assistance to the Department of Pediatrics. Meanwhile, a Data Specialist will work extensively with REDCap to assist Research Assistants and Department of Surgery faculty.

Currently Offered Positions:

  • Research Assistant (RA)
  • Pediatric Research Assistant (PRA)
  • Data Specialist (DS)

Position Descriptions

  • Research Assistant (applicable to RA and PRA)
  • The RESURG Research Assistant (RA) will perform the following duties/tasks/responsibilities: RESURG program support, Department of Surgery research support, designated research, and project leadership (if applicable), education, mentorship, clinical observation (if available), and general compliance. This position provides the RA with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) education and experience in clinical research and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship.
  • Pediatric Research Assistant (PRA)
  • The RESURG Pediatric Research Assistant (PRA) predominately works on projects assigned by RESURG from the Department of Pediatrics. Additionally, their work will be managed directly by the Pediatric CRC’s and Jr. Specialists.
  • Data Specialist
  • The RESURG Data Specialist (DS) position works extensively with REDCap to provide assistance to Research Assistants and Department of Surgery faculty. This position provides the DS with the following experiences and opportunities: 1) experience in clinical research with a focus through Database creation and management and 2) personal and professional development through mentorship.

Brian Luong – Supervising Officer – Lead Admin

Harshita Naidu – Onboarding Officer - Admin

Nithya Ganti – Regulatory and Compliance Officer - Admin

Neha Gondra – Education and Training Officer - Admin

Devin Martinez – Research Assistant

Emily Xu – Research Assistant

Alisa Tabaian – Data Specialist

Isabelle Schlegel – Onboarding Officer in Training

Julia Lee – Pediatric Research Assistant

Charuthi Arul – Senior Data Specialist

Aida Mushell – Research Assistant

Isha Suba – Data Specialist

Veena Arunkumar – Data Specialist

Matthew Jue – Research Assistant

Eva Moncada – Research Assistant

Kanksha Koti – Research Assistant - Public Relations RA

Liliana Figueroa – Data Specialist in Training

Jacob Youtsey – Pediatric Research Assistant in Training

Esin Demiray – Pediatric Research Assistant in Training

Jocelyn Livezey – Research Assistant in Training

Lawrence Cheung – Research Assistant in Training

Ariel Pham – Research Assistant in Training

Leo Andrada - Research Assistant - Admin

Leon Gilligan-Steinberg - Research Assistant - Admin

Kevin Dinh - Research Assistant - Admin

Angela Aguirre – Admin (Supervising Officer)

Anastasiya Ivanko – Admin

Amber Solt – Research Assistant

Marc Friedman – Research Assistant

Jerod Yee – Research Assistant

Alisia Do – Research Assistant

Avni Suri – Research Assistant – Admin (Supervising Officer)

Gabrielle Echt - Research Assistant

Christina Brown - Research Assistant – Admin

Matthew Kim – Senior Data Specialist

Andrea Sommer – Vascular Research Assistant – Admin (Supervising Officer)

Alexis Chirco - Research Assistant

Kritika Sharma – Research Assistant

Anya Guzman - Trauma Research Assistant

Kevin Ly – Research Assistant

Elias Jbeily - Research Assistant

Taylor Silva – Research Assistant

Ashley Truong – Data Specialist – Admin

Ryan Nguyen – Cardiothoracic Research Assistant – Admin

Rafael Ricon – Research Assistant – Admin

Naomi Cinque - Vascular Research Assistant

Amanda Aquilio – Research Assistant

Bryan Kuo – Data Specialist

Samveda Rukmangadhan – Research Assistant

Zilan Zheng – Senior Data Specialist

Anjani Patibandla – Research Assistant

Srikar Shrikantham – Trauma Research Assistant

Shyama Chaganti – Research Assistant

Jose Hernandez – Cardiothoracic Research Assistant

Elisa Gonzalez – Pediatric Research Assistant

Dena Sayrafi – Research Assistant

The RESURG Fall 2023 Application is now open! We are looking for individuals who are driven, hardworking, creative, and effective communicators. This is a rigorous program that offers unique mentorship opportunities with experienced researchers and clinicians. Our goal is to train competent research professionals and to further students’ individual professional and educational goals. Please contact us if you have any further questions regarding your eligibility.

Please click on this link to view the RESURG Fall 2023 Application Google Form.

Currently, we have 3 positions available:

1. Research Assistant(s)
2. Data Specialist(s)
3. Pediatric Research Assistant(s)

If accepted, students will be required to commit to at least three quarters (Winter 2024, Spring 2024, Summer 2024) for at least 8 hours per week. This is completed in two 4 hour time slots between 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Mondays-Fridays (tentative weekend options). RESURG is a mostly remote program and the majority of hours will be completed remotely. 

Additionally, there will be mandatory 2 hour group training classes held weekly during Winter Quarter 2024; time to be disclosed upon acceptance. During the training in Winter Quarter 2024, students will be placed on a probationary period. Towards the conclusion of the training quarter, students will be re-interviewed to assess their learning and readiness for clinical research duties. 

The DEADLINE for submitting this application is 11:59 p.m. on Monday, November 6, 2023. If selected, you will hear back from us between November 13 - November 15 and we will schedule an interview with you between November 18 - November 19. Interviews this application cycle will be conducted IN PERSON. More information will be provided to those offered an interview.

If you have any questions concerning this application or RESURG as a whole, please do not hesitate to email
HS-RESURG@ucdavis.edu and we will be happy to assist.

Philanthropy: Fostering the Future

Introduction
For the past three years, RESURG’s signature annual philanthropy event, Fostering the Future, has been a mainstay for our program. This is a two-day program that aims to provide underserved high school students in Sacramento County the opportunity to explore careers in the field of healthcare and learn valuable professional skills that will aid in fostering a successful future in healthcare careers. During this event, students will attend several workshops that promote professional development, building professional connections, and enhancing education about careers in healthcare, medicine, and clinical research. It is our goal and purpose to support students in successfully pursuing their goals and aspirations, and to ultimately, foster their future. This event was a huge success the past three years, and we are looking forward to hosting this event again for our 4th annual time at UC Davis Health Campus!

Event Details
This two-day event will take place in Summer 2024. This event will take place in-person at UC Davis Health in Sacramento.
Students can look forward to an exciting lineup of classes including an introduction to research, a medicine profession panel, an animal organ dissection, a simulation lab tour, a career fair panel, resume building, and much more!

How to Apply
Our Fostering the Future application cycle for high school students are currently closed. Please contact us for further details on our next annual event!

Contact Us
Email: resurg.davis@gmail.com

Andrea Sommer, B.S. "Through RESURG, I have been grateful for the opportunity to receive feedback from mentors that have ultimately allowed me to grow into a professional. Working alongside student peers and healthcare staff, I have figured out the best ways to communicate individually and amongst teams. The biggest growth I have had is accepting that I cannot do everything nor do everything correctly all the time. Accepting that has allowed me to balance compassion towards myself and others while upholding standards when approaching work. I hope to become a clinical nurse and potentially a nursing and/or anatomy professor in the future. I am currently enrolled in UCLA's Master's Entry Clinical Nurse (MECN) Program!”
- Andrea Sommer, B.S.
Kevin Ly, B.S.

“RESURG introduced me to the world of clinical research, and because of that, I am forever grateful. During my time in the program, I was able to develop my professional and research skills in many different ways. From becoming a Junior Specialist with the Department of Surgery at UC Davis Health to a CRC II at Stanford to now, a medical student, I definitely would not be where I am today without RESURG. I hope to build upon my experience to help push the boundaries of clinical research as a future physician.”
- Kevin Ly, B.S.

Zilan Zheng, B.S. “Going into RESURG, I was set on eventually becoming a doctor and the program prepared me well.  I have had numerous opportunities like participating in clinical research, shadowing, and learning from current healthcare professionals. Though these are important to me, even more valuable was learning of healthcare disparities, medical care deserts, and the effect of research on patient participants. The experiences I gained from RESURG prepared me for a position at UCSF as a clinical research coordinator, where I am able to help run clinical trials and work with people of different backgrounds. Eventually I met some lawyers who work with us, and coupled with my knowledge of health disparities and research, inspired me to pursue law. I am grateful for my time with RESURG as it was through this program that I have met amazing people, learned about clinical research, and discovered which career I’d like most!”
- Zilan Zheng, B.S.
Ryan Nguyen, B.S. “My primary career motivation is beholden to the idea that the world’s scientists and researchers and healthcare providers working on new ways to preserve health depend on a whole other sector of bureaucracy, government, and rulemakers to ensure that their discoveries become a reality. This inspired me to join RESURG. I not only got the chance to work closely with a surgeon principal investigator toward her goal of increasing access to care in the region, but also to master regulatory and compliance affairs to ensure we are conducting clinical research ethically. This has translated into my current regulatory clinical research work at UCSF with the Pediatric Oncology department in the Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. I hope to use this regulatory acumen in a future career in healthcare-adjacent law.”
- Ryan Nguyen, B.S.
Srikar Shrikantham, B.S. “RESURG has played an indispensable role in shaping both my professional and personal development. Not only has the program equipped me with invaluable skills and knowledge that will be vital in my future medical pursuits, but it has also instilled in me a newfound sense of self-assurance and belief in my abilities.I am sincerely grateful for this enriching experience, which prepared me to make a meaningful impact in the field of medicine and beyond. From RESURG, I have been able to become a Junior Specialist for the Department of Surgery.”
- Srikar Shrikantham, B.S.
Matthew Kim, B.S. “My biggest takeaway from RESURG is learning how to 
communicate in a professional manner with physicians, residents, faculty, and other research assistants. It helped me hone in many of my interpersonal skills important for health profession work, and it’s given me many opportunities to shadow physicians too. I’d say my favorite thing by far, excluding all the amazing people in the program, is the mentorship I have received. I’ve grown a lot as a person and as a student through their advice. I’m really grateful for everyone in RESURG and I’ll continue to put my best work into the program.” 
- Matthew Kim, B.S.