BHSc Research Practicum – 2019 20 – Available Projects Name of Project Research ... · 2020-07-27 · BHSc Research Practicum – 2019‐20 – Available Projects Name of Project

BHSc Research Practicum – 2019‐20 – Available Projects

Name of Project Research Tutor Project Application Name

Assessment of dietary adequacy in patients with hypertension

Dr. JoAnne Arcand Faculty of Health Sciences

Arcand Project #1

Influenza vaccine uptakes in persons with dementia Dr. Emma Bartfay Faculty of Health Sciences

Bartfay Project #1

Systematic Review related to Health Research

Dr. Caroline Barakat Faculty of Health Sciences

Barakat Project #1

Airway and Exercise Physiology

Dr. Shilpa Dogra Faculty of Health Sciences

Dogra Project #1

Exploring the development of sport officials

Dr. Nick Wattie Faculty of Health Sciences

Wattie Project #1

The Academy for Student Athlete Development Dr. Nick Wattie Faculty of Health Sciences

Wattie Project #2

Exploring the influence of secondary factors on elite athlete development


Wattie Project #3

Exploring the influence of secondary factors on elite athlete development


Wattie Project #4

A qualitative comparative analysis of factors associated with early institutionalization of seniors in Ontario

Dr. David Rudoler Faculty of Health Sciences

Rudoler Project #1

Innovations in Paediatric Respiratory Therapy at the Hospital for Sick Children

Dr. Mika Nonoyama Faculty of Health Sciences

Nonoyama Project #1

Impact of recurrent neck pain on sensorimotor integration Dr. Bernadette Murphy Faculty of Health Sciences

Murphy Project #1

The effect of changing neck sensory input on brain plasticity

Dr. Paul Yielder & Dr. Bernadette Murphy

Faculty of Health Sciences

Yielder Project #1

Breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes among university and college students

Dr. Jennifer Abbass Dick & Dr. Manon Lemonde

Faculty of Health Sciences

Abbass Dick/Lemonde Project #1

Discharge Support Meeting in the Older Adult Population Janice Jones, Nurse Practitioner, Lakeridge Health Oshawa

(Geriatric Consultation Team)

Jones Project #1

Ontario Shores Projects Krystle Martin Ontario Shores Centre for Mental

Health Sciences

Ontario Shores Projects

Utilizing Good Catch Data to Promote a Culture of Patient Safety in Community Hospitals

James Ibbott, Manager, Quality Improvement & Patient Safety

Lakeridge Health Oshawa

Ibbott Project #1

Behavioural Changes in children 3-5 year old with Autism Spectrum Disorder with a motor skill intervention

Dr. Meghann Lloyd Faculty of Health Sciences

Lloyd Project #1

Effect of mental fatigue on upper extremity neuromechanics Dr. Nick La Delfa Faculty of Health Sciences

La Delfa Project #1

The Role of Implementation Science in the Scaling of Technologies for Global Health in sub-Sahara Africa

Dr. Obidi Ezezika Faculty of Health Sciences

Obidi Project #1

Harnessing the power of disruptive technologies to improve healthcare training and patient outcomes

Dr. Adam Dubrowski Network for Immersive Simulation

in Healthcare

Dubrowski Project #1

Impact of Diabetes Distress on Caregivers / Family Rebecca Choy Lakeridge Health Whitby – Centre

for Complex Diabetes Care

Choy Project #1

Technology to support older adults and people with cognitive impairment

Dr. Shital Desai Inclusive Media and Design Lab,

Ryerson University, Toronto campus

Desai Project #1

Exploring the impact of cross-acclimation (heat & hypoxia) on performance

Dr. Heather Sprenger Faculty of Health Sciences

Sprenger Project #1

SMART DE-PRESCRIBE: Development of Medication Management System and Simulation Technologies to Promote Medication Optimization for Older Adults in the Community

Dr. Winnie Sun Faculty of Health Sciences

Sun Project #1

Research Practicum HLSC 4998U & HLSC 4999U

Fall 2019 - Winter 2020

Name of Research Tutor: JoAnne Arcand

Number of Possible Positions: 1

Name of Project: Assessment of dietary adequacy in patients with hypertension

Project location: UOIT, travel to Primary Care Clinics in the Durham region may be required

Project Description: The purpose of this project is to understand if patients who have hypertension adhere to Hypertension Canada’s recommendations for diet. This is a sub-study of a larger study being conducted by UOIT’s Centre for Applied Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health Research. This study will include 200 patients with hypertension, who are currently being recruited from primary care clinics in the Durham region. As part of the study, patients will complete two 24-hour urine collections, a 3 day food record and the Sodium Calculator web-based questionnaire. This study is funded by the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Importance: This sub-study will enable us to understand the health behaviors of patients with hypertension in relation to the dietary patterns and adequacy, and whether or not they are adherence with clinical practice guidelines published by Hypertension Canada.

Possible Roles for Student(s): The student will work as part of an interdisciplinary team of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, family physicians and nurses. The student will have the opportunity to participate in patient recruitment at primary care clinics and will be trained to analyze data collected from the food records which form the basis of analyses to determine dietary adherence. The student will have dedicated desk space available to them to conduct their research at the Centre for Applied Nutrition and Cardiovascular Health Research (CANCHR), which is located at UOIT St. Gregory’s location. As part of their participation in the CANCHR, the student will attend weekly lab meetings. The CANCHR usually receives a high volume of student interest. Therefore, only students with a GPA of 3.7 or higher in the past 2 years will be considered at this time. A student will be successful with this research project if they:

are detail-oriented

are able to think critically.

are self-directed, take initiative and are resourceful and responsive.

are professional and have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

are able to work both independently and as part of a team.

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) None.



Name of Research Tutor: Dr. Emma Bartfay

Number of Possible Positions: 1 or 2

Name of Project: Influenza vaccine uptakes in persons with dementia

Project location: UOIT

Project Description: Despite evidence of the benefits of influenza vaccine, uptake in Canada continues to miss the national target of 80%. Thousands of deaths annually were attributed to complications due to the infection. Of which, the older population and those with chronic medical conditions (CMC) are particularly vulnerable. Persons with dementia are especially subject to missed vaccination due to their mobility and cognitive issues. It has been suggested that older adults with dementia may be less likely to receive influenza vaccine than their cognitively intact counterparts. The aim of this study is to address the feasibility issues of using administrative database to examine the relationship between cognitive deficits and influenza vaccine uptake in Canada.

Possible Roles for Student(s): - Literature review - Identify and locate administrative databases - Prepare REB application - Basic data analysis - Other duties as needed

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..)

- Have successfully completed HLSC3800 and HLSC3910



Name of Research Tutor: Caroline Barakat


Name of Project: Systematic Review related to Health Research

Project location: North Campus UOIT

Project Description: Evidence-informed public health requires that researchers undertake systematic reviews on a range of topics. There are two ongoing projects: the first consists of examining the main themes on health geographic research on childhood disability. The second focuses on the health impacts of changing socioeconomic factors using a life course approach. Both projects require the undertaking of a systematic review. Two students can work with the tutor to define the steps needed in undertaking these systematic reviews, followed by implementation including defining the objectives, designing and executing the search strategy, screening papers, synthesizing, and disseminating results.

Possible Roles for Student(s): Each student will lead one project, and act as an independent reviewer on the other project. Students will work with me to set our research objectives. They will also work with a librarian to design and execute a search strategy.

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) None



Name of Research Tutor: Shilpa Dogra


Name of Project: Airway and Exercise Physiology


Project Description: This study will be assessing the response of the airway to exercise conducted at different intensities in different environmental conditions (warm-humid vs. cold-dry).

Possible Roles for Student(s): Students will assist with recruitment of participants, data collection (maximal exercise testing, exercise sessions, etc), and analysis of saliva samples (to determine cytokine levels).

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) Experience in a biology or exercise physiology lab is a bonus.



Name of Research Tutor: Dr. Nick Wattie


Name of Project: Exploring the development of sport officials.

Project location: UOIT (North) & Applied Sport Skill Acquisition Lab (St.Gregory’s)

Project Description: While high dropout rates and abuse toward sport officials have been well documented, little is known about the development of sport officials. This project explores the influence of prior sport participation patterns, officiating milestones (e.g., start age), and officiating-specific training milestones and volume on different developmental trajectories of sport officials.

Possible Roles for Student(s): RP student may be involved in all stages of the research, including (but not limited to) data collection, survey creation, data analyses (including secondary data analyses) and knowledge mobilization. RP student will be expected to attend regular meetings with the RT and regular lab meetings.


This project involves quantitative data

Prospective RP students are required to contact Dr. Wattie for an interview prior to requesting RP positions





Name of Project: The Academy for Student Athlete Development

Project location: UOIT (north) & Applied Sport Skill Acquisition lab & The Abilities Centre.

Project Description: High performance adolescent student-athletes after have to manage and balance athletics, education and social demands. Supporting these three ‘pillars’, and the holistic development of athletes, is the focus of the Academy for Student Athlete Development (ASAD) at the Abilities Centre. This project explores the effectiveness of the ASAD program in meeting these objectives, and the development experiences of high performance student-athletes.



This project may involve quantitative and qualitative data.

Prospective RP students are required to contact Dr. Wattie for an interview prior to requesting RP positions.





Name of Project: Exploring the influence of secondary factors on elite athlete development

Project location: UOIT (north) & Applied Sport Skill Acquisition lab.

Project Description: Secondary factors, such as relative age effects and birthplace effects, can influence the likelihood of becoming an elite level athlete. However, there is much that is not known about the variations in developmental trajectories with respect to such factors. This project will explore the influence of variations in developmental trajectories and the timing of athlete development relative to selection practices (e.g., entry draft timing).









Name of Project: Exploring the influence of practice design on gaze behaviour and skill acquisition

Project location: UOIT (north) & Applied Sport Skill Acquisition lab.

Project Description: Skilled performers look differently at the world. They focus their attention and gaze on more relevant information sources, and they identify relevant information sources more quickly. However, the influence of factors such as cognitive fatigue and practice design (i.e., difficulty of practice structure) on learning, performance and gaze behaviour are not well understood.

Possible Roles for Student(s): RP student may be involved in all stages of the research, including (but not limited to) data collection, survey creation, data analyses (including secondary data analyses) and knowledge mobilization. RP student will be expected to attend regular meetings with the RT and regular lab meetings. Students will also be expected to attend training sessions within the lab to learn how to use advanced mobile eye tracker hardware and software.






Name of Research Tutor: David Rudoler


Name of Project: A qualitative comparative analysis of factors associated with early institutionalization of seniors in Ontario.

Project location: University of Ontario Institute of Technology / University of Toronto

Project Description: Aging populations in high income will continue to place a significant burden on health and social systems. In particular, the need for institutional long-term care will continue to grow. Recognizing this, governments have prioritized the optimal allocation of scarce resources in institutional care settings. In Ontario, initiatives like the Aging at Home Strategy attempted to increase resources in the community to support seniors and prevent early admission to long-term care. However, early admission to long-term care remains a concern in Canada. For instance, in Ontario in 2016, 17.8% of long-term care admissions were for patients with low to moderate needs who could have remained in the community with appropriate supports. The proportion of long-term care admissions for clients with low and moderate needs varied from 12.1% in the South West LHIN to 26.5% in the North West. The factors that explain this variation are unknown, but may be informative for the development of policies to address inappropriate institutionalization. This project will study variation in the rate of untimely admission to institutional-based long-term care in six regional areas across the province of Ontario. We seek to understand the conditions present in a jurisdiction that lead to inappropriate use of facility based long-term care. To identify these conditions, we will conduct a Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). QCA is as mixed-methods approach used to address complex societal problems at local levels by allowing for causal inference when there are a large number of variables, but too few cases to allow for conventional quantitative analyses. The QCA approach can specify the scope and complexity of causal mechanisms, which in turn can assist with the development of testable hypotheses for further empirical study.

This project will involve three phases:

Phase 1 will involve an environmental scan. We will explore the academic and grey literature for conditions that may predict untimely access to long-term care. This review will be the basis for the development of the qualitative semi-structured interview guide.

Phase 2 will involve key-informant interviews with 20-30 decision-makers and community sector providers from each of the six case study sites. Interviews will be semi-structured in nature to corroborate findings identified in Phase 1, and will assess the extent to which the participants believe the conditions identified may impact on untimely institutionalization.

Phase 3 will apply the quantitative component of the QCA approach. Using csQCA software in STATA 15, we will identify combinations of conditions associated with untimely institutionalization.

This research will offer value to social and political scientists who are interested in developing comparative policy methodology. The scholarly community will benefit from an improved understanding of a relatively underused approach to studying complex societal problems. We will present findings on the challenges, opportunities and appropriateness of using the QCA approach for comparative policy analysis. This research will also be of value for decision-makers, who often must make decisions about complex problems, including regionalization, long-term care capacity planning, and distribution of resources across institutional and non-institutional settings, with little empirical evidence.

Possible Roles for Student(s): Students involved in this work will have an opportunity to lead the environmental scan in phase 1, assist with the development of an interview guide, and support the implementation of the qualitative semi-structured interviews in Phase 2 (described above). This work will result in contributions toward co-authorship in at least one peer-reviewed manuscript.

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) Ability to collect and synthesize large quantities of data Strong writing and communication skills Ability to work independently and under conditions of uncertainty



Name of Research Tutor: Mika Nonoyama

Number of Possible Positions: One

Name of Project: Innovations in Paediatric Respiratory Therapy at the Hospital for Sick Children

Project location: Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

Project Description: The Lung Health Pathway at SickKids’ comprises of: artificial airway management; initiation & weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV); extubation; and post-extubation respiratory management. A better understanding of current respiratory support clinical practices & patient outcomes is needed to optimize a child’s treatment path. There are currently several potential projects for the research practicum. This includes: data collected retrospectively on various respiratory therapy interventions on patients admitted into the intensive care units, the emergency department (ED), and/or in-patient hospital units; a survey of paediatric mechanical ventilation practices across Canada; testing of a new device for airway intubation (pilot study); scoping review of paediatric respiratory therapy practices.

Possible Roles for Student(s):

Data extraction and cleaning; aiding with data analysis and interpretation; help with protocol development and research ethics board submission at SickKids and UOIT; help with writing of publications; collaborate with graduate student(s), and clinical staff.

There may be an opportunity to help with a randomized controlled trial testing a new device for airway intubation in critically ill children.

There may also be opportunity for students to do a buddy shift in the Critical Care Unit, ED, and/or hospital units at SickKids (together with staff respiratory therapists).

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc.) REQUIRED:

Minimum A- in HLSC3910 (research methods);

Must be able to work at SickKids for the duration of the research practicum (which requires entry immunizations, police check, mask fit, and initial orientation at the hospital).

Must be able to work independently. ASSETS:

Experience working with electronic information systems (hospital based preferred) & with data organization;

Experience in academic/research writing e.g. research proposals, peer-reviewed publications

Experience working with Microsoft Office, especially Excel;

Knowledge of respiratory physiology and pathophysiology.



Name of Research Tutor: Bernadette Murphy


Name of Project: Impact of recurrent neck pain on sensorimotor integration

Project location: UOIT Human Neurophysiology lab (North Campus UAB 356)

Project Description: Neck pain and dysfunction is often linked to pain and fatigue in the upper limb. One hypothesis is that the changes in sensory input due to neck dysfunction affects the way the brain processes incoming sensory input from the upper limb leading to altered motor function, which then initiates a cycle of pain and fatigue. The aim of the current study is to understand how treatment of neck dysfunction using spinal manipulation alters sensorimotor integration and motor control.

Possible Roles for Student(s): Students who participate in this project will assist in recruiting and testing participants, as well as performing data analysis. They will: 1) acquire skills in collecting EMG data. 2) Acquire skills in using TMS to excite the motor cortex to activate muscle and/or skills in using somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) to study sensory processing by the brain 3) acquire skills in data analysis of EMG, TMS and/or SEP data 4) build on skills in statistical analysis and data presentation 5) develop skills in communicating with research participants, and explaining the project to obtaining informed consent

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) Students in the kinesiology stream who have completed Anatomy and Introduction to Movement Science and are enrolled in or completing Motor Control with strong grades are eligible to apply.



Name of Research Tutor: Paul Yielder/Bernadette Murphy

Number of Possible Positions:2

Name of Project: The effect of changing neck sensory input on brain plasticity

Project location: UOIT Human Neurophysiology labs (North Campus)

Project Description: Neck pain and fatigue affects sensory feedback from the spine to the brain, and can affect the brain’s ability to blend information coming from other senses, affecting co-ordination and the ability to learn new movements. This research uses a state of the art eye tracking system to measures changes in the way the output of cerebellum is affected by in neck pain and fatigue. This work will measure the vestibulo-ocular reflex and hand-eye coordination in individuals with and without neck pain, and before and after neck muscle fatigue. The VOR keeps the eyes on target despite head and/or body movements that include the head, whether these movements are self-produced or externally imposed.

Possible Roles for Student(s): Students who participate in this project will assist in recruiting and testing participants, as well as performing data analysis. They will: 1) acquire skills in collecting eye-tracker data collection and analysis. 2) measuring the accuracy of making eye movements to the perceived location of one’s own hand when it is visually occluded 3) Learn to measure spatial and temporal error in maintaining target fixation throughout head movement. 4) build on skills in statistical analysis and data presentation 5) develop skills in communicating with research participants, and explaining the project to obtaining informed consent

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) Students in the kinesiology stream who have completed Anatomy and Introduction to Movement

Science and are enrolled in or completing Motor Control with strong grades are eligible to apply.



Name of Research Tutor: Jennifer Abbass Dick and Manon Lemonde


Name of Project: Breastfeeding knowledge and attitudes among university and college students

Project location: UOIT and DC

Project Description: Breastfeeding is a public health priority as suboptimal rates put infants and their mothers’ health at risk. Most parents make the decision to breastfeed prior to pregnancy. Cultural norms and expectations as well as knowledge and attitude regarding infant feeding impact this decision and the subsequent potential low rates. It is not known if the population who is pre-childbearing has been exposed to information and obtained sufficient knowledge to make an informed decision regarding infant feeding to protect infant and maternal health. To determine the future feeding intentions, the current state of knowledge and the attitudes about infant feeding of university and college students, as well as past exposure to breastfeeding education, a survey will be conducted at both institutions.

Possible Roles for Student(s): The students will: - Conduct a literature review - Assist with compiling a survey - Apply for REB approval (UOIT and DC) - Recruit participants - Analyze data

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) Successful completion of the 3rd year research methods course



Name of Research Tutor: Janice Jones RN(EC) MN Nurse Practitioner


Name of Project: Discharge Support Meeting in the Older Adult Population

Project location: Lakeridge Health Oshawa (Geriatric Consultation Team)

Project Description: Looking at the Older Adult Population in the rehab setting: “Do Discharge Support Meetings (DSMs) improve patient and family satisfaction? Do DSMs contribute to better outcomes post discharge home? Do DSMs prevent readmit to hospital or keep the patient in their home longer?” This is the continuation of a research project started in 2018. It has already received approval from the REB at Lakeridge Health (until Dec 2019, at that time can apply for extension) It will continue to use data from 2 different years of rehab patients on an inpatient rehab unit at Lakeridge Health Whitby. Patients had long hospital stays with complex medical conditions, fractures with surgical repair or admit from community requiring therapy to improve mobility. Length of stay varied from 2-6 weeks.


Review previous work done

Apply to REB for continuation of study approval

Continue to collect data from Lakeridge Health charts

Statistical analysis

Summarize results

Final Report

Poster Presentation

Possible Conference Presentation

Possible scholarly writing


Lakeridge Health Confidentiality Agreement

Lakeridge Health requirements as needed



Name of Research Tutor: Dr. Krystle Martin


Name of Project: TBD

Project location: Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences

Project Description: I currently have several projects that students could join and new opportunities that arise for the next semester. The following represent the types of projects that I typically lead:

Exploring the subjective sense of restrictiveness among forensic patients

Examining the unique needs of elderly patients in the forensic mental health system

Conducting a program evaluation of the Forensic Mall – a model for intervention

Exploring self-awareness theory and its impact on virtual mental health care

Examining the use of protective factors in decisions made by the Ontario Review Board

The use of non-pharmacological strategies to manage anxiety

Possible Roles for Student(s): Student(s) may be involved in all aspects of the research projects which may include: literature search/review, research ethics application preparation, protocol development, data collection, data analysis, transcription, interpretation of data, manuscript preparation and other knowledge translation activities, etc. Students will be invited to attend other events, meetings, and activities that I participate in such as providing research and evaluation consultations, clinical training initiatives, etc. to observe and learn about conducting research in an applied setting.


CPIC with VSS no older than one year

Entry Immunization Form

On-site orientation

Completion of mandatory training prior to arrival



Name of Research Tutor: James Ibbott, Manager, Quality Improvement & Patient Safety


Name of Project: Utilizing Good Catch Data to Promote a Culture of Patient Safety in Community Hospitals

Project location: Lakeridge Health Oshawa

Project Description: This project is comprised of determining how good catch patient safety incident data (also called non-event or near miss) can be leveraged to further promote a culture of patient safety. Utilizing quality improvement (QI) methods derived from the Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI), the project will be separated into three phases:

(1) Analysis Phase: The team will complete an analysis of good catch data based on information available in the patient safety incident reporting system at Lakeridge Health (also called WeCare). The team will extract system-wide themes. The team will pick one theme to examine in further detail.

(2) Solutions Phase: The team will complete a literature search on the theme to extract possible solutions to promote a patient safety culture. This phase may include engaging with front-line staff to seek and confirm solutions.

(3) Improvement Phase: The team will identify changes and solutions by utilizing PDSA and other QI methods.

Note: the IHI Model for improvement is aligned to the three phases outlined above. Phase 1 equates to answering the questions “What are we trying to accomplish” and “How will we know that a change is an improvement” of the model. Phase 2 aligns with “What changes can we make that will result in improvement?”. Phase 3 aligns with Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles.

Possible Roles for Student(s): The student will initially work closely with members of the Quality Improvement & Risk department as well as the Decision Support department to understand how data can be used in ways to promote a patient safety culture. This will include assistance in creating hypotheses, analyzing potential contributing factors, and develop draft reports that can be presented in different ways to promote a patient safety culture. The student will also assist in completing literary searches, summarizing knowledge in presentations, completing staff surveys, attending patient safety huddles, deploying communications and reporting.

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc.) All existing standard LH practicum student requirements.



Name of Research Tutor: Meghann Lloyd


Name of Project: Behavioural Changes in children 3-5 year old with Autism Spectrum Disorder with a motor skill intervention

Project location: UOIT – St. Gregory’s building (202 Simcoe St)

Project Description: Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder experience behavioural challenges in addition to poor motor skills. The purpose of this project is to intervene on fundamental motor skills (running, throwing, kicking, catching, etc) and evaluate whether gains are made in both motor skill proficiency but also in areas such as adaptive behaviour and social skills.


Participating in the intervention (i.e. leading groups of kids with ASD in teaching and practicing motor skills)

Video coding behavioural data on new NOLDUS behavioural software

Data entry

Data analysis

Participating in pre-testing and post-testing of participants


Police Check (vulnerable sector)

Must be a kinesiology student (i.e. completed Human Growth and Motor Development)

**Students must be able to commit to participating in the intervention sessions Mondays and Thursdays 4:00-6:30pm



Name of Research Tutor: Dr. Nicholas La Delfa


Name of Project: Effect of mental fatigue on upper extremity neuromechanics Project location: Occupational Neuromechanics & Ergonomics Laboratory Project Description: Upper limb reaching and aiming movements are crucial for the completion of many occupational tasks. Manual aiming, including reaching for a button on your car console or using a tool, involves complex central nervous system (CNS) processing for its accurate and efficient execution. The CNS attempts to complete these movements as fast and as accurate as possible, while also minimizing the muscular energy required to execute these movements. Initial research has shown that the speed and accuracy of these movements may be affected by several factors, one of which may be mental fatigue. Interestingly, mental fatigue, which results from a period of high cognitive control exertion, can lead to decrements in physical performance. (e.g. both muscular strength and endurance). In this research project, we will examine how a period of high cognitive control exertion may also affect goal‐directed manual aiming and upper limb neuromechanics. Possible Roles for Student(s): For this research project, the practicum student(s) will work with a Master’s student to design and test an experimental protocol in the Occupational Neuromechanics & Ergonomics Laboratory. Your main focus will be data collection for the study described above. As such, you will be trained in the use of surface electromyography, motion capture and psychological assessment tools. This skill set will also allow you to help with other studies being collected in the lab. Other responsibilities and tasks will include: initial stages of data analysis, literature integration, attending lab meetings and journal club sessions, and participating in manuscript preparation for submission to a peer‐reviewed journal. Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) The practicum student will need to have successfully completed Occupational Ergonomics (HLSC 4475) with a grade of A‐ or higher.



Name of Research Tutor:

Dr. O. Ezezika


Name of Project: The Role of Implementation Science in the Scaling of Technologies for

Global Health in sub-Sahara Africa.

Project location: Faculty of Health Sciences, UOIT

Project Description:

This research practicum will be part of a larger study on the challenges, processes and the actors in the scaling of technologies for global health in sub Sahara. Specifically, the student will conduct a case study on the scale-up of evidence-based interventions in sub Sahara Africa with the purpose of determining how technologies reach more people, more quickly and more sustainably in the region. Using a particular innovation (TBD) that has been widely scaled (such as meningitis Vaccine which reached 100 million people within 2 years of initial regulatory approval), the student will work on determining the cultural, social, ethical and other factors that governed the scale and implementation. The results of this study will help contribute to the practice of effectively scaling life saving technologies for global health in low and middle-income countries.


Literature review (Including reviewing common research databases (PubMed, Google Scholar)

Qualitative data analyses Case study-Write-up


Excellent writing skills Ability to work with a virtual team Experience in conducting literature reviews Ability to learn quickly and creativity Strong passion for global health



Name of Research Tutor: Adam Dubrowski


Name of Project: Harnessing the power of disruptive technologies to improve healthcare training and patient outcomes.


Project Description: It is often said that ‘practice makes perfect’ and simulation achieves just that. Simulation is a powerful tool for training healthcare professionals, however, it is often too expensive and not easily accessible in remote and rural areas. The Network for Immersive Simulation in Healthcare (NISH) is a newly established research laboratory. Our research focuses on the use of disruptive technologies such as 3D printing, virtual reality and virtual collaborations to make simulation more cost-effective, accessible, and responsive to the needs of healthcare professionals across Canada. NISH is a unique and multidisciplinary research and development environment combining expertise and research methods from health, economics, materials, computer engineering, psychology, kinesiology, sociology, implementation science, and digital art and design. Currently, we are forming a multidisciplinary team of undergraduate and graduate students interested in innovation and application of disruptive technologies in healthcare simulation. The undergraduate student arm of the team will focus on few of the following areas:

• Assistive devices/medical equipment • Curricular Mapping • Human Performance and Learning • Design: Immersive Technologies (tech focus) • Design: Digital art/sculpting (tech focus)

Possible Roles for Student(s): The students will be asked to work with the faculty members, as well as graduate students within a mentorship model, where the students take on a small part of a larger project and are mentored by more experienced researchers. The students can also choose a smaller scope independent projects (e.g., pilot work for larger studies).

All students will have the opportunities to be part of lab research meetings as well as individual meetings with their mentors. Although not an expectation, it will be strongly encouraged that all projects will be published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science: Archives of Scholarship in Simulation and Educational Techniques Channel, which is peer reviewed and Medline indexed open journal.

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc.): None



Name of Research Tutor: Rebecca Choy


Name of Project: Impact of Diabetes Distress on Caregivers / Family

Project location: Lakeridge Health Whitby – Centre for Complex Diabetes Care

Project Description:

To find how different stages of life and inter-generational relationships positively — or negatively — affect CCDC patients with diabetes

Use data to detect trends at different stage of life and for different generations, so future programme can better reflect the needs of diverse groups in the context in which they live


collect data / interview patients/support

data analyze

abstract / poster

presentation to staff

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..): None



Name of Research Tutor: Dr. Shital Desai


Name of Project: Technology to support older adults and people with cognitive impairment Project location: Inclusive Media and Design Lab, Ryerson University, Toronto campus Project Description: Technologies play an important role in supporting physical and cognitive impairments in older adults. However, seniors are slow in adopting these technologies in their everyday life. Thus, we use human centred design methods to understand needs and requirements of older adults and then design and develop technologies to meet those needs. Emerging technologies such as mixed reality and headless interfaces pose more difficulties as these are developed without including older adults in the design process. Our projects explore feasibility of these technologies for older adults. Possible Roles for Student(s): Students as part of the research project will assist in:

(1) Data collection (2) Data analysis (organizing data, qualitative and quantitative analysis) (3) Decimation of research outcomes (reports, posters, publications)

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) Skills related:

(1) Commitment to learn new techniques and methods (2) Organized and meticulous in managing projects (3) Able to work independently under supervision (4) Exceptional verbal and written communication skills

Appointment related: as requested by Ryerson University.



Name of Research Tutor: Heather Sprenger

Number of Possible Positions:1

Name of Project: exploring the impact of cross-acclimation (heat & hypoxia) on performance

Project location: UOIT and Canadian Sport Institute Ontario

Project Description: The project will explore the effects of sprint interval training (SIT) during normoxic heat, normobaric hypoxia, and cross-acclimation (heat + normobaric hypoxia) on physiological responses and performance. The project will be conducted at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario (CSIO) in the environmental chamber. Trained participants will be recruited across various sprint based sports.

Possible Roles for Student(s): The student will be required to conduct a literature review on the topic. The student will lead the training sessions and assist in data collection throughout the entire project. The student will gain valuable experience in conducting research in high performance sport. The student will be involved in writing the manuscript for this study.

Special Requirements: (i.e. Entry Immunization Form, Police Check, specialized skills etc..) The student must have access to a vehicle in order to be at the CSIO for data collection. Police check required.

Research Practicum HLSC 4998U & HLSC 4999U Fall 2019 - Winter 2020

Name of Research Tutor: Dr. Winnie Sun Number of Possible Positions: 1

Name of Project: SMART DE-PRESCRIBE: Development of Medication Management System and Simulation Technologies to Promote Medication Optimization for Older Adults in the Community


Project Description: Polypharmacy, defined as the use of multiple medications or more medications than is medically necessary, is a growing concern for older adults. There are many negative consequences associated with polypharmacy, including increased healthcare costs; the risk for adverse drug events and drug interactions; medication non-adherence; reduced functional and cognitive status; and the risks for falls. Increased prescription medication has been associated with diminished ability to perform instrumental activities of daily living among older adults, including shopping; meal preparation; managing finances; driving or using public transportation; performing housework and medication management. One important way of optimizing medication management and reducing polypharmacy for older adults in the community is through deprescribing. Deprescribing is the process of tapering, stopping, discontinuing, or withdrawing unnecessary drugs, with the goal of managing polypharmacy and improving patient outcomes. The purpose of our research is to address the ongoing concern of polypharmacy and related medication issues in older Canadians by building capacity in the area of medication optimization through the following three approaches: (1) Development of a medication management system that allows for on-line medication repository to provide health care professionals with seamless access to client’s medication information in the community. This technological innovation will involve a built-in decision support system that could trigger deprescribing algorithms for certain high-risk medications to facilitate deprescribing. (2) Implementation of a randomized controlled pilot trial to examine the utilization of medication system as an assessment and decision-support tool to facilitate the deprescribing of medications for older adults (3) Development, testing, and implementation of experiential learning protocols for both healthcare providers and clients in order to optimize the uptake of deprescribing. This project will build capacity in the area of medication optimization by facilitating healthcare providers working together with older adults to improve safety and efficiency of medication management across the care continuum.


• Ethics Applications

• Recruitment and implementation of focus group sessions for simulation-based learning

• Focus group data analysis

• Testing phase of simulation-based learning educational sessions (using consensus building methodology)

• Data analysis of testing phase

• Case finding and enrollment of pilot RCT trial

• RCT Randomization and training of intervention


• Interests in Gerontology and Pharmacology are preferred.

• Some knowledge in qualitative method, simulation and RCT would be an asset.

Documents

BHSc Research Practicum – 2019 20 – Available Projects Name of Project Research ... · 2020-07-27 · BHSc Research Practicum – 2019‐20 – Available Projects Name of Project