A summer of learning and research with the Social Paediatrics Research Summer Studentship Program

This summer, the Centre supported five students participating in the Social Paediatrics Research Summer Studentship (SPReSS) Program at the University of Toronto. The program gives students an opportunity to contribute to child health research while learning more about how social factors influence health and well-being. In this feature, two funded students reflect on their summer research experiences, what they learned and how they continue to be involved in their projects.

Alisha Ahmed is a second-year medical student at the University of Toronto and a summer research student in the SPReSS program. She is supervised by Dr. Rhandi Christensen at The Hospital for Sick Children. 

“My project focuses on social predictors of neurodevelopmental outcome in children born preterm. We are using a Canadian marginalization index to measure neighbourhood level socioeconomic status and examining how these values are associated with various measures of neurodevelopmental outcome. 

The SPReSS program allowed me to develop my research skills and gain a better understanding of paediatric neurology and its subspecialties. I got to shadow interdisciplinary staff and see how everybody works together to support patients and their families. As I learned about the importance of socioeconomic status from a research perspective, I also got to see the importance of taking a strong social history from the clinical side. I thought the exposure to both research and clinical paediatrics through this program was extremely valuable, and strengthened my interest in paediatrics as a specialty.”

Keara Armstrong is a second-year medical student at the University of Toronto and a Summer Research Student in the SPReSS Program working under the supervision of Dr. Ashley Vandermorris and Gillian Thompson at the Young Families Program (YFP) in the Division of Adolescent Medicine at The Hospital for Sick Children.

“My SPReSS project involved a quality improvement evaluation of the YFP medical home model in two stages: (1) assessing STI screening and treatment among adolescent mothers and (2) evaluating infant immunization rates. YFP's multidisciplinary team provides comprehensive care for young mothers and their infants in a single setting, addressing medical, mental health, and social needs. By analyzing these outcomes, I helped evaluate the program's effectiveness in serving a vulnerable and underserved population.

Through this experience, I gained valuable insight into the importance and necessity of trauma-informed care, patient-centered interviewing, and detailed transition planning. Witnessing the impact of compassionate, integrated care on the lives of these adolescent-led families was a deeply meaningful clinical and research experience that strengthened my commitment to this field and reinforced my desire to serve and advocate for this population throughout my career.”