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Senior neuroscience major gains insight into medical field while interning with Akron Children’s Hospital

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Posted on Tuesday, December 21, 2021

A Westminster College Honors Program and neuroscience major dove into the medical field in the Summer Pediatric Research Scholars (SPRS) program at Akron Children’s Hospital (ACH) this past summer.

Senior Samuel Accordino of Canfield, Ohio, was tasked with assisting a clinical research scientist in the palliative care department of ACH. Accordino, along with research scientist Dr. Daniel Grossoehme, focused on better understanding the value of home visits for palliative care patients and their caregivers.

In the project, Accordino recruited and interviewed patients and caregivers, analyzed and coded qualitative data and presented the results at a conference sponsored by ACH. He also attended several seminars throughout the summer related to the research project with topics relating to current research, medical careers and scientific writing.

“This program has presented multiple shadowing opportunities with physicians in different medical specialties,” said Accordino.

As his internship progressed, Accordino started to find his passion in the pediatric physicians world.

“One of my main goals in life is to positively influence and guide my patients into a better path of life,” said Accordino. “I felt that pediatric physicians could do just that.”

Accordino is currently assisting the program with the data analysis process since the study is still ongoing.

Westminster College coursework also prepared this highly involved Honors Program student.

From practice with article reviews, to presentations during the Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration (URAC), Accordino saw that these practices aligned with what he saw during clinical practice.

After graduation, Accordino hopes to attend medical school in the fall of 2022 and is currently in the interviewing stage of this process.

For more information on Westminster's neuroscience program, click here: https://www.westminster.edu/academics/majors-programs/neuroscience/.