ATSU’s SparkTank returns to Kirksville
Posted: November 16, 2017
A.T. Still University’s Teaching and Learning Center hosted the second biannual live SparkTank contest Wednesday, Nov. 15, on the University’s Kirksville, Missouri, campus. Nine A.T. Still University-Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) students representing five project proposals pitched their innovative ideas for teaching and learning before a live audience and panel of seven ATSU judges for a chance to win a $5,000 grant to fund their projects. Following each presentation, judges posed questions to team members related to their proposed project, implementation plan, and potential impact or outcome.
Two projects, presented by three students, were awarded $5,000 grants to further develop and implement their ideas to advance student learning at ATSU. Caleb Marting, fellow, whose faculty mentor was Eric Snider, DO, chair, osteopathic manipulative medicine, presented “Dysfunction Dice” and demonstrated how a random roll of 3-D, OMM-specific dice will encourage students to practice their osteopathic manipulation skills in a fun, game setting and advance their OMM skills, potentially into their third- and fourth-year rotations.
Zach Headman, OMS II, and Marcus Matson, OMS II, presented “3-D Cervical and Lumbar Models for Epidural Placement Training” and were assisted by Debra Loguda-Summers, manager, A.T. Still Memorial Library, and faculty mentor Jean Sidwell, MALS, director, A.T. Still Memorial Library. Their project is focused on developing a realistic 3-D cervical and lumbar model for medical students, interns, and residents to practice injection skills in an environment devoid of consequences and stress, thereby producing better patient outcomes and increasing the skill level of the individual administering an injection.
Marting, Headman, and Matson will have nine months to complete and present the final project outcomes.
Additional ATSU-KCOM SparkTank presenters and presentations:
- “Full Immersion Simulation Room Video Library” (Faculty mentor: Lisa Archer, BSN, RN, director, curriculum)
- Presenters: Fellows Kyle Baum, Brianne Haggard, and Nichole Norgard
- “Through the Looking Glass: Learning Through Virtual Reality” (Faculty mentor: Julie Hessler, DO, ′96, assistant professor, family medicine)
- Presenters: Jason Ross, OMS II, and Jillian Sampair, OMS II
- “Writing for your Life” (Faculty mentor: William Brechue, PhD, chair, Physiology)
- Presenter: Fellow Nicholas Wasinger
2017 SparkTank judges for the Missouri campus competition included Norman Gevitz, PhD, senior vice president-academic affairs; Lori Haxton, MA, vice president, student affairs; Tisha Kice-Briggs, DDS, ATSU Board of Trustees; Clinton Normore, MBA, associate vice president, diversity & inclusion; Gaylah Sublette, MBA, associate vice president, sponsored programs; Bertha Thomas, BPhil, ATSU Board of Trustees; and Anastasia Tiedemann, business counselor, Small Business & Technology Development Center.