Gurneet Matharoo, a clinical student from Ontario, Canada presented a research poster on infection control at the Society of General Internal Medicine’s (SGIM) annual meeting in Washington, DC on April 21, 2017.

The poster, entitled “Infectious Control: Raising Awareness of Germ Infested Accessories” was created using research Gurneet conducted with classmate William Tyler Whitmire. She began this project while completing her Internal Medicine rotation at Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. After surveying 131 medical professionals throughout the United States and Canada, Gurneet, William, University of Lublin student Daniel Schoolcraft, and their mentor, Dr. Niket Sonpal, concluded that “accessory hygiene should be critically appraised more often, since healthcare workers use personal protective equipment such as gloves inconsistently. Implementing and upholding rules involving regular stethoscope hygiene are minor changes that can provide an enhanced hygienic environment for patients and intuitions.” The team recommends further studies on a larger scale.

Not only do publishing and presenting research during medical school enhance a student’s residency applications, it makes their university extremely proud! Congratulations, Gurneet and William!