Columbia County Medical Society

Health Related Topic Descriptions

1) Infectious and Parasitic Diseases

bacteria, viruses, fungus, parasites, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, effects on any organ system, etc.

2) Immunology/Allergic Disorders

AIDS Breakthrough

3) Hematologic/Oncology Disorders

Red cells, white cells, platelets, bone marrow elements/neoplastic or cancer disorders of any body organ system etc.

4) Cardiovascular Disorders

Congenital, valvular, artery, vein, conduction, heart muscle disorder etc.

5) Respiratory Disorders

Bronchitis, asthma, emphysema, infections, lung function, fibrosis, occupational disorders, etc.

6) Genitourinary Disorders

Kidney function, infections, causes of failure, stones, cysts, neoplasms and congenital disorders.

7) Gastrointestinal Disorders

Esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, pancreas, gall bladder disorders, etc.

8) Gynecology and Obstetrics and Diseases of the Breast

Infections, cancers, pregnancy, prenatal care, effects of disease in pregnancy, public policy concerning birth control.

9) Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders

inner/outer/middle ear, deafness, external nose, nasal passage, pharynx, larynx, etc.

10) Ophthalmic Disorders

injuries, lacrimal apparatus, eyelids, conjunctiva, cornea, cataracts, glaucoma. retina.

11) Nutritional and Metabolic Disorders

Vitamins, vitamin deficiency, hypervitarninosis, obesity, malnutrition, water, electrolyte, mineral, acid-base metabolism, gout, steroids and athletes, human growth and development, alcohol effects on the body, smoking effects on the body.

12) Endocrine Disorders

Pituitary, thyroid, adrenal. parathyroid, gonads. pancreas, etc.

13) Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders

Arthritis, tendinitis, low back pain. osteoporosis, collagen vascular disorders. human development, sport related injuries.

14) Neurologic Disorders

Infections, strokes, parkinsonism, seizures, vertigo. sciatica, etc.

15) Psychiatric Disorder

Mental health, available services, impact of drugs, etc.

16) Managed Care

Policies, consumer perceptions, strategies used to contain cost, utilization of services, hospital reactions, physician reactions, how managed care affects health care, etc.

17) Geriatric Care

Effects of any of the above on the elderly, skilled nursing facilities, adult home, home services, socialization adjustments, policies, aging, senior citizen health issues, etc.

Getting Started

1) Pick Your Topic.

Get an idea of what you want to research. Ideas may come from problems that you see or hear about and require a solution. Due to limited time and resources, you may want to study only one or two specific events.

2) Research Your Topic.

Go to the library and or internet and learn everything you can on the topic. Observe related events. Gather existing information on your topic. Look for unexplained or unexpected results. Talk to professionals in the field, write or e-mail the companies for specific information and obtain or construct displays.

3) Organize.

Organize everything you have learned about your topic. At this point you should narrow your hypothesis by focusing on a particular idea. Your research should help you.

4) Make a Timetable.

Choose a topic that not only interests you but can be done in the amount of time you have. Use a calendar to identify important dates. Leave time to fill out the forms and to review the Research Plan. Allow plenty of time to collect data. Leave time to write your research on paper, organize your presentation and construct a display.

5) Plan your Experiments.

Once you have a feasible project idea, write a research plan. This plan should explain how you will perform your research and exactly what it will involve.

6. Examine your Results.

When you complete your research, examine and organize your findings. Did your research give you the expected results? Why or why not? Are there other explanations that you had not considered or observed? Were there errors in your process?

7) Draw Conclusions.

What data is important? Did you collect enough data? Did you practice your presentation to provide all pertinent data in the (10) ten minute limit?

Elements Of A Successful Project

1) Project Data Book.

A project data book may be your most treasured piece of work. Accurate details of data collection, make a logical and winning project. Good notes, consistency and thoroughness will guide your presentation.

2) Discussion.

The discussion is the essence of your project. The results and conclusions should flow logically and smoothly, based upon your data. Allow your listeners to understand your train of thought, letting them know exactly what you did.

3) Conclusion.

Briefly summarize your results. Be specific. Do not generalize. Never introduce anything into the conclusion that has not been previously discussed.

4) Acknowledgments.

You should always credit those who assisted you, including individuals, businesses and educational or research institutions. Identify any financial support or material donations received. This should be in writing, such that it does not occupy your discussion time.

5) References.

Your reference list should include any documentation that is not your own (i.e., books, journal articles), for example:

Harrison, P.J (1992) Cost of Hospitalization for Diagnosis of Chest Pain. J.of Managed Care, 152:113-124.

Hints for a Display

1) A Good Title.

Your title is an extremely important attention-grabber. A good title should simply and accurately present your research. The title should make the casual observer want to know more.

2) Take Photographs.

Many projects involve elements that may not be safely exhibited at the fair, but are an important part of the project. You may want to take photographs or downloaded material from printers to use in your display.

3) Be Organized.

Make sure your display is logically presented and easy to read. A glance should allow anyone (particularly the judges) to quickly locate the title, results, and conclusions. When you arrange your display, imagine that you are seeing it for the first time.

4) Eye-Catching.

Make your display stand out. Use neat, colorful heading, charts and graphs to present your project. Home-built equipment, manufactured apparatuses, construction paper, colorful markers, printed web pages are excellent for project displays. Pay special attention to the labeling of graphs, chart, diagrams and tables. Each item should have a description title. Anyone should be able to understand the visuals without further explanation.

Judging

• Judges evaluate and focus on creativity, scientific knowledge, thoroughness, clarity and teamwork.
• Judges look for well thought-out projects. They look at how significant your project is in its field, as well as how thorough you are. Did you leave something out?
• Judges applaud those students who can speak freely and confidently about their work. They are not interested in memorized speeches - they simply want to listen and understand if you have a good grasp of your project from start to finish. Besides asking you the obvious questions, judges may ask questions to test your insight into your project, such as 'What was your role?", "What would you recommend next?".
• Judges appreciate a good visual display. You may want to attract and inform. Make it easy for interested spectators and judges to assess your project and its results. Make the most of your space using clear displays. Make headings stand out, and draw graphs and diagrams clearly and label them correctly.
• Judges will evaluate and focus on what the student presents during the allocated 10 (ten) minute judging time. The students will be evaluated on the criteria and point system as written below. The timer will start. The student will have 8 (eight) minutes to present the topic with (2) two minutes for questions. The questions will test the research knowledge of the student, but will be within the scope of the presentation. If the judges think the student should have presented some data, the question may focus on clarification of the students knowledge. The 10 (ten) minute time will be strictly adhered.

Timing

Timing will be strict. Ten (10) minutes will be allowed for total presentation/questioning time A green color will indicate commencement of the presentation An amber/yellow color will indicate termination of the (8) eight minutes of student presentation and beginning of the (2) two minute judge questioning session. A red color will indicate complete termination of the ten (10) minute presentation/questioning time.

Application for the CCHCC

All students will be required to fill out an application to participate in the CCHCC. The applications will have instructions for deadlines. All deadlines will be monitored by postmarked dates. School District Superintendents will supply schools with applications. Physician offices in the county, as listed below will also supply applications.

Clarence B. Henry, MD Hudson/VMA 828-7188

Brian Daggett, MD 758-6101

Hasmukh Harde, MD 828-4125

Stephen Krizar, MD 758-I 766

Lawrence Greitzer, MD 392-2277

The application will request data concerning the following fields.

Title of Project:

Health Related Topic of Research:

Student information:

School information:

Description of Project:

Why you chose this project:

Awards

Performance awards will be given for various categories. Categories are to include grade (1-4), (5-8), and (9-12). Group and individual awards will be presented. As fund raising continues from our generous contributors, we are expecting sizable awards to be presented. Not all awards will be monetary. Some awards will be sponsor related gifts, prizes, purchased from the pool of collected corporate contributions, and on-the-spot awards as the Medical Society deems deserving for something creative, interesting or extraordinary.

Who May Apply?

Any student resident of Columbia County from grade (1 - 12). Children of Physicians will not be allowed entry into the CCHCC.

The Columbia County Medical Society is offering an opportunity for students and residents of Columbia County to broaden their awareness and interest in the family healthcare delivery system. The program is called the Columbia County Health Care Challenge.

The Columbia County Health Care Challenge will be opened to all residents of Columbia County, who are students, from grade 1-12. Students will be required to research health related topics and present the topic to a panel of physicians, utilizing exhibits, displays, showcasings or demonstrations. Performance awards will be given to students demonstrating comprehension of their chosen topic as well as being conversant with it.

Columbia-Greene Community College was chosen as the site to accommodate the CCHCC, on Saturday 14 March 1998 with a snow date scheduled for Saturday 28 March 1998. Along with student activities sponsors will display health related consumer materials.

Awards

Performance awards will be given for various categories. Categories are to include grades (1-4), (5-8) and (9-I 2). Group and individual awards will be presented. As fund raising continues, from our generous contributors, we are expecting sizable awards to be presented. Not all awards will be monetary. Some awards will be sponsor related gifts, prizes purchased from the pool of collected corporate contributions, and on-the-spot awards as the Medical Society deems deserving; for something creative, interesting or extraordinary.

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