Barrier Analysis
D.O./public health M. P.H. student Nawal Wasif traveled to Massachusetts’ Haverhill and Boston, as well as Portland, Maine, where she carried out her project, “A Comprehensive Analysis of Barriers for Urogynecologic Care in Muslim Women.” For her study, the College of Osteopathic Medicine (NYITCOM) student visited three mosques in various settings—rural, inner city, and suburban—to understand the sociocultural barriers that Muslim women face when seeking urogynecologic care.
As a Muslim woman and an advocate for underserved communities, Wasif understands firsthand how challenging it can be to find proper healthcare—especially when exposed to ideologies stating that urogynecologic care has shameful connotations. After synthesizing her findings, she hopes to share her research with healthcare teams to encourage provision of support, cultural sensitivity, and open dialogue for this population of patients. Aspiring to have a career focused on preventive care and women’s health, Wasif says her research and immersion in the communities she visited have played a large role in her personal and professional development.
“Culture can be so impactful on healthcare, especially on sensitive matters like the genital organs,” Wasif says. “I hope that my project acts as a driving force for further studies exploring underlying causes of cultural phenomenon impacting healthcare-seeking behavior in Muslim females, along with the development of culturally sensitive interventions.”
Sludge and Sustainability
As he works toward his MBA, School of Management student Revanth Dilli traveled to Telangana, India, for his fellowship project, “Fecal Sludge Treatment and Sustainability in India.” From December 28, 2023, through January 28, 2024, Dilli visited the city of Warangal, home to the Warangal Facal Sludge Treatment Plant (FSTP)—the first of its kind in the country and a recognized pioneer in sustainable sanitation solutions. Dilli paired the fellowship program’s emphasis on global impact with his passion for making meaningful community contributions.
At the FSTP, Dilli sought to develop sustainable financial plans so the plant may have long-term viability. Through on-site visits; cost, revenue, and resource utilization analysis; and meetings with economists, financial advisors, and FSTP operators, he was able to identify areas for improvement and cost-effectiveness. Dilli also synthesized his findings from financial reports, user fees, and operational data to develop a comprehensive roadmap for the plant’s financial future, prioritizing sustainability, affordability, and community engagement.
“Sanitation is a fundamental human right, and in India, millions lack access to adequate sanitation facilities,” Dilli explains. “My research allowed me to contribute to a solution that directly impacts people’s lives and safeguards their well-being. Being part of a project that promotes both environmental sustainability and improved health outcomes was incredibly meaningful to me.”
Reporting Research on Bipedalism
NYITCOM student Daniel Chan is studying evolutionary biomechanics as he pursues his D.O. With physical therapy student Erica Vazquez, Chan is specifically looking at how humans evolved to walk bipedally with the trunk and pelvis rotating in opposite directions. Through motion capture and placing a brace on subjects to encourage the trunk and pelvis to rotate in the same direction while moving (as seen in chimpanzees), they sought to deepen their understanding of human evolution and gain insights into how humans’ unique movement patterns developed over time.
With his fellowship award, Chan spent March 22 through 25 in Toronto, where he presented his research, “Does Angular Momentum Conservation Explain Small Pelvic Rotations in Human Bipedalism,” at the Anatomy Connected 2024 conference. The four-day American Association for Anatomy event provided him the unique opportunity to experience his first professional conference and a space to learn more about the anatomy field and upcoming innovations in anatomy education.
“I was pleasantly surprised by how many people approached me who haven’t seen this kind of research before,” Chan recalls. “It felt really good to help bridge the gap between the different disciplines and to teach someone something new. My fellowship experience has been a big professional step in both my roles as a scientist and a student.”
