Barrett senior Sara Gendelman focused on patient care in prestigious Mayo Clinic Fellowship

Sara Gendelman, a senior biochemistry major in Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University, expanded her knowledge of kidney disease and patient care as part of the prestigious 2024 Mayo Clinic Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program in Rochester, Minn.

Selected from over 1,100 applicants, Gendelman was one of only 15 students nationwide chosen for the highly competitive nephrology and urology-focused nuSURF program, funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

"I was incredibly excited when I found out I was selected," said Gendelman, who participated in the program last summer. "I was hesitant at first to even apply because I didn't have a strong research background and wasn't sure if it would align with my goals of working directly with patients. But when I learned more about the program and realized I could combine clinical science with research, I knew it would be the perfect opportunity."

Gendelman encourages other Barrett students to apply to the Mayo Clinic SURF, which is accepting applications Nov. 1, 2024- Feb. 3, 2025 for the program that will take place May 27 - Aug. 1, 2025.

The Mayo Clinic SURF Program helps undergraduate students explore their interests in research through immersion in real-world and specially-designed research opportunities, mentorship and collaboration with top scientists, and access to state-of-the-art facilities. 

Gendelman's advice for students considering applying for the program is simple: "Go for it. I didn't think I would get in, but I did. This experience has been life-changing, both personally and professionally. You'll gain invaluable relationships and insights that you can't find anywhere else."

Gendelman's research was conducted within Mayo's Knowledge and Evaluation Research (KER) Unit, where she focused on the impact of Transitions of Care Units (TCUs) on dialysis patients. The TCU model offers additional care and education for patients who require urgent dialysis, with a strong importance on improving their quality of life and mental health.

"My project looked at the difference in outcomes for patients who received TCU care versus those who didn't," Gendelman explained. "We examined things like their mental health before, during, and after entering the TCU and how many challenges they faced in managing their treatment. It was powerful to see how much of a difference this extra layer of care can make for patients who are often dealing with both physical and emotional challenges.”

Gendelman's work was capped off with a presentation at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) KUH Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium at the University of Virginia School of Medicine in Charlottesville. Her research highlighted the qualitative impact of TCU programs on patients' well-being, highlighting the importance of treating patients as individuals rather than statistics.

"I was honored to present at the symposium," Gendelman said. "The networking opportunities and the chance to learn from top medical professionals were incredible. It was especially meaningful to show how patient-focused research can shine a light on the human side of healthcare."

Gendelman is now publishing her findings, which she hopes will contribute to expanding the use of TCU models in hospitals nationwide. "Not all hospitals have these units, but they make a significant difference in patient care," she noted.

Story by Saad Zia, a graduate assistant in the Barrett Honors College Marketing Department.