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Undergraduate research essay excels at congress
Author: Wilma Stassen
Published: 08/03/2017

​An alumnus of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS) achieved major success with the undergraduate research essay he wrote in his final year at Stellenbosch University.

As an undergraduate, Dr Iain Walker, a former MB,ChB student, who is now practicing medicine at the Kimberley Hospital in the Northern Cape, did a research project that earned him top honours at the annual congress of the Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa (SNSA), and his essay was also selected for publication in a prestigious international journal.

His research, which assessed the impact of technological changes in the neurotrauma environment, was nominated as one of the top three research talks at the 2015 SNSA congress. The research article derived from the study, entitled "A Double Edged Sword: The Effect of Technological Advancements on the Management of Neurotrauma Patients". It was published in the British Journal of Neurosurgery in August 2016.

"It was a prospective study that looked at whether new technology in the neurotrauma environment actually improves care. It compared current data with data from 2007 – before any of the ECM (Enterprise Content Management), PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication system) and new computerised tomography (CT) scanners were used. The study results shed light on the dangers of removing human decision-making and direct communication from treatment, for example, when booking emergency scans," said Prof Ian Vlok, head of the FMHS' Division of Neurosurgery, who also supervised Walker's research essay.

"By studying a well thought-through topic he managed to save lives by identifying inconspicuous weaknesses in the current neurotrauma system that should have been improved by technology, but wasn't," said Vlok.

Walker "feels incredibly lucky" to have been a part of this study. "Not only did we achieve the aims of our research, but I was awarded the opportunity to have worked with two surgeons who are giants in their respective fields (Professor Ian Vlok and Dr Ameya Kamat, a registrar in the department)," he said.

"It was an exceptionally rewarding experience. Not only was I able to learn from my mentors' vast skill sets and diverse expertise, but also from the way in which they embody humility and a genuine will to help others and to educate," Walker continued.

"The fact that the research was well received within the medical community was an honour, however, knowing that our months of hard work has potentially resulted in better outcomes for our patients and their families, is truly special."