kayla sweeney

ABOUT THE RESEARCHER:

1. Who are you doing research with this summer and what kind of research project are you doing?

I am participating in research with Dr. Margie Roos in her lab studying the benefits of functional mobility and cognition for individuals who have suffered from a stroke using dual-tasking. Dual-tasking will allow individuals to improve skills that they need in their everyday life. My research involves investigating the reliability of functional outcome measures currently used to view any change in healthy adults and individuals with a stroke following exercise that involves dual-tasking.

2. What do you find fascinating in the research you’re doing?

I think it is amazing that I am helping people improve their cognition and mobility so they can begin to do certain skills and activities that were easy or enjoyed before the stroke. It is truly amazing seeing participants improve over time and see the excitement they have that they are one step closer to their goal.

3. What skills are you learning through the USURF experience?

This experience has allowed me to understand multiple sides of healthcare while also allowing me to connect with the participants. Working in a clinical lab has allowed me to learn more about the life of someone who has experienced a stroke that expands much more than the medical aspect. This project has also allowed me to gain skills in different software such as Inquist that are used for the online functional outcome measures and work closely with other members of the lab to ensure that everything goes smoothly. These skills have been beneficial in my future in Osteopathic Medicine.

4. What are the challenges you’re encountering in your research?

The challenge I encountered during this research was recruiting the participants. Since I work with people who have experienced a stroke, ensuring that I have enough people to do the study and must ask people to come into the lab multiple times lines up with both of our schedules. Sometimes it takes rescheduling, but in the end, it is worth it to work with people and help them improve after their stroke.

 5. How is your USURF experience impacting the way you view your field?

My USURF experience has impacted the way I view my field because I can understand how people can be affected by their stroke in their everyday life even many years after experiencing the stroke. It is important to understand that there is a lot of physical and cognitive work that is needed for years after having a stroke. This hard work can lead to improvements in skills for everyday life that were lost when the stroke occurred.

6. Tell us something interesting about yourself.

If I could move anywhere in the world I would move to Ireland!