Boonshoft School of Medicine will sponsor COVID-19 vaccine symposium for area medical professionals

The Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine COVID-19 vaccine task force will host a free virtual symposium for medical professionals on the COVID-19 vaccines on Tuesday, Jan. 19, from 1 to 3 p.m.

The COVID-19 vaccine task force is comprised of members of the Boonshoft School of Medicine community, supported by the Department of Internal Medicine and Neurology.

This virtual event is open to the Dayton-area medical community and will provide information about the vaccines, answer questions, and discuss how to talk to patients about the vaccines.

Area medical professionals who would like to participate in the online symposium should contact donna.carpenter@wright.edu.

Along with information from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Dayton Mayor and 2009 Wright State graduate Nan Whaley, discussion topics during the symposium will include COVID-19 virology and management updates, information about the vaccines, misconceptions, unanswered questions, and distribution of the vaccines. Each topic will be led by medical professionals from the Boonshoft School of Medicine or one of the Dayton-area hospital systems. Valerie Weber, M.D., dean of the Boonshoft School of Medicine, will also speak.

“This is a scary time for people, and health care workers need to recognize that while information seems accessible, oftentimes it’s contrasting and difficult for patients to understand,” said We’am Hussain, M.D., ’18, an internal medicine resident with BSOM.

Hussain and her sister Anam Hussain, a third-year medical student at BSOM, organized the vaccine task force, with the assistance of Glen Solomon, M.D., chair of the Department Internal Medicine and Neurology.

“By first sharing information with health care professionals, we believe that information will then trickle down from provider to patient,” Anam Hussain said.

The COVID-19 vaccine task force is made up of a diverse group including BSOM faculty, residents and students, representing varying specialty areas. Along with We’am Hussain, Anam Hussain and Solomon, members include Cynthia Sheppard Solomon, clinical assistant professor with internal medicine and neurology; Steven Burdette, M.D., division director of infectious disease and professor of internal medicine; Jonathan Miller, M.D., psychiatry resident physician; and H. Bradford Hawley, M.D., professor emeritus of internal medicine and past president of the Infectious Diseases Society of Ohio.

Along with sharing information about the vaccines, the task force is focused on helping providers discuss the vaccines with their patients.

“We see two aspects to communicating with patients. First is understanding their concerns, and second is having the appropriate knowledge to share,” We’am Hussain said.

The team suggests providers use motivational interviewing as a way to discuss the vaccines with patients.

“Oftentimes the way we present information to our patients is just as important as what we are saying,” Anam Hussain said.

These techniques and others will be discussed during the symposium.

“The goal of this symposium is to provide clinicians with the tools to understand the COVID-19 vaccines, so that they can educate themselves, their patients, and the public. We seek to make clinicians and the public comfortable in their decisions regarding COVID-19 vaccination,” Glen Solomon said.

“Because the methods of development of these vaccines are unique, and because the vaccines are available through emergency use approval before full FDA approval occurs, clinicians may have gaps in their understanding as they strive to inform patients,” said Cynthia Sheppard Solomon. “This symposium is an opportunity for our team to provide information. We look forward to reaching out to Dayton-area clinicians, as well as to specific groups of consumers in the weeks ahead.”

The task force is motivated to help clinicians partner with their patients to get one of the vaccines, help slow the spread of COVID-19, and help the community be healthy and safe.

“Ultimately the vaccines are only beneficial when they are appropriately distributed and used. This is our vision for the Dayton community,” We’am Hussain.

For more information about this free virtual event contact donna.carpenter@wright.edu.