Kathryn Stinson

While working in the OHSU Flow Lab, I assisted with bone marrow biopsy procedures for adult and pediatric patients both in the hospital and clinics. My job was to make sure that all of the appropriate tests were collected for and that the specimens (aspirate/biopsy) were adequate for analysis. I paid close attention to the feedback that was given in pathology reports for my procedure assists which allowed me to excel in my position. I gave providers an appropriate response about the quality of their samples, and I was able to answer patient questions about the value of particular lab tests. This lead to an increase in provider and patient confidence and an overall improvement in patient care.

During my time at OHSU, I worked in several clinical labs; I began in the Core Lab, and eventually worked in Hemostasis/Thrombosis, Flow Cytometry, and the CHH2 Lab. These labs were concerned with hematology, chemistry, special coagulation, flow cytometry, transfusion, and surgical pathology testing. My duties included specimen processing, high complexity testing, reagent making, billing, assisting with bone marrow procedures, client services calls, ordering/purchasing, procedure writing, training new employees, and participating in CAP inspections and departmental audits. My meticulous work, skillful judgement calls, and ability to determine priorities held the department together through thick and thin.

I volunteered to work in the OHSU COVID-19 Lab early in the pandemic. I volunteered in this lab for 12 hours a week beyond my existing full time lab position. In the face of a skyrocketing work load and lack of staffing in the new COVID-19 Lab, I was able to expedite patient results by preparing patient samples for testing. The nature of the work was repetitive and came with a certain amount of risk. I often handled several hundred swabs in a single sitting which increased the probability that I might be exposed to infectious material. ( The vaccine was not yet available.) In the end, I was happy and proud to say that I supported the hospital's efforts during the global COVID-19 crisis.

I had the opportunity to shadow several physicians at OHSU. I shadowed Dr. Bory Kea in the Emergency Department for 8 hours, Dr. Andy Chen in the Bone Marrow Transplant Clinic for 8 hours, Dr. Michael Layoun in Cardiology for 24 hours, and Dr. Guang Fan in Hematopathology for 2 hours. I shadowed physicians in different departments for variety. Although I was convinced that I was having the time of my life in the Emergency Department, I did my best to keep quiet and pay attention.

I edited these papers and preserved the intended meaning of the primary author; English is his second language: Garcia-Montilla, R., Stinson, K., et al. “Inferior Vena Cava Dilatation Predicts Global Cardiac Dysfunction In Ards: A Strain Echocardiographic Study.” Chest; Garcia-Montilla, R., Stinson K., et al. “77: Optimal Right Heart Filling Pressure in ARDS Determined by Strain Ecocardiography.” Critical Care Medicine; Garcia-Montilla, R., Stinson, K. et al. “Utility of Tricuspid Annular Plane Systolic Excursion, Tricuspid Annular Peak Systolic Velocity, and Speckle Tracking Echocardiography in the Evaluation of Right Ventricular Performance in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.” Chest. See Kathryn Stinson on Research Gate.

In the OHSU Emergency Department (ED), I volunteered as a Clinical Research Investigatory Studies Program research assistant (CRISP RA) and eventually as an Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) project lead. As an RA, I screened patients for over a dozen research studies in the ED; if the patient aligned with the study criteria, I would approach the patient to consent them for study enrollment. As a project lead, I gave research presentations to other members of the ED to clarify the study protocol. The success of the OHSU ACS study led to the adoption of the study at other research hospitals around the country and the eventual FDA approval of a high sensitivity lab kit for troponin testing. Through diligence and dedication, I supported a volunteer run research program that is a critical part of the OHSU research section and an inspiration to other programs around the country.

I contributed to the science curriculum at Portland State University. After gathering information on how basic physics principles drive the mechanics of a flow cytometer, I highlighted these concepts in an interview that I recorded with a flow cytometry tech and a hematopathologist. This interview was used by Dr. Ralf Widenhorn in his new biomedical physics series at Portland State University; students learned that the instrument depends on the fundamentals of physics, that the hematopathologist relies on the data from the instrument to make a diagnosis. Ultimately, students gained a new appreciation for the interdisciplinary nature of medicine.

I taught the physics workshop for one term at Portland State University. I began each class with a lecture that covered the course material for the past week; next, I went over a problem set that the students were already familiar with. I demonstrated how complex physics problems can be broken down into more manageable pieces. I took the money that I earned from teaching the course and used it to purchase food for the students every day. On the last day of class, students stated that the constructive learning environment of my class room was a crucial component in their ability to complete the course material.