WYOMISSING, Pa. — Two Penn State Berks students, Vinh Lu and J'Kaia Reynolds, had an opportunity to explore careers in healthcare through internships with the Berks County Medical Society (BCMS) as Pat Sharma President’s Scholars. Lu and Reynolds participated in the six-week summer internship, June 3 to July 12, at Reading Hospital and its outpatient facilities.

The students shadowed physicians, attended various information sessions and participated in several sessions with current medical students and physicians. They were required to conduct research and write an article on a clinical topic or public policy issue in the health care field. Their articles will be published in the quarterly magazine of the BCMS, The Medical Record.

Vinh Lu: Studying the effects of weight-loss drugs

Originally from Saigon, Vietnam, Lu is a senior majoring in biology. He was encouraged to apply for the BCMS Pat Sharma President’s Scholars program by his biology professor, Bryan Wang.

Lu’s research article was titled “Walking the GLP-1RAs tightrope between loss of muscle mass and fat.” In his paper, he explained that about one in eight adults in the U.S. have reported taking GLP-1RAs, a class of drug that includes medications commonly known by "Ozempic" and "Wegovy." Originally intended to treat Type 2 diabetes, these medications were found to have a positive effect on obesity management.

In various trials, GLP-1RA medications have been shown to help reduce body weight by 5% to 15%. However, according to research, the reduction in body weight does not mean a reduction in fat mass alone. The potential loss in muscle mass can be damaging to some individuals such as those with Type 2 diabetes, sarcopenia and other conditions.

“It has been my honor to be a Pat Sharma President’s Scholar," Lu said. "This program not only help me gain a greater understanding of a career in medicine but allowed me to fall in love with a community of people who are passionate about caring and advocating for others. Every person that I met through this program has enriched me with invaluable lessons and taught me the value of community, compassion, care and excellence. And these values will continue to guide me on my journey of medicine.”

At Penn State Berks, Lu conducts research on the impact of microplastics on freshwater microbiome with biology faculty members. He also works as a biology teaching assistant, and he is part of the Cohen-Hammel Fellows Program, a program designed to prepare students to become engaged and ethical leaders in the 21st century. 

In addition, Lu serves as a Lion Ambassador student tour guide, an orientation leader, a member of the Rainbow Alliance Club and a tutor in the Reading School District as part of the Penn State Educational Partnership Program.

“The experiences that I gained from the BCMS summer program have strongly affirmed my decision to become a physician," Lu said. "I am looking forward to attending medical school and gaining the skills to provide care for my Berks County community. I am eternally thankful to everyone that dedicates their time and effort to provide me and others this opportunity to grow professionally and personally."

Lucy Cairns, coordinator of the program, praised Lu’s performance.

“Vinh’s exceptionally well-written paper demonstrated a firm grasp of the pharmacology and physiology pertinent to this topic, an ability to absorb and analyze medical literature, and top-notch written communication skills," Cairns said. "When not engaged with his research and writing, he gained clinical shadowing experience in a variety of medical specialties and took an active role in our panel discussions and didactic sessions. In every facet of the program, he demonstrated a powerful love of learning and a positive attitude that made it a true pleasure to work with him.”

J'Kaia Reynolds: Investigating factors leading to skin cancer

A second-year student majoring in both biochemistry and molecular biology, and communication arts and sciences, Reynolds is originally from New York. She learned about the internship though Wang, her biology professor, who encouraged her to apply.

“I filled out the application as soon as possible and was ecstatic when I was accepted into the program,” Reynolds said.

Her research paper was titled “Investigating the rising incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer.” In it, Reynolds described the causes and effects of the increasing rates of non-melanoma skin cancer, specifically basal cell carcinoma.

“J’Kaia stood out for her drive to challenge herself academically, and her ability to rise to every challenge," Cairns said. "She used the scholarship program to learn about non-melanoma skin cancer. The reading and writing J’Kaia did on this topic was supplemented by knowledge gained through several clinical shadowing sessions with local dermatologists, in which she observed both office practice and skin cancer surgeries. The paper J’Kaia submitted is a concise and detailed discussion of the many factors that are thought to be contributing to a rising incidence of non-melanoma skin cancer, and of current treatment and prevention strategies for this all-too-common disease.”

This fall, Reynolds will conduct research on skin cancer at Penn State Berks with a faculty mentor.

"Being a Pat Sharma Scholar is about embodying a deep passion for medicine and, more importantly, a commitment to people. Through each experience I was fortunate enough to be a part of during this program, I have come to understand what a privilege it is to serve a community. Whether as a family medicine practitioner, a dermatologist or a CRNA, all careers in the medical field have the potential to make a significant impact when one is truly devoted to others," Reynolds said. "I am thrilled to gain bench work experience and delve deeper into the molecular mechanisms of the disease, which I spent the summer researching."

Outside the classroom, Reynolds said she plans to tutor in the Reading School District as part of the Penn State Educational Partnership Program. She will also assume two new leadership roles: vice president of the Berks Pre-Health Society and secretary of the Disciple Makers Club.

After graduation, Reynolds said she plans to apply to medical school to fulfill her dream of becoming a physician. Her ultimate goal, she said, is to contribute to both preventive and direct patient care, ultimately improving the lives of people in her community. In addition, she plans to look for opportunities to volunteer with medical-related community service organizations.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the incredible doctors and coordinators at the Berks County Medical Society for providing this wonderful opportunity. Special thanks to Dr. Cairns for her guidance and care throughout this six-week program. I hope this program continues to offer aspiring pre-med students a valuable head start in their medical careers,” Reynolds said.

Cairns summarized the benefit of the program to students.

“The path to a career in medicine is long and arduous, and symptoms of burnout are common at every stage of the process," Cairns said. "Through the Pat Sharma President’s Scholarship, the BCMS provides a learning experience designed to give students insights into the lives of medical students and practicing physicians. Relationships created during the program, are often the outcomes most valued by our students and last long beyond the program. Building a wider network of friends and mentors is one effective way to increase a student’s resilience and thereby improve their chance of attaining their goals.  Boosting the odds of a student’s success, in any career path they decide to pursue, is the ultimate goal of our program.”