Campus Connection

UWL students drive innovation in healthcare with Gundersen Summer Research Fellowship 

Behind the scenes at Gundersen Health System, two UWL students are contributing to research that will benefit the future of patient experiences. 

Anna Meilahn and MacKenzie Caya recently completed the Gundersen Summer Research Fellowship, gaining invaluable hands-on experience in medical research and clinical care. The fellowship, established in 1985, has fostered the research skills of aspiring healthcare professionals, allowing them to contribute to groundbreaking studies under the mentorship of Gundersen’s experienced medical staff.

Both students learned about the fellowship through UWL extracurricular activities: Meilahn from UWL’s Pre-Health Resource Center and Caya from Pre-Medicine Club. Recent graduate Abigale Hartwig also participated in the fellowship program.

“This fellowship allowed me to develop leadership skills and independence as I tackled challenges and created dissemination materials,” says Meilahn, a junior studying biochemistry. “Additionally, participating in a weekly journal club enhanced my ability to critically evaluate medical research and apply evidence-based reasoning to complex clinical scenarios.” 

Meilahn and Caya each made significant contributions to a research project that addressed a real-world medical challenge, working closely with Gundersen’s research mentor, biostatistician and the Research Navigation team.

“I participated in clinical research titled, ‘Robotic Inguinal Hernia Repair Reduces the Need for Subsequent Contralateral Inguinal Hernia Surgery,’” says Caya, a senior majoring in biology. Working alongside three general surgeons and the Gundersen research team, Caya examined the impact of robotic surgery on reducing the need for follow-up surgeries for inguinal hernias. 

“I gained a deep understanding of the clinical research process and learned how to collaborate effectively with professionals who were all incredibly busy with varying schedules and means of communication,” Caya says.

Meilahn contributed to the project titled, “Patient Perceptions of the Virtual Nurse Role on Inpatient Units: Semi-Structured Interviews." With virtual nurses now playing a key role in Gundersen’s response to the state-wide nursing shortage, the study aimed to assess patient perceptions and ensure the quality of care.

“One of my favorite aspects of the fellowship was shadowing physicians across diverse specialties, including the clinic, emergency department and operating room,” Meilahn shares. “A particularly memorable experience was observing Street Medicine at Gundersen, where medical professionals provide care to underserved communities. This experience was instrumental in shaping my future goals and defining the type of practitioner I aspire to be.” 

Caya also found inspiration in shadowing medical professionals, reigniting her passion for healthcare.  

“Witnessing their empathy and dedication to patients was inspiring and something I’m incredibly grateful to have experienced,” Caya says.

Beyond research and physician shadowing, the collaborative atmosphere of the fellowship was an essential aspect of the experience, Caya says. 

“The experience would not have been what it was without everyone I worked with,” Caya explains. “We all came from different backgrounds, college majors and experiences, but all had a passion and joy for research that brought us together, allowed us to learn from one another have an incredibly memorable summer.” 

The Gundersen Summer Research Fellowship was established in 1985 by Dr. Martin Smith, the health system’s first director of medical research. It was later renamed the A.C.V. Elston III, MD Summer Research Fellowship in honor of Dr. Elston’s dedication to medical research and support for the program. Today, the fellowship continues to foster the growth of future healthcare leaders by encouraging hands-on research and clinical exploration.