SAEMF/AWAEM Research Grant - $5,000

"Influence of a Sexual Assault Curriculum on TeleSAFE's Efficacy"

Sexual assault is unfortunately common in the United States (US) and is associated with multiple adverse health outcomes. Patients who have experienced acute sexual assault most commonly present to Emergency Departments (EDs) when they seek medical care, but the care provided in EDs for this patient population is often lacking. Strategies such as the use of sexual assault forensic examiner (SAFE) programs have been shown to improve this care in many ways, but their availability is inconsistent.

TeleSAFE, which has been shown to be effective, feasible, and acceptable to patients and clinicians, is one strategy that could increase the availability of SAFEs, but the optimal level of acute sexual assault care training for bedside—or remote site—clinicians (RSCs) utilizing teleSAFE is unknown. The goal of this study is to better identify the optimal amount of training for RSCs.

Recipient(s)

  • Rebecca Barron, MD, MPH

    Rebecca Barron, MD, MPH

    Baystate Medical Center

    "Influence of a Sexual Assault Curriculum on TeleSAFE's Efficacy"

    Rebecca Barron, MD, MPH, is an attending emergency physician at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, and serves as an assistant professor of emergency medicine at UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate.

    Dr. Barron earned both her medical degree and Master of Public Health from Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Barron completed her emergency medicine residency followed by a fellowship in Sex and Gender in Emergency Medicine at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. During her fellowship, she also obtained a Post-Master's Certificate in Evidence-Based Teaching in the Health Professions from Johns Hopkins University.​

    Dr. Barron is deeply committed to women's health, public health, and medical education. She has focused on enhancing acute sexual assault care through education, research, and local and regional initiatives. Currently, she is an Access Bridge fellow, aiming to improve reproductive health care and infectious disease follow-up from the emergency department.

    In medical education, Dr. Barron contributes as a small group leader in the Early Clinical Learning course.