Im Journal 2022-23 School Year

Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Quarter 1
Date: September 29, 2022
Timeframe: 12 pm to 1 pm
Total Hours for the day: 1 hour
Aggregate: 1 hour
SEMINAR: Sexual Harassment
Date: 10/6
Timeframe: 3:45 pm to 4:45 pm and 6 pm to 9 pm
Total hours for the day: 4
Aggregate: 5 hours
This was my first meeting with Dr. Taylor. I talked to him about possibly conducting research on
aortic calcification. He confirmed that aortic calcification was a serious issue within the field, so
I am quite sure this will be the topic I will be pursuing for the rest of the year. He showed me
around the hospital and operatign room, and talked to me about the importance of understanding
cardiothoracic terminology and anatomy in order to understand what is going on around me. In
order for me to gauge a better understanding of heart anatomy, Dr. Taylor gave me a 56 page
article named “Chapter 2. Surgical Anatomy of the Heart” on cardiothoracic anatomy for which I
read and plan to do an annotated bibliography.
Date: 10/7
Aggregate: 6 hours
SEMINAR: Thesis Defense

I went over my thesis with Ms. Chawkat.
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Reflective Journal
Date: 10/13
Timeframe: 12:30 pm to 3 pm and 6 pm to 8pm
Total hours for the day: 4.5
Aggregate: 10.5 hours
I started the day by watching a surgery from the gallery while waiting for Dr. Taylor. Then I
accompanied Dr. Taylor and a colleague to evaluate whether or not to perform transplant surgery
on an overweight man on a Ventricle Assistance Device (VAD) facing heart failure. They
decided not to take action for now and wait until the patient was more stable to further evaluate.
According to Dr. Taylor, the hardest part of surgery is post procedure evaluation and patient
interactions. After seeing the patient, I was able to watch an open heart surgery from within in
the OR where the surgeons performed a Cardiac Pulmonary Bypass, stopping the heart and
transplanting an artery from the leg into the heart to bypass a blocked artery. While watching the
procedure I spoke to a medical student and the anaesthesiologists who drew a diagram explaining
the procedure for me. Today expanded my knowledge on the reality of cardiothoracic surgeries
while also expanding my knowledge of heart anatomy and cardiothoracic procedures in general.
This will help with my research as I will have a better understanding of the actual processes that
go into cardiothoracic surgery rather than gathering all my knowledge from an article. To build
upon the knowledge gained from watching the surgery, He also instructed me also research why
potassium is used to stop the heart. He then showed me heart scans, revealing certain nerves like
the LAD and quizzing me on them. While looking at the scans, someone asked Dr. Taylor how to
see calcification based on scans. Dr. Taylor said that although you can see calcification through
scans, most observations when evaluating calcification are qualitative, not quantitative. This is
directly related and important to my research as I am looking at ways to access the severity of
aortic calcification. Dr. Taylor shared an article with me to read named “Cardiovascular
Disease.” Everything done today helped me further understand the foundation of cardiothoracic
surgery and heart anatomy which is essential in order for me to truly understand my research.
Date: 10/21
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Today, Dr. Taylor was out of the hospital, so a nurse took me to the OR to watch a coronary
artery bypass graft. Again, the anesthesiologists explained the procedure to me. I have come to
realize that while also building a relationship with Dr. Taylor, it may also be helpful to build
relationships/contacts with the anesthesiologists as they help me gain a better understanding of
surgical procedures and the reason for these procedures. This understanding is imperative when
it comes to being able to understand my research.
Date: 10/24
Today I watched Dr. Taylor perform a coronary artery bypass. This time I was able to see the
beginning of the surgery, observing parts of the procedure that I had not observed the other times
I was in the OR. This, again, furthered my understanding of the processes behind cardiothoracic
surgery. As I relate these procedures to my research, I gain a better understanding of the
processes behind a surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). SAVR is used for the implantation
of mechanical valves, so I can compare coronary artery bypass grafts to SAVR and understand in
what ways both procedures may similarly affect the patient.
Date: 10/28
SEMINAR: Oral Presentation

I practiced my oral presentation about my internship and research with Ms. Chawkat to get me
ready for the Turf Valley Conference and ultimately, the conference in December.
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Quarter 2 Journals
Date: 11/2
Timeframe: 12:30 pm to 3 pm
Aggregate: 18 hours
Today I went to the OR and watch a Coronary Artery Bypass Graph. The majority of the
surgeries I see at my internships are CABGs as they constitute a large proportion of
cardiothoracic procedures. This good to know as I aspire to be a cardiothoracic surgeon in the
future and I now understand what the majority of the job constitutes.
Date 11/5
Time Frame:
Aggregate: 23 hours
Turf Valley Conference
Date: 11/8
Aggregate: 27 hours
…
Date: 11/10
Aggregate: hours
Seminar
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Date: 11/15
Aggregate: 31 hours
Today I watched part of an aortic root replacement. This was super interesting because, although
quite different, it is the closest I have come to seeing an aortic valve replacement, the procedure
that correlates with my research.
Date: 11/21
Timeframe: 1 pm to 6 pm and 8 pm to 9 pm
Aggregate: 36 hours
Today I watched part of a Coronary Artery Bypass in the OR. Then I accompanied Dr. Taylor to
the ICU where he visited and spoke to patients and colleagues. While watching the surgery Dr.
Taylor suggested he take me to the xenotransplantation lab the next time I come in. Lastly, he
instructed me to research sleep apnea, which I did when I got home. This was a beneficial day as
I got to experience both the surgical and interactive components of being a surgeon.
Date: 11/28
Aggregate: 37 hours
Seminar
Date: 12/5
Timeframe: 3pm to 6 pm
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Aggregate: 40 hours
Today I watched part of an aortic root replacement. This was interesting as the first time I watch
an aortic root replacement, I was only able to see part of the end. Again, this procedure is the
closest I have seen to an AVR.
Date: 12/8
Timeframe: 3pm to 5 pm
Aggregate: 42 hours
County-wide presentation
Date: 12/14
Timeframe: 12pm to 4pm
Aggregate: 46 hours
Today I watched a CABG while also getting a chance to see the nurses and anesthesiologists set
up the OR before the surgeons did the procedure. This was very interesting and new to me. It
was really cool seeing the work that goes into prepping the patient and the OR beforehand.
Date: 12/29
Timeframe: 12 to 4pm
Aggregate: 50 hours
Today Dr. Taylor was not here so I did not go into the OR. Instead, I watched procedures from
outside the OR. Interestingly there seemed to be some type of procedure going on with a
contaminated patient as one of the ORs was closed off with tape and white tarps.
Date: 1/5
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Aggregate: 51 hours
Seminar
Date: 1/10
Timeframe: 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Aggregate: 53 hours
Today I went into my internship. Dr. Taylor was in meetings, so he instructed me to go to OR 10

which was in the anesthesiology surgical pod/unit, a unit I had never visited before. Because the
surgeons were working with radiation, I had to wear a lead apron and thyroid shield to protect
myself from harsh radiation exposure. The procedure was a Transcatheter Aortic Valve
replacement where the surgeons ran a catheter through the patient's leg to her aorta. Because the
procedure is nonsurgical, I watched what was taking place through Xrays. This procedure greatly
correlates with my research as my research revolves around nonsurgical bioprosthetic aortic
valve replacements
Quarter 3
Date: 1/18
Aggregate: 59 hours
I started the day out by watching a transcatheter aortic valve replacement using a porcine
bioprosthetic. This correlates with my research as I address the use of TAVRs as a benefit to
porcine bioprosthetics over mechanical valve replacements in my research. After the TAVR, I
watched a c-section. The woman giving birth had heart complications, so the OBGYNs and the
labor and delivery nurses came down to the cardiothoracic surgery pod and performed the
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
procedure there. This was a super cool experience as I was not expecting to have the opportunity
to watch a birth during my time at UMMC.
Date: 1/30
Today I accompanied Dr. Taylor at his office. He and Dr. Goreshi looked at labs and discussed
UMMC publications. Dr. Taylor then had a meeting with another one of his colleagues at the
office.
Date: 1/32
Timeframe: 2:15 pm to 7 pm
Today I watched a coronary artery bypass graft, a surgery that is very common within the
cardiothoracic surgery field. This procedure is used to bypass blockages that disrupt blood flow
from the heart to the rest of the body.
Date: 2/6
Today I had a Zoom call with Dr. Muhammad M. Mohiuddin, the director of the Cardiac
Xenotransplantation Program. I spoke to him about my research, as well as Ainsley’s research,
and he provided me with names of researchers to look into for sources. After the meeting, I
researched the authors provided and found sources for my meta-analysis.
Date: 2/8
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Today I watched Dr. Peter Griffith perform a mechanical aortic valve replacement. This was
really engaging as Dr. Griffith was the surgeon who performed the pig heart transplant last year.
He explained to me that the patient he was currently operating on had previously had several
bioprosthetic valve replacements. This was interesting as my research discusses BHV failure
resulting in redo valve replacements, a procedure with a high mortality risk as compared to
native valve replacements.
2/15
Aggregate: 83 hours
Today I watched a CABG.
2/20
Today, Ainsley joined me at my internship. We watched an aortic dissection through an x-ray as
we were not originally allowed into the operating room since we were not wearing lead. A
medical student from UMD thoroughly explained the reason for and process behind an aortic
dissection. He also talked to us about his experience as a medical student and a college student,
answering several of our questions concerning further schooling. Afterward, we watched Dr.
Taylor perform a surgical aortic valve replacement using bovine bioprosthetic heart valves.
3/1
Today I accompanied Dr. Taylor to a team meeting where they evaluated a paper comparing the
likelihood of two different sutures rupturing post-operation. Ter the meeting, I watched a CABG
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Date: 3/8
Today I watched part of a CABG in OR 31, and then I went to OR 30 where Dr. Taylor was
performing a CABG without stopping the heart, which was really interesting. Then, Dr. Taylor
let me scrub in and suction the blood out of the patient's chest which was extremely fun.
Date: 3/22
Aggregate: 104
Today I watched a CABG. Dr. Taylor asked me to scrub in again, but a nurse informed us that I
am no longer allowed to scrub in because I am a high school student.
Quarter 4
Date: 3/29
Aggregate: 108.75
Today I watched a CABG.
Date: 4/12
Aggregate: 114.5
Seminar
Dr. Taylor was not here today so I watched Dr. Goreshi perform a CABG.
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal
Date: 4/19
Aggregate: 118.5
Dr. Taylor had finished surgery for the day, so I watched surgeries from outside of the OR.
Date: 4/26
Aggregate: 123.25
Date: 5/3
Aggregate: 128
Date: 5/10
Aggregate: 132.75
Dr. Taylor was in meetings today so I watched a plastic surgeon perform surgery after a cardiac
operation.
Date: 5/17
Aggregate: 137.5
Today I accompanied Dr. Taylor in a meeting with the cardiac surgery team. I then watched a
CABG.
Nina Ejindu
Reflective Journal

Im Journal 2022-23 School Year

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Im Journal 2022-23 School Year

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Nina Ejindu

SEMINAR: Sexual Harassment

SEMINAR: Thesis Defense

SEMINAR: Oral Presentation

Turf Valley Conference

Today I went into my internship. Dr. Taylor was in meetings, so he instructed me to go to OR 10

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