Project Overview

Thyroid pathology is prominent in the United States and the thyroid gland examination is an important clinical skill to learn while in medical school, and it is refined during residency training. It is widely practiced in the clinical environment by both primary care and specialty trained physicians to evaluate for pathology of the gland. However, no teaching model exists that accurately models human anatomy, allows for increased hands-on practice and/or allows for quality assessment of proper examination technique. In Dr. Carla Pugh’s lab, they focus on medical education and surgical training research; specifically engineering simulation models and implementing assessment techniques, i.e. sensor technology that allow for improved quantification and qualification of commonly learned skills. They have previously engineered a sensorized thyroid exam model that was validated by two expert endocrinologists. A previous semester has worked on this project, adding movement to the model to more accurately simulate the thyroid for examination practice. Deficiencies still exist in last semester's project, as it does not allow trainees to control the movement, it is loud, and it does not accurately simulate motion or feel of a thyroid. Our goal is to redefine the model to accurately model the feel and movement of a thyroid.

Team Picture

Contact Information

Team Members

• Ryan Sepehr - Team Leader
• Joshua Le Noble - Communicator
• My An-Adirekkun - BSAC
• Hunter Johnson - BWIG
• Keshav Garg - BPAG

Advisor and Client

• Dr. Ed Bersu - Advisor
• Shannon Dimarco - Client

Related Projects

• Fall 2015: Thyroid palpation movement model
• Spring 2015: Thyroid Palpation Movement Model