Drexel Hill, Pa. – Two recent osteopathic medicine interns at Delaware County Memorial Hospital have received top honors at the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association’s annual Clinical Essay Contest.

Rammy I. Alam, D.O., was awarded first place for his essay, “Role of Recombinant Activated Factor VII in Severe Postpartum Hemorrhage Complicated by Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation: A Case Report.” Dr. Alam’s essay described his treatment of a patient who experienced severe bleeding after giving birth.

“All the usual measures to stop her bleeding were unsuccessful, until a novel drug called recombinant activated factor VII was used to correct her clotting problem,” he says. “This case interested me because of the critical nature of this common postpartum complication and the use of a drug that is used to treat people with hemophilia. I also thought it would be a perfect platform to review postpartum bleeding and clotting abnormalities and to introduce recombinant activated factor VII as a possible treatment option.”

To mark his achievement, Dr. Alam received the Golden Quill trophy and a check for $1,000. His article will be published in and upcoming edition of the Journal of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association.

“I was very pleasantly surprised by the news that I won,” he says. “I had initially started the paper to fulfill a research project I elected to pursue, but when it was completed and I had shared it with my wife and Dr. James McHugh [D.O., MBA, director of Osteopathic Medical Education at DCMH], they were very encouraging. At that time I started to feel that I had a chance in the contest. I put some extra time into making it a well-rounded effort.”

A 2006 graduate of the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Alam received his bachelor’s degree from James Madison University and his master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He recently completed his internship in the Rotating Transitional Osteopathic program at Crozer-Keystone Health System, and will be completing his residency training in Anesthesiology at Thomas Jefferson University in 2010.

In the same contest, Chris Cielo, D.O., received third place for his essay, “Physostigmine Use As a Diagnostic Modality in Pediatric Anticholinergic Poisoning: A Case Report.” Dr. Cielo’s report involved using physostigmine, a medication traditionally used to treat known cases of a type of poisoning, to instead make a diagnosis of a patient’s condition.

“The patient reacted appropriately, and so the diagnosis was confirmed,” Dr. Cielo says. “The fact that this ‘antidote’ was used early on likely saved the patient unnecessary testing and his treatment was begun earlier.”

Dr. Cielo received $150 in prize money, and his article will also appear in an upcoming edition of the Journal of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medical Association.

“I was very happy to hear that I was being recognized,” he says. “I’m very grateful to Dr. McHugh for his guidance through the writing process and for allowing me time in my schedule to write up the case.”

A graduate of University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Dr. Cielo received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Richmond. He will be starting his residency in Pediatrics at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children later this month and is considering a fellowship in pediatric critical care.

The awards given to Dr. Alam and Dr. Cielo continue a strong tradition for the Osteopathic Medical Education Program at Crozer-Keystone Health System. Interns in the program have finished among the top three in POMA’s Clinical Essay Contest 12 times since 1999.

“Our interns have had the opportunity to do a lot of interesting things, and it’s reflected in the strength of the essays they submit,” says Dr. McHugh. “Every year, we are fortunate to welcome truly remarkable groups of interns who immediately step up to the plate and get involved with treating their patients. Past interns have gone on to employment at institutions like Yale and Harvard, and others have remained within Crozer-Keystone Health System to provide care to patients from all parts of Delaware County and beyond. It’s always amazing to see the things they go on to do after their internships conclude.”

The CKHS Osteopathic Medical Education program, based at Delaware County Memorial Hospital, offers a well-rounded educational and clinical experience to 16 interns each year. The internship, which fulfils the requirements of the American Osteopathic Association, combines the benefits of the traditional rotating osteopathic internship with the opportunity to take many specialized elective rotations (such as adolescent psychology, trauma surgery and radiation oncology). Working with CKHS faculty and attending physicians, interns have access to the leading medical practices and technologies used to treat patients throughout Crozer-Keystone Health System, and become part of a team dedicated to providing patients with advanced treatment modalities as well as holistic, compassionate care.

Delaware County Memorial Hospital is a member of Crozer-Keystone Health System. We’re 5 hospitals, 2,600 doctors and nurses, and 7,100 caring people with 1 vision. Crozer-Keystone. Something to feel good about.