Connor P. McDonald, MD

Research

2019-present Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio – San Antonio, TX Chief Researcher “Exploring Postoperative Pain Control after Bilateral Lung Transplant” – Edward Sako, MD

• Institutional project aimed at examining and comparing various postoperative pain control methods after bilateral lung transplant including On-Q pain pump, Exparel, and Cryoablation.
• Working with Dr. Edward Sako and Long School of Medicine to formulate and publish our experiences and outcomes following lung transplant at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

2019-present Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio – San Antonio, TX Chief Researcher “Administrative versus Clinical Length of Stay Among Postoperative Cardiac Surgery Patients” – Dawn Hui, MD

• Institutional project aimed at examining the ICU administrative and clinical length of stay among the UTHealth cardiac surgery postoperative patients.
• Working with Dr. Dawn Hui and UTHealth Long School of Medicine to formulate and publish our experiences and outcomes among our cardiac surgery patient in relation to their postoperative course including ICU length of stay, complications, and fiscal expenditures in order to improve patient outcomes, satisfaction, and financial costs.

2018 Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery University of Virginia Health Systems – Charlottesville, VA Chief Researcher “Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest during Open Heart Surgery” – Curtis Tribble, MD

• Project aimed at publishing reviews and educational articles regarding deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and its protective benefits during open-heart surgery that can serve as education and guidance for various cardiothoracic healthcare professionals
• Working with Dr. Curtis Tribble and The Heart Surgery Forum to formulate articles for the monthly issues surrounding various surgical techniques, innovations, and education in cardiothoracic surgery

2017 Department of Vascular Surgery Geisinger Health Systems – Danville, PA Research Team Member “Assessment of Coagulation Function in Patients with Putative Loss-of-Function Variants in Genes Encoding FXII, FXI, or pre-Kallikrein (CLOT Study)” – Evan Ryer, MD

• Genetic studies using Geisinger Health Systems MyCode genome project to identify patients with pLOF gene variants in genes encoding intrinsic pathway coagulation factors FXII, FXI, and pre-Kallikein
• Working with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to identify rare pLOF variants and establish link with associated cardiovascular events and risks

2017-2018 Quality Improvement Community Collaborative Project (QuICC), Department of Family Medicine – Danville, PA Research Team Member “Improving Compliance with Diabetic Eye Screening” – Keith Boell, MD

• A quality improvement project partnered with the Geisinger Family Medicine departments in order to institute and offer free diabetic eye exams for patients who are identified to have Diabetes Mellitus
• Project included observing, analyzing, and helping reformat the in-office procedure as well as improving patient compliance in order to increase early identification of diabetic retinopathy
• Improved percentage of patients screened by increasing accessibility through free usage of telemedicine digital retinal imaging cameras while comparing long term effectiveness of diabetic retinopathy through early detection

2016 Northeast Radiation Oncology Center (NROC) – Dunmore, PA Chief Researcher “Barriers to Oncology Clinical Trial Accrual in Northeastern Pennsylvania “– Christopher Peters, MD

• Evaluation of barriers to continually declining accrual rates for oncology-related cancer clinical trials with a proposal of effective resolutions
• Dissemination of results at multiple venues including Scranton Times-Tribune (February 20, 2017) and featured on GCSOM Wisdom of Well-Being, WNEP-TV, Scranton PA (2016)

2015 Community Health Research Project (CHRP), Volunteers in Medicine – Wilkes-Barre, PA Research Team Member “Demographics and Clinical Usage Among Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) Holders” – Volunteers in Medicine, Wilkes-Barre, PA

• Led observation trial regarding the impact of Affordable Care Act (ACA) on former patients of Volunteers in Medicine who were denied treatment due to the new healthcare bill
• Prepared and presented poster at GCSOM Spring Research Symposium 2015 with the help of Volunteers In Medicine employees

Awards & Accomplishments

Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine Awards

• Alpha Omega Alpha, Theta Chapter of PA 2018
• Commonwealth Scholarship 2015-2016

Lebanon Valley College Awards

• Medical Scholarship LVC 2014
• Beta Beta Beta Honor Society 2014
• Dr. Alfred & Louise Strickler Scholarship 2014
• Marian Heapes Cote Scholarship 2014
• Stephen Sanko Scholarship Awardee 2013
• Joshua Seitz Frey Memorial Scholar Awardee 2013
• Central Susquehanna Community Foundation Scholarship Awardee 2013
• Natural Sciences Biology Departmental Honors 2013
• Robbins/Shuman Scholarship Awardee 2012-2015
• Alvin R. Grove Biology Scholarship Awardee 2012-2015
• Dean’s List 2011-2015
• Lebanon Valley College Vickroy Scholarship Awardee 2011-2015
• Lebanon Valley College Graham Biology Scholarship Awardee 2011-2015
• Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Fall Academic Honor Roll 2011-2015

Affiliations

• American Thoracic Society (ATS)
• Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)
• Southern Thoracic Surgical Association (STSA)
• Thoracic Surgery Residency Association (TSRA)
• Alpha Omega Alpha, Theta Chapter of PA (AOA)
• American College of Surgeons (ACS)
• Bexar County Medical Society (BCMS)
• American College of Physicians (ACP)
• Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAM)
• American Medical Association (AMA)
• American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
• American College of Cardiology (ACC)

Publications

Abdalla M., Sanchez P., McDonald C., Adams S., Peters J. The Pleural Thickens: Lung Adenocarcinoma Presenting as Pseudomonas Empyema. UTHSCSA. Submission for 2020 Annual CHEST Meeting.

McDonald C., Hui D., Ghali, A. Combination or Permutation? Chemotherapy and Surgery in a Woman with a Persistent Pericardial Synovial Sarcoma with Complication Phrenic Nerve Involvement and Literature Review. UTHSCSA. Report in process for future submission.

McDonald C., Hui D., Ghali, A. Bartonella Endocarditis: Case Presentation and Literature Review. UTHSCSA. Report in process for future submission.

McDonald C. Cardiac Surgery in the Hemodialysis Patient. University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio City Wide Grand Rounds. UTHSCSA/LSOM. April 2020.

Horissian M., McDonald C., Perry, C., Samaan, C.B., Sudol, A., Boell, K. Improving the Screening Rate of Diabetic Retinopathy in a Primary Care Clinic.  9th Annual Spring Research Symposium at Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine, Scranton, PA. May 2018.

Lombardi M., McDonald C. Barriers to Oncology Clinical Trial Accrual In Northeastern Pennsylvania. Northeast Radiation Oncology Center (NROC). Pennsylvania Medical Society House of Delegates (PAMED) Annual Education Conference Research Symposium, Hershey, PA, October 13, 2017.

Lombardi M., McDonald C. Clinical Trials Help Saves Lives. Times-Tribune Scranton. February 20, 2017.

Lombardi M., McDonald C. Barriers to Oncology Clinical Trial Accrual In Northeastern Pennsylvania. Northeast Radiation Oncology Center (NROC). GCSOM Wisdom of Wellbeing – WNEP-TV, Scranton, PA, 2016.

Lombardi M., McDonald C. Barriers to Oncology Clinical Trial Accrual In Northeastern Pennsylvania. Northeast Radiation Oncology Center (NROC). GCSOM Summer Research Symposium, Scranton, PA, July 28, 2016.

Lombardi M., McDonald C. Barriers to Oncology Clinical Trial Accrual In Northeastern Pennsylvania. Northeast Radiation Oncology Center (NROC). NROC Faculty and Staff Presentation Day, Dunmore, PA, July 20, 2016.

Barna L., Bohan C., DiGiorgio B., Larrabee K., Logroño G., McDonald C., Reidlinger T., Kuchiniski E., White M. Demographics and Clinical Usage Among PPACA Holders – Formers Patients of Volunteers In Medicine. GCSOM Research Symposium, Scranton, PA, May 5, 2016.