Student Spotlight: Debra Linfield

As Debra Linfield approaches graduation in 2022, she will not only earn her MD, but also a master’s degree in bioinformatics from Case Western Reserve University. Her thesis research draws from large-scale data sets to examine primary care physician referral rates for BRCA genetic testing.

Using a database of 270,000 de-identified Cleveland Clinic patients, Debra aims to examine which patient factors play a role in physicians’ decisions to move forward with BRCA genetic screenings. BRCA is a mutation that increases a person’s likelihood of getting breast or ovarian cancer, and screening women for personal, family or ancestral history of the gene can be key in preventing cancer.

In August 2019, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended that primary care physicians screen all women for risk of the mutation, and Debra hopes that her research will increase referral rates and follow-up strategy for those who may have it. “Bioinformatics research allows us to see parts of medicine revealed only by looking at data on a scale we’ve never seen before,” she says. “These big data sets inform patient treatment, quality improvement and value-based care.”

Debra’s other research pursuits involve the youngest of patients. When completing her undergraduate studies at Stanford University, she worked directly with Stanford Health Care’s pediatric department to study the efficacy of phototherapy for treatment of neonatal jaundice. At CCLCM, she has conducted extensive research on respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), one of the most common conditions seen in pediatric emergency rooms, which sparked her interest in pediatric emergency medicine.

“I enjoy the high acuity and procedures,” she says. “You do not treat the child in a vacuum; you are also caring for their entire family, and ensuring they feel supported when they come in.”

Outside of her research pursuits, Debra is a member of the CCLCM Admissions Committee as well as a co-leader of two interest groups on campus – cancer and pediatrics. For the latter, she helped create a recurring volunteer opportunity for members to plan activities with children in the hospital.

One of seven siblings — four girls and three boys — Debra was inspired early on by her older sister to pursue medicine. There were previously no doctors in the family, and, coincidentally, her two younger sisters have now followed their sisters’ lead!

Debra has lived in seven states over the course of her life — from South Bend, Ind., to Miami Beach, Fla. — but her time in Cleveland has been particularly meaningful. She met her husband in Cleveland (he was an ophthalmology resident), and last winter they welcomed their daughter, Adira. Outside of studying, spending time with family and baking, she enjoys hiking at local Metroparks and sightseeing in Cleveland.

Her positive experiences at CCLCM, she says, have provided her with many opportunities and helped her to become more confident. “On my core rotations, I felt like my ideas were validated and encouraged,” she recalls.

Debra envisions a future in the heart of academic medicine, one that’s strikingly similar to her current situation: “I anticipate seeing patients in the emergency department and conducting research, while teaching and being involved with admissions at a medical school.” There’s no doubt she will be well-equipped for success!