TeleSpecialists Pilot Mentorship Program Sends Two Research Interns to Present at World's Largest Neurology Conference
Research program developed in partnership with UNC Chapel Hill sends two interns to present original research at the 2026 AAN Annual Meeting
Chicago, Ill., April 14, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TeleSpecialists, the nation's largest dedicated teleneurology company, announced today that its pilot research mentorship program has produced two poster presentations at the 2026 American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting, held April 18 to 22 at McCormick Place in Chicago. Research interns Lana Prieur and Shreya Ramineni, both MD candidates at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, will present original research at the world's premier neurology conference under the mentorship of board-certified TeleSpecialists neurologists, including Theresa Sevilis, DO, FAAN, DipABLM, who will also present independent research at the meeting.
Launched in partnership with the Carolina Medical Student Research Program (CMSRP) at UNC Chapel Hill, the program embedded students directly alongside the TeleSpecialists clinical team, giving them hands-on involvement at every stage of the research process, from project design through poster presentation and manuscript submission. Dr. Sevilis, who is also an adjunct faculty member at UNC, serves as the supervising physician. TeleSpecialists continued supporting all three students well beyond the initial CMSRP summer program and is actively planning to expand the initiative into a formal, ongoing program.
“Many medical schools don’t have required neurology rotations, leading to less exposure at a time critical for selecting your specialty. By offering this opportunity to get experience in the field early and work with our team of excellent neurologists, we hope to provide support to students with an early interest in neurology and help it to blossom into a lasting career,” said Dr. Sevilis.
Prieur and Ramineni have also worked closely with TeleSpecialists board-certified neurologists Jacob Sambursky, MD, DABPN, and Mark McDonald, MD, whose involvement with the program extended the students' exposure beyond a single mentorship relationship to the broader clinical team. For both physicians, the experience has been as valuable to the mentors as it has been to the students.
“Working with our research interns has been a highly rewarding experience, and I believe the relationship has been mutually beneficial. They have risen exceptionally well to tasks not typically emphasized in standard medical education, and I hope they carry these foundational skills with them throughout their careers in medicine," said Dr. Sambursky.
"Our interns approached the research with genuine curiosity and enthusiasm, and it was gratifying to play an active role in supplementing their clinical training with real research experience. Being able to shape how future clinicians think about research is something we take seriously, and this program gives us a direct way to do that," said Dr. McDonald
Prieur has also been named a recipient of the AAN Medical Student Scholarship to the Annual Meeting, a competitive award offered to up to 100 U.S. medical students each year. Her poster, "Evaluating the Accuracy of Artificial Intelligence (AI) Medical Scribe Software Utilization in Telestroke" (Program Number P4, 013), addresses a gap in standardized evaluation methods for AI-generated clinical documentation in time-sensitive stroke care and is scheduled for Monday, April 20, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. CT. Reflecting on her experience, Prieur said:
"Collaborating with TeleSpecialists, specifically Dr. Sevilis and Dr. McDonald, has been instrumental. My goal was to explore how AI can improve the efficiency of clinical visits, and working with TeleSpecialists allowed me to test those ideas. Their support helped me grow into a more precise researcher and deepened my understanding of how AI can support clinicians.”
Ramineni’s poster, “Interpreter Modality, Not Language, Impacts Door-to-Needle Times in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Telestroke Subgroup Analysis” (Program Number P4, 014), examines a modifiable factor in acute stroke care with direct implications for clinical outcomes and health equity, also on Monday, April 20, from 8:00 to 9:00 a.m. CT. Ramineni said:
“I hope attendees leave with a greater awareness of how language barriers and interpreter modality can influence time-sensitive care, particularly in acute ischemic stroke. I hope this work encourages clinicians and institutions to reflect on their own systems and consider opportunities for improvement.”
What began as a pilot partnership with CMSRP has grown into something larger than any single conference presentation. TeleSpecialists’ decision to continue supporting Prieur, Ramineni, and their fellow intern well beyond the initial summer reflects the organization’s commitment to the people it works with, not just the projects. The company looks forward to building on this first year and expanding the program to give more students the same opportunity.
TeleSpecialists will also be present at booth 4229 throughout the AAN Annual Meeting. The company’s recruiting team will be available for direct conversations with neurologists interested in joining the physician-led organization, and its business development team will be on hand to discuss stroke program performance and digital healthcare integration with hospital executives.
About TeleSpecialists
TeleSpecialists is the physician-owned digital healthcare solution provider that hospitals nationwide choose when prioritizing superior quality and effective partnership. Since 2014, we have delivered comprehensive teleneurology and telepsychiatry services to more than 1.5 million patients across emergency, inpatient, and outpatient settings. Our board-certified specialists integrate sophisticated technology with clinical expertise to provide rapid, responsive, and reliable consultations that enhance patient access, improve outcomes, and retain revenue. Physician-founded, physician-owned, and physician-led from day one. For more information, visit www.tstelemed.com.
Troy Townsend TeleSpecialists 9044282098 ttownsend@tstelemed.com
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