About

S. Ama Wray is a choreographer, teacher, researcher, writer, director, performer, and inventor with a specialization in Jazz Dance, Improvisation, and Choreography. She holds a Ph.D. in Dance Studies from the University of Surrey, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Somatics from the London Contemporary Dance School, an M.A. in Performing Arts with Distinction from Middlesex University, and an Advanced Certificate in Contemporary Dance from the London Contemporary Dance School. Her formation as a dance artist began with the London Contemporary Dance Theatre and Rambert Dance Company, and dance has remained a core part of her life for over 30 years. Wray has presented her work at notable venues such as the United Nations, Princeton, Harvard, the Institute for Advanced Study, and Dance/USA, and has taught at esteemed institutions including the Martha Graham School, The Royal Ballet, and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Her collaborations span dance, theater, and music, including work with Wynton Marsalis, Mojisola Adebayo, Bobby McFerrin, Nicole Mitchell, and Jane Dudley, whose seminal work Harmonica Breakdown she now serves as custodian for. She is the creator and custodian of Embodiology®, an award-winning improvisational methodology rooted in African knowledge systems and embodied systems thinking. Wray co-directed the theater production Stars: An Afrofuturist Space Odyssey, which won a British Offie Award for Best New Play. Her work bridges stage performance and community cohesion, integrating healing arts to counterbalance the growing technocracy that threatens social fabric. Her writings on Embodiology® are published in The Oxford Handbook of Improvisation and British Dance, Black Routes (Routledge), and her forthcoming monograph, Embodiology®: From Ancestral Movement and Music Practices to Phenomenal Being, further explores these themes. Wray continues to teach across diverse communities, sharing tools for embodied wellness and creative expression. Her first clinical study on Embodiology’s effects was funded by the Susan Samueli Institute of Integrative Health. Recently, she returned to the virtual stage with The Legion of Kinaesonic Healers, supporting community medicine and public health through arts-social pharmacy. She is developing MOVE (Movement and Music Optimize Vitality), a research lab examining urban, Indigenous, and ancestral dance and music practices to integrate them into health systems and create pathways for traditional practitioners to influence research agendas. In education, she has designed Embodiology® professional development programs for New York City Public Schools and the Los Angeles Unified School District, providing teacher wellness tools and improvisation strategies to enhance student learning. As a National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts Fellow, she pioneered Texterritory, a mobile phone–based interactive storytelling performance. Her ongoing innovations include AI 4 Afrika, an initiative exploring the intersection of African knowledge systems and emerging technologies.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Medical education
• Psychology
• Family medicine
• Computer science

Selected publications

• 2800 25-hydroxyvitamin D and inflammation in older acute hip fracture patients

  Age and Ageing · 2025-01-01

  article

  Abstract Introduction Preoperative systemic inflammation has been shown to worsen postoperative outcome in emergency surgical patients. C-reactive protein (mg/L)/Albumin (g/L) ratio is a well validated inflammation marker. Studies have shown an inverse relationship between 25-hydroxyvitaminD level and markers of inflammation. Vitamin D deficiency has been previously shown to be associated with inflammation. Aims and Objectives Methods A retrospective review of electronic notes from the hip fracture database was carried out on hip fracture patients attending a single trauma centre from January to December 2022. Anonymized data were extracted from the database. Patients aged 60 years and older who sustained an acute hip fracture were included. Patients with incomplete data were excluded. The IBM SPSS 29 software was used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics was used for baseline characteristics. Linear regression was used to determine correlation. Results A total of 293 patients were analysed: 82 males and 211 females with a mean age of 81.6(SD 8.28) and 83.2(SD 7.85) years respectively. Mean 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were 39.1 (SD 25.0) and 49.7 (SD 29.01) nmols/L respectively. Mean CRP/Albumin ratio was 0.94 (SD 1.51) and 0.71 (SD 1.34). There was a negative, statistically significant correlation between 25-hydroxyvitaminD and CRP/Albumin ratio in male patients but not in the females (r = −.274; p = 0.013 & r = − 0.035; p = 0.61) respectively. Conclusion In this study, 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are inversely correlated with markers of inflammation (CRP/Albumin ratio) in older male hip fracture patients but not older female hip fracture patients. More studies are needed to clarify whether vit D lowers inflammation or inflammation lowers 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and to investigate the gender difference.

  PublisherDOI

• Development and initial validation of the interprofessional clinical competency evaluation tool (ICET): A clinical evaluation tool used in student assessment of interprofessional collaboration competency

  Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice · 2025-11-20

  article
  PublisherDOI

• Rates, routes, and reasons for attending community college before medical school: An analysis of a subset of Southern California medical students

  AIMS Medical Science · 2024-01-01

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  <abstract> <p>Community college (CC) has traditionally existed as a bridge between high school and a four-year, baccalaureate-awarding, university. With the ever-increasing number of CCs present in the United States and the rising numbers of applicants to medical school, there will inevitably be a substantial proportion of future physicians who have attended CC. Based on previous research, we surveyed the University of California, Irvine, School of Medicine (UCISOM) student body to assess how many students had attended CC, when and why they attended, and if they intended to practice with underserved communities in the future. A total of 30 (28.6%) of the 105 survey respondents attended CC prior to medical school. Those students cited Academic Flexibility, Financial Reasons/Affordability, and the inability to enroll in a particular course at their four-year institutions as the top three reasons for attending CC. Ten of those students (30%) reported they were informed that attending CC would negatively impact their medical school application. Older students were more likely to attend CC, and there was no statistically significant correlation between CC attendance and the number of times one applied to medical school or between CC attendance and gender, race, ethnicity, and intention to practice in underserved communities. This article highlights the understanding of the effects of CC attendance on medical school admissions while comparing our sample of 105 UCISOM students to previous research studies.</p> </abstract>

  PublisherDOI

• (O-F7) Augmented Reality for Empathy Training: Stepping into the Patient’s Shoes

  Western Journal of Emergency Medicine · 2024-01-19 · 1 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding
  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Access to the internet and mobile applications in a mixed population emergency department: A repeated cross-sectional survey

  PEC Innovation · 2024-09-12

  articleOpen access

  Objective: This study aimed to assess patients' interest in education content delivered through electronic modalities and identify trends in internet access and use among emergency department patients of various socioeconomic statuses. Methods: A prospective, cross-sectional survey with 50 questions was completed by 241 English and Spanish-speaking patients in 2014 and repeated with 253 participants in 2019 at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center's Emergency Department (UCIMCED). Results: Internet access increased from 83.8 % in 2014 to 88.1 % in 2019. Most internet-using patients owned smartphones (80.1 % in 2014, 89.7 % in 2019). Patients used electronic devices, such as fit bits and activity trackers, to obtain health information. Email was the preferred method for receiving discharge instructions. Conclusions: As of 2019, 88.1 % of UCIMCED patients have access to the internet or email, making electronic media a reasonable venue for patient education. Given that we have a predominantly low-income patient population-61 % and 32 % of respondents in 2014 and 2019, respectively, reporting an income of less than $25,000-these results are provide new avenues to reach patients of all socioeconomic statuses. Innovation: The implications of this study can be used to develop electronic resources tailored to educate emergency department patients about their healthcare beyond the confines of a hospital.

  PublisherDOI

• 3Ps for ChatGPT: Best Practices for Generative AI Discharge Instructions (Preprint)

  2024-01-12

  preprintOpen access

  <sec> <title>UNSTRUCTURED</title> Patients may leave the emergency room unsatisfied since so much of their care occurs away from their view. Additionally, generic discharge instructions further contribute to this dissatisfaction, lacking detail on the care provided and specific home guidance and precautions. The patients, their families, or care teams may then be left with lingering questions and potential adverse outcomes due to misinterpretation. Research has shown a positive correlation between patient satisfaction and their assessment of the quality of discharge instructions, but providers in a fast-paced emergency room are limited by time. The expansion and availability of AI technologies in recent years offer a potential solution. This article details a multi-step approach to interact with AI-powered language learning models, specifically ChatGPT3.5, to compose targeted, specific, and clear discharge instructions. We propose that strategic implementation of these technologies can improve both efficiency and promote patient-centered care. </sec>

  PublisherDOI

• The Consequences of Step 2 Clinical Skills Examination Discontinuation for Medical Schools and Sustainability Plans for Clinical Skills Assessment

  Academic Medicine · 2023-01-06 · 2 citations

  article

  PURPOSE: Comprehensive clinical skills examinations using standardized patients are widely used to assess multiple physician competencies. However, these exams are resource intensive. With the discontinuation of the Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS) exam in 2021, how medical schools will change their approaches to comprehensive clinical skills exams is unknown. This study explores school responses to this change and future directions of comprehensive clinical skills exams using the program sustainability framework. METHOD: This cross-sectional, descriptive study surveyed medical school curriculum deans at 150 Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited U.S. medical schools from September to October 2021. The 30-question survey included questions about medical school and participant role, current comprehensive clinical skills exams, sustainability dimensions, and challenges and future directions. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize responses, and content analysis was used to identify themes in the open-ended responses. RESULTS: Educators at 75 of 150 institutions (50%) responded. Sixty-three respondents (84%) reported conducting a comprehensive clinical skills exam. The comprehensive clinical skills exam assessed readiness for graduation (51 [81%]), provided feedback for students (49 [78%]), evaluated curricula (38 [60%]), provided information for medical student performance evaluation or communication with residency (10 [16%]), and assessed other factors (6 [10%]), including preparation for Step 2 CS in the past and readiness for advancement to fourth year of medical school (multiple responses were allowed). Factors facilitating sustainability included sufficient funding to continue the exam (55 [87%]) and the belief that clinical skills assessment in medical school is now more important after discontinuation of the Step 2 CS exam (55 [87%]). Challenges to sustainability included organizational capacity and limited interinstitutional collaboration. CONCLUSIONS: Educators remain committed to the purpose of comprehensive clinical skills exams. Adapting to changed licensing requirements while sustaining clinical skills exams enables innovation and improvement in assessment of clinical competence.

  PublisherDOI

• Authors’ Response to the Validity of Cortisol and Galvanic Skin Responses for Measuring Student Stress During Training

  JMIR Medical Education · 2023-07-30

  articleOpen access
  PublisherDOI

• Access to the Internet and Mobile Applications in a Mixed Population Emergency Department: A Repeated Cross-Sectional Survey (Preprint)

  2023-02-08

  preprintOpen access

  <sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Electronic media can be used to help address the communication gaps that exist between doctors and patients. Prior to utilizing these tools within an emergency department with patients of various socioeconomic statuses, it was important to collect data regarding patient accessibility to the internet, email, and other health management applications. </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> The survey was conducted in 2014 and repeated in 2019 to identify trends in patients’ access to and use of the internet. We sought to assess the degree of interest in education content delivered through electronic modalities. </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> This anonymous, prospective, cross-sectional survey included 50 questions and was completed by 241 English and Spanish-speaking patients in 2014. 253 additional surveys were collected in 2019. Participants were surveyed at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center’s Emergency Department (UCIMCED) while patients were waiting for treatment and diagnostic tests. The primary outcome was to compare internet access and communication technology use between 2014 and 2019. Secondary goal was to compare the pattern of internet use and search for health information between 2014 and 2019 among patients who presented to the UC Irvine Emergency Department. </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS</title> The vast majority of patients have access to the internet, with 83.8% (N=241, 95%, CI: 78.5% - 88.2%) having access in 2014, and this number increasing to 88.1% (N= 253, 95%, CI: 83.5% - 91.9%) in 2019 (P=.160). Most internet-using patients owned a smartphone in 2014 (N= 161; 80.1%), increasing almost 10% by 2019 (N=200; 89.7%). When searching for health-related information, 32.5% of patients could always find pertinent health information and 20.6% found this information always reliable. In addition, patients reported using electronic devices to obtain more information on their health, including Fitbits, activity trackers, and blood pressure cuffs. Among a range of electronic modalities patients can use to communicate with their healthcare provider, patients felt most comfortable receiving discharge instructions via email in 2014 and 2019. </sec> <sec> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> The implications of this study can be used to develop electronic resources tailored to educate emergency department patients about their healthcare beyond the confines of a hospital. Given that as of 2019 88.1% of patients in our emergency department have access to the internet or email, electronic media is a reasonable venue for patient education. Given that we have a predominantly low-income patient population, with 61% of respondents reporting an income of less than $25,000, these results are valuable and provide new ways to reach patients of all socioeconomic statuses. </sec>

  PublisherDOI

• Authors’ Response to the Validity of Cortisol and Galvanic Skin Responses for Measuring Student Stress During Training (Preprint)

  2023-07-16

  preprintOpen access

  <sec> <title>UNSTRUCTURED</title> </sec> <sec> <title>INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT</title> RR2-36447 </sec>

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• Shannon Toohey

  University of California, Irvine

  56 shared

• Warren Wiechmann

  48 shared

• Megan Boysen‐Osborn

  40 shared

• Soheil Saadat

  University of California, Irvine

  28 shared

• Ryan Gibney

  17 shared

• Christina Cantwell

  University of California, Irvine Medical Center

  17 shared

• Jonathan Smart

  15 shared

• Angela Allen

  University of Pennsylvania

  9 shared

Education

• Residency, Emergency Department

  University of California Irvine

  2015

• MD

  Tulane University School of Medicine

  2012

• BS

  University of California Irvine

  2007

Awards & honors

• British Offie Award for Best New Play