Local Teen Completes Medical Study and Gets National Acclaim

16-year-old Allison Ruchman with the help of her 6-year-old beagle has already completed a medical study that has been recognized by top doctors across the nation.

On top of being a student at , Ruchman also has trained her pup Wally to be a therapy dog and visits the hospital every weekend to conduct research. The duo developed a study that says that pet therapy before a MRI can help reduce patient stress and produce better image results.

According to Radiologyinfo.com, an MRI is a machine that uses a powerful magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and a computer to produce detailed pictures of organs, soft tissues, bone and virtually all other internal body structures. Many people feel anxiety and claustrophobia while having these tests. According to Ruchman's study, pet therapy can relieve some of the stress and therefore give better test results.

This amazing teen scientist and her dog have gotten the attention of major media outlets including ABC News , U.S. News and World Report, the New York Times and more. You can also find Ally and Wally on the Talking Science Website sponsored by NPR where Ally blogs about her experiences with Wally.

Patch got to meet this incredible high schooler and talk about all of her accomplishments. Watch the video above the learn more about Wally the therapy dog and Ally’s medical research.