| HEALTH PROFESSIONS E-LETTER, August
2006
Dear Reader,
In his final speech as AMA president, delivered at the AMA
annual meeting in June, J. Edward Hill, MD, discussed the challenges
of delivering health care in rural Mississippi in the 1960s.
One of his biggest frustrations, he recounted, was the "shamefully
high rate of maternal and fetal mortality." So he and his
practice partner, Dr. John Estes, asked themselves a few questions:
"Why couldn't we work, side-by-side, with certified nurse
midwives to provide high-quality deliveries in a cost-effective
way? Why couldn't we train trusted local women to educate their
pregnant neighbors and friends about pre- and post-natal care?
Finally -- and perhaps most importantly -- why couldn't we ask
the community to help us?
"Instead of going hat in hand to the politicians, why
not go to the people of Hollandale, the ones who cared about
this issue the most? Why not take their faith and trust in us,
their physicians -- and use it for the greater good?
"And so we did."
Read Dr. Hill's speech: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.2.344263
Best regards,
Fred Donini-Lenhoff, editor
1. Reminder: Order the Health
Professions Education Data Book
2. California working to avert clinical
laboratory workforce shortag
3. Featured Program: Medical assisting,
Midstate College, Peoria
4. $125 million in workforce training
grants now available
5. Emergency Medical Science featured
on HPN site
6. How to recruit, retain, and graduate
a diverse student population
7. Massachusetts now requires licensing
of genetic counselors
8. ASRT testifies in favor of CARE
bill at House subcommittee
9. Clinical laboratory science doctorate
level standards for review
10. On the calendar: Recreational
therapists to meet in Orlando
1. Reminder: Order the Health
Professions Education Data Book
This newly updated publication features 30 tables of data
for academic year 2004-2005, including:
- Number of Programs and Enrollments, Attrition, and Graduates
by Occupation
- Enrollments, Graduates, and Number of Programs by State/Province
and Occupation
- Enrollments, Attrition, and Graduates by Race/Ethnic Origin
and Gender
- Health Professions Salary Ranges
To order the publication in Adobe Acrobat pdf format, see:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.3.344263
The price is $20 for AMA members or directors of allied health
professions programs and $40 for nonmembers.
2. California working to avert
clinical laboratory workforce shortage
A California initiative seeks to raise $5 million over the
next 5 years for clinical laboratory science educational grants
and scholarships and promoting awareness of the field to prospective
students and the public.
Currently, California ranks 43rd among states in number of
clinical laboratory science workers per capita. The shortage
is particularly acute in less populated regions of central
and northern California. See:
"Hospitals put cash up front: Lab workers wanted"
East Bay Business Times, April 7
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.4.344263
*** Reminder to program directors ***
Be sure to complete your annual survey so that the Health
Professions Career and Education Directory reflects your updated
information. Contact Dorothy Grant-Bryant at dorothy.grant-bryant@ama-assn.org
(312 464-4936) for survey login assistance.
3. Featured Program: Medical assisting,
Midstate College, Peoria
Each issue we profile a randomly selected educational program,
using text provided by program personnel who filled out the
AMA's annual survey.
This month we feature the medical assistant program at Midstate
College, Peoria. "Newly renovated classrooms simulate
a physician's office, including reception area, laboratory,
nurse's station, and adult and pediatric exam rooms. Students
are able to role play in an
authentic atmosphere."
To learn more about this program, see: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.5.344263
4. $125 million in workforce training
grants now available
Community and technical colleges are invited to apply for
federal funding to support workforce training in high-growth/high-demand
industries, including health care.
These Community-Based Job Training Grants are available through
the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) of the US
Department of Labor: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.6.344263
5. Emergency medical science featured
on HPN site
Now featured on the Health Professions Network's Web site
is the profession of emergency medical science:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.7.344263
To request that HealthProNet.org feature your health profession
in the future, e-mail: webmaster@healthpronet.org
6. How to recruit, retain, and graduate
a diverse student population
The Center for Student Success (CSS) Web site offers 67
case studies describing strategies that California colleges
are using to recruit, retain, and graduate a diverse student
population. The cases describe a wide variety of approaches
that are being used by allied
health professions programs throughout the state.
To learn more, see http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.8.344263
and select the health occupations tab.
7. Massachusetts now requires licensing
of genetic counselors
With the recent passage of legislation in Massachusetts,
five states now mandate licensing for genetic counselors.
The new rules will ensure the public that genetic counselors
meet statewide standards and continuing education requirements,
said Kristen Mahoney Shannon, MS, CGC, Senior Genetic Counselor,
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center.
A board of registration for genetic counselors will be created
in Massachusetts, to consist of five members appointed by
the Governor. Four members will be genetic counselors licensed
under the bill; one member will be a state resident from the
general public.
8. ASRT testifies in favor of CARE
bill at House subcommittee
Lynn May, chief executive officer of the American Society
of Radiologic Technologists, testified in support of the Consumer
Assurance of Radiologic Excellence (CARE) bill at a recent
Congressional hearing.
The CARE bill would establish federal minimum standards of
education and credentialing for personnel who perform medical
imaging examinations and plan or deliver radiation therapy
treatment. Read more: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.9.344263
9. Clinical laboratory science doctorate
level standards for review
Public comment is requested on the Draft Standards of Accredited
Educational Programs for the Clinical Doctorate in Clinical
Laboratory Sciences.
The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences
(NAACLS) has been working to develop and implement the Clinical
Doctorate in Clinical Laboratory Science (DCLS) as the terminal
practice degree for the CLS profession. Review the standards
at:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.10.344263
10. On the calendar: Recreational
therapists to meet in Orlando
The 2006 Annual Conference of the American Therapeutic Recreation
Association will be held September 14-18 in Orlando. The conference
will include 5 days of educational sessions covering a wide
array of topics that affect recreational therapy services.
For more information, contact ATRA at atra@atra-tr.org.
ABOUT US . . .
The Health Professions Career and Education E-letter is produced
by the American Medical Association (AMA).
This periodic newsletter covers educational trends and career-related
issues for more than 60 professions that participate in the
delivery of health care, including diagnostic and rehabilitative
services, therapeutic treatments, health or information services
management, counseling for psychosocial and cognitive needs,
or related services.
Newsletter readers and contributors include staff of health
professions accrediting agencies, educational programs and institutions,
professional organizations, certifying/licensing boards, and
media contacts.
Previous issues are available online at: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3532.1.344263
GIVE US YOUR STORY IDEAS AND FEEDBACK
What's happening in the world of health professions? If you
have any leads or story ideas, please contact us. Also, let
us know what you think about this newsletter--and feel free
to forward it to your colleagues.
Direct suggestions, comments, compliments, gripes, to
Fred Donini-Lenhoff
American Medical Association
Medical Education Products
515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
312 464-4635
312 464-5830 fax
fred_lenhoff@ama-assn.org
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.3552.1.344263
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