1. The readers have spoken:
E-mail version the undisputed champion
2. ASRT Leadership Academy trains
technologists in management skills
3. Remember, new AMA health professions
directory available soon
4. JAMA: Heavy plates = bulging
waists
5. Anesthesiologist assistants'
group relocates
6. Healthcare workforce shortage:
The view from Washington (state)
7. IOM, AMA work to increase diversity
of health care workforce
1. The readers have spoken: E-mail
version the undisputed champion
Thanks to all the readers of the E-letter who voted in our
"e-mail versus Internet version" survey.
The winner, by a landslide, was the e-mail version. Many
respondents wrote that it is quicker and easier to read, with
no need to worry about Internet access.
Some readers noted that either version is fine -- it's the
content that's key. "I prefer the email version, and
am more likely to scan the articles when included in the e-mail,"
wrote one. "However, including a web-based version in
an archive is, I believe, still important."
We also agree that this is important, so we will continue
to provide both e-mail and Web versions of the E-letter, with
the e-mail version coming first and the Web version released
shortly thereafter, available via:
http://www.ama-assn.org/go/hpe-letter
Finally, congratulations to survey respondent Kathleen A.
Fleiszar, FABMG, professor of biology and academic director
of the cytogenetic technology program at Kennesaw State University.
Dr. Fleiszar will receive a complimentary copy of the new
2003-2004 edition of the Health Professions Career and Education
Directory.
2. ASRT Leadership Academy trains technologists
in management skills
Strategic planning, decision-making, consensus building and
conflict resolution were some of the topics covered at the
recent 4-day Leadership Academy sponsored by the American
Society of Radiologic Technologists.
In addition to basic leadership and management skills, participants
in this year's Leadership Academy also learned about fund
raising, parliamentary procedure, association management,
and the financial responsibilities of serving on a board of
directors.
Now in its sixth year, the Leadership Academy has trained
more than 250 radiologic technologists to assume leadership
roles in the ASRT and its 54 state and local affiliate societies.
For the first time this year, two radiologic science students
were among the Leadership Academy participants.
For more information, contact:
Christina Martinez
800 444-2778, Ext 1267
3. Remember, new AMA health professions
directory available soon
The new 2003-2004 edition of the AMA's Health Professions
Career and Education Directory will be available soon. This
updated edition includes information on 6,415 educational
programs in 61 different professions.
To order your copy, call 800 621-8335. Or send an e-mail
to meded@ama-assn.org
to receive an automatic reply with the order form attached
as an MS Word file. For fastest service, be sure to specify
the phrase "HPCED order form" in the subject line
of your e-mail.
4. JAMA: Heavy plates = bulging waists
Supersizing run amok: A recent article in the Journal of
the American Medical Association shows that the size of food
portions consumed at restaurants and at home have increased
significantly, contributing to the nationwide epidemic of
obesity and overweight.
"These findings suggest that the public requires better
education about control of portion size both inside and outside
the home," the authors write. "Simply educating
the public about which foods to eat or not to eat is not enough,
as an equally important issue is the quantity of food being
consumed."
The authors warn, however, that getting the public to reduce
portion size "may be difficult to achieve due to the
US advertising climate and its influence on the public."
"Patterns and Trends in Food Portion Sizes, 1977-1998"
by Samara Joy Nielsen; Barry M. Popkin, PhD JAMA, January
22/29, 2003
5. Anesthesiologist assistants' group
relocates
Contact information for the American Academy of Anesthesiologist
Assistants has changed. The Academy is now available at:
PO Box 13978
Tallahassee, Fl 32317
850 656-8848
850 656-3038 FAX
E-mail: info@anesthetist.org
http://www.anesthetist.org
6. Healthcare workforce shortage: The
view from Washington (state)
"Occupations with critical shortages include nurses,
medical aides, dental hygienists, laboratory personnel,
pharmacists, physicians, radiology technologists, billers
and coders, among others.
"The shortage is so severe, industry has resorted to
importing workers from other countries, and utilizing
temporary employment agencies for regular staffing needs,
despite exorbitant costs.
"While health care employers search for staff, a large
number of Washington's health care training programs report
they are turning away qualified students because the programs
lack the capacity, faculty and clinical sites to train them.
Fifty-six programs offering nursing and allied health training
reported waiting
lists in 2001. . . . Across the state, health care training
programs have reached capacity. However, the number of people
graduating from these programs does not meet our immediate
or future needs. Increasing educational capacity should be
a priority if the severe shortage is to be remedied."
"Health Care Personnel Shortage: Crisis or Opportunity?"
Report of Washington State's Health Personnel Shortage Task
Force
http://www.wtb.wa.gov/HEALTHCARETASKFORCE.HTM
(click on "Report of the Task Force")
7. IOM, AMA work to increase diversity
of health care workforce
On February 5, the Institute of Medicine is holding a public
hearing to identify institutional and policy-level strategies
to increase the racial and ethnic diversity of the nation's
health care workforce. AMA Past President Lonnie Bristow,
MD is chair of the new IOM study committee. The AMA will be
submitting written testimony and presenting an oral summary
of their comments.
The committee is looking at many strategies to increase diversity
in health care, including:
- modifying admissions practices/criteria
- placing greater emphasis on cross-cultural skills and
competencies in health professions training and accreditation
procedures
- increasing the number of minority faculty
For more information:
http://www.iom.edu/IOM/IOMHome.nsf/Pages/HSP+Workforce+Diversity
For more information on the persistence of racial/ethnic
disparities in health care and AMA activities to address
this issue, see:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/3216-7212.html
Also, see the AMA Cultural Competence Compendium:
http://www.ama-assn.org/go/diversity
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 50 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.
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, Medical Education Products
515 N State St, Chicago, IL 60610
312 464-4635
312 464-5830 fax
fred_lenhoff@ama-assn.org
SUBSCRIBE/UNSUBSCRIBE
To subscribe or unsubscribe to this e-letter, please send name,
organization, title, address, phone, fax, web address, and of
course your e-mail to: dorothy_grant@ama-assn.org
Copyright 2003, American Medical
Association
Submitted By: David
Yoder
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