| Dear Reader,
Superminimize me: Mirroring the growing recognition of the
threat of obesity, which may soon supersede tobacco as public
enemy number one, the AMA Medical Student Section is focusing
on reducing obesity.
See: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.2.197721
Speaking of fat, a new high-fat (actually, high-lard) diet
is increasingly popular among Polish Americans (see article
7, "Media Messages: Got lard?").
And those fighting the battle of the bulge with sports/ exercise
should be aware of the threats of sport-related concussion and
heat illnesses, says the National Athletic Trainers' Association
(see article 10).
- Fred Donini-Lenhoff
HEALTH PROFESSIONS E-LETTER, July 2004
1. New data book based on survey:
Please complete it now!
2. Radiologic sciences: Good news
and bad news
3. Free AMA guide highlights foodborne
illness
4. AMA passes new policies to help
fight obesity
5. New health careers planner available
6. Public member sought for physician
assistant accreditation body
7. Media Messages:
---- Hospitals
scrambling to fill allied health positions
---- Low
standards for phlebotomists
---- PAs
in Ohio fight for greater role
---- Got
lard?
8. Urge your congressperson to
support Allied Health Reinvestment Act
9. On the calendar . . .
10. NATA: Keep your head, and
keep your cool
11. Medical technologist is "Allied
Health Profession of the Month"
12. Eleven entry-level students
receive radiation therapy scholarships
NOTE: Need an order for the AMA's Health
Professions Career and Education Directory? Send an e-mail to
meded@ama-assn.org and
specify the phrase "HPCED order form" in the subject
line.
1. New data book based on survey:
Please complete it now!
As noted in a special e-mail sent late last month, the new
Health Professions Education Data Book is now available. This
newly updated publication includes 24 tables of data for academic
year 2002-2003, 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?A40.576.1626.3.197721
The data in this publication are based on the AMA's annual
Survey of Health Professions Education Programs -- have you
completed yours?
If not, please contact Dorothy Grant at dorothy_grant@ama-assn.org
(312 464-4936) for login information.
2. Radiologic sciences: Good news and
bad news
A recent survey from the ASRT shows that 80% of radiation therapy
staff and administrators agree that technological advances have
increased the quality of patient care over the last 5 years.
At the same time, about 40% of respondents indicated that their
facility is understaffed vs 1% who said it's overstaffed.
Emblematic of the ongoing concern about shortstaffing is the
story of a 3-day "sickout" held by radiologic technologists
at San Francisco General Hospital.
Their issues include low pay, aging equipment, and excessive
job-related injuries, problems which may be more common at government-funded
urban medical centers faced with budgetary constraints. (Source:
"RTs stage 'sickout' to highlight problems, but gain many
more," May 5, auntminnie.com
Web site)
To read more about the Environmental Scan of the Radiation
Therapist's Workplace, see:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.4.197721
3. Free AMA guide highlights foodborne
illness
With the potato salad season in full swing, do you need help
identifying and treating foodborne illnesses?
Refer to "Diagnosis and Management of Foodborne Illnesses:
A Primer for Physicians and Other Health Care Professionals."
This educational guide, developed by the AMA in partnership
with federal agencies and the American Nursing Association,
is available free to health professionals. See: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.5.197721
4. AMA passes new policies to help
fight obesity
And speaking of foodborne illness . . .
The AMA adopted several new obesity-related policies at its
Annual Meeting addressing such issues as the role of
racial and ethnic disparities in causing obesity. See:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.6.197721
Other news of note from the meeting . . .
FDA: Reconsider decision on Plan B emergency contraception
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.7.197721
AMA backs review of presumed consent on organ donations
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.8.197721
Minority Affairs Consortium now has vote in AMA House
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.9.197721
5. New health careers planner available
The American Careers Health Careers Planner is a new academic
and career development program to introduce upper middle and
early high school students to the diversity of jobs in the health
sciences.
Developed by Career Communications, Inc., publishers of American
Careers classroom programs, the planner supports
the National Healthcare Foundation Standards, established by
the National Consortium on Health Science and Technology
Education.
The new program includes both a student publication and a teaching
guide. Rich content in the student publication will engage students
in reading and research; the integrated, hands-on, scenario-based
approach to classroom projects
will motivate them to learn.
For more information, contact:
Barbara Orwig, Career Communications, Inc
800 669-7795
ccinfo@carcom.com
6. Public member sought for physician
assistant accreditation body
The Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician
Assistant (ARC-PA) is seeking nominations for a public member
for the ARC-PA.
Serving as a consumer advocate, the public member commissioner
is expected to attend the semiannual (March and September) meetings
of the ARC-PA, contribute to discussions about accreditation
status of programs, and participate in site
visits to PA programs and as a member of ARC-PA committees or
task forces.
Nominations and applications, accompanied by a resume and a
statement describing how the candidate's experience and
background will add to the evaluation of PA programs, should
be forwarded via e-mail to: mccarty.john@marshfieldclinic.org
or by mail before September 1, 2004 to:
John E. McCarty
Executive Director, ARC-PA
1000 North Oak Ave
Marshfield, WI 54449
715 389-3785
715 387-5163 Fax
E-mail: mccarty.john@marshfieldclinic.org
To read more (Adobe Reader required), see:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.10.197721
Information on the commissioner's responsibilities is available
at:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.11.197721
7. Media Messages:
------- Hospitals
scrambling to fill allied health positions
------- Low
standards for phlebotomists
------- PAs
in Ohio fight for greater role
------- Got
lard?
Hospitals
scrambling to fill allied health positions
In the scramble to fill openings for allied health practitioners,
hospitals are offering cash bonuses, full scholarships, tuition
reimbursement, and relocation allowances ("Hospitals scramble
to fill shortage of medical technicians," June 18, The
Business Review, Albany, NY).
"It's a constant concern," said one administrator.
"Where am I going to get my techs six months from now?
We simply have to get more people into the field."
Added one hospital president, "These young people don't
realize they can go into one of these programs for 2 years and
come out to make $40,000 a year with excellent benefits."
See: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.12.197721
(Registration required)
*************
Low standards
for phlebotomists
A dearth of educational, certification, and licensure standards
means that the practice quality of phlebotomists ranges all
over the map, according to an article in the June 1 Washington
Post ("Drawing Without a License: Phlebotomists Get Little
Training, Regulation"). See: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.13.197721
(Registration required)
*************
PAs in
Ohio fight for greater role
Ohio is one of only three states that prohibit physician assistants
from writing drug prescriptions, and the only state requiring
that a physician see all new patients as well as established
ones with new medical conditions -- before a PA can administer
treatment ("Physician assistants want to take on greater
role in health care," Business First of Columbus [OH],
May 28).
Said one Ohio family practitioner quoted in the article, "If
you have a PA in your practice, the PA is perfectly qualified
to determine the problem on things you don't need the horsepower
of a medical degree to accomplish." See:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.14.197721
(Registration required)
*************
Got lard?
Pork, liver, blood sausage; lard, heavy whipping cream, butter;
fried eggs, bacon, cheese: What kind of diet is this? Many elderly
Polish-Americans swear by the Optimal Diet, which requires the
consumption of prodigious amounts of animal fat -- preferably
lard ("Praise the lard - The 'Polish Atkins diet' recommends
eating prodigious amounts of animal fat. Can this possibly be
good for you?," Chicago Tribune, June 9)
An American Dietetic Association spokesperson, while unsure
of the long-term health effects of the diet, told the Tribune
that "there is a psychological connection to eating these
foods. It's old country eating."
8. Urge your congressperson to support
Allied Health Reinvestment Act
The Allied Health Reinvestment Act (S. 2491) was introduced
in the Senate last week. Ask your senator to support the legislation
(and your representative to co-sponsor H.R. 4016, the House
version of the same legislation) by accessing the Legislative
Action Center on the Association of Schools of Allied Health
Professions (ASAHP) Web site.
The site also offers a Media Guide to locate your local newspapers
and key staff, such as op-ed page editors. Sample articles for
you to submit to these media outlets as well as radio and TV
stations are also available. See:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.15.197721
9. On the calendar . . .
American Therapeutic Recreation Association
2004 Annual Conference
September 30 - October 4
Crowne Center Hyatt, Kansas City, MO
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.16.197721
American Society of Cytopathology
52nd Annual Scientific Meeting
November 13-17
Sheraton Chicago Hotel and Towers, Chicago, IL
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.17.197721
National Association of Schools of Music
2004 Annual Meeting
November 20-23
Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel, San Diego, CA
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.18.197721
10. NATA: Keep your head, and keep
your cool
Depending on the sport, concussion and heat illnesses can be
major concerns for many athletes. The National Athletic Trainers'
Association (NATA) is working to promote awareness of these
threats for sports medicine personnel, coaches, and athletics
administrators.
Among other recommendations, the statement on concussion dings
the term "ding," because it generally diminishes the
seriousness of the injury. It also states that athletes with
a history of three concussions should be advised that ending
participation in contact sports may be in their best interest.
See:
"How to Reduce Severity of Sport-Related Concussion and
Improve Return-to-Play Decisions"
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.19.197721
NATA also offers lifesaving tips on how to prevent, recognize
and treat heat illnesses, including dehydration, heat stroke,
heat exhaustion, heat cramps; see: http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.20.197721
11. Medical technologist is "Allied
Health Profession of the Month"
Now featured on the Health Professions Network's Web site is
the profession of medical technologist:
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.21.197721
Profiled in recent months were cytotechnology, magnetic resonance
technology, surgical neurophysiology, and athletic training.
To request that HealthProNet.org feature your health profession
in the future, send an e-mail to: webmaster@healthpronet.org
12. Eleven entry-level students receive
radiation therapy scholarships
The ASRT (American Society of Radiologic Technologists) Education
and Research Foundation and Varian Medical Systems have announced
the 11 winners of the Varian Radiation Therapy Student Scholarships
for the 2004-2005 academic year.
Enrolled in a bachelor's degree program, California State University,
Long Beach:
- Jeffrey Agustin
- Jane Bunyapanasarn
- Rafael Campos
- Lisa Ibrahim
Enrolled in a bachelor's degree program, University of Wisconsin,
La Crosse:
- Rebecca Adkins
- Robert Hammond
- Eliza Lightholder
Other awardees:
- Rashmee Makhijani, bachelor's degree program, Manhattan College
- Kathleen Shanahan, certificate program, Hartford (CT) Hospital
School of Allied Health
- Marilyn Mendoza, associate degree program, Foothill College
(CA)
- Rene Sosa, associate degree program, Foothill College
http://enews.ama-assn.org/UM/T.asp?A40.576.1626.22.197721
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?A40.576.1626.1.197721
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?A40.576.1626.1.197721
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