Research Success in Schools of Allied Health Professions.

Although the value of research within schools of allied health professions is widely accepted, its practice is limited, and the means of achieving success is poorly understood. This project aimed to characterize schools that have achieved research success, to explore the activities that allow schools to become successful, and to evaluate the metrics by which research success may be monitored. Using data from the 2016 ASAHP Institutional Survey (n=83 schools) and interviews with leadership at top-funded schools, we examined the relationships between external research funding, publications, and program rank for ASAHP member schools and explored the characteristics of well-funded schools. The hallmarks of success include high and clear expectations of faculty, significant levels of institutional investment in research infrastructure, and protected time for faculty research. Institutional support for publishing, including support for pilot studies, statistical analysis, and writing, may be important first steps in achieving research success. While average program rank is higher among schools with research funding than schools without it, program standing alone is not highly correlated with overall research success among ASAHP member institutions.

Similarities and Differences Between Physician Assistant Program and Medical School Mission Statement Themes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the concordance of US physician assistant (PA) program mission statements with those of US public- and private-sponsored medical schools. With the exception of a broader medical school focus on research, the authors hypothesized that little difference in mission statement congruence would be found in a comparison of medical schools and PA programs. METHODS: Mission statements of 209 of the 210 accredited US PA programs as of May 2016 were obtained and analyzed. Keywords and phrases were identified, coded, and analyzed using NVivo. Themes that previously reported medical school mission statement analyses (including education, research, service, primary care, diversity, prevention, provider distribution, and cost control) were examined. Additional themes of evidence-based medicine (EBM), interprofessional care, patient safety, and quality improvement were included in the analyses. RESULTS: Analyses revealed similar emphasis in both PA programs and medical schools on themes of education, prevention, and cost control, with dissimilar emphases on themes of research, service, primary care, diversity, and provider distribution. Physician assistant programs were more likely to emphasize interprofessional care than EBM, patient safety, or quality improvement. CONCLUSIONS: In the comparison of mission statements of medical schools and PA programs, much less congruence was found than had been hypothesized. Although this study examined the similarities and differences between the mission statements of US medical schools and PA programs, it did not examine the extent to which programs succeeded in meeting the stated missions. Additional research is necessary to understand the factors that determine whether mission statements are actualized in measurable deliverables.

The Future of Clinical Education: Using Futuristic Scenarios to Explore Allied Health Deans' Perspectives on Clinical Education.

ISSUE: There is limited information and consensus on the future of clinical education. The Delphi technique was selected to identify agreement among Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions' (ASAHP) allied health deans on the future (2018-2023) of allied health (AH) clinical education. METHODS: Sixty-one AH deans, 54.9% (61 of 111) of the ASAHP membership, expressed opinions about clinical education through a three-round Delphi study. In conjunction with a conceptual model, four futuristic scenarios were used to encourage deans' feedback on the key factors impacting the future of clinical education. RESULTS: The responses to the four scenarios showed ways the external environment influences which activities the deans recommend. The results presented, by individual scenario and in totality, provide relevant and timely information on the importance and transformation of AH clinical education and its future. DISCUSSION: Futuristic scenarios, in combination with the Delphi technique, generated information where little exists specific to AH deans' perspectives on AH clinical education. The results offer deans opportunities for future strategic improvements. CONCLUSION: The use of the futuristic scenarios was suitable for guiding deans' responses and reaching agreement on the future of AH clinical education. These contributions reflect the imminent conditions and healthcare environment identified in the various scenarios and provide additional insight on key factors impacting the future for AH clinical education.

The Future of Clinical Education: Opportunities and Challenges from Allied Health Deans' Perspective.

ISSUE: There is limited information and consensus on the future of clinical education and the key factors impacting allied health (AH) clinical training. AH deans identified both opportunities and challenges impacting clinical education based on a proposed educational model. METHODS: From July 2013 to March 2014, 61 deans whose institutions were 2013 members of the Association of Schools of Allied Health Professions (ASAHP) participated in a three-round Delphi survey. Agreement on the relative importance of and the ability to impact the key factors was analyzed. Impact was evaluated for three groups: individual, collective, and both individual and collective deans. AH deans' responses were summarized and refined; individual items were accepted or rerated until agreement was achieved or study conclusion. RESULTS: Based on the deans' ratings of importance and impact, 159 key factors within 13 clinical education categories emerged as important for the future of clinical education. Agreement was achieved on 107 opportunities and 52 challenges. CONCLUSIONS: The Delphi technique generated new information where little existed specific to AH deans' perspectives on AH clinical education. This research supports the Key Factors Impacting Allied Health Clinical Education conceptual model proposed earlier and provides a foundation for AH deans to evaluate opportunities and challenges impacting AH clinical education and to design action plans based on this research.

Balancing Two Cultures: American Indian/Alaska Native Medical Students' Perceptions of Academic Medicine Careers.

American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) remain underrepresented in the academic medicine workforce and little is known about cultivating AI/AN medical students' interest in academic medicine careers. Five structured focus groups were conducted including 20 medical students and 18 physicians. The discussion guide explored factors influencing AI/AN trainees' academic medicine career interest and recommended approaches to increase their pursuit of academia. Consensual qualitative research was employed to analyze transcripts. Our research revealed six facilitating factors, nine dissuading factors, and five recommendations towards cultivating AI/AN pursuit of academia. Facilitators included the opportunity to teach, serving as a role model/mentor, enhancing the AI/AN medical education pipeline, opportunities to influence institution, collegiality, and financial stability. Dissuading factors included limited information on academic career paths, politics, lack of credit for teaching and community service, isolation, self-doubt, lower salary, lack of positions in rural areas, lack of focus on clinical care for AI/AN communities, and research obligations. Recommendations included heighten career awareness, recognize the challenges in balancing AI/AN and academic cultures, collaborate with IHS on faculty recruitment strategies, identify concordant role models/mentors, and identify loan forgiveness programs. Similar to other diverse medical students', raising awareness of academic career opportunities especially regarding teaching and community scholarship, access to concordant role models/mentors, and supportive institutional climates can also foster AI/AN medical students' pursuit of academia. Unique strategies for AI/AN trainees include learning how to balance AI/AN and academic cultures, collaborating with IHS on faculty recruitment strategies, and increasing faculty opportunities in rural areas.

Corporate Funding for Schools of Public Health: Confronting the Ethical and Economic Challenges.

We discuss the public and private sponsoring of university research and the issues it raises in a context of diminished federal funding. We consider research funding at schools of public health and why these schools have historically had weaker links to industry than have other academic units. We argue that the possibility of enhanced links with industry at schools of public health may raise specific concerns beyond those facing universities generally. Six issues should be considered before entering into these relationships: (1) the effects on research orientation, (2) unacceptability of some funders, (3) potential threats to objectivity and academic freedom, (4) effects on academic standards, (5) the effects on dissemination of knowledge, and (6) reputational risks.

Benefits of a department of corrections partnership with a health sciences university: New Jersey's experience.

More than half of the state prisons in the United States outsource health care. While most states contract with private companies, a small number of states have reached out to their health science universities to meet their needs for health care of prisoners. New Jersey is the most recent state to form such an agreement. This article discusses the benefits of such a model for New Jersey's Department of Corrections and for New Jersey's health sciences university, the Rutgers University, formerly the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. The benefits for both institutions should encourage other states to participate in such affiliations.

[Current states and future aspects of graduate schools for adult graduate students: experiences of the master's course as a medical technologist].

The educational system for medical technologists (MTs) has gradually shifted from a three-year technical school system to a four-year university system. It is worthwhile for MTs to advance to a graduate school, in order to improve their routine-work skills, performances, and also to advance their own research as well as to learn how to direct younger MTs. Recently, MTs who advance to the graduate school as adult graduate students are increasing. In this article, the current states and future aspects of the graduate school of Iwate Medical University are reported. In our Department of Central Clinical Laboratory in Iwate Medical University Hospital, three of my colleagues have completed the master's course of the graduate school as adult graduate students, and three are currently attending the school. Nevertheless, none of them has advanced to the doctor's course yet. The primary reason why they do not advance is the heavy burden on any adult graduate students physically, mentally, and financially to study in the graduate school and carry out routine duties at the same time. Thus, in order to encourage MTs to go or to graduate school education, it is important to arrange systems which will enable MTs to advance to the graduate school as adult graduate students. I believe there are three key elements to make this possible. Firstly, prepare easier access to curriculums for MTs to study special fields and learn special skills. Secondly, arrange an increase in the salary scheme depending on the degree attained from the graduate school. Thirdly, provide financial support for graduate school expenses. In conclusion, it is expected that a large number of MTs will advance to the graduate school if these changes for a better educational environment are made.

The New York State optometry workforce study.

This study presents an analysis of the current optometry workforce, both as a unique profession and more broadly within the context of all eye care providers (optometry and ophthalmology) in New York State. The supply and distribution of eye care practitioners provides useful information for policy makers while providing insights as to the impact of the one optometry school within the state. Several databases were employed and a web based survey was developed for completion by all optometrists. The questionnaire included demographic data, whether they were actively practicing in New York State or any other state, were they full time or part time, their primary mode of practice, or if they provided care within institutional settings. Access to care was gauged by the respondents' availability for appointments during evenings or weekends. Access to eye care services in New York State has improved significantly during the past 30 years as the supply of optometrists increased. Before this study was conducted it was generally believed that there were more optometrists than ophthalmologists in every state of the nation except New York, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Findings of this study demonstrate there are 37% more optometrists in New York State than ophthalmologists and more evenly distributed as optometrists are located in almost every county of the state. Sixteen counties have no ophthalmologists. This is attributed to the presence of the College of Optometry established in 1971. More than 60% of all optometrists in the state are SUNY College of Optometry graduates.

Connecting students to institutions: the relationship between program resources and student retention in respiratory care education programs.

BACKGROUND: Respiratory care education programs are being held accountable for student retention. Increasing student retention is necessary for the respiratory therapy profession, which suffers from a shortage of qualified therapists needed to meet the increased demand. The present study investigated the relationship between student retention rate and program resources, in order to understand which and to what extent the different components of program resources predict student retention rate. METHODS: The target population of this study was baccalaureate of science degree respiratory care education programs. After utilizing a survey research method, Pearson correlations and multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis. RESULTS: With a 63% response rate (n = 36), this study found a statistically significant relationship between program resources and student retention rate. Financial and personnel resources had a statistically significant positive relationship with student retention. The mean financial resources per student was responsible for 33% of the variance in student retention, while the mean personnel resources per student accounted for 12% of the variance in student retention. Program financial resources available to students was the single best predictor of program performance on student retention. CONCLUSIONS: Respiratory care education programs spending more money per student and utilizing more personnel in the program have higher mean performance in student retention. Therefore, respiratory care education programs must devote sufficient resources to retaining students so that they can produce more respiratory therapists and thereby make the respiratory therapy profession stronger.

The transformation of research in the health professions at the University of South Carolina.

During the past six years, there has been a remarkable transformation of research, faculty, and interdepartmental, interinstitutional collaboration in the health professions at the University of South Carolina (USC). The author describes the context in which this transformation has occurred and the factors that caused the USC medical school to move from a position of relative insularity from the other colleges within the university--conducting little extramural research, and regarding its relationship with its teaching hospitals as distal, associated institutions--to a position of full integration into the Division of Health Sciences with very significant growth in externally funded research and closer-than-ever-before working relationships with its two teaching hospitals. The author hopes that the model of interinstitutional collaboration USC is developing throughout the region will be thought worthy of emulation elsewhere. In this article, the author reviews the transformation of research in the school of medicine and the other health professions schools--specifically, nursing, pharmacy, public health, and social work--at USC during the past six years. He explains how these changes were effected while the school continued to support its original mission.

Promoting minority access to health careers through health profession-public school partnerships: a review of the literature.

Partnerships between health profession schools and public schools provide a framework for developing comprehensive, creative solutions to the problem of minority underrepresentation in health careers. This review examines the functioning of partner relationships, focusing on elements of the social context that determine success or failure, and stages of partnership development. Influential aspects of the social context include cultural differences between personnel in higher education and K-12 institutions, the resources available to the partnership, and constraints on partnership activity. Stages of the process that partner institutions must negotiate include initiation, ongoing management, and institutionalization. Strategies to improve minority student achievement are reviewed, including specific types of programmatic interventions and best practices. Strategies available to partnerships for improving minority achievement include academic enhancement, science or math instructional enrichment, career awareness and motivation, mentoring, research apprenticeship, reward incentives, and parental involvement. Of these, academic enhancement and instructional enrichment have the greatest potential for improving minority student outcomes. Partnerships need to take a sustained multipronged approach, providing intensive interventions that target students, teachers, and curricula at appropriate educational stages. Documenting program impact is critical for attracting more resources to increase minority access to health careers: sponsoring organizations should dedicate funds for assessment of the partnership's functioning and for rigorous evaluation of interventions.

An innovative program to fund health-oriented student projects and research.

The price of a university education has increased over the years. As a result, students often graduate with thousands of dollars of debt. Conducting research or developing class projects that require personal expenditures can be overwhelming, if not impossible. Participation in research and in developing projects can enhance a student's educational experience. In an effort to address cost issues and provide an optimal learning experience for all students through participation in projects and research, the College of Health Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) collaborated with a regional foundation to fund health-oriented students' projects and research. Approximately 100 projects have been funded in amounts from 200 dollars to 10,000 dollars at UTEP. Similar programs can be replicated at other US universities. Establishing a general fund and identifying contributors may be a viable option, although finding a foundation or agency to fund the project poses a challenge.

Clinical education in two-year colleges: cost-benefit issues.

Allied health program directors and administrators need to be aware of the costs and benefits of their clinical training programs to assure continued availability of training facilities for students. In a pilot study, program directors and administrators who are members of the National Network of Health Career Programs in Two-year Colleges (NN2) were surveyed concerning items to include in a cost-benefit-analysis tool, intangible and tangible costs and benefits of clinical education programs, and evaluation of a tool to analyze costs and benefits. Surveys were sent to 138 NN2 members, with 58 responding. Clinical sites were primarily in independent hospitals or health care systems. Most programs had preceptor-to-student ratios of 1:1-1:2, with few students being paid for clinical work. The respondents identified costs as staff time, materials and supplies, equipment, and others. Benefits were orientation and recruitment savings; increased professionalism, job satisfaction, and work quality of staff; ability to maintain and upgrade staff skills and knowledge; and student assistance with clinical coverage. Few programs were required to perform cost analysis. Allied health clinical education programs continue to depend on the willingness of health care facilities to accept students for clinical training.