MINUTES

WVRHEP RECRUITMENT & RETENTION

COMMITTEE MEETING

September 12, 2005, Days Inn, Flatwoods

Attending: David Brown, Patricia Crawford, Deborah Curry, Tom Hefner, Lew Holloway, Sharon Lansdale, Sandra Y. Pope, Anna Reno, Sonnie Strader. Staff: Alicia Tyler. Absent: Jay Bonfili, Norm Ferrari, Marilyn Fox, Mike Holt, Jill Hutchinson, Jane Martin, Jill McDaniel, Jo Ann Raines, Jessica Sharp, Bob Walker, Melissa Wheeler, Bob Whitler. Guests: Sharon Giles, Elizabeth D. (Betsy) Diggs, Ken Shannon, Elaine Mason, Melisa J. Green, Shaun G. Balleydier, Kathryn Greenlief, Dalena Riggs, Stacey Murphy, S. Barbara Kupchak, Hilda R. Heady, Jodie Jackson.

Tom Hefner, vice chair, opened the meeting with introductions. Minutes of the March 21^st meeting were approved on motion (Reno/Pope).

Staff Report

Alicia reported the following:

- The Higher Education Policy Commission passed a resolution encouraging the state’s public institutions to grant students displaced by Hurricane Katrina in-state status for tuition and fees.

- The WV Health Careers Partnership, which is coordinated in the Commission offices, is developing a website that includes searchable information on WV health sciences programs, financial aid, health care employers by county, etc. The partnership is sponsoring 2 to 3 teleconferences a year. On October 21, the topic will be “Geriatrics and the Need for Health Professionals,” presented by Sara Jane Gainer of the WVU Center on Aging.

- The new WV Center for Nursing, which is located in the Commission offices, is conducting a search for an Executive Director.

- Rural Residency funding is available again for the AHECs.

- The Health Sciences Scholarship Program deadline is October 15^th. Review committees will make recommendations on awards to the Committee. (See Addendum for 2005 awards)

WVU Placement Report and Job Fair

Elaine Mason provides career guidance and placement assistance WVU graduates and physicians in WVU residencies. She reported highlights from her Placement Report on 2005 Residency Completions:

- 94 residents/fellows received guidance (68 primary care and 26 sub-specialty fields)

- 63 (93%) of primary care residents/fellows who received guidance were in programs in Charleston, Clarks burg, Harpers Ferry, Huntington, Morgantown, and Wheeling. Five (7%) were out of state.

- 86 residents/fellows received placement assistance (51 in-state and 35 out of state)

- 15 (30%) of the in-state placements include chief resident, faculty, and fellowships

- 36 (70%) of the in-state placements include new primary physicians in 17 communities.

Elaine announced a Job Fair would be held on November 4^th. Workshops will be tied to the core competencies of the ACGME to boost attendance. In the past, about 60 residents have attended.

Tom Hefner asked if it would be possible to check retention of residents placed in 2000 to see if they are still practicing in the state. This could be done with those who were placed in West Virginia by cross checking data from the 2005 Recruitment & Retention Report in the Report Card, when it is completed.

Health Careers Promotion Projects

Sharon Lansdale reported on a “Grow Your Own Career” project of the Center for Rural Health Development. The project is a partnership with the Roane County school board. Under the Sound Partners project, the Center developed 10 five-minute radio features on the need for various health fields and career preparation. The topics include: physicians, technical center preparation, dental hygiene, school nursing, public health, radiology, pharmacy, laboratory, health administration, and speech and physical therapy. The shows aired on the school board’s non-commercial FM station. In addition, a school health fair will be expanded to include health careers information.

The AHECs are actively promoting health careers.

- Patti Crawford: the Southeastern AHEC gave a $25,000 grant to HSTA to support minority students at the Summer Institute. Five of the nine Southeastern AHEC counties have HSTA clubs. This year HSTA provided programming at WVU, Marshall, and WV State University. In addition, Southeastern AHEC works closely with the Region 1 Workforce Investment Board and is looking to partner with the health occupations career coordinator for the State, Becky Davis, on a “virtual surgery” project for high school students. Patti said that six HSTA graduates are in medical school – five at WVU and one at Marshall.

- Lew Holloway: the Northern RHEC is providing funding to HTSA for the Summer Institute to send 239 students from their region. Currently, the Northern RHEC is collaborating with the Western Maryland AHEC to provide training to high school students on searching Medline Plus and other sites of the National Library of Medicine. The parish nursing program is involved. Northern has worked with the HSTA curriculum coordinator to develop two topics: Healthy Eating Habits and Obesity. RHEP students are mentoring HSTA students.

- Debbie Curry: Southwestern AHEC activities: (1) SOAR, a new science/math/health careers program (like HSTA), has 40 high school students in Wayne Co. and will be extended to Mason Co.; (2) health professionals discussed their careers with students at 5 mini camps; (3) the Summer Academy at Concord College brought 50 high school students together for a week of pre-medicine and biotechnology courses and contact with health professionals; (4) Partnership with CARDIAC Teen to screen students in Wayne Co. and provide health careers information; (5) Partnership with the NAACP to help minority students get ready for college; (6) Involvement in Teen Expos and the Governor’s Academy; and (7) Outreach to Mingo and Cabell Counties to assess and augment library resources on health careers.

Updates

- Anna Reno reported that the Calhoun RHEP office has moved to the Glenville campus. She is gearing up for CARDIAC.

- Dalena Riggs reported on health careers activities in high schools. RHEP students make presentations to honors health classes.

- Sandra Pope reported on the WV Nurse Leadership Institute at the WVU Nursing Program in Charleston, which is available to nurses statewide.

- Lew Holloway said that a Northern RHEC open house will be held in Glenville on September 14^th.

- Jodie Jackson will meet with site coordinators on the verification process for recruitment and retention.

- Patti Crawford announced that the Southeastern AHEC has a new secretary, Pat Cruse.

- Sonnie Strader said her office is recruiting a new support staff person.

- Shaun Balleydier reminded members that the 13^th Annual Rural Health Conference will be held at the Stonewall Resorts from October 26-28. A Recruitment Day and Job Fair will be held on October 27.

The meeting was adjourned.

(Addendum on next page.)

ADDENDUM

2005 Health Sciences Scholarship Awards

The scholarship applications were reviewed by subcommittees and recommendations were forwarded to Committee members for approval. The following awards were approved:

8 Medical Student Awards $160,000 ($20,000 each)

Marshall School of Medicine: Larry G. Harman, William A. Nitardy,

WVU School of Medicine: Amanda K. Combs, Amy E. Tickle, Jeremy S. Williams

WV School of Osteopathic Medicine: Tonya G. Massey, Robert A. Petrarca, Mathew J. Wood

6 Nurse Practitioner Awards 60,000 ($10,000 each)

Mountain State University: Robyn T. Adkins, Marnie E. Moose,

West Virginia University: Kendra L. Barker, Kimberly P. Hill, Lavetta B. Hutchinson, Robin A. Sanger

2 Physical Therapist Awards 20,000 ($10,000 each)

West Virginia University: Anne A. McCune, Melissa D. Vance

TOTAL AWARDS $240,000

The committee voted to review 5 applications in March if funds are available: 3 medical students, 1 nurse practitioner student and 1 physician assistant student. The nurse practitioner student graduated in December 2005, so was disqualified for a 2005 award.