MCAT biometric data will help
schools identify students
In late June, the AAMC will launch the
Biometric Identity Verification Service, which will use fingerprints
and photographs taken at MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) testing
sites to help medical schools confirm an applicant's identity at
the point of interview as well as once they are accepted. The service
will allow admissions officers and registrars to verify that the
same individual who took the exam is also the interviewing applicant
and the one attending orientation and signing up for classes. It
will also help prevent someone from using another person's test
scores to gain entrance into medical school. Ten universities will
use the service during the pilot year, and then the service will
be made available to all schools that want to participate. Each
university will be provided with a fingerprint reader and the accompanying
BIO-key® WEB-key client software, at no charge. Because the MCAT
is also administered outside of the United States, there will be
data available for international applicants from several countries,
as well.
Federal judge says CMS likely
violated Medicaid moratorium
On Wednesday, Federal District Court Judge James Robertson said
he was inclined to rule that the Centers
for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) had violated the 2007
"Medicaid moratorium" preventing enactment of the Medicaid final
rule on cost limits and units of government. Judge Robertson made
his remarks during a summary judgment hearing on the lawsuit filed
March 11 by the AAMC and others challenging CMS's authority to finalize
the rule on the same day President Bush enacted the moratorium.
The judge also indicated he was inclined to rule that the regulation
does not violate federal law; his findings are not official until
he issues a written opinion, expected by May 23.
In addition to challenging the timing of the final CMS rule, the
lawsuit filed by the AAMC, National Association of Public Hospitals,
the American Hospital Association, and Alameda County Medical Center,
asked the court to strike down the rule because of its potentially
devastating impact on public hospitals, many of which are safety
net providers.
AAMC testifies before IOM committee on resident
duty hours
Debra Weinstein, M.D., vice president for graduate medical education
at Partners Health Care Systems, testified
last week on behalf of the AAMC at an Institute of Medicine (IOM)
committee hearing on optimizing resident duty hours. The hearing
was one in a series of hearings to evaluate the current evidence
related to resident schedules and patient safety and to develop
strategies to improve overall safety and healthcare quality. Dr.
Weinstein noted that "health care is delivered in a highly complex
system where any significant change will have ripple effects and
potentially unforeseen consequences; we are only now in a position
to perform new studies to better understand these implications."
FSMB proposes policy requiring
doctors to maintain licensure
The Federation of State
Medical Boards (FSMB) is developing a model policy that will
assist states in requiring physicians to demonstrate their continuing
competence as a condition of re-licensure. Earlier this month, the
FSMB House of Delegates endorsed a recommendation for additional
research into the impact the policy-developed and released in draft
form earlier this year-would have on state medical boards, licensed
physicians and other stakeholder organizations. The draft policy
requires physicians to take part in ongoing self-assessment and
to demonstrate continuing competence in their areas of practice.
Currently, most physicians demonstrate their competence to licensing
boards only once-at their first application to practice medicine.
If maintenance of licensure requirements are implemented by state
medical boards, physicians will periodically be expected to demonstrate
their competence in order to maintain active medical licenses.
VA Research Week begins today
This is "VA
Research Week," an effort by the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA) to celebrate the achievements of VA researchers in
providing high quality care for veterans and advancing medical science.
The effort also aims to educate veterans, the public, and the media
about the research conducted at medical centers, and its impact
on treating and preventing disease and disability. VA Research Week
events will be held at VA medical centers across the country.
On the move
Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., has been named vice president for
health affairs at the University of Connecticut Health Center and
dean of the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, effective
Aug 11. He will also hold the position of Van Dusen Distinguished
Endowed Chair and will be a professor in the department of orthopaedic
surgery. Dr. Laurencin is currently professor and chair of the department
of orthopaedic surgery at the University of Virginia, as well as
orthopaedic surgeon-in-chief at the University of Virginia Health
System.
East Tennessee State University President Paul E. Stanton Jr.,
M.D., will retire on March 1, 2009. Dr. Stanton, who became president
in 1997, plans to continue to serve the university in an emeritus
status.
Sidney A. Ribeau, Ph.D., has been named president of Howard University,
effective Aug. 1. He has served as president of Bowling Green State
University for the past 13 years.
The Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory
Animal Care (AAALAC) International has appointed Christian E. Newcomer,
V.M.D., as its new executive director and chief executive office,
effective June 1. He is currently associate provost for animal research
and resources and associate professor in the department of comparative
medicine at Johns Hopkins University.
