AAMC testifies to Congress on
VA physician recruitment and retention
John A. McDonald, M.D., Ph.D., testified
last week on behalf of the AAMC at a Senate Committee on Veterans
Affairs (VA) hearing, "Making the VA the Workplace of Choice
for Health Care Providers." Dr. McDonald is vice president
for health sciences and dean of the University of Nevada School
of Medicine and a member of the AAMC VA-Deans Liaison Committee.
In his testimony, he stressed the importance of the VA's academic
affiliations, graduate medical education, and research opportunities.
Jennifer L. Strauss, Ph.D., assistant professor in psychiatry and
behavioral sciences for Duke University Medical Center, testified
on behalf of the Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research
(FOVA) coalition and noted the scarcity of adequate VA research
facilities. The AAMC is a member of the FOVA executive committee.
Survey finds Americans uncomfortable
with advance care planning
Dying is still a touchy subject for most people, according to the
national, electronic survey released on the eve of the first National
Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD) on April 16. The survey included
2,300 respondents and concluded that most people are "more
likely to talk with their children about drug use or sex than with
a seriously ill parent about their end-of-life wishes." The
NHDD initiative started in Oct. 2007 with the goal of providing
Americans with the necessary tools and information to begin advance
care planning in order to ensure their final wishes are carried
out. A number of outreach activities and events will be hosted by
participating community organizations on Wednesday to stress how
important it is to make health care planning a priority. The initiative
is headed by an executive committee and is supported by 72 national
organizations, including the AAMC, and 322 state and local organizations.
AAMC supports bill to prevent proposed changes
in Medicaid regulations
On April 2, the AAMC sent a letter
to Congress in support of "Protecting the Medicaid Safety Net
Act of 2008," legislation proposed in the House of Representatives
that would extend a moratorium on drastic changes to Medicaid regulations.
Among the changes proposed last year by the Bush administration,
is the elimination of Medicaid funding for graduate medical education-of
chief concern to the AAMC and its members. The legislation to extend
the moratorium has been passed by a House subcommittee and will
be voted on in the House this week.
2009-2010 MSAR now available
The AAMC's 2009-2010 Medical School
Admissions Requirements (MSAR) guidebook, the primary source
of information on all U.S. and Canadian medical schools, is now
available. In addition to being the most up-to-date resource for
applying to medical school, this edition has information on the
newly accredited school in Puerto Rico, San Juan Bautista School
of Medicine, and the three new schools with preliminary accreditation
(University of Central Florida College of Medicine, Florida International
University College of Medicine, and Paul L. Foster School of Medicine
at El Paso) that will be enrolling their first classes in 2009.
The MSAR is the definitive source for application procedures and
deadlines, selection factors such as MCAT exam and GPA data, medical
school class profiles, costs and financial aid packages, M.D./Ph.D.
and other combined degree programs, and graduates' specialty choices.
Association seeks awards nominations
The AAMC is seeking nominations for major awards
honoring individuals and programs making significant contributions
to the academic medicine community. Awards will be presented at
the association's annual meeting (Oct. 31-Nov. 5) in San Antonio
and include:
The Abraham Flexner Award for Distinguished Service to Medical
Education is the highest honor that academic medicine presents
for sustained contributions to American medical education. The
award is a medal and a cash prize of $10,000. Deadline: May 2.
The Alpha Omega Alpha Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher
Awards recognize the significant contributions to medical education
made by gifted teachers. Each awardee receives $10,000; the awardee's
institution receives $2,500; and the awardee's AOA chapter receives
$1,000. Deadline: May 30.
The Award for Distinguished Research in the Biomedical Sciences
recognizes exceptional research discoveries, and consists of a
crystal award and $5,000. Deadline: May 2.
The David E. Rogers Award is granted to a medical school faculty
member who has made major contributions to improving the health
and health care of the American people. The recipient receives
a $10,000 award and a crystal presentation piece. Deadline: May
2.
The Herbert W. Nickens Award is granted annually to an individual
who has made outstanding contributions to promoting justice in
medical education and health care. The recipient receives a $10,000
award and a crystal presentation piece. Deadline: May 2.
The Spencer Foreman Award for Outstanding Community Service
recognizes longstanding, major institutional commitment to addressing
community needs. The winner receives an engraved crystal presentation
piece. Deadline: May 2.
Information: AAMC Office of the President at 202.828.0472
NCRR offers strategic plan for public comment
The National Institutes of Health's National Center for Research
Resources (NCRR) is seeking public comment on its draft
strategic plan for 2009-2013. The NCRR supports major programs
for development of shared infrastructure and vital national resources,
including primate and other animal facilities, instrumentation and
biotechnology centers, research at minority institutions, regional
centers of excellence, and clinical research resources, including
the Clinical and Translational Science Awards. The NCRR also plans
to develop an implementation progress report in the coming weeks.
Public comments are due April 23.
MedPAC recommends primary care
payment raise, medical home pilot
Last week, the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recommended
an increase in Medicare payments for primary care practitioners
and the implementation of a pilot program to establish "medical
homes" for patients. (The AAMC has recently adopted a position
on the medical home model of care: http://www.aamc.org/newsroom/pressrel/2008/080325.htm.)
The commission also approved a series of recommendations to move
toward bundling Medicare payments for physician and hospital services.
The recommendations and comments will appear in MedPAC's annual
report to Congress in June. MedPAC is an independent agency that
advises Congress on issues affecting the Medicare program.
IRS releases draft instructions for Form
990
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is seeking public comment on
the draft
Form 990 tax return instructions, including draft instructions
and worksheets for the Schedule H form used by hospitals to report
charity care and other community benefits. Comments are due June
1.
On the move
James E. Brick, M.D., has been appointed interim dean of the West
Virginia University School of Medicine. He is currently chair of
the school's department of medicine. Dr. Brink will replace John
E. Prescott, M.D., who has stepped down to pursue academic activities
in the WVU department of emergency medicine, including health policy
research, teaching, and clinical duties.
John P. Fogarty, M.D., has been named dean of the Florida State
University College of Medicine, effective Aug. 8. He is currently
senior associate dean for operations and associate dean for primary
care at the University of Vermont College of Medicine.
Dawn Gideon has been appointed president and chief executive officer
of the Western Pennsylvania Hospital and its Forbes Campus in Monroeville,
part of the West Penn Allegheny Health System. She is currently
managing director and interim management group practice leader for
the Huron Consulting Group. Her appointment is effective May 5.
