Georgia HOSA Foundation &
Georgia Healthcare Science Education Foundation
Executive Director
Whitney Mixon
HOSA Foundation
Executive Director
Matt Johnson
Georgia Department of Education
Healthcare, Public Safety, and Personal Care Services
Phyllis Johnson
Program Specialist
Published by
TGC Publishing LLC
1154 Lower Birmingham Road
Canton, Georgia 30115
Tel. 770.521.8877
Bo Ingram
Vice President ~ Sales/ Marketing
e-mail: boingram@comcast.net
Pamela S. Petersen-Frey
Director of Art and Design
e-mail: pfrey@a4inc.com
2
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
Letter from the Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
Welcome from Georgia HOSA & Allen Seigler, Executive Director . . . . . . . . .4
Message from the GA Dept. of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
e GAHSTEF Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
What the Heck is an AHEC? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
anks to Our Boards of Directors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Special anks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Why Choose a Career in Healthcare? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Bioscience Careers in Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
Dr. Daryl Crenshaw ~ Nephrology Consultants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
Dr. Leonard Reeves ~ From Radio to the Classroom to Medical School . . . . .11
More Residency Slots Needed to Curb Worsening Physician Shortages . . . . . .12
Georgia Work Ready Healthcare Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Hughston Rehabilitation Clinic ~ Elizabeth Chambliss Bridges . . . . . . . . . . .14
HIT a Homerun for Your Future! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
HOSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
Mission Guatemala 2010 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
HOSA Applauds Heroic Efforts of Former Member Daniel Hernandez . . . . .21
Our Time in Guatemala . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
Healthcare Science Industry Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
Ophthalmic Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27
New Ophthalmic Technology Program at Emory University . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
Mid-Georgia Ambulance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
Family Business ~Dr. Hugh Chancy and Patrick Chancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
e Hidden Profession Quest Diagnostics INC. ~ Dr. Tom Burgess . . . . . . . .32
Rockdale Career Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
Young Worker Safety & Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34
Stephen Hunt - Orthotics and Prosthetics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35
Medical Reserve Corp Portable Hospital Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
Surge Capacity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Momentum-Physical erapy & Sports Enhancement ~Lance Kelly . . . . . . .38
Helmet Safety Program Is Off To a Great Start . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
TABL E O F CO NTENTS
Georgia Healthcare Science
Education Foundation
3
Letter from HOSA Foundation Director
Message from the GA Dept. of Education
Health Occupation Students of America
By the year 2014, health services will account for one in every twelve jobs in Georgia. It is projected to increase by almost 100,000
jobs, placing its employment levels at more than 420,000 jobs by 2014. Georgia Workforce Trends, an Analysis of Long-term Employment
Projections to 2014 Georgia Dept. of Labor Published by Workforce Information & Analysis Division
e Georgia HOSA Foundation, a
501(c)(3) organization was designed as a
supporting organization for Georgia
HOSA. e mission of the Georgia HOSA
Foundation is “to support the activities and
goals of Georgia HOSA students and advisors through business and industry partnerships in order to provide a pipeline of
professional healthcare workers for tomorrow.” Comprised of qualified individuals
from different areas of the healthcare and
educational communities, the Georgia
HOSA Foundation is continually working
to raise awareness across the state for Georgia HOSA and its members. We hope
being a part of producing this magazine will
contribute to that goal. e Foundation
does not only seek financial support for activities of Georgia HOSA teachers/advisors,
and students, but also helps with connecting these programs to partners that might
provide internship opportunities, shadowing, guest speakers, field trips, community
service, and professional development for
teachers. is interaction between the
healthcare professional and the student is an
opportunity that brings real life into their
educational experience.
The Georgia HOSA Foundation
would like to give a special thanks to the
members of our board of directors. We are
grateful for these individuals continued
commitment and contribution to Georgia
HOSA. It is their hard work and dedication that helps HOSA become the best organization possible.
For more information: Call the Georgia HOSA Foundation at (706) 366-0398
matt.johnson@georgiahosa.org or Georgia
HOSA at 866-914-5378
allen.seigler@georgiahosa.org
Sincerely Matt Johnson,
HOSA Foundation Director v
Matt
Johnson
Welcome from Georgia HOSA
Executive Director
roughout the last ten years I have participated in HOSA on a variety of levels, from
being a local chapter member to holding a
state officer and it has always been my
honor to serve. I am more blessed than
ever to currently serve as the Georgia
HOSA Executive Director. I can honestly
say that my dream job was to work for
HOSA…I am truly living my dream.
I have noticed through the years that
HOSA members are unique in that being a
HOSA member carries its responsibilities
as well as privileges. It is our vital obligation to uphold the practices and traditions
that have identified HOSA as a leading career and technical student organization.
Our professionalism, courtesy, and diligence to quality healthcare and service are
4
distinctive characteristics that position
HOSA members to excel as they prepare
for their post secondary education and/or
the workforce.
As members of HOSA we have to maintain
the professionalism required of the healthcare community. HOSA members strive to
duplicate the professional healthcare
worker in dress, image, and skills. e official HOSA uniform, our professional attentiveness to detail, and our high expectations
in leadership skills each exemplify these
characteristics. e positive impact that
our professionalism creates makes all of our
efforts worthwhile. Courtesy also plays an
important role in HOSA. As we enter the
healthcare field we are dedicating our lives
to the service of others. We are in fact, ser-
vants to the needs of our communities and
the people that make up our
communities.v
We hope you will find “Your Future” in
healthcare magazine to be a publication
that will help address that same question
that has been around for a long time, “what
is it really like” to work in that healthcare
field. We hope that we have given you a
glimpse of some different types of careers
and the different routes people have taken
to get there. When putting this together,
we also wanted to share some great community service activities that are going on
around our state, as well as some fantastic
things healthcare teachers are doing in our
state. We would like to thank the GA
HOSA Foundation, the Georgia Healthcare Science Technology Education Foundation, GA HOSA, and the Healthcare
Science Technology Educators Association
(HSTEA) for their support in the development of this magazine. In addition to the
content of the magazine, we have a number
associations, agencies, educational facilities,
and business and industry who have supported this magazine through their advertising. We appreciate their support as well.
Healthcare Science Technology Education programs are designed to provide students the opportunity to explore careers in
healthcare. is course of study will provide students with a smooth transition into
post-secondary nursing, medical or allied
health education or the ability to acquire an
entry level medical position in the workforce or the military. Students are exposed
to general healthcare knowledge and skills
and are then encouraged to pursue a more
in-depth study in the career area they are
interested in through the appropriate career
pathway. e pathways that are currently
available in the healthcare program of study
that may be offered by schools are: erapeutic Services - Nursing, erapeutic
Medical Services, Emergency Services,
Health Informatics, Diagnostics, Biotechnology, and Physical Medicine. A new
middle school curriculum is now being offered to provide a way for these students to
start learning about healthcare careers at an
even earlier age.
In the program, a strong emphasis is
placed on academic integration into the
curriculum as well as the necessary foundation skills such as problem solving, teamwork, and critical thinking which are
necessary to enter the workforce. Students
in the healthcare science programs have
possible opportunities for work based on
learning experiences, earning dual enrollment credit, and taking national certification exams. Health Occupations Students
of America (HOSA) is offered through
healthcare programs and is a co-curricular
component that compliments the classroom experience.
Employment in the healthcare industry
will provide students with a financially stable
and rewarding career of service to others.
Having a chance to begin this quest while
still in middle or high school is a wonderful
way for student to prepare for their future
and offers healthcare business and industry a
more defined pipeline of students who are
interested in healthcare careers.
We hope you enjoy this glimpse of
healthcare and healthcare science education
in Georgia. For more information, please
contact me at pjohnson@doe.k12.ga.us v
Phyllis Johnson
Program Specialist~Healthcare, Public Safety,
& Personal Care Services
Georgia Dept. of Education www.gadoe.org
Phyllis Johnson
The GAHSTEF Foundation
GA Healthcare Science Technology Education Foundation
GAHSTEF is a foundation that has been
created to provide services for development
and maintenance of a foundation to support
healthcare science technology education and
related programs in Georgia’s high schools
and middle schools. We work in a partnership with the Department of Education to
achieve high standards of education and
training in Georgia’s high school and middle
school healthcare science programs through
a variety of collaborative initiatives between
these organizations. Our mission is to attract competent and skilled workers to the
healthcare industry. As a former healthcare
student, I know the importance of having
readily available resources about scholarships
Allen
Seigler
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
when choosing post-secondary education,
finding sponsorships for healthcare competitions, and having information about what
jobs are available in the healthcare industry.
We will work towards becoming a resource
of valuable information for healthcare students and their teachers. We also plan to
work closely with current healthcare professionals that can provide insight for healthcare students and be possible connections to
their future in healthcare. We are a very new
foundation, but we have a lot of big ideas
and are very excited for our development! v
Sincerely,Whitney Mixon
Executive Director
GAHSTEF
Whitney.gahstef@gmail.com
Whitney Mixon
5
What the Heck is an AHEC?
AHEC, or Area Health Education Centers, are a local, state, and federal collaboration to create vibrant health
professions workforce pipelines in each
state. The Georgia Statewide AHEC
Network is composed of six regional
AHEC centers, collectively serving all 159
Georgia counties, and a Program Office
located at the Medical College of Georgia. The six centers are located in Albany
(SOWEGA AHEC), Atlanta (SPCC-Atlanta AHEC), Columbus (Three Rivers
AHEC), Gainesville (Foothills AHEC),
Rome (Blue Ridge AHEC), and Statesboro
(Magnolia Coastlands AHEC).
e mission of the Georgia Statewide
AHEC Network is to support the recruitment, education, training, and retention of
a diverse health professions workforce
throughout Georgia. is is accomplished
through programming in three key areas:
Recruit: To educate community members
about health career choices and recruit future health professionals.
Train: To facilitate community based clinical training experiences for students and
residents.
Retain: To provide education and resources to assist and support health care
professionals.
AHECs provide extensive services in health
career awareness and recruitment. From
classroom presentations to intensive health
career camps, the AHECs seek to expose
our communities about the many careers
available in health care. We develop classroom and presentation aids including
games, classroom curriculum approved by
the Department of Education, bulletin
board and poster kits, interactive CDs on
health career choices, a health careers manual (hard copy and electronic), video modules on various health professions and work
environments, and much more.
Nearly every health professions
education program requires some
component of community based clinical
training, remote from their academic
institution. AHECs provide resources to
academic partners to locate and assist with
credentialing community based teaching
sites and managing student ‘flow’ into these
sites to prevent overcrowding and confusion. Additionally, AHECs provide both
live and on-demand community based
faculty development / training to assist
these partners in becoming better teachers
in the field. For students, AHECs can assist
with travel and /or provide housing to
support students completing rotations
remote from their home campus.
Recruitment into, and training for, the
emerging health professions workforce is
Thanks to Our Boards of Directors
not effective unless we also succeed in retaining existing health care providers in the
community. us AHEC is committed to
providing regionally focused and easily accessible CE/CME opportunities for those
already in practice. Additionally, we offer
learning resources / knowledge management assistance, and access to over 2000
full text journals for our community based
partners.
AHECs believe that solutions to our
health workforce shortages need to emerge
from within our own communities, and
through community—academic partnerships. “Growing our own” is a common
theme across our programming. Research
indicates that the place where a student was
raised is correlated to where they may eventually choose to practice. is leads us to
focus on identifying youth from rural and
medically underserved communities to
enter the health professions pipeline, and to
offer them training opportunities back in
those communities while they are in
school.
AHECs are the largest and most comprehensive health workforce program in the
state. We evaluate our programs for return
on investment, and are responsive to the
varying regional workforce needs across our
state. AHECs provide great value to those
who use our services—in fact, they provide
Georgia HOSA, our Future Healthcare Professionals
Georgia HOSA is a career technical student organization for students who are interested in pursuing a career in healthcare.
With over 9600 members, GA HOSA is
the fourth largest HOSA organization in
the nation. HOSA members have many
opportunities including: over 55 competitive events, leadership training, officer opportunities, community service,
educational symposiums, and field trips to
medical facilities.
Students join their local chapter at
their school and they can also participate in
state level events such as Fall Leadership
Conference and State Leadership Confer6
ence. Middle school students can participate in Junior HOSA and attend regional
and state events designed for middle school
students. ACCESS HOSA is a new program created by Georgia HOSA to reward
and recognize students for their achievements in HOSA over several years. e
program has six levels which challenge students to reach into all aspects of a future
career in healthcare. JumpStart is a training
program led by Georgia HOSA Region
Representatives and State Officers. It is offered to local officers in the middle school,
secondary, and post-secondary divisions,
and focuses on local chapter development,
management, and engagement. HOSA is
full of opportunities for students who are
interested in healthcare and want to be ‘our
future healthcare professional.’ For more
information, go to:
www.georgiahosa.org v
HOSA Foundation Boad
Matt Johnson: Executive Director
Chairman: Lisa Beerman-Quest Diagnostics,
Tucker, GA
Paul Murphy: C R Bard, Covington, GA
Denise Koregay: AHEC, Augusta, GA
Melinda Shiflet: North Georgia Tech
Shana Lightfoot: Medical Reserve Corp
Bruce Getz: Patterson Medical
Allen Seigler: Georgia HOSA ~ Ex. Director
Charlotte Sims: Georgia HOSA Bd. Chair
Kay Roberts: Crisp County High School
Suzanne Adams: Columbia County Schools
Phyllis Johnson (ex-officio): GA Dept. of ED
Georgia Healthcare Science Technology Education Foundation Board
Whitney Mixon: Executive Director
Supporters (newly forming Board of Directors)
Sharon Norman: Blue Ridge AHEC,
Rome, GA
Allen Seigler: Georgia HOSA, Atlanta, GA
Dr. Daryl Crenshaw: Nephrology Associates,
omasville, GA
Special Thanks
HSTEA (Healthcare Science Technology
Educators Association)
Board of Directors
Phyllis Dumas: President
Rhonda Dunn: President Elect
Libbye Sills: First Vice President
Jama Willbanks: Secretary
Kay Gray:V-Pres,Region I
Cathie NeSmith: V-Pres. Region II
Kathy Williams: V-Pres. Region III
Sharon Pye: Region IV S.E.
Mark Elsey: Treasurer
Pat Rutherford: Publications Committee
Chair
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Phyllis Dumas
& Sharon Pye
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e Georgia Department of Education
CTAE staff and Dr. John Barge
Georgia HOSA and Allen Seigler
National HOSA
e HOSA Board and Charlotte Sims,
President and Sandra Ukah , Past
President
e HOSA Foundation Board and
Matt Johnson
Georgia Healthcare Science
Technology Education Foundation and
Whitney Mixon
HSTEA (Healthcare Science
Technology Education Association)
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
Sharon H. Pye: Budget and Mentoring
Committee Chair
Phyllis Johnson: Program Specialist Georgia
Department of Education
Georgia HOSA Board of Directors
Charlotte Sims: East Jackson Comprehensive
High School-Chairman of the Board
Anne Soriero: Fannin County High SchoolSecretary and Region 1
Debbie Woodward: Colquitt County High
School-Treasurer
Phyllis Hoskins, Mundy’s Mill High SchoolRegion 2 Advisor
Susie Jarrett: Houston County Career and
Technology Center-Region 3 Advisor
Christina Branch: Gainesville High SchoolAt-Large Advisor
Barbara Grave de Peralta: omasville High
School-At Large Advisor
Business and Industry Representatives:
Denise Flook: Georgia Hospital Association
Cheryl Cundy: Atlanta Medical Center
Joanna Kirkwood: Kaiser Permanente
Special anks to everyone who has supported Healthcare Science Technology Education
in Georgia. Support comes in many ways: personal involvement, resources, financial support, and just listening and spreading the word about our programs. Creating partnerships
is something we are working hard to do. anks to all of you who have seen the importance of partnering with us in some way. I wish we could name everyone individually and I
hope that we have not left any group off of our list.
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YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
Hugh Chancy: Chancy Drugs, Hayhira, GA
Ben Robinson: University of Georgia Bd. of
Regents, Health Professions
Diane White: Georgia Perimeter College
Matt Johnson: GA HOSA Foundation,
Atlanta, GA
Belinda Somers: Mid GA Ambulance,
Macon, GA
Phyllis Johnson (ex-officio): GA Dept.
of ED.
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and Phyllis Dumas, President
GACTE – Matthew Gambill and
Cindy Green
AHEC
CTAERN – Cathy Meyers and Skip
Brown
Blue Ridge AHEC – Sharon Norman
GEMA
American Heart Association
American Red Cross
Georgia Medical Care Foundation
Medical Reserve Corp
C R Bard (see box for more
information)
Quest Diagnostics
Healthcare Science State Advisory
Board Members
TIEGA for collaborating with us for
winter conference
Georgia Bio, Dr. Cinda King, Dr. Phil
Gibson, Dr. Jeff Rapp, Amanda
Latimore
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CDC – equipment donated
Georgia Academy of Family Physicians
– Faye Brown
Georgia Athletic Trainers Association
Debbie Bloom and Tim Wilson from
Emory Healthcare
Ray Wampole and the Staff of Athens
Regional Healthcare
Dr. Lisa Beck and TCSG
Barbara Gaither and her staff at
Columbus Technical College
Professional Standards Commission
Georgia Tech Research Institute and
OSHA – Jenny Houlroyd, Michelle
Dunham, and everyone else
Georgia PA Association
Pat Williams – Health IT
Dr. Stacy Williams Shuker – Life
Sciences Innovation Center
Vendors, exhibitors, and those who
contributed articles to this publication
7
Why Choose a Career in Healthcare?
Dorothy Cannon | Forensics Technician |
Georgia Bureau of Investigation
Associate of Applied Technology
Degree in Biotechnology
Why would students want to
consider biotechnology as a
future career?
e laboratory skills and proficiencies in
cutting edge technologies provided by the
biotechnology program have provided job
opportunities for me in many fields. I have
worked in a textile chemistry laboratory, a
veterinary pharmaceutical laboratory, and
now work in the criminal justice field performing DNA extraction, amplification,
and electrophoresis. is degree is general
enough to be applicable to many areas of
science and specific enough to make one
attractive as a technician who would not require extensive training to cover routinely
required skills.
What attracted you to
this field?
I have always loved science and wanted to
work in a laboratory. I am particularly interested and attracted to forensics, which is
defined as “the application of scientific
knowledge to legal problems.” In recent
years, forensic science has gained much
public interest and attention and encouraged many to seek careers in this field, myself included.
If students think they might want
to pursue a career in
biotechnology, what do you
recommend they do to prepare
for their future and their post
secondary educational training?
Students who wish to pursue a career in
biotechnology should really concentrate on
biology, chemistry, and math in high
school. Well laid foundations in these
courses provide the student with the ability
to excel in college coursework and achieve
the highest GPA possible, which could be a
determining factor when comparing applicants for a job.
8
Students always want to know
“what is it really like” to work in
this field? How would you answer
this question?
is is a very exciting and satisfying
field to be a part of. I have often seen stories in the news one day, and worked on
evidence from that same case a day or two
later. What we do as a state crime laboratory is of immense importance to individuals who are the victims of crime and to
society as a whole regarding public safety.
Along with the opportunity to be part of
forensics comes the great responsibility to
perform work of the highest quality because of the impact our work has on individual lives. e media portrayal of a
career in forensics is not completely accurate, but does give a general idea of what
it’s like to work in a crime lab. It is truly
amazing what questions can be answered
by modern technology. A typical day for
me will include obtaining samples from evidence submitted, utilizing different laboratory procedures and instrumentation to
analyze the evidence; working with computer software to program instrument
functions; and providing information by
way of a laboratory information management system. It is not uncommon for the
news media to be on site and for our staff
to be featured on television news programs,
television documentaries, and in newspaper
articles.
Students also want to know what
kind of income they might expect
to make in the different levels of
biotechnology.
Salaries vary greatly based on the employer.
Government positions may pay less but
provide more other benefits such as generous leave and retirement, while private industry usually provides a higher pay with a
wide variety of benefit packages ranging
from very good to very poor. With an associate’s degree, one can reasonably expect
to start out making in the $25,000.00 to
$30,000.00 range and work up to salaries
in the $40,000.00 range and above at the
Bioscience Careers in Georgia
upper end of one’s career. ese are salaries
with government agencies. Private industry can certainly pay more. A bachelor’s
degree would provide a much higher pay
range of approximately entering at
$35,000.00 and making as much as
$75,000.00 and above depending on one’s
ambition to promote to management positions. Again, these are figures for government agencies.
Will there be plenty of jobs
available when today’s students
are ready to enter the workforce
over the next few years?
I believe this is an excellent career choice
for the future. With the event of retirement by millions of the baby boomer generation, I expect many job opportunities to
be available for those trained in biotechnology. Most industries are very high tech
now, and the need for improved technologies will only increase in the future.
What type of student might be
interested in biotechnology
careers?
Student who have a bent for science and
who love to figure out ‘why’ are the perfect
candidates for biotechnology careers.
Biotechnology is also an excellent choice for
computer savvy students as those skills are
critical to the technologies utilized in the
field.
Any recommendations to
teachers to encourage students
to consider this field?
A wise man once said “Do what you love
and you will never work a day in your
life.” That’s how I feel about my job
which was only available to me because of
my degree in biotechnology. There are
many opportunities with this degree for
those who love science to find a position
for which they are particularly suited.
Some degrees are so specific that they are
limiting. Biotechnology has a broad application across the scientific spectrum, and I
encourage teachers to enlighten their stuYOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
Biotechnology is all around us and is already a big part of our lives, providing
breakthrough products and technologies
to combat disease, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, and
make useful products. Even though we
may not recognize it, we see it every day
in our homes and workplaces, and everywhere in between. At its simplest,
biotechnology harnesses cellular and biomolecular processes and puts them to
work for us.
Bioscience companies use these sets of
tools to improve human and animal health,
address threats to the environment, improve crop production, contain disease, and
improve manufacturing technologies.
Georgia’s bioscience industry consists of
over 300 companies that come from a
broad range of sectors, including pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical devices,
agricultural, environmental, and industrial
chemicals. Companies include large firms
such as Merial, Dendreon, Ciba Vision,
Kimberly Clark, and Quintiles, but also
smaller firms such as Immucor, eragenics, and CryoLife. About 16,000 people
work in these firms, and another 15,000
work in colleges and universities in the
state that perform biotechnology research.
A majority of the industry is clustered in
the region reaching from Metro Atlanta to
Athens. Smaller centers exist in Augusta,
Valdosta and are scattered through other regions of the state.
e bioscience industry in Georgia is
growing—both in terms of the number of
employees and the number of establishments. Salaries in the major life science occupations in Georgia pay well in
comparison to other states—medical scientists, microbiologists, plant and soil scientists, chemists, and biological scientists.
Education and training requirements
for positions in the biotechnology industry
vary greatly depending on the type of position, the size of the company, and the industry sector. Research and development
often needs more talent at the the master’s
degree and doctoral levels, but as compaFEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
nies grow, often there is a shift in the types
of workers needed. e education needed
for scientific positions ranges from an Associate’s Degree to a Doctoral degree, with
several technical colleges in the state now
offering curricula to train biotechnology
technicians.
Additionally, there are many other occupations within biotechnology such as:
quality control, quality assurance, information technology, human resources, facilities,
and infrastructure maintenance and manufacturing. While many positions in quality
control and assurance, as well as information technology, human resources, and
manufacturing do require four-year degrees, a significant and growing number of
positions now require two-year degrees or
less.
Students interested in bioscience careers should enjoy science, math, and technology, but also work well in teams and
enjoy problem solving and possess good
communication skills. Workers in this industry rarely work alone, but are part of
teams and must be flexible, cooperative,
and pay close attention to detail. v
9
Dr. Daryl Crenshaw ~ Nephrology Consultants
“Your patients become your family,” says Dr.
Daryl Crenshaw, a Nephrologist and former
HOSA member, who now practices in
omasville, GA. Originally from Selma,
Alabama, Dr. Crenshaw grew up with very
inspirational parents. His mom was a science and PE teacher and inspired him to
enter healthcare. She encouraged him to
read health and science books and helped
him perform science experiments at home.
His dad was very involved in athletics and
encouraged him to stay healthy and to participate in sports. In fifth grade he participated in Olympics of the Mind, which is
similar to Odyssey of the Mind today. He
won regional, state and placed sixth in the
nation. He says he remembers enjoying that
experience of being around other kids who
enjoyed being challenged too.
Dr. Crenshaw attended Frances Marion
HS in Marion Alabama, and that is when
he got involved in HOSA. Since he had always thought he wanted to enter healthcare,
HOSA was the obvious group to become
involved with. Being a part of HOSA really
made him realize he was making the right
career choice for himself. He credits his
HOSA advisor, Mrs. Huey for helping get
him excited about the medical field. He
said she was very instrumental in getting
him more involved in HOSA activities. She
encouraged him to participate in the CPR
competition during his first year, and he
and his team mate took first place. He said
his teacher was an “out of the box thinker,”
and even though the school was a small,
rural school, she managed to take her students to places like University of Alabama
where they could see things and learn things
outside of the classroom. He also served as
the HOSA President and learned leadership
skills he has used throughout his life.
Dr. Crenshaw attended Xavier University in New Orleans where he entered as a
pre-med student. He went on to major in
chemistry, and became involved in a chemistry honor society. He also managed to
become a four year letterman in basketball
and learned how to balance study time with
his team practices. He thinks playing
10
Dr. Daryl Crenshaw
sports taught him discipline and teamwork.
He says those skills not only benefited him
while in college, but also even now in his
own practice. He graduated with honors
from college and went to medical school at
Tulane, also in New Orleans. He realized
that medical school was a lot of information to learn and master, and he had to be
able to process it in a short period of time.
Xavier trained him well, and he received excellent experience there. He said there was a
lot of illness, disease, and crime in New Orleans which gave him the opportunity to
work with a variety of patients. He specifically remembers one night at Charity Hospital when a diabetic patient came in with a
gangrenous toe. He was a medical student
at the time, and was allowed to do the surgery which was an amputation. He says he
will never forget that, because it made him
very aware of how serious untreated diabetes can be. He saw lots of diabetic patients during his training an continues to
do so in his practice today.
After medical school he decided to
pursue a career in internal medicine. He
then went to University of Alabama in
Montgomery for training. In his last year
there he served as the Chief Resident and
served as an instructor of medicine. He said
he thinks being involved in HOSA and
serving as the HOSA president made him a
better leader in this administrative role
overseeing his fellow students. Dr. Crenshaw then went on to Emory and trained
in nephrology. He served a two year fellowship at Emory Crawford Long and at
Grady. He said his experience at Grady was
a one of a kind trauma learning experience.
He was called in to see a lot of trauma patients whose kidneys were shutting down,
and for a lot of non-compliant patients,
who were not doing their dialysis. He saw
a variety of patients, including people being
flown in from 200 miles away with very severe illness and injuries. While at Emory he
was able to participate in a lot of research.
One of his mentors, Janice Lee, who is one
of the premier hypertension specialists in
the nation, gave him a number of opportunities including presenting at a conference.
All of these experiences led him to his
specialty in nephrology. He ended up practicing in omasville, Georgia, which is
quite different from Atlanta, but he does
see a lot of illness, including a high level of
diabetes, hypertension, and end stage kidney failure. He and the partners in his
practice serve six counties: omas, Grady,
Brooks, Colquitt, Decatur, and Mitchell
County. He travels to see patients in these
locations. Patients and their families are
grateful. He says he never thought he
would go into nephrology, but he loves
what he does.
What it takes to become a physician:
He says becoming a physician results in a
lot of financial challenges and sacrifices. He
says during the four years of medical school
you can’t really work another job since the
school workload is tremendous. When he
thinks about studying for the exams in
medical school it still gives him heart palpitations to this day. en there is an additional three years after medical school
(could be longer) training not to mention if
you do a fellowship (six years following
graduation from medical school) which is
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
at least 11 years total (four college, four
medical school and additional training after
that). e business side is something you
don’t learn about in medical school, but
that is something you have to deal with
when you are out in practice. He tells students “do it because you love it and love patients.” “I would want to do this if I did it
for free,” he says. Dr. Crenshaw shares a
story about a recent patient in Mitchell
County. at day they had seen twenty
four patients, but they had one elderly dia-
betic patient who couldn’t get out of her
house. He said he asked his nurse to pack a
bag of supplies and he went to her house
(seventeen miles in rural area). She was so
grateful that he would come to her house to
check on her. e sacrifice to travel out of
his way was worth it. You do it because you
love to do it. He would like to tell students:
“don’t go into it for the money because you
won’t love it. If your passion is taking care
of patients, then do it, but don’t let your
main reason be the money.”
Dr. Crenshaw is also loved by his staff.
ey shared that he will call the hospital in
the middle of the night to check on his patients just because he worries about them.
His nurse has been with him since he started
in practice, and they both share a mutual respect and admiration for each other. Dr.
Crenshaw credits his mentors, his teachers,
and his parents for his success, but it is obvious that his drive, work ethic, and true love
for caring for his patients play a huge part in
what makes him a wonderful physician.v
Dr. Leonard Reeves ~ From Radio,
to the Classroom, to Medical School
Dr. Leonard Reeves
Many people have trouble deciding on
which career they want to go into after
high school, and for Dr. Leonard Reeves
this was a dilemma he had to face.
Dr.Reeves who is currently the Chairman
of the Board for the Georgia Academy of
Family Physicians, became a physician after
a career in teaching and broadcasting. Not
the usual path you generally expect for a
physician, but an interesting way to get
where he is today. Dr. Reeves graduated
from Model High School in Rome, Georgia, and after high school he went to Jacksonville State University in Alabama where
he decided to major in music. He said he
soon realized that was not what he needed
to do with his life, so he came back home
to try and make some career decisions. He
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
started working in radio and dropped out
of college. He even became a member of
the Board of Directors for the Georgia Association for Newscasters. He ended up
working in broadcasting for seven years,
but also managed to go on to Berry College
where he studied finance and middle grades
math and science.
He moved to Jasper, Georgia, where he
taught eighth grade math and science. He
also worked part time at Pickens Tech, but
he began to realize that this was still not
what he was meant to do. He says he had
actually thought about going to medical
school while he was in high school, so he
began talking to Dr. Carl McCurdy, a physician in Jasper, for guidance. Dr. McCurdy
and another local physician let him shadow
them so he could get the feel for the job, and
he says he fell in love with family medicine.
He said those mentors helped him see that
this was the right career for him. He learned
about a program begin offered by Mercer
Medical School for non-traditional students
to train to become Primary Care Physicians
( in his case entering medical school later in
life after other careers ). He continued to
work at the technical school at night while
he attended classes during the day for two
years. He took the MCAT (medical school
admission test) and applied for early admission to medical school. He got in on his
first try and was
on the road to becoming a physician.
After serving a three
year residency, he settled
in a private practice back in
Rome, Georgia, and later
joined the Residency Program
where he uses his teaching and
medical skills to teach doctors.
Dr. Reeves still has a connection to his
career in broadcasting with a monthly radio
show on WRGA radio out of Rome, Georgia. His show focuses on medical topics,
and he takes questions and answers from listeners. Dr. Reeves is a strong advocate of
preventative medicine and the need for more
physicians to go into primary care and family medicine. He said, “prevention is better
than treatment.” He said, “if we focus on
primary care and preventive medicine we
will have healthier populations and a
healthier workforce.” Dr. Reeves currently
serves as Assistant Dean for the northwest
Georgia campus of the Medical College of
the Georgia Health Sciences University.
He hopes that some of the new
healthcare reform will address these issues
and that students will take a long look at
primary care and family medicine as a
great career to enter. v
11
More Residency Slots Needed to Curb Worsening
Physician Shortages
By AAMC Center for Workforce Studies | News Staff | 10/20/2010
The Association of American Medical
Colleges, or AAMC, has released workforce projections that reveal physician
shortages will be even worse in the new
health care reform environment than previously anticipated.
Prior to the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, “the
United States already was struggling with a
critical physician shortage, and the problem
will only be exacerbated as 32 million
Americans acquire health care coverage and
an additional 36 million people enter
Medicare” in the next decade, said the
AAMC press release. (Sept. 30, 2010)
e updated findings from the
AAMC Center for Workforce Studies include the following:
• Between now and 2015, the year after
all new health care reform provisions
take effect, the shortage of physicians
across all specialties will more than
quadruple, from 13,700 to 62,900.
e shortage in 2015 is more than 58
percent greater than estimates before
the passage of health care reform.
•
•
•
In the next decade, there will be a
shortage of more than 45,000 primary
care physicians and a shortage of more
than 46,000 surgeons and other medical specialists—a total shortage of
more than 91,000 physicians.
In the next decade, the number of
Americans older than age 65 is expected to increase by 36 percent. During the same period, nearly one-third
of all physicians are expected to retire.
Although the physician shortages will
affect every segment of the U.S. popu-
lation, the most severe impact will be
on the 20 percent of Americans who
live in rural or inner-city locations designated as health professional shortage
areas.
•
Finally, although the number of medical students will continue to increase—by as many as 7,000
additional medical school graduates
each year during the next decade—unless Congress acts now to increase the
number of residency training slots,
“access to health care will be out of
reach for many Americans.”
American Academy of Family Physicians
www.aafp.org/online/en/home/publications/news/news-now/professional-issues/201020aamcwrkfrcupdt.html v
Georgia Work Ready Assessment Healthcare
e Governor’s Office of Workforce Development (GOWD) has launched the
Work Ready assessment—healthcare version to give Georgians seeking to enter
the healthcare profession a way to quantify their real life skills and help employers make sound hiring decisions.
is new contextual version of the
Georgia Work Ready assessment is offered at Georgia’s technical colleges and
three participating Board of Regents
schools. Like the regular Work Ready assessment, it is powered by ACT’s
WorkKeys® system and is comprised of
three key sections—applied mathematics,
locating information, and reading for information. Individuals taking the computer-based assessment may also opt to
take the work habits assessment to highlight their soft skills.
12
Questions on the healthcare assessment have been developed in the context
of careers in the healthcare industry. Any
Georgian can take the healthcare assessment at no cost; those seeking employment in the following environments may
find this option beneficial in highlighting
their specific skills: hospitals, eldercare facilities, rehabilitative facilities, physicians’
offices, and medical laboratories
As with the regular Georgia Work
Ready assessment, Work Ready Certificates are issued based on the lowest level
earned, and individuals may earn a
bronze, silver, gold, or platinum Work
Ready Certificate. Work Ready Certificates are mailed directly to the address the
jobseeker has specified during the registration process and are completely paid
for by the state of Georgia.
Individuals who have taken the
healthcare assessment and are interested
in improving their scores in one or more
areas are also eligible for free online skills
gap training. ey should contact their
local technical college for a password.
For more information on the Georgia Work Ready assessment—healthcare
version, or any other service of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development,
you may contact (404) 463-3654. v
Georgia Work Ready Healthcare Assessment
Fact Sheet for Job Seekers
Overview
e healthcare industry is one of the
fastest-growing in the country and demand
is great for skilled employees. To land one
of these challenging jobs, it is essential that
potential employees demonstrate strong
core work readiness skills and an ability to
successfully train to take on new job tasks.
Georgia Work Ready is addressing this
need through its Healthcare Assessment.
is specialized version of the Work Ready
assessment focuses on data-driven decisionmaking tools that determine whether a job
seeker has the necessary foundational reading, mathematics, and thinking skills critical to successfully perform on the job.
consider essential to success on the job.
Having a specific healthcare-skills credential that is locally and nationally recognized
facilitates job placement, retention, and advancement. e assessment and certification process provides Georgians with an
objective view of their talents and areas that
need to be improved in order to maximize
their chances of having a successful healthcare career. Other advantages include:
• Building confidence that personal skills
meet the needs of local employers
•
Ranking above other job applicants
who have not demonstrated needed
skills
Work Ready Healthcare Assessment
Like the traditional Work Ready assessment, the Work Ready Healthcare Assessment focuses on skill levels in the core areas
of applied mathematics, locating information, and reading for information. However, the Healthcare Assessment uses
language specific to the healthcare industry
and targets those who will enter more indepth training for careers in hospitals, doctors’ offices, medical laboratories or other
research facilities. is added advantage
helps nurses, nurses’ aides, transcriptionists,
technicians, and any other medical personnel stand out among their peers.
e Healthcare Assessment does not
replace any existing licensing exams and
does not validate specific healthcare occupational skill levels. It does validate an individual’s ability to be trained for a specific
job. For non-licensed professions, it can
also help employers ensure they put the
right person in the right job by matching
Work Ready Certificates to job profiles.
e assessment is administered through the
state’s network of technical colleges and is
available online at any Work Ready center,
which allows job seekers to also take the
work habits assessment and get instant
scores, or in pencil-and-paper format.
•
Developing a better understanding of employers’ requirements
for job performance
•
Determining skill improvements
and training opportunities
•
Realizing opportunities for career
advancement and promotions
•
Demonstrating on a
resume an understanding of the
skills employers need
Benefits of Work Ready Healthcare
Assessment
Work Ready measures skills that employers
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
About Work Ready
Georgia’s Work Ready initiative is based
upon a skills assessment and certification
for job seekers and a job profiling system
for businesses. By identifying both the
needs of business and the available skills of
Georgia’s workforce, the state can more effectively generate the right talent for the
right jobs. To learn more about Georgia
Work Ready, visit www.gaworkready.org. v
Individuals
who take
the assessment online can also
take the work
habits assessment, which
measures workrelated habits and
behaviors that are trainable and coachable, such
as carefulness, cooperation, discipline, and
drive. ose taking the
online assessment can
also get instant results.
13
Hughston Rehabilitation Clinic ~
Elizabeth Chambliss Bridges
HIT a Homerun for Your Future!
(Health Information Technology)
By Whitney Mixon
Y
ou have finally chosen the
medical field that you wish
to venture into. Whether you
desire to be an athletic trainer, a
registered nurse, a dermatologist,
or an emergency room doctor, at
last you feel you have discovered your
calling. You are finishing up all of your
health occupations classes, you have almost mastered biology (you hope), and
now is the time to research and choose the
educational pathway that you feel will benefit you most in achieving the medical job
of your dreams. Or, maybe you have no
idea where it is you fit in the medical field
and you are hoping that through future internships, jobs, or interesting, higher level,
educational classes you will uncover the
medical career you are most passionate for.
Whatever your story may be, it is important to realize that there are many different
educational pathways that will be beneficial
in helping you reach your career goals. Discovering early in the process which method
of learning you most thrive from will be
one of the best deciding factors in choosing
the educational pathway for you.
Elizabeth Chambliss Bridges, of
Cataula, Georgia, has been a registered
nurse working in the Hughston Rehabilitation Clinic for three and a half years. While
Elizabeth considers working in rehabilitation her ‘dream job,’ it is the pathway she
took to make it where she is that I feel to
be most beneficial to a high school, healthcare, student who is seeking a future in the
medical field.
In high school Elizabeth got involved
in health occupation classes to fulfill her
elective credits. She immediately took a
great interest in the classes and joined a career technical student organization, where
she competed in the community service
project that was headed by her health occupations teacher, Phyllis Johnson. While
Elizabeth said she always had a strong desire to be a teacher, it was Mrs. Johnson
who recognized her talent and dedication
14
to her healthcare classes, encouraged her to
stay dedicated to her health classes, and
continuously told her, “I will make a nurse
out of you.” Elizabeth was accepted to the
CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) program later in high school, graduated high
school in May 2001, and by June 2001 was
CNA certified.
It was now time for post-secondary education, and Elizabeth was a little torn between the desire she always had to teach,
and her new found passion for the medical
field. In August of 2001, she began working
at Hughston Clinic as a nursing assistant.
At the same time, she enrolled at Columbus
State University to study mathematics and
English—the two subjects she was interested in teaching one day. She “fell in love
with Hughston while working there,” and
quickly changed her major to nursing.
Elizabeth was accepted into the nursing program at CSU (Columbus State University), a great accomplishment and
something she was very excited about.
Something Elizabeth was also excited about
was the engagement to her finance and her
desire to start a family after marriage. Elizabeth was married in December of 2004,
and was about to begin her last semester of
nursing school when she realized some
changes needed to be made. Elizabeth was a
Dean’s List student at the four year university, but was having a difficult time with
one class. inking back to high school,
Elizabeth realized she missed having the
hands-on learning that she received in her
health occupations classes. While she felt
advanced in all of her medical terminology
classes, because of her high school terminology classes, she still felt she needed more
hands on learning. She researched her options for transferring to another college or
university. e bachelors degree she had
been working on used the study of theory
for a majority of its classes. After discovering she could receive her associate’s degree
right around the corner at Columbus Technical College, she decided to give it a try. “I
as an individual learn better hands-on—
kinesthetic learning.” e associates program at Columbus Tech would offer just
that type of education.
Elizabeth was accepted into the nursing program at Columbus Tech in July
2005. She received much more lab time,
and claimed, “for me, that was most beneficial.” She graduated in December 2006
with an Associates Degree in Nursing. e
following summer, Elizabeth started school
at Troy State in Phenix City, Alabama to
finish up her bachelors degree. She graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Nursing in
May 2008. Elizabeth felt finishing her
bachelors degree was important because it
gives you a step up in your job versus having years of experience. Now she is working
towards those years of experience, and that
is something she is very excited about.
Elizabeth currently works at Hughston
Rehabilitation Clinic as a registered nurse.
When asked why she considered this her
‘dream job,’ she replied, “I’m helping give
back quality of life to people after trauma.”
“I also love my job because I see friends, I
see my husband, and my son.” Her encouragement to students striving to be in the
health field is, “find something you are interested in getting certified in, for example
Patient Care Tech, or Pharmaceuticals, or
EMS, and work in the field as you do your
pre-rec. Nothing is better than hands-on
experience. Don’t be afraid to look at all
your options when it comes to the best educational pathway towards your desired career. ere is always something new or
interesting to learn. When you think you’ve
seen it all, something will surprise you.”
Elizabeth is now happily married, raising a family of her own, and even planning
to finish her Masters in Nursing. Once she
receives her masters she will be able to fulfill her dream of teaching in the classroom,
but instead of teaching math or English,
she would love to teach healthcare! v
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
If you are interested in a career in
the medical industry but the sight of
blood makes you queasy, then the
growing field of Healthcare
Information Technology, also known
as Health IT or HIT, may be for you.
According to the U.S. Department
of Labor:
• Employment is expected to grow much
faster than the average.
•
Job prospects should be very good,
particularly for technicians with strong
computer software skills.
•
Entrants usually have an associate
degree.
is is one of the few health-related occupations in which there is no direct handson patient care.
Georgia~the Nation’s Health IT
Capital
Georgia is the nation’s Health IT capital,
with revenues totaling more than $4 billion, the highest cumulative revenues of any
state in the nation. ere are more than
135 healthcare IT companies in Georgia,
and that number continues to grow.
ree leading Georgia organizations –
the Georgia Department of Economic Development, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and
Technology Association of Georgia—are
working closely to-
gether to help the industry continue to
grow. eir annual HIT Summit offers information on advances in the field as well as
career opportunities. More than 500 people
attended the 2010 conference!
A Career in HIT
ere are numerous opportunities for rewarding and well-paid careers in medical
technology, ranging from working in physician offices managing patient data, to employment with huge firms that create
software systems that run hospitals.
Medical records and health information technicians work in pleasant and comfortable offices and usually have a typical
40-hour week. In health facilities that are
open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, technicians may work day, evening, and night
shifts.
According to the Department of
Labor, the median annual wage of medical
records and health information technicians
was $30,610 in May 2008. e middle 50
percent earned between $24,290 and
$39,490. e lowest ten percent earned less
than $20,440, and the highest ten percent
earned more than $50,060. Salaries are substantially higher for managers, health information administrators, and health
informatics specialists.
Georgia offers certificate, two-year, and
four-year degree programs for students interested in a Health IT
career.
The Move to Electronic Records
Increasingly, physicians are relying on
electronic information to deliver better treatments to patients. In the
past, patient data was recorded on
paper and kept in files in the
physician’s office. Not only was
it hard to find information, but
the information couldn’t be easily shared with other physicians.
Gradually that model has
changed, with more and more doctors adopting electronic health
records (EHR).
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
Entering, managing, and mining this
data is certain to increase and become more
important. Health IT professionals use
EHR software to maintain data on patient
safety, patterns of disease, and disease treatment and outcome. Technicians also may
assist with improving EHR software usability and may contribute to the development
and maintenance of health information
networks.
Types of HIT Jobs
Health information technology and management professionals generally fall into
four categories:
Medical Coders (CCA, CCS) are the data
entry experts.
Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT) compile, maintain, and
analyze health data.
Registered Health Information Administrators (RHIA) manage and supervise everyday operations and make
decisions based on health data.
Health Informatics Specialists develop
and enhance the tools involved in health
data collection and analysis.
Medical Coders
Some medical records and health information technicians specialize in coding patients' medical information for
reimbursement purposes and are called
medical coders or coding specialists. Medical coders assign a code to each diagnosis
and procedure by using classification systems software.
Medical records and health information technicians also may specialize in cancer registry. Cancer (or tumor) registrars
maintain facility, regional, and national
databases of cancer patients. is information is used to calculate survivor rates and
success rates of various types of treatment,
to locate geographic areas with high incidences of certain cancers, and to identify
potential participants for clinical drug tri-
15
als.
e American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) offers coding credentials. e Board of Medical Specialty
Coding (BMSC) and Professional Association of Health care Coding Specialists
(PAHCS) both offer credentialing in specialty coding. e National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) offers a
credential as a Certified Tumor Registrar
(CTR). To learn more about the credentials available and their specific requirements, contact the credentialing
organization.
Health information technicians and
coders should possess good oral and written
communication skills as they often serve as
liaisons between healthcare facilities, insurance companies, and other establishments.
Job candidates who are proficient with
computer software and technology will be
appealing to employers as healthcare facilities continue to adopt EHRs.
Registered Health
Information Technicians
Medical records and health information
technicians assemble patients' health information including medical history, symptoms, examination results, diagnostic tests,
treatment methods, and all other healthcare
provider services. Technicians organize and
manage health information data by ensuring its quality, accuracy, accessibility, and
security. ey regularly communicate with
physicians and other healthcare professionals to clarify diagnoses or to obtain additional information.
Medical records and health information technicians' duties vary with the size of
the facility where they work. Technicians
can specialize in many aspects of health information.
Entry-level medical records and health
information technicians usually have an associate degree. Many employers favor technicians who have a Registered Health
Information Technicians (RHIT) credential.
Typical coursework in health information technology includes medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, health data
requirements and standards, clinical classification and coding systems, data analysis,
healthcare reimbursement methods, database security and management, and quality
improvement methods. Applicants can improve their chances of admission into a
postsecondary program by taking biology,
math, chemistry, health, and computer science courses in high school.
Most employers prefer to hire credentialed medical record and health information technicians. A number of
organizations offer credentials typically
based on passing a credentialing exam.
Most credentialing programs require regular recertification and continuing education to maintain the credential.
e American Health Information
Management Association (AHIMA) offers
credentialing as a Registered Health Information Technicians (RHIT). To obtain the
RHIT credential, an individual must graduate from a 2-year associate degree program
accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM)
and pass an AHIMA-administered written
examination.
In 2008, there were more than 200
Meet Your HOSA State Officers
Maria Van Allen
President-Elect
Harris County High
School
What is the best thing about
being a region/state officer?
Easily the best part is getting to have all of
these phenomenal experiences with people
that are just as dedicated and driven as you
are. Your fellow teammates become some of
your best friends in a short time.
What are your plans after high
school? Is healthcare in your future?
I plan to go to the University of Georgia to
major in Biology/Pre-Medicine. From there
I hope to go to Emory or Johns Hopkins to
become a Pediatric Oncologist and begin
cancer research.
What is one piece of advice you
would give someone who wants to
get more involved in HOSA?
DO IT! Don’t think twice about it or doing
it alone; the experiences are completely
worth it. e benefits, skills, and memories
that you can gain are worth every bit of effort and thought you put into it.
16
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
Abria Allen
Parliamentarian
Lovejoy High School
Armin Behroozi
Postsecondary Vice
President
South Cobb High
School
What are your plans after high
school? Is healthcare in your
future?
Yes, healthcare is in my future. I plan on either going into general pediatrics or pediatric sports medicine.
What is the best thing about
being a region/state officer?
Share something about your local
HOSA chapter.
e best thing about being a state officer is
the knowledge that I can have a positive influence on others with the power of my
voice and ambition.
Ex. An event or community service
activity that was sponsored by the
chapter; attendance at FLC; competitive
events participation etc.
Lovejoy HOSA partners up with our local
Little Caesar’s pizza joint to fundraise in
order to help students attend Georgia
HOSA leadership conferences. We also collect items such as toothpaste, toothbrushes,
and soap to donate to the less fortunate.
Share something about your local
HOSA chapter.
A memorable event was a 9/11 basket
fundraiser in which we gathered the money
to give every major police and fire station in
our area a basket of appreciation.
How do you think your current
involvement with HOSA will
impact you later in life?
I think HOSA is the foundation for success
in my life. It has already opened so many
doors and opportunities that I may have
never had the chance to experience. HOSA
has helped me feel more comfortable with
health care professionals, allowing me to
create networks and form friendships with
future colleagues.
17
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
Jillian Jarrett
Secretary ~ Houston
County Career &
Technology Center
the future when I am jumping into my career. HOSA has taught me indispensable
skills that will help me succeed in whatever
I do, whether it be communicating with
others, public speaking, or even financial
management.
Sabrina Singh
Reporter
Gainesville High School
Whitney Wilkes
President
Kennesaw State
University
Reginald Hutchins
Secondary Vice
President
Henry W. Grady
High School
As a state officer, you are taught leadership,
management, and speaking skills that truly
impact your perspective on your qualities
and overall presentation. You network with
students across the state of Georgia and
share goals to pursue a future in the health
care field.
e best thing about being a State Officer
would have to be all the skills you can learn
throughout the year. I have learned so
many important skills that will be valuable
to me for the rest of my life.
What are your plans after high
school? Is healthcare in your
future?
I plan to major in Chemistry/Pre-Medicine
and move on to medical school. My dream
is to be an ENT doctor.
What is one piece of advice you
would give someone who wants to
get more involved in HOSA?
Don’t be a half-way member. Jump in head
first and see what HOSA has to offer- not
only its students, but the community as
well! Attend all meetings and help set goals
for your chapter.
How do you think your current
involvement with HOSA will
impact you later in life?
I have no doubt all of the connections I
have made with new people will help me in
18
What is the best thing about
being a region/state officer?
Networking is the best part, because meeting different people in my two terms has
opened so many doors for me now and in
my future.
What is one piece of advice you
would give someone who wants to
get more involved in HOSA?
It is not difficult to become involved! All
you need to do is make the commitment,
be open to different opportunities, and follow through. HOSA is more than healthcare; it is leadership and service, so focus on
how you can benefit others through
HOSA.
Share something about your local
HOSA chapter.
At Henry W. Grady, our HOSA chapter is
beginning a fundraiser to benefit local
teenagers with dialysis. We are very excited
to be starting this local service project!
skill, and leadership development while
your still in high school.
What is one piece of advice you
would give someone who wants to
get more involved in HOSA?
Of all the community service projects we
participated in, my favorite was making
Valentine’s Day cards for the men and
women at the local nursing homes. After
making our cards we had the chance to
hand deliver a card to each resident. Seeing
their faces light up and being invited to
come sit down and talk with them was a
memory I will never forget! v
If someone is considering getting involved
in any CTSO, whether it be HOSA or any
of the others, I would tell them it would be
the smartest decision they could make for
their future. There are no other organizations that can give you the knowledge,
What is the best thing about
being a region/state officer?
What is the best thing about
being a region/state officer?
members of Georgia HOSA. Knowing that
the choices we make and the plans we help
arrange give you a great feeling of responsibility, which is something many students
our age don’t ever experience.
What is the best thing about
being a region/state officer?
e best part about being a State Officer is
getting to see your decisions impact the
Share something about your local
HOSA chapter.
National HOSA STATS as of National Conference June 2010
*2009-2010 HOSA members (12.4% membership increase). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120,404
*2009-2010 Active HOSA State Associations (including DC and PR) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
*2009-2010 Active HOSA Chapters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,222
*2009-2010 National Leadership Conference (NLC) attendance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
-Advisors, Professional, Sate Staff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,007
-Alumni, Family, and Guests . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 720
-Secondary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,369
-Post Secondary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
-Judges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
-Special Guests and others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
TOTAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,933
*2010 NLC Competitive events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
*Number of delegates in competitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,035
2010 (national and state) Scholarship Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $514,850
What are your plans after high
school? Is healthcare in your
future?
After high school, I plan on pursuing a career in the medical field. Although I have
not yet chosen a college, I plan on majoring
in Biology/Pre-Medicine and study on to
become an OB/GYN.
Share something about your local
HOSA chapter.
HOSA Week is most definitely the main
chapter event of the year. This past November, each day was a different event in
which our members participated that promoted HOSA. We had Teacher Appreciation Day, a membership drive, a blood
drive, competition day, and a HOSA social. It is an entire week during which our
entire chapter came together and really
evaluated why we are in HOSA, the benefits, and how we are expanding our horizons as by recruiting others to join in on
the ultimate leadership experience.
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
19
Mission Guatemala 2010
It is Saturday evening May 2010 and I am
watching the news about a tropical storm
swirling over Guatemala, about catastrophic flooding, airport closures, and
volcanic ash from a recent eruption causing havoc throughout Guatemala City and
surrounding areas. I am scheduled to join
11 volunteers (six students and five adults)
at the Atlanta airport the following morning to fly into Guatemala for a medical
mission trip. Facing challenges is what I do
on a regular basis, I am a HOSA advisor.
After a frantic phone call to medical
missionary Bryan Buchannan of Jungle
Medic Mission and receiving his reassurances that despite torrential downpours,
the roads and the airport were still open on
the east coast, “Come on down, Kathy. You
and your team will be fine, and I will be
there to pick you up at the airport.” I was
on my way. is was my second medical
mission trip to Guatemala and my first taking several HOSA students on a trip out of
the country for their very first time. I was
praying for peace and strength to lead this
group on an adventure we would all never
forget. Besides—it is what I do on a regular basis, taking students on trips to conferences both locally and across the country.
Facing challenges is what I do, I am a
HOSA advisor.
So how did I get involved in taking
HOSA students to Guatemala? I have always had a desire to get involved in mission
work. My experience and expertise is in the
medical field as a registered nurse and I
wanted to use my experience to help others
in need. Two years ago in my Introduction
to Healthcare Science class, I was talking
about community service and my desire to
get involved in medical missions. One of
my students raised her hand and excitedly
exclaimed “Ms. Peake, my parents, and I
want to go on a mission trip next spring
and the missionary from Jungle Medic Mission is going to be at my house tomorrow
night! You need to come over and meet him
and go with us over spring break!” e next
thing I knew I was signed up and preparing
for an adventure in community service and
20
medical missions that would change my life
forever.
Jungle Medic Mission is a medical
mission that serves the forgotten people living in the most remote regions of
Guatemala. Teams of volunteers from
medical schools, nursing schools, churches,
and now high school students, fly down for
a seven-to-ten day medical mission experi-
ence with Bryan in the eastern jungle region of Guatemala.
Bryan and his teams are the only
medical personnel that these Mayan villagers will ever see. Most cannot afford
nor have the means to travel into the
larger towns to seek medical attention,
and Bryan provides much needed medical/dental care and treatment for the people in over 100 villages that he serves, but
can only get to once or twice a year.
e teams travel by a gutted out bus
(local areas), four-wheel drive pickup (we
stand up in the caged rear of the truck and
haul a trailer for supplies) to the hard to access villages, and by boat to some of the villages along the Rio Dulce river that have
no roads and can be only accessed by the
river. e team sets up three stations (vitamin, skin care, pharmacy) to serve the people. Upon arrival, the villagers gather and a
number is written on their hand reserving a
place in line and also to help identify them
as they make their way through the different care stations, assuring the right skin
treatment/vitamin/medication is given to
the right person.
We see and treat everything from
runny noses, scabies, fungal infections, tumors to a 12 year old with gonorrhea! It is
great experience for the students to learn
about different medications and treatments.
ey learn and need to know the difference
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
between an antihistamine and a decongestant; ibuprophen and acetaminophen; cortisone and antibiotic ointments and why
and when we give one or the other or both.
ey have the opportunity to see and treat
all sorts of skin infections from yeast, impetigo, burns, and lesions to scabies and
skin cancer. Students also learn about nutrition and why certain conditions require
specialty supplements and not just a multivitamin.
Bryan also has an emergency clinic and
ambulance at his mission. e students can
go out on calls or assist with emergency
treatments when we are not out in the field.
Bryan sees everything from gun shots, machete and car accidents to delivering babies
and heart attacks. One just never knows
what you will get to experience in the clinic.
e education experience is priceless.
Everyone learns real life teamwork skills,
how to share in the work of running a mobile health clinic, sleeping and working together in tight quarters, cold showers , and
staying constantly drenched in sweat from
the heat and humidity. We all learn how
lucky we are in America to have such a
great healthcare system. Flawed as it may
be, our healthcare system is the Ritz Carlton compared to the Roach Motel of the
third world countries.
All work and no play causes burn out,
so Bryan makes sure we have some down
time while on the mission. An afternoon
excursion to a local hot springs waterfall is
a nice diversion and also the only hot
shower we get to experience on the trip.
is year our group took a two-day excursion to visit the Mayan Ruins of Tikal. We
spent the day zip lining through the jungle,
climbing 2000 year old pyramids and pondered over what happened to this once very
powerful group of people.
But the true value is what the students
and all volunteers take away from this adventure—the meaning of service and what
it feels like to make a difference in lives of
all the people you meet. Students learn that
there is no better feeling than to hold and
calm a scared child as they receive a painful
skin treatment or to give medication and
treatment to someone who would otherwise die without your help. ey learn that
a smile is the same in all languages and although divided by cultures and countries,
we are all really quite the same. ey learn
that it takes effort and action to get involved. ey learn why and for certain that
they want to be in the healthcare profession.
I have already scheduled a trip again
for next year. Why do I put myself thought
the stress and extra work of planning and
leading a medical mission trip? Facing challenges to help my students become better
healthcare professionals is what I do on a
daily basis, I am a HOSA advisor.
For more information about Bryan
and his mission please visit www.junglemedicmission.org or Contact Kathy at
Kathy.peake@hallco.org v
HOSA Applauds Heroic Efforts of Former
Member Daniel Hernandez
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2011
/PRNewswire/ ~ HOSA ~ Future Health
Professionals applaud the heroic efforts of
former HOSA member Daniel Hernandez during the tragic shootings in Tucson,
Arizona. His quick and selfless action
saved the life of Congresswoman Giffords
and contributed to immediate attention
to the victims prior to the arrival of emergency medical services.
Daniel was a member of HOSA during his junior year (2006-8) at Sunnyside
High School in Tucson, Arizona where he
was recognized as a national finalist in the
Kaiser Permanente Healthcare Issues
Exam at HOSA’s 2008 National Leadership Conference.
Daniel’s HOSA Health Science instructor Catherine Monroe described him
as, “One of the best and brightest students
I have ever had the pleasure of teaching; he
is extremely self-motivated to learn, and has
a wide range of interests.”
“On behalf of the nearly two million
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
alumni and over 150,000 student members
this year across the United States, we salute
Daniel Hernandez for his heroism, and our
thoughts and prayers go out to the victims
of this senseless tragedy. We plan to recognize Daniel at the 2011 HOSA National
Leadership Conference in Anaheim (California) in June.” - Tonia Moore-Davis –
HOSA Board Chair
“We applaud Daniel Hernandez who
serves as an example of HOSA’s commitment to preparing our nation’s Future
Health Professionals and to equipping
them with the leadership, dedication and
practical emergency preparedness skills
across the nation.” - Dr. Jim Koeninger, Executive Director—HOSA.
“We are proud of the critical leadership and life saving skills Daniel employed.
His heroism is a positive story in an otherwise horrific circumstance.” - George
Sifakis, Washington Office Director ~
HOSA. v
ABOUT HOSA:
HOSA is a Career and Technical Student Organization (CTSO), endorsed
by the U.S. Department of Education,
whose mission is to promote opportunities in health care and enhance the
delivery of quality health care to all
people. Since its beginnings in 1976,
HOSA has served nearly two million
graduates. Today, HOSA serves
150,000 members and 3,500 chapters
in 48 states including Puerto Rico and
the District of Columbia. Key National
HOSA partners include the US Army,
Aspen Institute, KidneyWise, US Public Health Service, US Medical Reserve
Corps, HCA, Kaiser Permanente, and
America's Promise among many others.
For more information, contact
Karen Koeninger 972-874-0062
www.HOSA.org
21
Our Time in Guatemala
Healthcare Science Industry Certification
I
When a program becomes industry certified, it receives a ‘stamp of excellence,’
which represents the apex of program
quality. Only those programs that have
successfully undergone rigorous reviews
by leaders from business and industry are
recognized with this distinction.
e industry certification process for
healthcare programs in Georgia’s high
schools has been available since the 19992000 school year. Sharon Norman and
Blue Ridge AHEC (Area Health Education
Center) have been a part of this effort since
it began. Sharon has seen many changes in
curriculum and program delivery through
the years. She works with the schools and
teachers as they go through Industry Certification to ensure that high level of quality.
Industry and business representatives from
the healthcare field participate in the on site
evaluation of the programs, and always
walk away feeling very impressed with what
our schools and teachers are providing our
‘future healthcare professionals.’
Mamie Hanson is currently the Program Specialist at the Georgia Department
of Education who works with the Industry
Certification process for all CTAE programs. e State Department of Education
is committed to the industry certification
process as a part of its effort to strengthen
technical and academic standards for all
Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education (CTAE) programs.
have known for most of my
life that I wanted to be in the
healthcare field—a field where I
could help people and make a difference in the lives of many people. I
began taking healthcare classes and becoming involved in the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) club at
my high school to help me gain experience
in the field I had chosen. Also throughout
my high school career, I attended summer
camps offered for students interested in
pre-med and even participated in a class
where I was given the opportunity to
shadow the employees of a local clinic.
rough all of the organizations that I was
involved in, I was able to learn valuable
skills and abilities that would help me in
the future while I served my local community. I was able to put all of these skills and
abilities that I had learned to the test,
though, when I signed up to participate in
the Jungle Medic Missions Foundation—
travelling to Guatemala with my high
school healthcare science teacher, my
younger brother, and many great friends to
serve the international community by living and working for a week in the
Guatemalan countryside.
Our goal for the trip was to travel to as
many remote villages as possible to deliver
medical supplies and give basic medical
treatments to the local people who have no
way to obtain these supplies—supplies that
are available at every drug store and gas station here in the United States. Once we arrived at a village, we divided our team up
into stations and set up tables to hand out
medicines and vitamins according to a prescription written as each villager was questioned about any health problems they
might have. Working at the ‘pharmacy station,’ I was able to directly interact with the
local people as I filled prescriptions, explained dosage instructions, and answered
any questions—to the best of my Spanishspeaking abilities! Working in the villages
was by far my favorite part of the trip as it
was such a rewarding experience that I am
sure to remember for the rest of my life.
22
During the days that we weren’t driving down dirt roads and over shaky bridges
to reach villages, we were busy organizing
the pharmacy or preparing for medical
emergencies in the small operating room
that was built on the bottom floor of the
building where we were residing during the
trip. ese simple tasks became daunting in
the hot Guatemalan summer, where the
temperature is high and the humidity percentage higher! Daily thunder storms were
only a slight interruption of this huge task
where we prepared for future teams.
Our time in Guatemala was not completely spent on work, though. For example, after working all morning, one day we
all jumped in the back of a pick-up truck
and drove through the countryside into a
forested area where we went for a swim in a
natural hot spring waterfall. What a fantastic way to relax! We also travelled to Tikal,
one of the largest archaeological sites of the
pre-Columbian Mayan civilization. On this
part of our trip, we learned a lot about the
Mayan culture and Guatemalan history. I
was amazed by the size of the temples and
causeways that were built in this jungle
area. High above the treetops at the top of
the temples we were able to spot small
monkeys and various tropical birds in the
tree tops. We had already seen plenty of the
tree tops though, as we zip-lined high
above the ground with guides in a park not
far away from the Tikal National Park.
My trip to Guatemala was the best
trip that I have ever taken. The hands-on
experience that I gained in the medical
field coupled with the knowledge and appreciation for other cultures has made this
trip an incredible journey that will effect
me for the rest of my life as I pursue a degree at North Georgia College and State
University, majoring in Biology/Pre-Medicine, and possibly working towards a
minor in Spanish—I want to be as prepared as I can be for next year! v
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
is formal process strengthens all program
components, including:
• Classrooms and labs which are
equipped with state-of-the-art
equipment and technology;
•
CTAE and academic performance
standards that are aligned to national
standards;
•
•
In-depth, project-based instruction in
all curriculum areas;
•
Appropriate and varied Career Related
Education (CRE) instruction,
including school-based enterprises and
entrepreneurial ventures;
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
Business, industry, and community
involvement in all aspects of the
program.
Industry certified programs not only offer
outstanding opportunities to students who
receive instruction through such programs,
they also offer positive benefits for schools
as well as employers.
How do students benefit?
• e student is ensured participation in
a program that has been carefully
interfaced with current industry
standards, thus helping to increase
their qualifications toward successful
employment.
•
e curriculum and the delivery
method for that curriculum taught to
students are improved and updated
enabling the student to receive high
quality instruction.
How does the community view a school
where programs have undergone the industry certification process?
• e school is viewed as having
exceptional programs. rough the
industry certification process, schools
are better able to align curriculum with
recognized standards to aid with
providing better career opportunities
for students.
•
•
Career and Technical Student
Organizations (CTSOs) which offer
co-curricular competitive events on the
local, state, and national level and
provide leadership development skills
for personal and professional growth;
and,
business community/employers in the
school’s service area?
•
It represents that they will receive
qualified students who will make
productive employees.
•
It represents that they have had
meaningful involvement in public
education and have contributed to the
development of a highly-skilled, future
workforce for Georgia.
Schools that pursue the industry certification process receive a special grant provided
there is support from the Georgia Legislature. Schools which receive funding are expected to have programs certified by the
end of the fiscal year in which grant funding was received.
Programs are typically certified for a
period of five years. During that time, the
school conducts an annual review to ensure
that the program continues to meet certification criteria. At the end of the certification period, programs may apply for
re-certification.
Industry certification standards are developed collaboratively by the Georgia Department of Education Program Specialists
and the state-level business associations that
work with the different program areas. (See
www.gadoe.org for a list of other programs
that offer Industry Certification. v
Communities understand that schools
which pursue this distinction are
committed to improving student
preparation and ensuring that
Georgia’s workforce meets the
demands of the 21st century.
What does certification represent to the
Phyllis Johnson, Jama Wilbanks &
Sharon Norman
23
Healthcare Science Technology Education
Industry Certification Completers from August
1999 – Dec. 2010_Total: 99
2009-2010 (10)
1.
omas County Central High School (omas County), omasville, GA. Teacher: Brittanney Mills, RN, BSN
2.
Baldwin County High School (Baldwin County) Milledgeville, GA. Teacher: Wilhelmenia Wade, RN. MEd
3.
Northside High School (Muscogee County), Columbus, GA. Teacher: LeAnn Kees, RN, RDH. MEd
4.
Southeast Bulloch High School (Bulloch County), Brooklet, GA. Teacher: Sharon Pye, RN MEd
5.
Centennial High School (Fulton County) Roswell,GA. Teacher: Jama Wilbanks, NEMT-I
6.
Chattahoochee High School (Fulton County), Johns Creek, GA. Teacher: eresa I. Cruz, RN
7.
A.R. Johnson Health Science and Engineering Magnet High School (Richmond County),
Augusta, GA. Teachers: Rhonda S. Dunn, M.Ed., R.N., Ashley Brittain, BSN, R.N., Nicole Gantt, MPH, Misty Sawyer, MLT
8.
Pierce County High School (Pierce County), Blackshear, GA. Teacher: Melba Dean, RN, EdS
9.
Greene County High School (Greene County), Greensboro, GA. Teacher: Patti Escoe, RN, Med
10. Cairo High School (Grady County), Cairo, GA. Teacher: Kathy Prince
2008-2009 (7)
1.
Kendrick High School (Muscogee County), Columbus, GA. Teacher: Margarita Callahan, RN
2.
Murray County High School (Murray County) Chatsworth, GA. Teacher: Deborah Hahn, RN and Leah Jarrell, RN
3.
Chattooga. High School (Chattooga. County), Summerville, GA. Teacher: Kathy Daniel, RN
4.
Greenbrier High School (Columbia County), Evans, GA. Teacher: Suzanne Adams, RN and Kimberly Pippins, RN
5.
Southwest DeKalb High School (Dekalb County), Decatur, GA. Teacher: Mary T. Lewis, RN
6.
West Hall High School (Hall County), Oakwood, GA. Teacher: Deborah King, RN
7.
Flowery Branch High School (Hall County), Flowery Branch, GA. Teacher: Kathy Peake, RN
2007 -2008 (7)
2007:
1.
Carver High School (Muscogee County), Columbus, GA. Teacher: Doris Forde, RN
2008:
2.
DeKalb High School of Technology South (DeKalb County), Decatur, GA. Teacher: Roberta Axson, RN
3.
South Effingham High School (Effingham County), Guyton, GA. Teacher: Laura Mesmer, RN
4.
Banneker High School (Fulton County), College Park, GA. Teacher: Metzi Forde, RN, MA
5.
Henry W. Grady High School (Atlanta City Schools), Atlanta, GA. Teachers: Sandra M. Ukah, RN, MN, CPNP and Vanessa
Ward, RN, BSN
6.
Chestatee High School (Hall County), Gainesville, GA. Teacher: Allison Wilson, RN
7.
Woodville - Tompkins Career Technical Institute (Savannah-Chatham County Schools)Savannah, GA.
Teacher: Natasha R. Harris-Haggan
2006-2007 (9)
2007
1.
Evans High School (Columbia County), Evans, GA. Teachers: Vickie Gibbs, RN, and Beth Stewart, RN
2.
Coffee County High School (Coffee County), Douglas, GA. Teachers: Jama Kirkland, RN, and Alice Day, RN
3.
East Hall High School (Hall County), Gainesville, GA. Teacher: Stacie Carlton, BS
4.
Central High School (Carroll County), Carrollton, GA. Teacher: Chris S. Smith, BSEd, EMT-I
5.
Riverdale High School (Clayton County), Riverdale, GA. Teacher: Rachel Whitfield, RN
6.
Apalachee High School (Barrow County), Winder, GA. Teacher: Joan Stebel, RN, MEd
7.
Lanier County High School (Lanier County), Lakeland, GA. Teacher: Teresa Melligan, RN
8.
Hardaway High School (Muscogee County), Columbus, GA. Teacher: Natalie H. Kelly, R.T, B.S.
9.
Stephens County High School (Stephens County), Toccoa, GA. Teacher: Peggy Snyder, RN
24
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
2005-2006 (12)
2005
1.
Northside High School (Muscogee County), Columbus, GA. Teacher: LeAnn Kees, RN, RDH
2.
Washington County High School (Washington County) Sandersville, GA., Teacher: Lillian Jenkins, RN
3.
Lakeside High School (Columbia County), Evans, GA. Teachers: Rhonda Dunn, RN, Med, Suzanne Adams, RN and Amanda
Carter, RN
4.
Mary Person High School (Monroe County), Forsyth, GA. Teacher: Penny Howard, RN
2006
5.
Twiggs County High School (Twiggs County), Jeffersonville, GA. Teacher: Patty Wynne, RN
6.
Paulding County High School (Paulding County), Dallas, GA. Teacher: Pat Pace, RN
7.
Jackson High School (Butts County), Jackson, GA. Teacher: Jodi Braswell, NEMT-I
8.
Madison County High School (Madison County), Danielsville, GA. Teacher: Pat Rape, Rad. Tech
9.
Westlake High School (Fulton County), Atlanta, GA. Teacher: Mark Elsey, NEMT-I
10. Bremen High School (Haralson County), Bremen, GA. Teacher: Gail Nowlin, RN.
11. Wayne County High School (Wayne County), Jesup, GA. Teacher: Dianne Clary, RN
12. Peach County High School.(Peach County), Fort Valley, GA. Teacher: Kathy Williams, RN
2004-2005 (14)
1.
Hiram High School (Paulding County) Hiram, GA. Teacher: Karen (Kay) T. Gray, RN
2.
Newton County High School (Newton County) Covington, GA. Teacher: Jervinia Herndon, RN
3.
Chapel High School (Douglas County), Douglasville, GA. Teacher: Kelli Campbell, RN & Lisa Shannon, RN
4.
Douglas County High School (Douglas County) Douglasville, GA.. Teacher: Amy Worthy, RN
5.
Cairo High School (Grady County), Cairo, GA. Teacher: Kathy Prince, RN
6.
Lithia Springs High School (Douglas County), Lithia Springs, GA. Teacher: Chris Smith, NEMT-I
7.
Winder Barrow High School (Barrow County), Winder, GA. Teacher: Elisa Bradberry, RN & Linda Fisher, RN
8.
Greene County High School ( Greene County), Greensboro, GA. Teacher: Patti Escoe, RN
9.
Lakeview High School (Catoosa County), Fort Oglethorpe, GA. Teacher: Ernie Ellis,
10. Baldwin County High School (Baldwin County), Milledgeville, GA. Teacher: Susan Lanzilotta, RN & Wilhelmenia Wade, RN
11. Alexander High School (Douglas County), Douglasville, GA. Teacher: Kay Henry, RN
12. Crawford County High School (Crawford County) Roberta, GA. Teacher: Agnes Hollingshed, RN
13. Beach High School (Chatham County) Savannah, GA. Teacher: Jeanne Yost, RN & Christina Folsome, RN
14. Lafayette High School (Walker County), Lafayette, GA. Teacher: Sandy Langston, RN
2003-2004 (6)
1.
Ringgold High School (Catoosa County), Ringgold, GA. Teacher: Robin Gardner, RN
2.
Chattooga. High School (Chattooga. County) Summerville, GA. Teacher: Kathy Daniel, RN
2002-2003 (4)
1.
Turner County High School (Turner County), Ashburn, GA. Teacher: Diane Lott
2.
Lowndes County High School (Lowndes County) Valdosta, GA. Teachers: Janie McGhin, RN and Drinda Taylor, RN
3.
e School To Career Academy at Groves High School (Chatham County), Garden City Teacher: Ann Meia, RN
4.
Upson-Lee High School (Upson County), omaston, GA. Teacher: Janet Whitley, RN
2001-2002 (9)
Title changed to: Healthcare Science Technology Education Program
1.
Hardaway High School (Muscogee County), Columbus, GA. Teacher: Nancy Irvin, RN
2.
Jordan High School (Muscogee County), Columbus, GA. Teacher: Lois Williams, RN and Jackie Jacobs, RN
3.
Kendrick High School (Muscogee County) Columbus, GA. Teacher: Margarita Callahan, RN
4.
Washington - Wilkes High School (Wilkes County), Washington, GA. Teacher: Randee Barry, RN
5.
Booker T. Washington High School (Atlanta Public Schools), Atlanta, GA. Teachers: Sylvia Butler, RN and Chuanitra Harris, RN
6.
Brooks County High School (Brooks County), Quitman, Georgia Teacher: Sandra McDonald, RN
7.
Mitchell - Baker High School (Mitchell County), Camilla, GA. Teacher: Shelia Anglin, RN
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
25
2000-2001 (17)
1.
Murray County High School (Murray County), Chatsworth, GA. Teacher: Deborah Hahn, RN
2.
Terrell Middle/High School (Terrell County), Dawson, GA. Teacher: Norma Morrison, RN
3.
Carver High School (Muscogee County), Columbus, GA. Teacher: Doris Forde, RN
4.
Greenbrier High School (Columbia County), Evans, GA. Teacher: Rhonda Dunn, RN, MEd
5.
Greenville High School (Meriwether County), Greenville, GA. Teacher: Edna Carter, RN
6.
Americus High School (Sumter County) Americus, GA. Teacher: Patty Griffith, RN
7.
Worth County High School (Worth County), Sylvester, GA. Teacher: Earlene Brown, RN
8.
Bacon County High School (Bacon County), Alma, GA. Teacher: Jackie Johnson, RN
9.
Technical High School of Carrollton (Carroll County), Carrollton, GA. Teacher: Montes Kenerly, RN
10. Dekalb High School of Technology South (Dekalb County), Decatur, GA. Teacher: Phyllis Dumas, RN
11. Jackson County Comprehensive High School (Jackson County), Jefferson, GA. Teachers: Carrie Austin, RN and Jerri Fisk, RN
12. East Hall High School (Hall County), Gainesville, GA. Teacher: Doris Davidson, RN
13. Banneker High School (Fulton County) College Park, GA. Teacher: Metzi Forde, RN
14. North Hall High School (Hall County), Gainesville, GA. Teacher: Claire Coates, RN
15. Bradwell Institute (Liberty County), Hinesville, GA. Teacher: Teresa Strickland, RN
16. Glynn Academy (Glynn County), Brunswick, GA. Teacher: Peggy Wenzka, RN
17. Paulding County High School (Paulding County), Dallas, GA. Teacher: Ellen Katzowitz
1999-2000 (8)
1999:
1.
Rome High School (Rome City Schools/Floyd County), Rome, GA. Teacher: Diane Garner, RN
2000:
2.
Baldwin County High School (Baldwin County), Milledgeville, GA. Teachers: Wilhelminia Wade, RN and Susan Lanzilotta, RN
3.
Albany High School (Dougherty County), Albany, GA. Teacher: Tommie Hyde, RN
4.
Alexander High School (Douglas County) Douglasville, GA. Teacher: Linda Hickson, RN
5.
Mary Persons High School (Monroe County), Forsyth, GA. Teacher: Penny Howard
6.
Mt. Zion High School, (Clayton County), Teacher: Anita Tinsley, RN
7.
Washington County High School (Washington County), Sandersville, GA. Teacher: Lillian Jenkins, RN
8.
Chapel Hill High School (Douglas County), Douglasville, GA. Teacher: Kelli Camp, RN
Ophthalmic Technology
Jeff S. Horton; Program
Director Ophthalmic
Technology Program at
Emory University; BS
Business Management Auburn University,
Master of Medical
Science in Ophthalmic
Technology ~ Emory
University.
Why would students want to
consider the different areas of
ophthalmology as a future career?
Ophthalmology is possibly one of the least
understood fields of medicine by the
general public (and even among other
medical disciplines) and of the five senses is
probably the one most taken-for-granted.
e visual system is one of the most
complex systems in the human body. e
eye itself and the ability to see is just the tip
of the iceberg; the entire system allows us
to interpret the world in incredibly
detailed, high-definition, vivid-color, and
amazingly sensitive depth of field. In
addition to allowing us to see the world
around us, the visual system is also
integrated into our sense of balance, object
recognition and reflex to external threat,
motor control of other parts of the body
(“eye-hand coordination”) and is the only
place in the human body where physicians
can non-invasively observe the arteries,
veins, and capillaries that comprise the
vascular tree.
If students think they might want
to pursue an ophthalmology
career, what do you recommend
they do to prepare for their future
and their post secondary
educational training? ey not only
need a solid background of the basic
sciences of anatomy/physiology and
biology but also a strong understanding of
physics (especially optics and light), the
metric system, and some knowledge of
chemistry.
Students always want to know
“what is it really like” to work in
this field? How would you answer
this question? Like most of modern
medicine, all of the clinics are very busy
and fast-paced, and very rewarding, but
ophthalmology is probably one of the most
diverse of the medical sub-specialties.
Opportunities exist for personnel to work
in an operating room environment, in a
general clinical setting assisting patients
with their visual need in glasses or contact
lenses or in the demanding field of
refractive surgery, assisting the surgeon in
helping people eliminate their dependence
on glasses and contact lenses. More
compassionate areas involve working in the
specialty clinics with patients that suffer
from severe ocular disease and/or visual
impairment. Like other fields in medicine,
there are obviously very rewarding aspects
but they are also frequently tempered with
the realization that sometimes there’s not
much we can do except listen and comfort
the patients as best we can, which can
sometimes be the most rewarding of all.
What attracted you to this field?
e fact that I knew so little about it and so
did most everyone I knew, made it
intriguing. I’ve always been drawn to
subjects that are relatively not well known
or misunderstood. I was also fascinated
with how vision and its interpretation
worked. I always been curious about how
things work.
26
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
Students also want to know what
kind of income they might expect
to make in the different levels of
ophthalmology. Typical entry-level
salary for an Ophthalmic Technician ranges
in the low to upper 40K dependent mainly
on geographic area, metropolitan size and
practice size.
Will there be plenty of jobs
available when today’s students
are ready to enter the workforce
over the next few years? With the
advent of the early ‘baby boomers’ reaching
their mid and upper sixties, the field of
ophthalmology will be increasing in
demand in the future. As this large
demographic segment progresses through
their ’60s and ’70s, they will be increasingly
in need of eye care professionals as the
prevalence of cataracts and other age related
eye diseases increases. In addition to the
increasing demand of the baby boomer
generation, constant technological advances
in laser and optical engineering are also
increasing demand in laser treatment of eye
diseases and reducing patient’s dependence
on corrective lenses (glasses and contacts).
What type of student might be
interested in ophthalmology type
careers? Ophthalmology is especially
suited for those with an interest in
medicine and healthcare but are looking
for something beyond the nursing and
hospital aspects of general medicine. The
physical science of optics is well suited for
those with mathematical and analytical
aptitude as well. Those individuals
interested in how the human body’s
systems are interdependent will also do
well due to the intricate interactions of the
visual system with so much of the body’s
physiological and psychological
functioning.
Any recommendations to teachers
to encourage students to consider
this field? Instructors who identify
students that are obviously interested in
healthcare and medical science but haven’t
been able to find their niche, or are
interested in areas that are off the main
path of general medicine should expose
them to the opportunities present in
ophthalmology and ophthalmic
27
History of your program
e Ophthalmic Technology Program at
Emory University has been a pioneer in
ophthalmic personnel training for over
thirty years. It started in the late 1970s
as a two year program that trained
individuals in ophthalmic technology in
addition to orthoptics (a sub-specialty of
ophthalmology that deals with eye
misalignment due to a muscle imbalance
and can lead to permanent visual
impairment in children). In the late
1980s and early 1990s the program was
temporarily discontinued and was
reinstated in 1992 as a two-year
graduate- level program that trained
individuals for certification as
Ophthalmic Medical Technologists as
well as awarded a Master of Medical
Science Degree. In 2009 we decided to
redesign the program again, by
discontinuing the Masters Degree, to
increase its accessibility to include
students interested in ophthalmic
technology but not particularly
interested in a graduate level degree.
Starting in fall 2010, the new program
will be a hybrid, dual-level program
offering training at the Ophthalmic
Medical Technologist (COMT) and
Ophthalmic Technician (COT) levels
that will be two years (six semesters) and
16 months (four semesters) in duration,
respectively.
What are the requirements to get
into the program? Both programs
require fluency in spoken and written
English. Admission to the COT level
track requires a high school diploma or
equivalent while the COMT track
requires two years of college credit (60
semester hours). Neither level requires
any medical training or background but
students with a strong foundation in
biological and physiological sciences,
physics, and chemistry will be at an
obvious advantage.
Course work? Course work students
can expect will cover the subjects of basic
medical assisting and medical
terminology, ocular anatomy and
physiology, optics (physical and
physiological), pharmacology, neuroanatomy, workshops in ophthalmic
equipment use and maintenance,
surgical assisting, microbiology, and
contact lens basics in addition to the
extensive clinical rotations throughout
all of the sub-specialty areas of
ophthalmology including retina, cornea,
pediatric, oculoplastics, glaucoma,
ophthalmic photography/imaging, low
vision, contact lenses and
ultrasonography.
Any other pertinent data
Due to the nature of our accreditation
standards, the program only matriculates
a new class in the fall with a
predetermined curriculum and each
semester must be completed
consecutively. Normal college breaks
between semesters and school holidays
are observed according to the Emory
University calendar.
While the COMT Track is currently
fully accredited, as of fall 2010, the
COT Track is under review for
accreditation. Complete documentation
has been submitted and we expect a site
inspection visit from our accrediting
body later this fall. We hope to have full
accreditation approved by the board in
early 2011. v
New Ophthalmic
Technology Program at
Emory University
E
mory University has recently opened a brand new
Ophthalmic Technology program according to Jeff
Horton, MMSc, the Program Director. Ophthalmic
Technology is a field which specializes in eye care. Ophthalmic medical personnel are trained to examine patients
with ocular problems and work under the supervision of an ophthalmologist. Ophthalmic Technology students learn to take medical
histories, check vision, perform refractions (measure for glasses),
measure keratometry and topography (shape of the cornea), fit contact lenses, measure peripheral (side) vision by performing visual
field tests, measure intraocular pressure (glaucoma test), detect and
measure strabismus (alignment and balance of the eye muscles), photography and imaging of the eye, measure the eye using ultrasound,
and assist in surgery along with other more specialized tasks. Currently the program is accredited by the Joint Commission on Allied
Health Personnel in Ophthalmology to qualify graduates to sit for
the Technologist level exam and is in the evaluation process for accreditation at the Technician level. v
28
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
Mid-Georgia Ambulance ~ Belinda Somers
By Phyllis Johnson
Mid-Georgia Ambulance has been recognized by Georgia Trend Magazine as “One
of the Best Places to Work in Georgia,” and
the minute you walk in the doors of their
Macon office, you can tell why. When I
stopped by for a visit, I was made to feel as
if I was part of the ‘family.’ MGA prides itself on customer service and being a family
oriented company and you sense that immediately. MGA was founded in 1977 by
Ben Hinson who majored in hospital administration, but dreamed of owning his
own ambulance company. Hinson acted
on his dream and now runs a company
with over 200 employees.
Since MGA began serving the Macon
community in 1977, it has grown to serve
nine counties including: Bibb, Muscogee,
Crawford, Cook, Pike, Lamar, Chattahoochee, and Macon (county). MGA
serves people in these counties by providing
primary and supplemental 911 coverage,
critical care transport, neonatal transport,
and special events and stand by coverage.
Belinda Somers, the Communications
Director for MGA, has been with the company since 1994 serving first as a dispatcher. Somers earned her EMT and
Paramedic certifications at Central Georgia
Technical College, as well as additional
leadership and other certifications to teach
the Emergency Telecommunicator Courses
on site at MGA. Her current responsibilities cover all aspects of communications including recruitment and orientation, CQI,
and in-service training for all Central Med-
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
ical Emergency Dispatch Employees
(CMED). She is also responsible for overseeing all communications equipment and
technology including state of the art Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Medic Call
Center, GPS and AVL tracking system,
Mobile Data Terminals and electronic maps
in each of the ambulances, VOIP Phone
System, VHF, UHF, and Southern Linc Radios. Somers led MGA in being the first
ambulance service in the state of Georgia to
successfully submit electronic data over the
state data bridge.
Belinda Somers epitomizes the mission
of MGA—to serve people “MGA—For
you, For Life.” Belinda, a single mother of
four adopted children has parented over
100 foster children from newborns to
teenagers. e love she has for her own
children carries over into the attitude she
brings to her job. Belinda believes in treating everyone with respect and kindness,
employees and her “customers.” Belinda,
who attended Macon public schools,
worked her way up the ranks in the field.
Right out of high school she worked in
home health, but shortly went to work at
911 starting with data entry and call taker
before earning her Emergency Dispatcher
Certification and becoming a dispatcher.
Her current position allows her to select a
person who will be the right fit for the job
and provide training and guidance to the
new dispatchers just starting out. She says
being a dispatcher is not stressful unless
you let it be. She says, “there are some
things you can’t change, so make the situation as bearable as possible.”
Belinda and MGA believe the dispatchers and those in the field deserve to be
recognized for outstanding service, and
MGA presents the SAVE Award to those
deserving recognition. ose awards are
for life altering situations where the patient
is admitted to the hospital, and is able to
later walk out. Often the dispatcher has to
talk a panicking person through the steps
of CPR or helping them save their baby
from choking before the ambulance arrives.
Belinda provides monthly training for her
employees so everyone will be kept up to
date, current, and focused. She says in this
job the pace is fast, but never monotonous.
When asked what she looks for when
hiring a potential dispatcher candidate, Belinda listed the following qualities:
• Ability to communicate—to speak
clearly and to be able to understand
and be understood. (MGA does have
a language line which will translate
over 60 languages).
• Compassionate
• Able to multitask
• Basic computer keyboarding skills
• Responsible
• High School diploma or equivalent
• Punctual ~ you are depended on to be
on time
• Professionalism ~ privacy laws must be
maintained
• Positive Attitude
• and of course ~ good customer service
skills
Belinda truly has a ‘heart of gold,’ and is
eager to help those students coming
through school who are interested in becoming dispatchers. My visit to MGA
was a heartwarming experience, because I
now know that if anyone I care about is
in an emergency situation—this caring
and compassionate group of people will
be there to help. v
29
steps, Patrick is now preparing himself to
go into pre-pharmacy at UGA, the same
university his parents attended.
Excited to be taking the next step in his
education, Patrick Chancy is grateful for the
knowledge and experience he gained while
participating in HOSA. Coming into high
school his freshman year Patrick says he wasn’t sure what direction he wanted to go in.
Although there were several clubs to take
part in, he found himself joining his schools
HOSA chapter after receiving encouragement from his Healthcare Science teacher
and HOSA advisor, Janie McGhin. After
participating in several HOSA events Patrick
tells me, “I decided to make it my personal
goal to be President my senior year.” is
drive and determination eventually led to
Patrick being elected President of Georgia
HOSA in 2009. Proud of what his son has
already accomplished, Patrick’s father Hugh
says, “HOSA has been a tremendous experience for Patrick.” Mr. Chancy believes that
HOSA “draws on a specific type of student”
and that the experiences gained in an organization like HOSA can have great benefits to
one’s character and work ethic. ere is no
doubt that the leadership skills Patrick has
honed during his career in HOSA will be extremely beneficial to him during his time at
school and in the future when he begins his
career. It is also clear that being raised
around this business has had an impact on
Patrick. He is well aware of the difficulties
Family Business
Dr. Hugh Chancy and Patrick Chancy
By Matt Johnson
In the small town of Hahira, Georgia,
about a mile from I-75, sits the community pharmacy of Chancy Drugs. In this
day and age when it is commonplace to
find a Walgreen’s or a CVS on every corner
it is quite refreshing to find an independently owned community pharmacy such as
Chancy Drugs thriving while still holding
itself to the highest standards in the business. However Chancy Drugs is by no
means a small operation. Currently the
name of Chancy Drugs can be found at
three separate locations in south Georgia
and it would not be surprising to see more
in the future. Providing the type of personal and courteous service one would not
receive at a larger chain pharmacy is just
one of the reasons this small town business
has been able to thrive. Another reason is
the devotion and hardworking attitude of
its owner and head pharmacist Mr. Hugh
Chancy. Mr. Chancy, the 2008 recipient
of the National Community Pharmacists
Association’s Pharmacist of the Year award,
was kind enough to invite me into his office for an interview as well as giving me a
tour of his pharmacy. Joining us was his
son Patrick Chancy, a former Georgia
State HOSA President, and a soon to be
pharmacy school student himself. Both
father and son were excited to be featured
in an article involving HOSA and graciously answered any questions I had
about Chancy Drugs as well as their family. However I soon found out just how
deep this family’s connection was to the
business of pharmacy.
Hugh Chancy was raised with pharmacy in his blood. His father, Hubert
Chancey founded Chancy Drugs in
Hahira in 1966. Chancy says, “when I was
growing up dad was always on call.” He
explains that in the past pharmacists, many
such as his father, didn’t have the luxury of
hiring the help needed to ease the demands
of the business. is type of dedication
learned from his father would stay with
30
Hugh throughout his career. After graduating from Lowndes High School, the future
pharmacist enrolled at e University of
Georgia with the intention of majoring in
pre-medicine. After his first year he says “I
realized that I went with pre-medicine to
separate myself from my dad and be my
own person.” After questioning his choice
of major, Chancy says he realized that he
liked the fact that pharmacy was a combination of both business and medicine.
After that, “I had the intention of going
into business for myself,” he says. Fortunately, that decision also helped to introduce him to his future wife Tina.
Graduating in the same class, Hugh
and Tina started dating their first year of
pharmacy school and were married soon
after finishing. Tina, the former head pharmacist of their local hospital in Hahira, has
now worked alongside Hugh at Chancy
Drugs since 1994. Raising their son
Patrick while both working in this field has
now inspired him to continue their family’s
legacy of involvement in the business of
pharmacy. Following in his parents footYOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
facing an independent community pharmacist such as his father.
In today’s economy smaller, privately
owned community pharmacies such as
Chancy Drugs have to build lasting relationships with customers to stay competitive with bigger chains. is type of
relationship is clearly apparent between
Mr. Chancy and the people who frequent
his pharmacy. “I think caring about people
is important in this business,” says Chancy.
e stress level is high in pharmacy.
“Being able to do something that changes
the quality of someone’s life makes it all
worth it,” he says. Staying on the cutting
edge of pharmaceutical technology is another way he is making sure that his business stays successful for years to come.
“Technology is helping us tremendously
today,” Chancy states. One of the best examples of this is pharmacists are now able
to use computers to keep track of the ever
growing number of drugs being prescribed.
Chancy claims that when he graduated
from college 1/4th of the pharmacies he interviewed with had yet to begin using computers. It’s ironic that he now employs the
use of a robot for sorting, labeling, and bottling medications at one of his other pharmacy locations. Another technological step
that is helping to better customer service is
Chancy Drug’s use of text messages as a reminder to keep customers on their medication regiments. By embracing the use of
these new methods and technological advancements, this small town drug store is
taking steps to cement its place in the pharmacy industry for many years. According
to Chancy, “we think it’s all pretty fascinating.”
As the recent recipient of the NCPA
Pharmacist of the year award, Hugh
Chancy finds himself humbled by the
award. He jokes, “I equate myself to a turtle sitting on a fence post—when you look,
you know that he didn’t get there by himself.” Overall Chancy says that he “feels
blessed to be in a profession where there are
so many great people.” Deserving of the
award and recognition, Chancy gives us
hope that the small town pharmacy will
continue to thrive. With the pharmacy industry now well into the 21st century,
Chancy Drugs is poised to remain one of
the country’s most successful independently owned community pharmacies.
anks to a strong family tradition and a
wealth of knowledge passed down through
generations, the Chancy family has become
an irreplaceable and important part of their
community. With a mentality rooted in
customer care and compassion that has
stayed true throughout the years, I am sure
we will see this small business continue to
grow and prosper. v
31
The Hidden Profession
Quest Diagnostics INC. ~ Dr. Tom Burgess
By Matt Johnson
A
s the world’s leading
provider of diagnostic testing,
information and services, performing more than 150 million lab test every year, with
more than 43,000 fulltime employees,
Quest Diagnostics surprisingly prides itself
on ‘putting the patient first.’ After visiting
the Atlanta division of Quest in May and
meeting with Technical Director Dr. Tom
Burgess, it was easy for me to understand
why they are the leader in their respective
field. A full service diagnostics lab operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
Quest Diagnostics pushes itself to stay on
top by constantly striving for better standards in every level of their operation.
Upon my visit, I found Dr. Burgess to be a
passionate spokesperson for Quest as well
as a huge supporter for the field of clinical
diagnostics in general. Taking time out of
his busy schedule to meet with me, Dr.
Burgess was a more than gracious host who
epitomized the enthusiasm and drive of the
company he represents.
One of the main challenges facing
clinical diagnostics companies today is
finding a new workforce to replace the declining number of qualified diagnostics and
lab science employees. Mainly due to a
growing number of soon to be retirees, or
‘the age challenged’ as Dr. Burgess likes to
refer to them. Quest finds itself partnering
with organizations such as HOSA as a solution to remedy this problem. “We have to
have a proactive attitude to do something
about the critical shortage of workers in our
field,” says Burgess. “e key thing we have
to do is to make sure we have a continued
flow of highly trained people to run diagnostics testing.” e problem is that most
of the time the process of diagnostics testing warrants little to no credit for the profession itself. According to Dr. Burgess, “if
we do our job one hundred percent perfectly we are invisible.” Although diagnostics and lab testing are a major cog in the
overall healthcare process, patients and the
32
have an interest in taking care of the patient.” is sentiment is reflected in
Quest’s slogan which is displayed prominently throughout the facility, “Putting e
Patient First.”
e first step Quest Diagnostics takes
towards providing the best medical testing
for patients and clinicians is to hold themselves to extreme standards of quality and
efficiency. Dr. Burgess says, “our whole
focus at this company is to minimize the
waste in the operation.” To accomplish this
task, Quest has indoctrinated the use of
Six Sigma quality throughout their company. Six Sigma is a disciplined, data-driven approach and methodology for
eliminating defects (driving toward six
standard deviations between the mean and
the nearest specification limit) in any
process. e statistical representation of Six
Sigma describes quantitatively how a
process is performing. To achieve the Six
Sigma standard, Quest can produce no
more than 3.4 defects per million opportunities. Dr. Burgess says this process creates
a “minimization of wasted effort“ which is
reflected throughout the company as a
whole. is methodology has proven extremely beneficial to Quest, a company
performing more than 150 million lab tests
every year. e testing provided by companies such as Quest has a great impact on
the medical community. According to Dr.
Burgess “70 percent of the decisions made
by a physician on a daily basis are made in
part, if not totally on the results of clinical
testing.” With this responsibility, Quest
has taken it upon itself to continue striving
closer to perfection. Dr. Burgess jokes that
“he eventually sees the company moving to
a Seven Sigma standard.”
With their pursuit of perfection, the
employees of Quest Diagnostics have
helped maintain their company’s position
atop the field of clinical diagnostics and
laboratory testing. Dr. Tom Burgess is a
perfect representation of the motivated individuals working every day at this impressive company. With the continued
growth of medical technology, Quest Diagnostics finds itself looking to the medical workers of tomorrow to continue their
commitment of excellence in the healthcare community for years to come.v
Rockdale Career Academy
Scrubs, Scalpels, and Sports Medicine
general public are usually unaware of the
contributions made from this field. Often
overshadowed by the work of physicians
and nurses, the unsung heroes of diagnostics truly work in a ‘hidden profession.’
However, the recent popularity of television
shows such as CSI and House has sparked a
welcomed interest into the field. Although
medical purists would claim these shows
are somewhat sensationalized and therefore
diluting the science of diagnostics, Burgess
claims, “we don’t have time for that attitude
in this business anymore.” Burgess says that
most people think that working at a diagnostics lab means being locked away in a
room pouring chemicals into a tube and
writing down research. Quest has now
taken an active role in trying to change this
perception.
rough continued involvement with
educational symposiums held at HOSA
leadership conferences, and by providing
tours of their facilities to students, Quest
has clearly made it a priority to educate future generations about opportunities available to them in the field of clinical
diagnostics. What we are doing is ‘changing a mindset,’ says Burgess. He’s adamant
that students be made aware of this career
as an alternative to medical or nursing
school. Dr. Burgess himself spends time
judging high school science fairs doing his
part to raise awareness for his profession.
He admits that the educational process has
accelerated since the time he was in school.
Graduating with a PhD in Chemistry from
VillaNova University, Dr. Burgess claims he
was surprised when he found his teenage
son, a high school sophomore at Woodward Academy studying the same level of
chemistry he studied his junior year of college. With dramatic increases in the complexity of medical technology and medical
testing, the field of clinical diagnostics finds
itself on the cutting-edge of medical science. As new techniques and methods are
being developed every day, technicians
must be highly trained as well as highly
competent to be successful at their jobs.
Dr. Burgess says there are several qualities
that anyone looking to go into this business
should possess. e ability to multitask,
good organizational skills, a keen intellect,
and an inquisitive nature are all traits that
Quest looks at when evaluating prospective
employees. However Dr. Burgess claims
that the most important trait a clinical laboratory scientist needs is that “they have to
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
is past summer Rockdale Career
Academy in
Conyers,
Georgia,
offered
an exciting op-
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
portunity to thirty young middle school
males who wanted to experience the healthcare field. “is ‘Men in Medicine Camp’
was called Scrubs, Scalpels, and Sports
Medicine,” says Roger Ivey, Career Technical & Agricultural Education Director for
Rockdale County School System. e boys
who were invited to attend the camp were
in honors or accelerated math and science
courses in middle school during the previous school year. e Career Academy is
trying to expose students to non-traditional
careers, and also offered Women in Engineering earlier in the year. Healthcare Science teachers Lori Cook and Bea
Wilkens ran the weeklong camp
with the help of guest speakers including athletic trainers from
Georgia Tech, experts in dietetics from Tuskegee University,
dentists, and EMS personnel. e young men experienced hands-on activities
including bandaging injuries, wrapping ankles,
checking vital signs,
and operating on a
pickle. ey made
molds of teeth and
learned how germs are
spread. ey also watched videos, played
games, and learned how to properly wash
their hands. e camp was free and each of
the participants received scrubs to wear to
the camp and a certificate at the end. e
entire experience seemed to be a positive
one for the participants and the school.
Hopefully when these young men enter
high school they will sign up to take the
healthcare science classes that are offered at
Rockdale Career Academy during the
school year and possibly become our future
healthcare professionals. v
33
Whether you are a young worker just entering a career in the healthcare industry, an educator training tomorrow’s healthcare
workforce, or an employer concerned about
keeping your new employees safe, the Center for Young Worker Safety and Health at
Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is
there to provide the resources you need.
Created in October 2010, the Center is dedicated to providing young workers, their
teachers, employers, and parents with training, educational resources, technical expertise, and an online resource center intended
to promote healthy work practices and prevent occupational injuries and illnesses.
Why have a Center dedicated to training and reaching out to young workers? It
is estimated that approximately 80 percent
of teens work at some point during high
school and that 50 percent of those between the ages of 15 and 17 work at some
point during the course of a single year1.
According to the April 23, 2010, edition of
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reporter
(MMWR), young workers (ranging in age
from 15-24 years of age) represent 14 percent of the labor force in the United States
of America and are “overrepresented” in
dangerous jobs, such as construction, transportation, and agriculture and mining. Although there has been a 14 percent
decrease in the fatality rate for young workers over the period of 1998 through 2007,
the nonfatal injury rate for young workers
was five emergency department treatments
per 100 full-time equivalents workers
(FTE), which is approximately twice the
rate for workers aged 25 and older. e
MMWR report goes on to state that employers “need to ensure that their young
workers have the requisite training and personal protective equipment to perform
their jobs safely.”2
Studies indicate that fatalities and injuries among teenage workers differ from
those that occur in the adult workforce.
Teens are hurt at a higher rate than adults
34
as a result of being young, inexperienced,
and new to the workforce. ey are also
more likely to change jobs frequently and
thus are often forced to adjust to new management and tasks. e leading cause of
death among workers under the age of 18 is
highway incidents3. In a study of fatal injuries among teenage construction workers,
63 percent of fatalities (48 of 76 cases) that
occurred from 1984 through 1998 were at
construction firms with fewer than 11 employees, and thus less likely to be subject to
routine OSHA inspections. Overall, these
fatalities were more likely to have occurred
at small, non-union firms that were more
frequently cited by OSHA for safety violations when compared to firms that were investigated for a death of an adult
employee4.
Teens face an added disadvantage because they typically obtain jobs in industries that are known to be hazardous, such
as late-night retail businesses, construction,
farming, landscaping, and restaurants. In
these occupations, they are subject to hazards that include workplace violence; exposures to temperature extremes; exposure to
harmful noise levels; slips, trips, and falls;
sprains and strains; burns and cuts; motor
vehicle hazards; and the dangerous mixture
of alcohol and drugs within workplaces.
Not only do young workers need to be
informed about health and safety rules, but
they also have to be aware of important
labor laws that may restrict their job duties.
As an example, in 2010, child labor laws
were changed to prohibit any employee
ages 17 and younger from operating any
type of lifting device, including those used
in healthcare facilities to lift patients.
In addition to the resources provided
on the Center’s Web site: www.startsafeonline.org, the program also offers three distinct training programs. e young worker
safety and health General Awareness Training is a one to two hour session that focuses
on the importance of young worker safety
and health. In particular, this training will
cover young worker rights and US Department of Labor child laws. is training is
designed to be presented for all audiences:
young workers, employers, teachers, and
parents of young workers. e Young
Worker Safety and Health Training for Instructors and Employers is a four hour
workshop that provides employers and
teachers with all the resources they need to
train young workers. And finally, the Start
Safe-A Safety and Health Primer for Young
Workers training is designed for young
workers, ages 15-24, as they enter the workforce. is six-to-eight hour workshop class
will cover the following topics: an introduction to young worker injuries and illnesses,
identification of workplace hazards (e.g.
chemical, biological, safety, and other health
hazards), personal protective equipment,
Young Worker Rights and Responsibilities,
an overview of young worker labor laws,
Finding a Voice-Speaking up and against
workplace hazards, and Taking Action.
ese classes are designed to be delivered in either a classroom setting or at a
place of employment. For more information or to schedule a training session, contact us at startsafe@gtri.gatech.edu.
Funding for the Center for Young
Worker Safety and Health at Georgia Tech
Research Institute is provided under the
U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Susan Harwood Capacity Building Training Grant SH-20848-SH-0. v
1
NIOSH (2005). Working Together for Safety —
A State Team Approach to Preventing Occupational Injuries in Young People. Cincinnati, OH:
U.S., Department of Health and Human Services,
Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control,
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health. NIOSH Publication No. 2005-134.
2
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. April 23,
2010, Vol. 59, No. 15.
3
Gaspers, K. (2005). "Reaching tomorrow's workers today." Safety and Health 172(1): 36-39.
4
Suruda, A., P. Philips, et al. (2003). "Fatal injuries to teenage construction workers in the US."
American Journal of Industrial Medicine 44(5):
510-514.
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
Stephen Hunt - Orthotics and Prosthetics
My name is Stephen Hunt and I graduated
from Lee County High School almost ten
years ago. I was a member of the class of
2000. I have been on a wonderful and successful journey, and I need to express the
role this program has played in that. In high
school, I enrolled into a health science class
with a wonderful and caring teacher. is
class was called Health Occupations. It was
a class designed to teach students who are
interested in the medical field basic medical
terminology and provide medical exposure.
I enrolled in my tenth grade year and I continued the class until I graduated. Because
of that class and my teacher, I was able to
learn about the field of Orthotics and Prosthetics. Please allow me to share my story
and how this program was involved.
In my 11th grade year, my Health Occupation’s teacher (Mrs. Judy Glass) pulled
me aside. She had seen that I was really interested in patient care, and I had aspirations to become a physician. However, she
also saw the love for technology that I had,
and knew of a field that would incorporate
both, technology and patient care. She
made the suggestion to me to go and interview to work for David Knowles, CPO, at
Albany Orthotics and Prosthetics Inc. (Albany O & P) as a laboratory technician. At
the time I had no understanding of orthotics and prosthetics, but I trusted my
teacher, so I interviewed at Albany O&P.
e next day, Mr. Knowles called me and
offered me the job, and stated that he
would give me all the training I would need
to become a laboratory technician. I accepted the job at the end of my junior year.
I worked full time through summer
and fell in love with the field. I enjoyed the
field so much that my aspirations to become a physician quickly changed to my
wanting to become a Certified Orthotist
Prosthetist (CPO). As summer ended and
my senior year approached, I had to inform
Mr. Knowles that when school started I
would need to cut my hours to part time.
He understood, however needed me to
work longer than just 4:00 to 5:00 Monday
through Friday. I knew that my school offered a program where job training was a
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
part of the school day (YAP), so I quickly
went to talk to Mrs. Parker, the Youth Apprenticeship coordinator and I applied for
the program. Mrs. Parker told me of the
requirements, went to meet Mr. Knowles,
and they talked about his role as my mentor and paperwork requirements. After Mr.
Knowles, my parents, and I all signed paperwork agreeing to work together while I
participated in this program, I was accepted
into the program and continued working
for Mr. Knowles for another two years.
My experience in Youth Apprenticeship Program during high school is what
determined where I wanted to go and make
a career. In addition, my experience with
Mr. Knowles and Health Occupations
classes gave me a head start when I began
my college classes. I received scholarships
at both the junior college I attended for my
core classes and at the University of Texas
Southwest Medical Center at Dallas, for
my Bachelors of Orthotics and Prosthetics.
After graduating from Lee County, I
looked forward to returning the annual follow up paperwork that Mrs. Parker would
send out asking what I was doing. I was always proud to let her know that I was continuing on my path to become a Certified
Orthotist Prosthetist.
Whenever I am home to visit my family, Mrs. Glass always asks me to come and
talk to her classes about my career and the
steps I took to get to this point. And Mrs.
Parker always makes sure to attend at least
one of the class sessions!
On a personal note, another great benefit that has come out of my participating
in healthcare science courses and YAP, is
that last year my mom decided to follow
her dream of also working in the medical
field. She quit her job as a para-professional at Lee County High School and is
enrolled as a fulltime student in the Surgical Tech Program at Albany Technical College and I am extremely proud of her.
As you can see from my story, I would
not be where I am today if it was not for
the Apprenticeship Program, nor my
Health Occupations classes. I am so grateful that I had an opportunity to participate.
I am also grateful for having three knowledgeable caring individuals at LCHS and at
Albany Orthotics and Prosthetics Inc., who
saw the potential that I possessed and gave
me opportunities to become exposed to
and pursue a rewarding career. For these
reasons I am writing you this letter.
ank you for having a program that
helps students realize their dreams!
Sincerely,
Stephen Hunt, CO, Prosthetic Resident
UNC Prosthetics and Orthotics
(919) 806-3910
is article was submitted by Stephen
Hunt a graduate of Lee County High
School in Leesburg, Georgia. Stephen became interested in Prosthetics and Orthotics while in the healthcare program at
the high school, under the guidance of
Judy Glass his healthcare teacher. Stephen
ended up applying for the Youth Apprenticeship Program, and began working at a
prosthetics and orthotics company in Albany, Georgia. After graduating from high
school, Stephen received an associate degree from a local community college and
then transferred to the University of Texas
Southwest Medical Center in Dallas where
he majored in Orthotics and Prosthetics.
Stephen is currently a prosthetic resident
at the University of North Carolina Hospital serving his residency. Stephen wanted
to share his story with healthcare students
who may not have considered orthotics
and prosthetics as a career. v
35
Healthcare Science Technology Education
Houston County Career Academy
Middle Georgia HOSA Participates in Medical
Reserve Corp Portable Hospital Training
By Sheila McDaniel & Susie Jarrett
Warner Robins, Georgia, is home to the
Houston County Career Academy where
instructors Susie Jarrett and Sheila McDaniel work to further their students understanding of the healthcare field. Both
Susie and Sheila bring unique dynamics to
their students’ education experience as well
as an undeniable devotion to their profession. All this accumulates to the best possible learning environment for the students.
e two Houston County Career Academy
Healthcare Science Instructors and HOSA
advisors, Susie Jarrett and Sheila McDaniel,
like to stay on ‘top of things’ for the students who are in the Healthcare Science
Technology Education (HSTE) classes and
for their HOSA student organization.
HOSA affords young individuals interested in a career in healthcare the opportunity to pursue their dreams and even
participate in new and exciting experiences.
e Houston County HOSA instructors
comprehend this and put forth an initiative
to establish such events. Such was the case
when Susie found CERT and MRC opportunities for the students. She believed that
these programs afford the students a chance
at something new as well as an important
opportunity for the students to connect
with their community.
Several years ago (after finding the
HOSA CERT competitive event), the advisors found that a CERT (Community
Emergency Response Team) Instructor
course was being offered to interested parties in the fire and police departments from
the metro Atlanta area. Susie and Sheila
went to Atlanta for two days and became
some of the first HOSA advisors in Georgia
trained to teach CERT to their students.
After the training, they joined the CERT
team of Houston County and agreed to
teach the Disaster Medical Units every time
36
is past fall, when the MRC sought out
volunteers for their Portable Hospital training, the advisors contacted Karen, and
asked if the training might be an opportunity for our HOSA chapter to partner with
the MRC. Karen and the MRC agreed to
allow the students that opportunity. On the
first day of the training, the students
worked hard at unloading the semi-trucks,
inflating the hospitals, and equipping them
with hospital supplies. e second day
they disassembled the hospitals, packed up
the equipment, inventoried the materials
and deflated the hospital. Although there
were numerous other volunteers, these
teens worked as hard if not harder than
many of them. You could see a wave of
students in blue HCCA HOSA shirts running around working diligently. e students as well as their advisors learned a
great deal about emergency preparedness in
regard to Georgia’s portable hospitals.
ese hospitals are leak proof, temperature
controlled, and able to allow medical care
to be delivered to the public as needed. It
was an amazing and very gratifying experience to see these young people involved in
such an important task.
In 2009, the HSTE department at the
Houston County Career Academy added
the Emergency Services Pathway to the list
of pathways offered to their students. Susie
and Sheila believe the partnerships that
they have formed with the local CERT and
MRC are an integral part of community
disaster training. ey hope to continue to
involve their students in CERT/MRC participation and other important community
events. v
Surge Capacity
By Shana Lightfoot | Statewide Medical Reserve Corps Coordinator | Georgia Department of Community Health
| Division of Emergency Preparedness and Response
the course is given in the county. ey will
be involved again this spring in the sixth
CERT course to be taught locally. Several
HCCA HSTE students have taken the
CERT classes. One team placed second in
the Georgia HOSA CERT competitive
event. Upon graduation, one of the CERT
competitors, Trey McCleese, was hired as a
fireman for Houston County.
In May 2009, Susie and Sheila contacted the local Georgia MRC representative, Karen Ebey-Tessendorf, who is the
Emergency Preparedness Director for the
North Central Health District to see if the
organization might be a ‘good fit’ for themselves and their students. Karen is a very
enthusiastic young leader who works hard
to keep the middle Georgia MRC going
strong. She has a diverse, dynamic group
of volunteers. Some of the training has involved an American Red Cross Disaster
Shelter Operations training, START training, and the MRC Volunteer Trainer
course.
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
Major emergencies can overwhelm the capabilities of first responders, particularly
during the first 12 to 72 hours. Medical
volunteers provide important ‘surge’ capacity during this critical period and augment
medical staff shortages at local medical
emergency facilities. Communities often
need medically trained individuals to fill in
the gaps in their emergency response plans
and to improve their response
capabilities. Surge capacity was tested during the 9/11 disaster as health practitioners
were turned away due to lack of credential
verification infrastructure. In light of this,
the Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) was
founded after President Bush’s 2002 State
of the Union Address, in which he asked all
Americans to volunteer in support of their
country. e Office of the Civilian VolunFEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
teer Medical Reserve Corps is headquartered in the Office of the U.S. Surgeon
General.
e purpose of the MRC is to preidentify, train, and organize volunteer medical and public health professionals to
render services in conjunction with
existing
local
emergency
response
programs.
e Medical Reserve Corps is a national network of locally based volunteer
groups. ere are 933 units in the U.S.
with over 207,435 volunteers. Georgia has
14 Medical Reserve Corps units with over
3,200 volunteers. For additional information, go to www.medicalreservecorps.gov to
locate and contact the MRC unit in your
area. v
37
Momentum-Physical Therapy
& Sports Enhancement—Lance Kelly
Helmet Safety Program Is Off To a Great Start
By Chestatee HS HOSA, Gainesville, GA
By Whitney Mixon
When entering the doors of Momentum
Physical erapy & Sports Enhancement,
it feels like you are walking into your typical doctors office—a waiting room full of
chairs, side tables full of magazines, and a
lady politely asking you to sign in. e only
difference is that most of the patients sitting in the waiting room are wearing soccer
cleats, basketball shorts or workout clothes,
most of the magazines are sports-related,
and the television is usually on ESPN.
en, Lance Kelly, director and owner of
Momentum, comes to the door, calls his
next patient, and you enter into a large
room full of medicine balls, yoga balls,
massage tables, exercise bikes, and weight
bars. It looks like an inside playground but
with some very high tech training equipment. It’s a comfortable environment the
second you walk through the training room
doors and all of the patients seem to feel
right at home. ere are patients of all ages,
a middle aged gentleman suffering from
chronic back pain, a young baseball player
who is about to be called to the major
leagues and needs the perfect pre-season
training, a female high school, soccer player
who suffered from a knee injury and is trying to get back in the game. According to
Lance, whatever the issue, “It’s important
for you to live your life. And it’s our mission here at Momentum Physical erapy
& Sports Enhancement to help you get
over your pain, injury or impairment so
you can do exactly that.”
Lance Kelly, director of Momentum,
has a true passion for his work. He is also
the perfect example of “it’s never too late to
change your mind.” In high school he never
took any health occupations or athletic
training classes. Actually, his interest was in
computer programming and when it came
time for college, that’s exactly what he decided to study. While playing baseball at
the University of North Carolina, Lance
suffered an elbow injury. After going
through treatment for that injury, Lance
38
developed an interest in physical therapy,
resulting in a change in his major. He received his Bachelor of Science from the
UNC in Physical Education and Exercise
and Sports Science. Lance worked a 1500
hour internship with a women’s basketball
team and a women’s tennis team, and later
became an assistant head athletic trainer for
a high school. He found his knack working
with athletes and in 1996 was accepted to
physical therapy school at Shenandoah
University in Winchester, Virginia. He
graduated in 1999 from the program with a
Masters in Physical erapy. Lance also has
his National Athletic Trainers Certification,
and is a member of the American Physical
erapy Association, National Athletic
Trainers Association, and Physical erapy
Association of Georgia.
Lance worked at Hughston Clinic, in
Columbus, Georgia, for seven years, practicing physical therapy. His dream was to open
his own clinic focusing on physical therapy
and sports enhancement. His dream became
a reality at the age of thirty two, quite an accomplishment at such a young age. When
asked, “Now that you have your own clinic,
what is your goal when it comes to your patients and trainees?” Lance answered by saying that he wants all of his patients and
athletes to feel comfortable. “My goal is to
treat you with the same kindness and consideration I offer my friends. at’s because I
want you to have trust in me and my skills
as a therapist.”
Lance said the hardest part of his job is
time management. “is job is very time
consuming—your life is consumed by your
job and the teams you work with.” He said
favorite part of the job is, “training athletes,
because I build them and see them develop.” e only reason he claimed he
would ever stop working in his clinic was if
he were called up to play baseball professionally or to work as a physical therapist in
the big leagues—training pro athletes.
Lance has mentored high school and
college students from his community who
are interested in physical therapy and athletic training. He has also served on a curriculum committee for the Georgia
Department of Education to develop a career pathway in Physical Medicine to be
used in Healthcare Science classes in Georgia’s high schools. To a high school healthcare student that is about to take on the
challenges of post-secondary education,
Lance says, “You can have your dreams of
owning your own clinic or facility. In the
world of healthcare there is a huge spectrum for where you can go.” Lance Kelly is
a great example and role model for students
and someone who has a true passion for the
work that he does. v
YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE
funded by the Healthy Journey II Campaign of e Medical Center Foundation,
which includes donations by Northeast
Georgia Medical Center employees through
the W.A.T.C.H. (We Are Targeting Community Healthcare) employee giving club.
is partnership allows HOSA students to
actively participate in a community based
initiative geared toward reducing life
threatening head injuries in a high risk age
group of children. ere are SAFE KIDS
groups in many areas throughout the state,
making this type of co-curricular community service opportunity available to
Healthcare Science groups statewide. It’s a
great example of HOSA at work, making a
difference in meeting the healthcare needs
of their community’s youngest members! v
To help prevent head injuries from biking,
skating, scootering, and skateboarding,
Chestatee HOSA & Healthcare Science
students have formed a partnership with
Safe Kids Gainesville-Hall County to complete a series of Helmet Safety Programs.
Over a two month period, 57 Chestatee
HS Healthcare Science members worked
with volunteers from the Gainesville Police
Department, Hall County Sheriff’s Department, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta,
Hall County Fire Services, and Northeast
Georgia Medical Center to help educate
over 2,325 second grade students from 21
elementary schools throughout Gainesville
and Hall County, distributing over 1900
helmets. is school-based injury prevention program was held to increase the
awareness of elementary age children
of the need to consistently wear
helmets while participating in
wheeled sports as well as the
ability to have their own properly fitted helmet.
In the emergency department at Northeast
Georgia Medical Center
during the fourth quarter of 2009, at least 65
percent of the children admitted with
FEBRUARY | MARCH 2011
bicycle accident injuries to the head and
face were not wearing a helmet.
Safe Kids Gainesville-Hall County is
39
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YOUR FUTURE IN HEALTHCARE