2B
Wednesday, May 1, 1991 / University Daily Kansan
Jobs abound in health care
The Associated Press
The health care field, standing out in a recessional economy, is ripe with opportunities for nurses who have known than nurses and doctors.
The need for physical therapists is so acute that by the end of the decade, there only will be half enough people qualified for this work, said Mark Anderson, a professor of physical therapy at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center in Oklahoma City.
"We are actively promoting occupational therapy as a career choice for students as well as those seeking second career options to make up the deficit and meet the needs of the disabled," said Jeanette Bair, AOTA executive director.
There are about 7,000 unfilled jobs — a 25 percent shortage — for occupational therapists, according to the American Occupational Therapy Association, which has launched a recruitment drive. OT graduates typically receive about four job offers.
"For nearly every medical specialty, there is a corresponding physical therapy speciality that goes along with it," he said. "Physical therapists often are in the care of the patient, explaining the rehabilitation process which will follow the surgery."
The profession is dominated by women - 75 percent - but more men are entering the field and this will help ease the shortage, he said.
These specialists help rehabilitate the disabled and are taking an increasing role in analyzing injuries, the organization said.
'We are actively promoting occupational therapy as a career choice for students as well as those seeking second career options to make up the deficit and meet the needs of the disabled.'
- Also in short supply are physician assistants, who practice medicine under the supervision of licenced physicians. According to Linda Reed, academic coordinator of the physician's associate program at the Oklahoma Health Science Center, there are about 7.5 jobs available for every graduate. The specialty evolved out of the needs of rural or inner city areas, which have few doctors.
- Jeanette Bair AOTA executive director
- Increasing communications disorders among the very young and older people who jobs available in speech-language pathology and
audiology. Frederick Spahr, executive director of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, cites labor bureau statistics projecting a 28 percent increase in the demand for these professionals during the next decade. The job vacancy rate for these two specialties in hospital staffs alone almost has tripped in the last four years, according to the American Hospital Association of ASHA's members work in schools, and many others work in private practice, nursing homes and home health agencies.
Speech-language pathologists help patients with problems such as stuttering, articulation, voice or language disorders; audiologists work with people who have hearing losses.
The shortage of radiologists has reached alarming proportions, said Howard Schwartz, past president of the American Society for Radiology Administrators.
The Summit on Manpower, a coalition of 18 healthcare organizations, surveyed vacancy rates in hospitals and found vacancies ranging from 3 to 15 percent for radiography, from 3 to 13 percent for nuclear medicine technology, from 5 to 21 percent for radiation therapy, from 4 to 29 percent for sonography. The coalition said the shortage was affecting all patients, especially older patients and those with cancer.
Loretta Hanwell, chairperson of the group, said that potential recruits could come from the ranks county courts have returned to the workforce.
"They have the patience and the human qualities the work requires, but they simply do not realize that the opportunities are there," said Hanwell, executive director of radiology at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Pittsburgh. ■ Vacancy rates also are high in the medical laboratory field, with a national estimate of nearly 42,000 unfulfilled positions, according to the
American Society of Clinical Pathologists, which commissioned a survey of 12,000 medical laboratories.
The need for cytotechnologists, who examine cells to detect early signs of cancer, was especially high, with a 27.3 percent vacancy rate among medical technologists averaged 11.6 percent in the same period. The shortages are pushing salaries up, according to ASCP.
Health scientists to deal with environmental problems also are needed Paul Ziemer, U.S. assistant secretary of energy for environment, safety and health in the Department of Energy, said that the issues had created a demand for people in research and development, regulatory areas and occupational safety and health.
David Tate, director of development and counseling for the Purdue University School of Health Sciences, reported that graduates found jobs easily.
"The main problem is finding enough technically qualified people to fill the positions available," said Ziemer.
"For the last two to three years, the school has had 100 percent placement across the board," he said.
Typical employers are nuclear power utilities, radiation safety offices, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Department of Energy, radioactive waste management sites and state regulatory agencies.
As the baby boom generation ages, it will increasingly need eye care, so careers in optometry can expand. The American Optometric Association
Optometrists, who examine eyes,
prescribe glasses, advise on eye care and in some states treat eye diseases with drugs, can expect starting salaries of about $40,000 a year, according to the organization. Established practitioners can make $70,000.
Fulbright grants meet costs of study abroad
By Kim Hay
Special to the Kansan
Selections process gears up for fall semester; initial applications must be submitted May 6
Imagine going to study or do research abroad after graduation with almost all expenses paid.
The Fulbright full grant offers this and is available to students who want to go to graduate school.
The award provides a graduate who has not received a doctoral degree with round-trip transportation, language or orientation courses, tuition, books and maintenance for one academic year in one country, health and accident insurance where research is another country.
According to the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961, the purpose of the Fulbright program is to enable the government of the United States to increase mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.
Mary Debicki, director of the office of study abroad, said, "My goal for the Fulbright program at KU is to give students an opportunity to have a chance to study and do research abroad."
Debiicki said the Fulbright grant was established by Sen. Fulbright from Arkansas. After World War II, Germany was in debt to the United States, so Fulbright suggested that instead of paying retribution to the United States, Germany would educate U.S. students.
Congress, the primary source of financing for the Fulbright grants, annually makes appropriations to the U.S. Information Agency. Participating governmegs and institutions in other countries also contribute financially through cost sharing as well as by indirect support such as supplementary salary, tuition waivers, university housing or other benefits.
The program eventually was expanded and soon foreign students were coming to the United States.
There are several eligibility requirements for a Fulbright grant. Applicants must be U.S. citizens at the time of application, and students who have received a majority of their high school and undergraduate edu-
citations in the United States are preferred. Applicants also must have earned bachelor's degrees or the equivalent before grants begin. There are some exceptions to this rule. To communicate and do proposed research, the applicant must have written and spoken language of their host country. Finally, all applicants must be in good health.
The application and selection process is extensive.
"It's a long and lengthy process, but the key to successful achievements is to plan ahead," Debicki said.
This year there is a new procedure, a pre-proposal, which is due May 6.
"What we are trying to do this year to avoid human nature of doing everything at the last minute is to have students submit a pre-proposal of the research they are planning to do," said Hodge Bricke of intermedia. "This is so the students can identify themselves in their schools and with professors. This will help them have a better proposal."
After turning in their pre-proposals, the applicants will be assigned to a member of the Fulbright/Direct Exchange Selection Committee. The committee, consisting of 14 KU faculty members, is chosen by George Woodyard, dean of international studies and programs. The committee will meet with applicants and guide them into making the research proposals. Then they will review proposals, interview applicants and recommend certain applicants to the next review stage.
"As a member of the committee, I helped applicants with whatever I could to guide them with writing a proposal that supported his or her plans," said Ron Francisco, former principal at North Ridge High School who has a dual role to help students make their proposal as strong as possible and then to evaluate them."
Debicki said there were four major elements to a good proposal. Each research or study can be completed within one academic year. The
'It's a long and lengthy process, but the key to successful achievements is to plan ahead.'
— Mary Debicki director of the office of study abroad
proposal should tell why research should be conducted in the chosen country.
"A person applying really needs to do their homework on their country. They should know about the educational states and countries of France, Belgium, Brunei." Bairsteve.
Next, the application should express a time frame, how the student will complete their projects and what evidence they will produce.
Linda Stone-Ferrer, a member of the selection committee, said, "I look for clarity of expression in a proposed project, one that seems feasible in the time allotted given the student's academic program. I wonder what the project is and does, and that the student express clearly why and how research is going to be done."
The student also should explain the broad applicability of his or her research.
Along with submitting the written proposal, the student must obtain a list of references and take a foreign language proficiency test. A certified transcript should be sent to the office of study abroad.
Proposals must be turned in by noon September 10, 1991. Two weeks later, students and committee members will meet at a tea and get acquainted. The following week each student will have a view with several committee members. By this time members will have reviewed proposals extensively
"In the application I look for their knowledge of the foreign language, preparation, discipline, quality of academics in their proposal and the prospect for successful research." Francisco said. In their interview, he explained that they try to perceive if the person would be comfortable in a foreign environment and if that student seems to have potential to fit into another culture."
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