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| Issue: # 23 | February /2011 |
Connecting Students to Health Careers |
| Greetings!
Won't you be my...
healthcare provider?
Did you know that Montana has desperate shortages of many vital healthcare professionals?
Did you know that these shortages are expected to increase at alarming rates as the Baby Boomers age (due to increased demand for care as well as large numbers of retiring workers?)
Did you know that a student from rural Montana is historically about as likely to go to medical school as a student from the inner city--not because of lack of ability, but because of lack of exposure, opportunity, and aspiration?
Did you know that these trends can be improved-- by keeping health careers in the conversation! Become informed about the need, the opportunity, and the potential of health careers-- and talk with your students!
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| MedStart 2011 Applications Now Available! |
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We are thrilled to announce that the Montana AHECs will offer three MedStart Summer Camps in the summer of 2011 for rising juniors and seniors interested in health careers.
Each camp is FREE and will include hands on healthcare activities, shadowing with health professionals, medical tours and symposia, information about college life, admissions, financial aid, and lots of fun social and recreational activities! Applicants will be able to rank locations in order of preference. 
MedStart 2011 Dates and Locations:
Billings (MSU-B) : June 19 - 24
Missoula (UM) : July 10 - 15
Bozeman (MSU) : July 17 - 23
Housing, food, tuition and other costs will be paid for seventy students statewide, and we especially encourage applicants who meet the following criteria:
* First-generation planning to attend college
* Financially disadvantaged background
* Minority/underrepresented
* From rural/frontier communities
Applicants will need to submit transcripts, answers to essay questions, and letters of reference. Applications are available at www.mtahec.org. Application deadline is March 1, 2011
Click here to view a video about MedStart!
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| This month's Spotlight Lesson from UT's Teacher Enrichment: Creating & Using a Food Diary | |
Individual Downloads (available here) 24 hour Food Diary Worksheet
Activity Description
Have students complete a food diary for a day. Be sure the students also record any snacks they eat. Record the snacks under the meal that was closest to when they ate them. For example, if they ate popcorn at 10 p.m., they should record this with supper. They should record their amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat in grams and the amount of cholesterol in mg.
To convert grams to calories, students will have to use the following information:
1 gram of protein or carbohydrate = 4 Calories
1 gram of fat = 9 Calories
Have the students record their total intake of carbohydrate, fat, and protein as follows:
___ grams = ___ calories (at the bottom of their food diary).
NEXT: Have students compare their daily intake to the recommendations available on the Daily Food Choices handout. and record their comparisons on the Food Diary Analysis Worksheet.
Next month in this space: Oral Health
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Two Grant Opportunities Available
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Grant for Schools Excelling in Science & Math
Every year, Intel honors U.S. schools demonstrating excellence in math and science education through innovative teaching and learning environments. To be considered as an Intel School of Distinction, schools must develop an environment and curricula that meet or exceed benchmarks put forth by national mathematics and science content standards.
Up to three schools at each level-elementary, middle, and high school-will be named as finalists in the math and science categories. These 18 schools will receive a cash grant of USD 5,000 from the Intel Foundation and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a four-member team from their school and district. Six winners will be selected from the finalists and receive a USD 10,000 cash grant. One of these winners will be selected as the "Star Innovator" and will receive a USD 25,000 grant. All 5 winning schools & the Star Innovator will also receive products and services from program sponsors.
Successful math and science programs serve as models for schools across the country. By replicating proven programs, schools everywhere can reinvigorate their own math and science programs to inspire the next generation of scientists and mathematicians. Visit this site for more information and to apply. Application deadline is February 17th.
Toyota Grant for Science Teachers 
The Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program, administered by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), provides support to K-12 science teachers throughout the United States for innovative projects that enhance science education in their schools and/or school districts. The grant categories include Physical Science Application, Environmental Science Education, and Integrating Literacy and Science. In 2011, 50 large grants of $10,000 will be awarded. All applicants must have at least two years of science teaching experience in a K-12 school, not including the current school year. Online applications should be submitted through the National Science Teachers Association website by February 23, 2011. Visit the NSTA website for more information.
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REACH Programs a Success in Eastern Montana
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Over 60 students from 9 different schools in northern Montana attended REACH camps in early January. Each camp included presentations from healthcare professionals, hands-on activities, and peer interactions. Locations for the day camps were Sheridan Memorial Hospital in Plentywood, Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow, and Phillips County Hospital in Malta. Thank you to everyone who made these camps possible!
North East Montana Health Services has postponed their Poplar/Wolf Point camp due to inclement weather. The camp has been rescheduled for March 29th - accepted students should contact their school counselors for updated information.
Upcoming REACH camps in Eastern MT:
Miles City REACH will take place on March 2 at Holy Rosary Healthcare. Students from Custer, Garfield, Prairie, and Powder River counties should contact their school counselors for more information, the application deadline is February 15th. Red Lodge REACH will take place on March 15th at Beartooth Billings Clinic. Students from Carbon County should contact their counselors for more information and apply by February 18th.
Look for Camps in Columbus and Lame Deer coming up in April.
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Education Spotlight:Dental Hygiene Degrees in MT
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 Montana has numerous pot-secondary options for students wanting to pursue careers in healthcare. This section of the e-newsletter will be dedicated to highlighting post-secondary programs in Montana.
The MSU-Great Falls COT is the only school in Montana where students can study to become a Dental Hygienist. Upon completion, students receive an Associate Degree and are prepared to enter the workforce. http://www.msugf.edu/webs/DH/index.html
For more information on post-secondary healthcare options, check out the AHEC Pathways brochures.
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| Math & Science Resources | |
 Governor Brian Schweitzer and First Lady Nancy Schweitzer challenge students to discover the wonders of math and science! Check out this great website for resources for teachers and students alike!
http://www.mathscience.mt.gov/
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| Financial Aid Resources for Graduating Seniors | |
It's a New Year: Time to Apply for Financial Aid and Look for 2011 Summer Enrichment Opportunities
According to the College Board, three-quarters of full-time college students receive some form of financial aid. At some point during your education, you may need to apply for financial aid. Changes in student aid provisions passed in 2010 will affect the application process. ExploreHealthCareers wants you to be informed, ready, and prepared. Learn more about Changes in Financial Aid (Part I) of a two-part article series.
Being prepared means making plans ahead of time - like how you plan to spend your summer to enhance your exposure in the health professions. One way to gain valuable exposure and experience is to participate in a summer enrichment program. Some programs offer a stipend, round-trip airfare to and from the program, and free housing. Three Pre-health Enrichment Opportunities for Summer 2011 are featured that provide opportunities to explore and discover the fields of veterinary medicine, dentistry, and optometry. (In addition, make sure to apply for the Montana AHEC MedStart Summer Camp!)
Participation in an enrichment program can help you develop & nurture long-lasting relationships. Finding someone who can mentor & inspire you to achieve your career goals increases your chances of success. The Importance of Mentoring.
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North Central AHEC reaches local students
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The North Central AHEC office (PO BOX 67 Fairfield, MT 59436) is open and hitting the ground running! In the last month, the Fairfield office has already managed to facilitate two local high school career fairs; Choteau Public Schools World Day of Work and Fairfield Career Fair. These events provided excellent opportunities for about 80 local high school students to explore different healthcare career options in the state of Montana and general education about health sciences. In addition to the local career fairs, the NC office was able to participate in the Great Falls College of Technology Health Career Fair. This event was attended by high school students from around the state who are interested in healthcare careers. Contact Morgen Greely, Program Coordinator, with questions: morgen@mtha.org
The NC office is also currently looking for community members to serve on the NC AHEC Advisory Council.If you or someone you know is interested in being a member, please contact Jody Haines, Director, 406-467-2455 or jody@mtha.org
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| Career Spotlight: Medical Illustrator |
A medical illustrator is a professional artist with extensive training in medicine, science, communication, and technology. They create visual material to help record and disseminate medical, biological and related information. Medical illustrators have the medical and scientific knowledge to grasp complex scientific information, parse it down, and transmit the essence in a succinct visual message that is accurate, educational, and beautiful. 
Medical illustration is a relatively exclusive field: although the need for their services is great, there is just a small cadre of these highly specialized artists in practice. The Association of Medical Illustrators (AMI) estimates a total of just 1,200 Medical Illustrators in all of North America. This is partly due to the small number of medical illustration program graduates and partly due to the rapid growth in health-related research and development: as new treatments and technologies arise, so does the need for accompanying illustrations and animations. Not surprisingly, then, the employment outlook for medical illustrators is excellent.
The median salary for a medical illustrator is $63,000; those in supervisory and director positions earn $77,000 to 102,000 per year, respectively (2009 survey data).
Medical illustrators work closely with physicians and scientists. They produce visually driven content for journals, books, magazines, advertising, film, television, web, interactive and mobile media, virtual reality, exhibits, demonstrative evidence, and presentations. In addition to producing such material, medical illustrators often function as content developers, creative directors, consultants and administrators within the general field of biocommunication and as business owners and entrepreneurs in the marketplace.
Some medical illustrators specialize in a particular facet of medicine. If they are especially talented, they can become highly respected and sought-after for their skills in such areas as:
- cellular / biochemical animation
- surgical / medical device illustration
- medical-legal exhibits
- prosthetic devices
Although the majority of medical illustrators produce work for print and online media, some also work in three dimensions, creating sculptured anatomical teaching models, models for simulated medical procedures and prosthetic parts for patients.
There is also an expanding need for web-based interactive learning programs, and many illustrators become authors and co-authors of textbooks and medical articles. In addition, as more people demand better information about their own bodies and healthcare options, the need has grown for medical illustrations in patient education and public health initiatives.
Text courtesy ofwww.explorehealthcareers.org
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| AHEC - The Basics |
This E-News is being sent to you by the Montana Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) in order to open a dialogue among educators about Health Science Education for K-12 students of Montana. Through this newsletter we intend to:
1) build a shared resource of activities, materials, and lesson plans to draw on in teaching the health sciences
2) highlight the cross-curriculum nature of the health sciences
3) build an interest in and awareness of health career paths for students in the state of Montana
Please contact us with your comments, ideas, questions or projects you'd like to see highlighted in future issues of this e-newsletter. And thank you for the work you do every day to inspire and support Montana kids!
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Sincerely,
Montana AHECs (Area Health Education Centers)
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