In the view of a continuing education unit in a rural health education center in Australia, competency-based training emphasizes what a person can actually do as a result of training. Professional continuing education courses are being developed using accredited guidelines from the national Vocational Education Training Assessment Board. (SK)

Using the principles of Both Ways (incorporating cross-cultural perspectives), five Aboriginal health workers developed evaluation guidelines for research on Aboriginal populations. The guidelines address whether and how the perspectives of the population are integrated into the research. (SK)

Explores the relationship between academic assessment and assessment of National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) for health professionals in Britain. Examines the relationship between competence and excellence or expertise and the development of reflective practitioners. Raises concerns about using NVQs in professional occupations. (SK)

Allied health students (n=145) and faculty (n=55) participated in online surveys and focus groups on important instructional elements. Four teacher qualities were cited by both groups: teachers' ability to relate academic and clinical experiences, communication skills, preparation and organization, and subject knowledge. Students' and teachers'…

Survey responses from 614 allied health students (63.7% African-American) indicated that significant numbers engaged in safe sex practices compared with other student populations. African-Americans had higher rates of condom use than other students; most had been tested for HIV. There was a minimal gap between knowledge and behavior in the study…

Multiple surveys of 48 physical therapy students measured the effects of participation in mock trials on skills for evaluating and using research. Participation resulted in increased confidence in their ability to interpret research and positive attitudes about it. (Contains 25 references.) (SK)

An interdisciplinary team from various college allied health departments implemented Project AGE: Alliance for Gerontology Education to develop content to infuse in courses on the themes of age and culture, assistive technology, collaboration, and consumer health education. One goal was to foster interaction among allied health students to prepare…

Suggests that psychology has an obligation to help achieve healthy work environments. This will require the development of a new doctoral-level specialty that combines the perspective of health psychology with those of occupational health and public health. The new field might be called occupational health psychology. (EVL)

Indiana high school and college counselors were asked about their present counseling resources and what additional resources were needed. Responses from 99 (of 248) indicated that printed materials were frequently used and requested and that counselors needed specific career and program information. (JOW)

Describes the student recruitment and retention programs in the School of Allied Health Sciences at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. The programs are supported by federal grants and have assisted in enrolling over 575 minority students with a retention rate of above 90 percent. The programs are adaptable and have been used as…

Increasing numbers of older people in the population are expanding opportunities for careers in aging-related fields: caregivers, home health aides, occupational therapists, nurses, nurses' aides, nursing home personnel, long-term care ombudsmen, discharge planners, retirement community managers, and respiratory therapists. (SK)

An overview is provided of the general education and training of occupational therapists, followed by a discussion of issues related to personnel preparation for early-intervention practice. Two challenges identified for the field of occupational therapy include the need for continuing education and the personnel shortage. (Author/JDD)

Describes the process of tailoring written and oral communication curricula to particular occupations. Uses a course adapted for an environmental health program to illustrate the process. (JAD)

This report examines how the teacher-practitioner model has been developed and is implemented at Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center (Chicago, Illinois) in the professional training of audiologists. Discussed are the model's attributes, integration of the clinical and academic programs, advantages of the model, demands of the model, and…

In a survey, 80 occupational therapy directors described funding requests for 1988-90: they submitted 24 internal and 194 external requests, receiving full or partial funding for 115, an increase of $2 million compared to 1985-87. Programs received funding for training (35), model projects (2), research and development (6), and other activities…