For more information or to get involved, contact:
Karen Armitage, MD, FAAP
KArmitage@salud.unm.edu
505-272-5377
MSC 09 5065
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Phone: (505) 272-5377
karmitage@salud.unm.edu
The UNM College of Nursing (CoN) was recently recognized by the Vision 2020 Program for the collaborative clinical programs it has developed across the state.
“The UNM CoN has a middle name and it is “Community,” said Art Kaufman, M.D., Vice Chancellor for Community Affairs. Kaufman said CoN faculty and staff have been with working with the New Mexico community for many years in innovative projects providing primary care services covering the lifespan, from the Family Health Partnership midwifery clinic, an Early Head Start Clinic, school based health clinics like Mustang Valley in Mountainair and finally Geriatric Education and Health Maintenance clinics (GEHM) in Albuquerque. To read the full description click here.
What if we did some research, learned what works successfully, implemented an intervention, and began experiencing change in health behaviors and health outcomes in our communities? Wouldn't that be cool? Well, it's happened! Dr. Richard Kozoll was recognized in Washington, D.C. on April 12, 2012,as one of President Barack Obama's Champions of Change: Winning the Future Across America, which recognizes Americans, businesses, and organizations who help the nation innovate, educate, and build for the future; and Let's Move!, launched by Mrs. Obama to reduce childhood obesity. Dr. Kozoll, a community partner of the University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center (PRC), was recognized for having developed Step Into Cuba, a program to increase walking, hiking, and other physical activity in the rural community of Cuba, New Mexico. Director of the PRC, Dr. Sally Davis, shared the limelight as First Lady Michelle Obama bestowed the award. Building walking and biking paths linking open space has increased opportunities for healthy physical activity and time spent in the fresh air of this rural, pine-forested community.
A nationally observed trend is also affecting New Mexico--the "thinning" and "greying" of the public health workforce. Two of four regional health officer positions and two medical director positions are currently vacant at the state health department. These public health physicians provide direct clinical services and medical direction for essential department programs and services, and filling them will be a challenge, given the shrinking public health workforce. The number of public health workers per unit of population has been falling nationally for the last two decades, as public health workers retire or move into other areas of the health care workforce.
To help address this problem, UNM School of Medicine has initiated a requirement for all graduating MDs to complete course work for a public health certificate. Newly minted MDs in New Mexico will now enter practice with basic knowledge, skills and experiences in public health, an important step towards assuring a skilled public health workforce. For more information about the physician vacancies at the state health department, follow this link.
