Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Awards Grant To The ADEA To Address Diversity And Access In Health Professions Education

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 07 Jun 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has awarded a 672,000 dollars grant to the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) to administer and expand http://www.explorehealthcareers.org a free, interactive health careers Web site designed to explain the array of health professions and provide easy access to students seeking information about health careers. Explore Health Careers is a joint initiative involving national foundations, professional associations, health career advisors, educational institutions and college students.

"The Foundation has a long track record of investment in building a strong, capable and diverse health care workforce. One of the best ways to begin the journey into the health professions is to understand the requirements and training necessary to become a health professional," said Judith Stavisky, Senior Program Officer at the Foundation. "ExploreHealthCareers.org explains the diversity of the health professions…from athletic trainer to medical interpreter, geriatric counsel to physical therapist. Equally important, the academic requirements and the salaries to be earned are all explained in easy to read format. Hosting one site that explains multiple careers is especially helpful to underrepresented, low-income students and first generation college students."

"Like the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, ADEA has an unwavering commitment to access and diversity issues, demonstrated by many initiatives throughout its history. Of recent significance is ADEA's collaboration with the Association of American Medical Colleges through another RWJF funded project, the Summer Medical and Dental Education Program," stated Dr. James Q. Swift, ADEA President.

The mission of EHC is to help solve two urgent problems in American health care: the under representation of minorities in the health workforce, and the shortage of health professionals in medically underserved communities. EHC addresses these problems by helping more of today's students become the health professionals of tomorrow. "It is especially gratifying that a major foundation such as RWJF would recognize our role in recruiting the next generations of women and men into all of the health professions," stated Dr. Richard Valachovic, ADEA Executive Director.

ExploreHealthCareers.org provides students of all ages a free, reliable and comprehensive source of accurate, up-to-date information about the health professions. This user-friendly program includes information on and links to health-related education/training programs, financial aid resources, specialized learning opportunities, and current issues in health care.

"EHC is a significant tool for expanding participation by minorities in the health professions workforce and ultimately increasing the number of health professionals in underserved communities. There is no other resource like it in terms of comprehensiveness, accuracy, and support for students who want to go into the health professions but don't know where to start," stated Dr. Jeanne Sinkford, Project Director and ADEA Associate Executive Director and Director for the Division of Equity and Diversity.

EHC's rich content includes information on 76 health careers with academic requirements, accredited programs, and job outlook/salary range; two interactive databases with hundreds of pre-health enrichment programs and sources of portable financial aid; profiles of minority health professionals and practitioners working in underserved communities; advice on how to succeed in health professions school; information on current health policy topics; timely articles and useful links.

About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change.

For more than 35 years the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit http://www.rwjf.org.

About the American Dental Education Association

The American Dental Education Association (ADEA) is the leading national organization for dental education. Its members include all U.S. and Canadian dental schools, advanced dental education programs, allied dental education programs, corporations, faculty, and students. The mission of ADEA is to lead individuals and institutions of the dental education community to address contemporary issues influencing education, research, and the delivery of oral health care for the health of the public. ADEA's activities encompass a wide range of research, advocacy, faculty development, meetings, and communications, as well as the dental school admissions services AADSAS and PASS and the Journal of Dental Education.

American Dental Education Association
1400 K Street NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005
202-289-7201
http://www.adea.org

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