Post-Conference Newsletter | home

Overview | 2006 Ambassadors Conference | Friday, July 21, 2006 | Saturday, July 22, 2006
Ideas for your Action Planning | Closing

Overview of the NHSC Ambassador Program: | top

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC), celebrating its 35th year, continues to improve the health of the Nation’s underserved one community at a time by uniting communities in need with caring health professionals and supporting communities’ efforts to build better systems of care. Over the past 35 years, more than 24,500 dedicated, culturally competent, and community-responsive clinicians have practiced in federally designated health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) throughout the country, providing health care services to those most in need.   

The NHSC Ambassador Program is a key resource in identifying NHSC clinicians as well as supporting them in practice. Ambassadors understand the unique benefits and challenges of a career in primary care in underserved communities and help students and clinicians determine whether the NHSC is right for them. For those students and clinicians who have made the choice, Ambassadors play a key role in supporting them and sustaining their commitment to primary care. Ambassadors are the “champions” needed in the field to promote the NHSC, advocate for primary-care careers in service to the underserved, and support those dedicated to our mission. 

Five years after the Ambassador program commenced, the second annual NHSC Ambassadors Conference, which took place July 20–22, 2006, in Washington, D.C., was an opportunity for campus-based and, for the first time, community-based Ambassadors to gather; build relationships with NHSC staff and each other; learn how to create new strategies and perform their critical roles more effectively; and truly appreciate how they can contribute to the NHSC. More than 200 Ambassadors attended the conference. The underlying goal of the conference was to educate first-time conference attendees about the NHSC mission, its programs, and the roles and responsibilities of volunteer campus- and community-based Ambassadors, and to expose returning conference attendees to partnership possibilities, in-depth resource materials, and networking opportunities.

2006 Ambassadors Conference: Growing Healthy Communities:  | top

In this spirit, the 2006 Ambassadors Conference was an opportunity for Ambassadors to become intimately involved in their volunteer roles. The four main focus areas for Ambassadors addressed at the conference included:

• Recruit and retain students and clinicians to work in underserved communities—Ambassadors are committed to helping underserved communities; thus, they are in a position to discuss the rewards and challenges of such a career path with others.
  
  
• Prepare and train students and clinicians to work in health professional shortage areas—Ambassadors can bring together students and clinicians interested in primary care to foster discussion, share resources, and arrange training opportunities.
  
  
• Mentor students and clinicians to serve the underserved—Ambassadors can use their experience and knowledge of working in underserved communities to advise and support students and clinicians who have a desire to work in such areas. 
  
  
• Advocate for improving the health of the Nation’s underserved—As leaders in primary care, Ambassadors can champion the need for primary care in underserved communities and highlight the importance of this career track either on campus or in the community.
  
  

Ambassadors participated in a variety of sessions designed to improve their knowledge of the NHSC—especially the four focus areas—and refine and develop strategies in the areas of recruitment, preparation and training, mentoring, and advocacy.  We have highlighted some of those sessions below with links to the PowerPoint presentations for some of these sessions on the post-conference Web site.

Friday, July 21, 2006  
NHSC: A Day of Discovery:  | top

NHSC Nuts and Bolts Session (Click here to view the NHSC Nuts and Bolts document): 

The NHSC Nuts & Bolts session provided Ambassadors with a comprehensive overview of the NHSC, from the initial Scholar and Loan Repayor application process to the point where clinicians are serving in the field. The session covered vital components of the process, including:

• An overview of the Loan Repayment and Scholarship programs, including the application and award process, benefits, and commitments such as:
  
  
• Applicants who demonstrate a commitment to serve, geographic flexibility, and a strong interest in providing primary health care to underserved populations across the country stand the best chance of receiving an award.
  
  
• Applicants must work full time at an approved NHSC site (or be in a contractual negotiation with their site) to qualify. 
  
  
  
• The site identification and application process, how HPSA scores impact it, and the procedures for Loan Repayment and Scholarship placement 
  
  
• Typically, the PCO is the main source in each state for recommending areas to be designated as HPSAs.
  
  
• To be eligible for consideration as a NHSC placement site, health care facilities must be designated as a primary-care medical, dental, or mental HPSA. 
  
  
• The facility must treat all patients regardless of the their ability to pay, accept Medicaid, Medicare, and State Children’s Health Insurance Program, and have a facility-wide sliding fee scale in place for patients who fall below 200 percent of the current year’s Federal poverty guideline. 
  
  
• The Job Opportunities List, how it’s useful to Loan Repayors and Scholars, where it can be found on the NHSC Web site, how to use it, and how it can be used as a tool to assist in filling open vacancies in underserved communities nationwide
  
  
• The Job Opportunities List provides information on thousands of openings at NHSC-eligible sites and is updated regularly.
  
  
• NHSC-eligible sites may submit vacancies to be included on The Job Opportunities List whenever they arise.
  
  
• How the In School/In Training (IS/IT) Branch supports in-school Scholars and residents, necessary so Ambassadors can direct Scholars to the appropriate Analyst in IS/IT for programmatic questions and concerns
  
  
• The IS/IT Branch answers questions Scholars and residents have about staying in compliance with their NHSC commitment and navigating their way through school and training.
  
  
• How the In Service Support (ISSB) Branch supports NHSC clinicians 
  
  
• ISSB, in conjunction with the NHSC Recruitment, Training, and Support Center, begins working with Scholars regarding placement during the summer prior to the start of their final year of residency.

Tier One Session (First Time Attendees)

Ambassadorship 101 (Click here to view Michael McCunniff’s PowerPoint presentation):

Ambassador Michael McCunniff taught first-time conference attendees about their roles and responsibilities as Ambassadors.  He used the following specific examples related to how he is carrying out his Ambassador roles in the four focus areas for the Ambassador program:

• Recruit students and clinicians to the NHSC (e.g., hold a brown-bag session)
  
  
• Prepare and train students and clinicians to serve the underserved (e.g., link students to clinical rotations in the summer)
  
  
• Mentor students and clinicians (e.g., talk to them about their career goals and how to sustain their interest in primary care)
  
  
• Promote the importance and value of primary-care careers in service to the underserved both in the community and on campus (e.g., champion this career path simply by showcasing your actions to others you come in contact with)

Dr. McCunniff lists several ways to accomplish his roles and responsibilities in his PowerPoint presentation that can be found by clicking here.

How to Make a Presentation (Click here to view Laure Wylie's PowerPoint presentation): 

Ambassador Laurie Wylie explained the steps necessary to make a presentation, including:

• Ordering materials for the event
• Accessing the NHSC 101 presentation on the Ambassador Web site
• Promoting the event with NHSC flyers and other resources on campus or in the community
• Making contacts with key personnel either on campus or in the community to arrange the event
• Entering the event into the online Ambassador database after the event

 
For additional details on these steps, go to Ms. Wylie’s presentation by clicking here.

Tier Two Session (Returning Ambassadors):

Ambassador Collaborations with Primary Care Organizations: Ambassadors on this panel discussed how they are specifically working with the Ambassadors in their states to ultimately recruit and retain clinicians to serve the underserved.  The Primary Care Office (PCO) in each state plays a key role in the recruitment and retention of providers in its respective State.  PCOs are intimately involved in the health professional shortage designation process in their states and work very closely with the NHSC.  Ambassadors provided specific examples of collaboration with their respective PCO offices and how working together contributes to the ultimate goal of finding dedicated clinicians to serve the underserved in areas of greatest need. For a complete listing of PCOs, please visit: http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/resources/info/pco.asp.

HPSA Designations:   A representative from HRSA discussed the nuts and bolts of the HPSA designation process to Ambassadors, which is important because all NHSC sites must be located in HPSAs.  For details on this topic, please visit HRSA’s Web site at:  http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/shortage/.

Saturday, July 22:  Turning Conversation in Action: | top
 
Ambassadors had the opportunity to develop their own strategic action plans for success, allowing them to analyze and evaluate their current efforts and develop plans to improve their activities in the areas of recruitment, preparation/training, mentoring, and advocacy. While working in small groups in which they discussed and developed individual action items specific to their organizations, Ambassadors:

• Reflected on their current efforts within each function area
  
  
• Identified short- and long-term goals for each function area, with an eye to expanding the reach of each one
  
  
• Determined available resources to support each function area
  
  
• Built a strategy for realizing the expansion of the function area
  
  
• Discussed implementation measures

Ambassadors used a strategic action planning document that can be used to develop your own plan (click here to access). 

For example, John Fraser, Ambassador at University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, developed a great plan that addressed questions related to  preparation and training.  Currently, at his institution, fourth-year medical students are required to participate in a community-based rotation. To build on this requirement, he established a goal to increase the numbers of rotations in HPSAs to expand opportunities for the fourth-year students.  The resources he will utilize include reaching out to partners, including the Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Rural Health Association, and the Texas Primary Health Care Association.  The strategy he chose is to identify additional sites in underserved communities in Texas, make arrangements for placement of students, and evaluate the effectiveness of the opportunities.  To implement this strategy, Dr. Fraser will contact state associations to identify sites, contact sites to make arrangements for logistical support, and evaluate the process from his students’ perspective  afterward.

Ideas for Your Action Planning from Your NHSC Ambassador Colleagues:  | top

Ambassadors are a very unique group, and no two are exactly alike. During the conference, we took the opportunity to talk to several of you on your successes and/or challenges in developing your own Ambassador program on your campus or in the community.  The various stories below may help you develop some of your own action planning ideas.  We even provided you with some tips to get started or further refine what you are already doing!

Enlightened Recruiting
Stephen Scott is a NHSC Ambassador at Three Rivers AHEC in Columbus, Georgia. Returning for his second Ambassadors Conference, Mr. Scott hoped to build on what he learned at last year’s conference, which he labeled an “enlightenment…jam-packed with useful information.” Conceding that he did not know a great deal about the NHSC before last year’s conference, Mr. Scott honed his knowledge of NHSC fundamentals—such as the Loan Repayment Program’s finer details—and came away impressed with the competence and dedication of Ambassadors from various facets of the program. Returning to Columbus after last year’s conference, he felt more comfortable with his role in the program and more enthusiastic about encouraging students to get involved. In fact, since the 2005 conference, Scott has recruited as many as 10 new Ambassadors to be a part of the NHSC. He hoped to garner new ideas from this year’s conference and build on what he learned last year, making the NHSC even more integral to his AHEC’s mission.

• Action Planning Ideas:
  
  
  • Reach out to students and educate them about the merits of the NHSC and why they should be a part of it
    
    
  • Identify health care-related professionals who would make good Ambassadors and talk to them about the program
    
    

Putting Nuts & Bolts Into Action
Susan Clemen-Stone teaches in the University of Michigan School of Nursing’s Community Health undergraduate and graduate programs. Returning this year for her second Ambassadors Conference, Ms. Clemen-Stone values the opportunity to network with fellow Ambassadors as much as the conference sessions themselves, as she finds it helpful to learn about other people’s experiences at different sites. Among her most valuable takeaways from last year’s conference was the “Nuts & Bolts” session, which educated her about the difference between the Loan Repayment and Scholar Programs and how to facilitate students applying for or seeking information about them. At this year’s conference, Ms. Clemen-Stone hoped to learn more about sites and the process for NHSC approval, as well as how to help students locate them. Additionally, learning more about how to approach recruiting activities, “National Primary Care Week,” and NHSC fundamentals from this year’s Nuts & Bolts session were top on her agenda. In the end, what excites Ms. Clemen-Stone as much as anything is “people’s commitment to the program, and their passion and commitment to primary care.”

• Action Planning Ideas:
  
  
• Identify sites in your area that may be eligible for NHSC approval and encourage administrators at those sites to apply
  
• Help students figure out how to locate NHSC-approved sites

Recruiting in the Heartland
The NHSC is alive and well in America’s midsection. Just ask Josie Peterson, primary-care coordinator at the South Dakota Department of Health’s Office of Rural Health. Although she’s only been an Ambassador for a short period of time, Ms. Peterson realizes the impact the NHSC can have on rural health care in her home state. She says about a dozen NHSC Loan Repayors currently work at sites in South Dakota, but more are needed. Consequently, she hopes what she’s learned at this year’s conference—such as application deadlines and HPSA scoring—will help in her quest to better promote the program and to recruit clinicians from both in and out of state.   

• Action Planning Idea:
  
  
• Come up with an action plan to attract professionals who qualify for the Loan Repayment Program to sites in your area

Reaching out to Scholars and Loan Repayors
Dr. Cindy Selleck is the AHEC program director at the University of South Florida College of Medicine. A NHSC Ambassador for the past 3 years, she has attended both Ambassadors Conferences and learned a lot along the way, especially in terms of recruiting and outreach. At the 2005 conference, Dr. Selleck learned about the various recruiting tools available, such as letters to incoming students, posters, CD-ROMs, information sheets, and the NHSC toolkit, which includes an invaluable PowerPoint presentation that has come in handy. Soon after the conference, she put what she learned into action by writing to national health centers to locate Loan Repayors and Scholars, connect with them, and let them know how she can be of assistance in her role as an Ambassador for the region. Dr. Selleck subsequently invited several of them to talk to pre-med and medical students about their NHSC experiences and to serve as preceptors.

• Action Planning Ideas:
  
  
• Connect with Scholars and Loan Repayors in your area and let them know how you can help them as an Ambassador
  
  
• Invite Scholars and Loan Repayors to talk to students and professionals who might be interested in the NHSC

Selling the NHSC’s Mission
Although not an Ambassador, Amy Chang, a presenter at this year’s conference from the Northwest Regional Primary Care Association in Seattle, Washington, performs many of the same duties. Her involvement with the NHSC and use of its resources have helped her place both Scholars and Loan Repayors in community health centers around the western United States, as part of her job entails traveling to sites and educating practitioners about the program and its many benefits. In addition to presenting, Ms. Chang found the conference invaluable in terms of meeting Ambassadors from her region, networking, and learning about HPSA scoring. A story she likes to share concerns a Physician Assistant (PA) from Utah she met at a Scholars conference in Salt Lake City whom she encouraged to take a position at a NHSC site in Alaska, Ms. Chang’s home State. Before signing the contract, the PA’s family tried to intervene because they wanted him to stay in Utah and were concerned about him relocating to a remote State he had never visited. Ms. Chang had a tough sales job on her hands, but after educating the family about the program and playing up all the NHSC’s benefits, the family’s concerns were assuaged and their blessings were given.

• Action Planning Idea:
  
  
• Enhance your knowledge of HPSA scoring and determine if sites in your region qualify to recruit Loan Repayors

Alumnus Turns Ambassador
Having served as a NHSC Scholar in the 1980s, Dr. John Fraser has a more intimate understanding of the program than most Ambassadors. Currently a doctor of pediatric emergency medicine and faculty member at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas, his experience as a Scholar in Harlingen, Texas, gave him first-hand knowledge of the amazing difference the NHSC makes in people’s lives. A first-time Ambassadors-Conference attendee, Dr. Fraser has benefited from the 3-day session in several ways: learning about the many changes in the program since he last served; how to make presentations to prospective Scholars and Loan Repayors, especially since the latter did not exist in the early ‘80s; and how to use NHSC recruiting materials most effectively. His pitch to prospective Scholars and Loan Repayors is rooted in both altruism and patriotism, because to Dr. Fraser, caring for the underserved isn’t just about service to people, it’s about service to one’s country as well.    

• Action Planning Ideas:
  
  
• Incorporate the wide range of NHSC resources available to you into a multi-pronged recruiting presentation
  
  
• Highlight all the attributes and benefits of being part of the NHSC

Hanging his hat on the NHSC
When the NHSC originally approached Brad Powers about becoming an Ambassador, his only request was an NHSC hat. Dr. Powers, director of underserved populations at Forest Institute of Professional Psychology in Springfield, Missouri, hangs that hat on educating psychology students of every stripe about the NHSC. Part of that motivation stems from his lack of awareness about the NHSC when he was a student, a reality he laments to this day. The son of a periodontist/endodontist in rural Nebraska, Dr. Powers witnessed the lack of health care providers in that region first-hand, as people would drive as much as 5 hours for appointments with his father. Determined to help remedy the situation, Dr. Powers ended up teaching in rural Missouri in a program that recruits students from rural, underserved areas because he knows they are likely to return to that kind of environment. Dr. Powers learned the fundamentals of being an Ambassador at last year’s conference: how to promote the NHSC and approach students and the community; and how to get sites approved by the NHSC and place students in them. NHSC resources, such as videos, the toolkit, posters, and notepads have aided his efforts. He views this year’s conference as an extension of what he learned last year, and another opportunity to wear his trusted NHSC hat.   

• Action Planning Ideas:
  
  
• Get in touch with students from small towns and educate them about the NHSC, as they are the most inclined to work in rural areas
  
  
• Make it a point to gather as many NHSC resources as possible to aid your recruiting efforts

     
Not Your Everyday Bob
Bob Philpot has achieved more in just a couple decades than most people can fathom accomplishing in an entire lifetime. In addition to his role as a NHSC Ambassador with the University of Florida’s PA Program, Dr. Philpot has been a medic in the National Guard, including a recent stint in Iraq.  Returning for his second Ambassadors Conference, he’s enjoyed this year’s conference even more than last year’s, especially with the addition of community Ambassadors. As an Ambassador, Dr. Philpot’s job, particularly placing graduates at sites, is made easier by NHSC resources at his disposal. He finds the Opportunities List, which he once considered archaic and obsolete, very useful now that it’s online and updated regularly. Dr. Philpot’s vision is to take what he’s learned about providing primary care to the underserved and creating a rural health PA scholarship program. Graduates of the program would serve in high HPSA areas and would be likely to stay for extended periods of time. Just one more future accomplishment to add to his list.

• Action Planning Ideas:
  
  
• Learn how to use the Opportunities List to the fullest extent possible
  
  
• Come up with new and creative ideas to parlay what you’ve learned from the NHSC to better serve your community

Relationship Building Translates to a Valuable Recruiting Tool
At the 2005 Ambassadors Conference, Susan Piccirilli, vice president of marketing and planning at The Primary Health Network in Sharon, Pennsylvania, was one of the only community representatives in attendance. Because the 2006 Ambassadors Conference rolled out the red carpet to all Ambassadors, community and academic, she felt more in her element. Last year’s conference, however, provided opportunities for Ms. Piccirilli to learn, network, and build relationships with Ambassadors that have helped her recruit clinicians to work at her site. This time around, she’s received invaluable tips from other community Ambassadors operating in similar capacities. On balance, Ms. Piccirilli views the NHSC itself and what it represents as indispensable. “The NHSC is one of the best recruiting tools I have,” said Ms. Piccirilli. “I talk about the NHSC with everyone I think can benefit from it.”

• Action Planning Idea:
  
  
• Share information gleaned at the Ambassador Conference with colleagues and potential employees

Targeting the Right People
Teamwork and collaboration are hallmarks of any well-functioning organization, which is why Donna Nativio is such a champion of the NHSC. Dr. Nativio, nurse-practitioner director at the University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing, was back for her second Ambassadors Conference, and to her, the addition of more disciplines to NHSC programs feeds directly into those aforementioned hallmarks. In fact, the many disciplines on display at the conference are critical to Dr. Nativio, because they create “opportunities for multidisciplinary networking.” The conferences have also helped her identify students who truly look at serving the underserved as a career, not just a short-term experience. “The information at both last year’s and this year’s conference has reinforced what I’ve been thinking over the past year regarding who the right students to target for recruiting are.”

• Action Planning Ideas:
  
  
• Figure out ways you and your colleagues can work together to further the goals of your organization
  
  
• Fine-tune your recruiting strategies to target those likely to spend their careers working in underserved communities

Multidisciplinary Community Model
The town of La Verne, California, might not have a lot of national visibility, but Barry Perlmutter is happy to trade a lack of awareness about La Verne for more awareness about the NHSC among his students. Dr. Perlmutter is program chair for clinical community psychology at the University of La Verne and has learned a great deal at his first Ambassadors conference. His first priority has been to find out how to get more of his students eligible for the Loan Repayment Program, and how to get community agencies near La Verne NHSC-certified in order to employ more of his students. Like many other Ambassadors at the conference, Dr. Perlmutter has found networking with peers very beneficial. However, he’s not only made valuable contacts, he’s also become more educated about available NHSC resources and how to go about getting questions answered. He feels the NHSC’s multidisciplinary nature dovetails into the community model his university embraces and is well suited for his students’ benefit.

• Action Planning Ideas:
  
  
• Build relationships and partnerships with sites in your area that could most benefit from employing your students
  
  
• Set aside time to better familiarize yourself with NHSC resources that can provide answers to your questions

Closing:   Navigating one’s way through the many challenges of providing health care to those most in need can be a lonely experience, and having a mentor to guide, support, and nurture can often be the difference between success and failure. As Ambassadors, the support and encouragement you provide enhance the NHSC’s ability to reach out to some of America’s most vulnerable populations, many of whom would otherwise go without any kind of decent health care. We’ve achieved a great deal together in the Ambassador program’s first 5 years, and Ambassador Conferences will continue to serve as platforms to build on what we’ve already learned as the NHSC continues to help ensure that fewer and fewer Americans are forced to live without quality health care. 

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