Assistance for disadvantaged students to enter health professions

The Health Resources and Services Administration announced UCSD has been awarded almost $750,000 to increase diversity in the health professions workforce through the Health Careers Opportunity Program. The award is part of $9.7 million for 14 institutions across the USA. The administration says the funds are to help develop an educational pipeline to enhance the academic performance of economically and educationally disadvantaged students, and prepare them for careers in the health professions.

“These awards will play a key role in addressing health care disparities and increasing the diversity of the health professions. They will give students from disadvantaged backgrounds the support they need to enter the health professions, and help ensure the make-up of the health workforce better reflects our diverse population.”
– Mary K. Wakefield, Ph.D., R.N. – HRSA Administrator

HCOP funds health professions training institutions to establish and expand programs that provide students from disadvantaged backgrounds an opportunity to develop the skills needed to gain admission to and graduate from health professions schools. HCOP helps to prepare students – from elementary school through graduate school – for success in health professions training programs by providing mentoring, counseling, academic enrichment programs, financial aid assistance and other tools and resources.

A list of awards follows.

              Organization                 City        State     Award Amount
              ------------                 ----        -----     ------------
    University of Alabama at
     Birmingham                       Birmingham       Ala.        $614,217.00
    ------------------------          ----------       ----        -----------
    University of Arizona             Tucson           Ariz.       $743,032.00
    ---------------------             ------           -----       -----------
    The Regents of the University of
     California, U.C.                 La Jolla        Calif.       $742,222.00
    --------------------------------  --------        ------       -----------
    San Diego
    ---------
    Howard University                 Washington       D.C.        $737,693.00
    -----------------                 ----------       ----        -----------
    St. Vincent Health                Indianapolis     Ind.        $708,936.00
    ------------------                ------------     ----        -----------
    Michigan State University         East Lansing     Mich.       $650,656.00
    -------------------------         ------------     -----       -----------
    The University of Michigan-Flint  Flint            Mich.       $577,938.00
    --------------------------------  -----            -----       -----------
    D'youville College                Buffalo          N.Y.        $741,818.00
    ------------------                -------          ----        -----------
    Mount Sinai School of Medicine    New York         N.Y.        $690,369.00
    ------------------------------    --------         ----        -----------
    The Research Foundation of State
     University of                    Albany           N.Y.        $621,557.00
    --------------------------------  ------           ----        -----------
    New York
    --------
    Meharry Medical College           Nashville        Tenn.       $750,000.00
    -----------------------           ---------        -----       -----------
    The University of Texas Medical
     Branch                           Galveston        Texas       $750,000.00
    -------------------------------   ---------        -----       -----------
    Northeastern Vermont Area Health
     Education Center                 St. Johnsbury     Vt.        $708,930.00
    --------------------------------  -------------     ---        -----------
    Marquette University              Milwaukee        Wis.        $677,873.00
    --------------------              ---------        ----        -----------
    Total Awarded                                                $9,715,241.00
    -------------                                                -------------

See http://bhpr.hrsa.gov/grants/diversity/index.html for more about the Health Careers Opportunity Program.

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“Each year the MIP Awards put San Diego’s top innovations in the spotlight, achieving recognition for our region. “Over the years the innovative products conceived and developed here in San Diego have resulted in significant contributions to the greater public, in fields ranging from improved communications to new medical treatments to greater security. Our position as an innovation leader is critical for our economy in terms of attracting research grants, investment capital, talented scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs.”

To be eligible for the 2010 MIP Awards, the product must be first introduced during the period of September 2009 to September 2010 and have generated revenue from sales.

Each year more than 100 companies enter the competition. Companies of all sizes and sectors have participated, including previous winners: Qualcomm, Entropic Communications, Pfizer, Senomyx, Biomatrica, Photometria, AIRSIS, Naviscan, Gen-Probe, SAIC, Awarepoint Corporation, WD-40, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Firewire Surfboards and ecoATM.

In addition to awards for innovation, the MIP ceremony includes the CONNECT Distinguished Contribution Awards honoring individuals in Technology and Life Sciences and the William W. Otterson Award, recognizing San Diego developed technologies or products that have “changed the world.”

Winners will be announced on December 10th during a luncheon program at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines. The event includes displays by many of the finalists. Over 800 of San Diego’s business leaders, service providers, venture capitalists and researchers attend the event each year.

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