Time to appreciate more what we have accomplished and what we do as a Department
Draft in preparation by Robert C. Bowman, M.D.
UNMC Department of Family Medicine
Recognition Nationally
· Primarily responsible for UNMC top 10 ratings in primary care
· Primarily responsible for UNMC top 10 ratings in rural health (clearly better efforts for the state and nation than others ranked much higher)
· Recognized for research in primary care
· Award from Public Health Service
· 2 Awards from National Rural Health Association for rural efforts including teaching, research, leadership, service, list serves, web sites Outstanding Rural Health Program Award in 2001, www.ruralmedicaleducation.org
· Leaders in Predoctoral, Rural, Residency Education nationally
Service to UNMC and College of Medicine Efforts
· Leadership and contributions of Jeff Hill and others on committees and in leadership positions
· Past and Current Presidents of the Faculty Senate
· Supervision of best learning experiences at the college, as recognized annually by the medical students in all 4 years
· Recognized top teachers at the institution on a regular basis
· Quality student health services for years
· Working with student counseling services for years
Consistent in primary care efforts of the college in federal funding, funding, leadership, service
· Title VII
· Robert Wood Johnson
· Area Health Education Center funding
· National Health Service Corps funding
· Continuing Medical Education support
Superlative efforts in research, numerous publications and presentations and grants, highlights include
· RO1 Grant for Kris McVea
· Fulbright scholarship for Laeth Nasir
· Research on preventive medicine and practice patterns of Nebraska physicians
Service to the State
· Programs for underserved (rural and inner city) areas of the state involving over 30% of the department budget
· Complete retooling of residency programs to graduate the rural and inner city physicians in most need in the state
· Recognition of this effort nationally by National Rural Health Association Program of the Year in 2001, including special commendation by Wayne Myers, M.D., President of NRHA and past Director of Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Dr. Myers noted that it is the rare medical school program that makes such an outstanding effort on the behalf of rural communities. The award involves competition nationwide for all health profession schools and all service delivery programs. Outstanding Rural Health Program Award
· State leadership in family medicine, state government, Office of Rural Health, Nebraska Rural Health Association efforts
· Underserved programs to South Omaha, Indian Reservations
Economic Impact
· Has graduated physicians that are meeting the needs of rural communities, over 60 % locate in rural Nebraska, up from previous 40% level
· Retooling of the 16 - 20 graduates a year from mostly urban and suburban practices to over 60% rural locations has resulted in at least an extra 5 physicians a year choosing rural practice in the state. Changes in training locations and the impact of the extra rural graduates since 1985 has meant an additional 750 million in economic impact for rural areas of the state.
· Department Graduates and programs have provided 2.2 billion in total economic impact to rural areas of the state since the graduation of its first residents in the early 1970's Economic Contribution of UNMC Dept of Family Medicine
· An additional economic contribution has been made to Scottsbluff/Gering, Grand Island, Kearney, Norfolk, and North Platte in terms of economic impact for their residency training programs (faculty salaries, resident salaries, resident patient care, Graduate Medical Education funding, residency jobs)
· Has helped keep rural hospitals alive through graduation of physicians and efforts to support physicians and rural hospitals and rural networks
· Provides the equivalent of 10 full time physicians in rural areas each year through the efforts of faculty and residents and programs such as the rural training tracks and the CORE training program.
· The CORE program sends training physicians to underserved rural areas to help support rural physicians and hospitals, helping to preserve and expand rural market share. The CORE Program
· The department provides 2 full time physicians in inner city locations in the state in faculty and residency support.
The UNMC Department of Family Medicine has contributed 2.2% of the rural economic impact of all family practice programs and departments. This is outstanding considering the relative size of the state and the existence of over 100 departments and 400 residency programs across the nation.
Contributions of the Department in rural areas with background
Contribution of FP to Rural Areas Nationwide