The narrow perspective on illness that specialization can produce can be forestalled through efforts to broaden understanding of illness by delineating ethical dimensions of relationships to patients, creating a view of the place of the professional in the historical evolution of medicine, and examining how technology influences medicine and…

Implications of controlled studies for health professions education are explored. An alternative research strategy is proposed, in which descriptive account of a situation allowing the important factors to become apparent throughout the observation is emphasized. This facilitates an hypothesis-generation strategy. (GK)

The 1993-95 Health Personnel Resource Plan (HPRP) for the state of Washington identifies health professions shortages and suggests activities to alleviate these shortages. Its components are as follows: assessment of health personnel supply and requirements; cooperation among governments and organizations; service delivery by a mix of providers;…

This report discusses a working group convened in Varna, Bulgaria, by the World Health Organization to examine trends, issues, and problems regarding assessment of health professional competence and to prepare guidance to improve existing arrangements. Following a summary of the proceedings, the main portion of the paper reports main findings and…

Recommendations designed to form a framework for the planning, evaluation, and development of allied health education programs in Texas colleges and universities are presented. The recommendations are based on a year of study by an advisory committee on the proliferation of allied health disciplines and programs, increasing specialization,…

Demonstrates the use of historical research to improve the present allied health practice. Explores the relationship between social values and the emergence of occupational therapy between 1890 and 1920. The relationship established between physician and therapist still influences the status of both professions. (JOW)

A more positive attitude toward improving the quality of health education and health care in the future is stressed. (JD)

Responds to previous articles by Alcorn, Altmaier, and Harris regarding counseling psychologists' involvement in health care. Maintains that present knowledge within counseling psychology is less applicable to health-related research, full participation of counseling psychologists in research and theory development in health field without…

Comments on previous articles by Alcorn and Altmaier regarding role of counseling psychologists in health care field. Suggests that counseling psychologists could make a significant contribution to the health care needs of the older U.S. and ethnic minority populations. (PVV)

Articulates many of the critical issues that arise when dealing with promotion and tenure issues--both from a theoretical basis and a pragmatic perspective. Suggests strategies that might aid allied health administrators and faculty in responding to many of these problems. (Author)

Describes four perspectives that shape critically reflective practice: (1) one's autobiography as a learner; (2) learners' eyes; (3) colleagues' experiences; and (4) theoretical literature. Presents a critical incidents questionnaire, a structured way to reflect on and examine core assumptions in practice. (SK)

The future of health care depends on a more unified nursing hierarchy. It makes sense to place the regulation of nurses' aides within the jurisdiction of the state nursing board, the agency charged with providing safe nursing care. Strengthening nursing's jurisdictional control will not only improve the quality of care, it will increase the…

The issue of occupational therapy's status as a profession has its roots in considerable gender divisiness evident in health care in the early 20th Century. Readdressing the issue means determining whether occupational therapists exhibit the characteristics of professionals and deciding which qualities and behaviors are important for them. (SK)

The overabundance of information resources and the inadequacy of current information retrieval methods are considered with special reference to the scholarly record of the health sciences. Both formal and informal means for finding information and for keeping abreast of new knowledge are reviewed, with practical suggestions for lightening the…

The author describes major trends and directions related to continuing medical education (CME). The rapid changes he observed in the state of the art in CME are presented in relation to three historical periods in the past 16 years. (SSH)