West Virginia's three state funded medical schools enroll more medical students per capita than any other state in the country. Due to its large number of medical student slots, the state typically is able to offer all qualified West Virginians the opportunity to complete their medical education in the state. In the academic year 2016-2017, 180 of…

The U.S. health care system is currently facing one of its most significant social challenges in decades in terms of its ability to provide access to primary care services to the millions of Americans who have lost their health insurance coverage in the recent economic recession. National statistics compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau for 2009…

Self ConceptWhy people smoke despite the health risks is an important public health question. Equally important is why and how some people resist smoking in spite of circumstances that clearly place them at high risk of becoming smokers. This study used in-depth interviews to explore the narratives of 12 people diagnosed with mental illness, who…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to better understand the implementation of educational technology in selected medical schools. This study utilized Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation theory to investigate the perspectives of educational technology leaders at four different medical schools in the United States. In the coming years,…

West Virginia's three state funded medical schools enroll more medical students per capita than any other state in the country. In the academic year 2015-2016, 168 of the 402 medical students who enrolled in the first year classes of the state's three medical schools were West Virginia residents. This report provides information on health sciences…

Although screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) has been a popular model to address potential substance abuse issues in primary care, there is a need for innovative approaches for training providers and staff on SBIRT protocols. An interdisciplinary approach to SBIRT training, named ICARE, was implemented at 3 different…

Given the chorus of approval for primary care emanating from every party to the health reform debate, one might suppose that the future for primary physicians is bright. Yet this is far from certain. And when one looks to history and recognizes that primary care medicine has failed virtually every conceivable market test in recent years, its…

Health inequities exist largely among socially disadvantaged people who are denied the highest attainable standard of health available to many Americans. Access to culturally competent, high quality, first-contact primary care through school-based health centers is an effective way to reduce health inequities and, therefore, improve health…

School-based health centers (SBHCs) are the "ideal location" for primary care and mental health staff to "collaboratively address students' physical and mental health needs"--leading to greater success in school and in life. This brief document provides key facts that support this argument.

This report projects education requirements linked to forecasted job growth in healthcare by state and the District of Columbia from 2010 through 2020. It complements a larger national report which projects educational demand for healthcare for the same time period. The national report shows that with or without Obamacare, the United States will…

Imagine a partnership of university and community which addresses the needs of the community to keep its citizens healthy as long as possible. Through a planning exercise to address the community's needs in primary health care and health promotion, the university has developed key strategic directions to help support the needs of the community it…

This bnef document describes research and evaluations that have demonstrated that school-based health centers represent cost-effective investments of public resources.

The National Assembly on School-Based Health Care (NASBHC) surveys state public health and Medicaid offices every three years to assess state-level public policies and activities that promote the growth and sustainability of school-based health services. The FY2011 survey found 18 states (see map below) reporting investments explicitly dedicated…

Health care providers could help achieve the necessary shift to healthful eating and active living; however, lack of coverage or reimbursement, lack of time, and limited information about appropriate interventions are some of the documented barriers. This report highlights the potential for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education…

This report card provides information on major health sciences and rural health schools in West Virginia including: (1) Medical School Profiles; (2) Medical Licensure Examinations; (3) Medical Student Indebtedness; (4) Residency Training; (5) Medical School Graduate Retention; (6) Other Health Sciences Program Graduates; (7) Loans and Incentives;…