Featured Jobs
Winter 2010 National Healthcare Career Network Scholarship
Program attracts over 450 applicants in wide range of health care specialties
WASHINGTON, DC – March 17, 2010 - AHACareerCenter.org, the American Hospital Association’s online site matching healthcare employers with the highest qualified candidates, has announced the winners of its 2010 National Healthcare Career Network (NHCN) Scholarships. Awarded with $1,250 scholarships to advance their careers are Becca Jordre, PT, DPT, Cert. MPT, assistant professor, Department of Physical Therapy, University of South Dakota, and Linda Schaffer, RN, MSN, clinical instructor, University of California Irvine College of Health Sciences.
Now in its third year, NHCN Scholarships recognize health care students and professionals for being life-long learners, mentors and volunteers actively engaged in professional societies, community organizations and networking groups as they advance in their careers. This year’s program drew a record number of 450-plus applicants representing a wide range of health care specialties.
“We’re very proud of the caliber of applicants, many of whom demonstrate very high standards of professionalism in their fields,” said AHA Solutions CEO Tony Burke. “We’re especially thrilled with this year’s winners, who seek advanced training in order to share their expertise with the next generation of health care professionals, benefiting our industry for years to come.”
A clinician who transitioned to academia, Dr. Jordre will use her award to become one of the few board-certified Geriatric Physical Therapy Clinical Specialists in the state of South Dakota. According to Dr. Jordre, adults age 65 and older represent 12% of the U.S. population. That percentage is predicted to hit 20% by 2050, resulting in many new health care positions. “My hope is to educate and motivate the next generation of physical therapists to embrace this dynamic geriatric population,” she said. “In doing so, I believe l would add to the population of well-educated professionals that NHCN works so diligently to support.”
Also interested in educating the next generation of health care professionals is Ms. Schaffer, a registered nurse with 35 years of community and educational service who is now pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy degree in nursing science at the University of San Diego. According to Ms. Schaffer, the severe shortage of qualified faculty members has limited the number of nursing students. With her advanced degree, she can then teach at the BSN, MSN and doctorate levels, enabling her to be part of the solution to this challenge. Ms. Schaffer also hopes to research maternal stress, a factor linked to a 31% increase in preterm birth rates among all Americans since 1981 with higher rates of pre-term birth in African American women. “My plan is to conduct community based research to determine effective interventions for this high risk population,” she said.
Presented annually, NHCN Scholarships were created to recognize health care students or professionals who have made significant advancements to their field of health care. This year’s scholarships have been made possible through the generous contributions of AHACareerCenter.org Charter Members, a group comprised of the nation’s top hospitals and health care systems, whose leaders enthusiastically support health care educationincluding St. Luke’s Health System (ID), Regional Health (SD) Main Line Health (PA), Health First, Inc. (FL), Kettering Health Network (OH), Lakeland Regional Medical Center (FL), Scripps Health (CA), Memorial Health System (IL), Froedtert & Community Health (WI) along with the American Hospital Association, Institute for Diversity in Health Management, National Healthcare Career Network and AHACareerCenter.org.