Martha Smith, the Project Coordinator and lead strategist, has partnered with the Pals in each of the Schools (Allied Health, Nursing, Dentistry, and Medicine):

Sarah Porter, the School of Nursing PAL, has brought together nursing faculty to participate in a number of training events, including participating in Martha's unique "Day in the Life..." training in which participants follow hypothetical students through the nursing program and work on solving problems. Sarah and Clark Hochstetler, the Project's Outreach Coordinator conducted trainings at the nursing faculty at at the Southern Oregon University in Ashland and Oregon Institute on Technology in Klamath Falls.

Marian Ewell, the School of Allied Health PAL, has organized several training activities for faculty. These trainings have included the "Day in the Life..." program, one on adaptive and instructional technology, one on issues having to do with diverse learning styles, and one on policies and procedures.

Sherry Lemon, the Dental Hygiene PAL and Melissa Monner, the School of Dentistry PAL have organized a number of training events for their faculty. Two "Day in the Life..." training programs have been conducted and one on students with diverse learning styles. Sherry created a poster display of the activities in which the Dental Hygiene program has engaged with the project and presented it at the School of Dentistry Alumni meeting in April.

Molly Osborne, Ed Keenan, and Vickie Fields, the PALs in the School of Medicine have partnered with Martha in providing trainings to the Clinical Clerkship Directors, the Basic Science Clerkship Directors, and the Progress Board.

Project Update - June

The Office Diversity and Multicultural Affairs and the Center on Self-Determination cosponsored a lecture series titled "A Diverse America in the 21st Century: Implications for Health Sciences Education Programs." The series concluded successfully on June 11, with Kate O'Hanlan, M.D., who presented on issues related to individuals with diverse sexual orientation and the health sciences. Find out more about issues discussed in the diversity series by reading this month's feature articles.

The Health Sciences Faculty Education Project Staff have been training faculty members in health science programs throughout Oregon. Martha Smith, project coordinator, and School of Nursing PAL, Sarah Porter, worked with faculty and staff from the school of nursing and the Office of Students with Disabilities at Eastern Oregon University in April. Health Science Faculty from Chemeketa Community College, Elgin Community College, and Linn-Benton Community College also attended workshops sponsored by OHSU.

n the May Diversity Lecture, Candace Moore, R.N., M.S.N and Stacey Carroll, R.N., M.S.N., discussed technical standards and essential functions, and their implications for the nursing profession and for students with disabilities. Carroll, who is Deaf and has had cochlear implants, is a nurse practitioner, a doctoral student in the nursing program at Boston College, and on the Board of the Association of Medical Professionals with Hearing Losses (AMPHL). Moore is a faculty member in the nursing program at Elgin Community College. Both Carroll and Moore have a depth of work experience in clinical settings. Faculty members from the School of Nursing met with Carroll and Moore to discuss ways to make the nursing program more inclusive to diverse learners.

Allied Health Faculty attended a presentation by paramedic Gill Hall, who experiences a learning disability. Hall, a practicing paramedic for over 15 years, shared his experiences both while in school and as a professional.

Project staff, Martha Smith and Lisa Ferris presented information on working with patients with sensory impairments to students in Dental Hygiene classes. Forty students took part in activities where they practiced using communication skills with patients who could not see or hear. Dental Hygiene faculty members also took part in a technology fair where they were able to experiment with such adaptive equipment as amplification systems, voice activated computers, and adaptive health care equipment.