News Release: Higher Education Policy Commission seeks advisory committee members to improve primary and rural healthcare education

Higher Education Policy Commission seeks advisory committee members to improve primary and rural healthcare education

Applicants and nominations sought for positions on the Division of Health Sciences’ Advisory Committee

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission’s Division of Health Sciences is seeking nominations of qualified individuals to participate on its Advisory Committee.  Members of the Advisory Committee provide guidance to the Division on ongoing and proposed Division initiatives.

“Our hope is to assemble a diverse and dynamic group of individuals who will provide advice and creative insight into increasing the impact of our division’s activities,” said Laura Boone, senior director of health sciences for the Commission.

The Division of Health Sciences coordinates programs, policies and collaborative activities among the state’s health sciences degree granting institutions and other stakeholders. It oversees the Rural Health Initiative and the Health Sciences Service Program, both efforts to recruit and retain healthcare providers in underserved areas of the state. Some of the Division’s current areas of interest are:

• strengthening the state’s graduate medical education system,
• supporting primary care practice based research,
• using geographic mapping to inform healthcare decision making, and
• behavioral health workforce development.

Members of the committee can expect to discuss and review both ongoing and proposed division initiatives; expanding the knowledge base of the division, especially in the areas of access to health care and the needs of underserved West Virginia communities; and serve as “ambassadors” for the work of the Division of Health Sciences.

“We are particularly interested in recruiting individuals who are interested in primary care and access to care in underserved areas,” Boone explained, saying that the desire is for the Advisory Committee membership to reflect constituency groups including community members, the higher education system, the healthcare system, and community-focused agencies.

A full description of the position requirements and responsibilities, as well as instructions for nominations and applications, may be found at www.wvhepc.edu/inside-the-commission/offices-and-affiliates/health-sciences/.