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Show i'jet training at Med Center' doctor in a rural Utah community. com-munity. n r0u"!,T 1300 aPPli"nts, the Utah Medex program selected the 12 corpsman on the basis of medical expertise. The Medical Center plans to train a total of 24 Medex (corpsmen) over a two year period," said William Wilson deputy director of the project.' Medex is a 15 month program divided into two phases: a three month phase within the Medical Center which emphasizes the transition from military to civilian medical practice arid the acquisition of skills not acquired in the armed services; and 12 By KIM FOLTZ ii Chronicle Staff 't nne of six Medex programs in the m nited States began at the 1 ersity Medical Center this mer The 12 trainees from : Washington, Oregon, California : nd Utah are undergoing a 15 : SSxrth program which will enable them to assist rural doctors in their practices. Ide program, funded by a 1180 000 two-year grant from the ; Lartment of Health, Education and Welfare will train ex-medical corpsmen for three months at the ' Medical Center and then . 12 months preceptorship with a uT L f JPr3Ctical training under the guidance of a preceptor and faculty affiliated with the College of Medicine. "Physician-preceptors will participate throughout the raining program to insure that training Wl reflect the medical characteristics of those communities com-munities where the Medex will function," Mr. Wilson said. Initially, the Medex will learn and apply medical care skills under the supervision of his preceptor tventually, . the Medex will become adept in extending his physician's capacity in numerous ways: screening patients in the office, assisting with house calls, taking emergency calls, assisting at surgery, performing laboratory tests, taking histories, performing parts of physical examinations, providing followup and patient education and completing other tasks designated by his physician. A continuing education program for the Medex as well as the preceptor is part of the preceptorship phase. Approximately Ap-proximately once each month clinical conference-seminars will be conducted over a three-day weekend by physicians in private practice. These meetings are geared toward correcting deficiencies in the Medex's knowledge as identified in his work with his preceptor. After completing the 15 month course, the trainees will be certified as physicians assistants by the AMA. They will not receive any university credit for the courses they take during their three months at the Medical Center. "The Medex will be paid a cost-of- living stipend of approximately $500 per month. It is anticipated that starting salaries, upon completion of training, will average between $8,000 to $12,000 per year for the Medex. Legal status has been defined and insurance coverage is under consideration at this time," Mr. Wilson said. The Utah Medex program is a joint effort sponsored by the Department of Community and Family Medicine, the In-termountain In-termountain Regional Medical Program and the Utah State Medical Association. Other programs are underway in Washington, California, North Dakota, Alabama, and New Hampshire. "The Medex program was established to give useful work to the thousands of returning corpsmen, taking advantage of their medical training and to aid overworked and understaffed rural physicians. It is hoped that if these pilot programs are sue- cessful, a national Medex system will be initiated," Mr. Wilson said. |
