Information for SEARCH Student Participants & Students Interested in SEARCH

Note: SEARCH will not place any additional students in 2008, due to NHSC funding cuts. We hope that the program will be restored to its full funding in 2009.

Program Description

Tennessee SEARCH provides health professions students with community-oriented, primary care rotations in medically underserved health professional shortage areas and other areas of need in Tennessee.

Over 480 students have participated in Tennessee’s SEARCH program since its inception in 1995.

Tennessee SEARCH is funded by the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and awarded through a government contract to the Tennessee Primary Care Association.

The MAIN GOAL of the program is to provide opportunities for health professions students and residents to serve in interdisciplinary primary health care teams within underserved communities.

The OBJECTIVES of the SEARCH program are to:

1) facilitate and strengthen community-academic linkages; and
2) increase the recruitment and the retention of health care professionals in health professional shortage areas and others areas of need by expanding the number of high-quality service-linked training opportunities in these communities.

Eligibility

The Tennessee SEARCH Program provides rotations to the following student disciplines:

• primary care residents
• medical students (allopathic and osteopathic medicine: family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, psychiatrists)
• dental students
• family/primary care nurse practitioner students
• primary care physician assistant students
• certified nurse midwifery students
• masters-level clinical social work students
• masters-level clinical psychology students
• psychiatric nurse practitioner students
• masters-level marriage and family therapy students

Students must have completed one-year (two-semesters) in their program to be eligible, with the exception of medical residents who may apply at any time. Students may complete the rotation as part of a course requirement or as an elective. Applicants must be U.S. citizens and be enrolled in health professions programs located in the United States.

Rotation Requirements

Length of Rotation:

Minimum of four weeks (most rotations are 4 to 6 weeks). Some programs require a longer rotation period. We are only able to provide stipends for up to six weeks of the rotation period.

Things You Must Do:

• Read the online SEARCH manual prior to your rotation and use it as a tool during your rotation (and after). This manual was created as an introduction to community health care issues for SEARCH students. It is a reference source for understanding the broader scope of community health, approaches to interdisciplinary health care and teamwork, and issues of diversity. All these issues are essential to providing quality, culturally-sensitive care. The manual will assist as you plan your community-oriented project, and serve as a reference tool during the rotation and beyond. The manual is found at http://www.tnpca.org/tnsearch/index.html. Please complete this form stating that you have reviewed the manual and send to the SEARCH Coordinator (denise@tnpca.org or fax to 615-329-3823).
• Keep a journal (either paper or electronic) of your experiences. This is important for both your own reflection about your experiences and also is used for overall SEARCH evaluation. Please do the following:
  • document one or two of your patient encounters and what those encounters mean to you in terms of your learning and your feelings as a health care provider—you do not have to go into detail about the patient’s condition—just a brief description;
  • include observations about the health professions you are working with, your feeling about how working in a interdisciplinary environment is positive/negative to the care of the patients;
  •  did anything surprise you about the healthcare facility you are in?
  •  did anything about the experience differ from what you expcted
  • note any unique cultural experiences you have, how the SEARCH experience has strengthened your cultural competency (or not), etc.
  • indicate how this experience has increased/decreased your interest in working with underserved populations
  • indicate how how your feel about the overall experience

• We strongly urge you to develop a learning contract with your preceptor. Click here for a LEARNING CONTRACT FORM (PDF). Complete the first section either prior to or on your first day of the rotation; set up a meeting at the end of the first week to go over your learning objectives with your preceptor; meet your preceptor at the mid-point of your rotation for a review of the objectives and at the end of your rotation for a final review. You will NOT share this information with SEARCH. This is a tool to help you and your preceptor establish goals and communicate about your progress.
• Work with your preceptor to identify and complete a community-oriented project (see details below).
• Complete a brief evaluation survey at the end of the rotation (Click here for STUDENT EVALUATION (PDF) ).
• Keep SEARCH updated with your contact information every six months for one year following graduation (required by the national SEARCH Program).

E-mail your journal, project description (with any material developed), and this evaluation survey to the SEARCH Coordinator (denise@tnpca.org) no later than two weeks after the last day of your rotation; or you may fax your materials to 615-329-3823; or mail them to:

Denise Primm, Tennessee Primary Care Association
416 Wilson Pike Circle
Brentwood, TN 37027

Your SEARCH stipend is dependent upon your completion of these requirements.

Community-Oriented Primary Care Project

“I am active in several community service projects, but I feel that my personal contribution to the clinic through my SEARCH experience will have a greater benefit to the community than all of my other involvements combined.”

“The SEARCH project really inspired me to give back to the community that has taught me so much through my clinical experiences.”

Work with your preceptor to identify site and community needs, using the preceptor’s knowledge of the community and the Community Health Status Report that will be sent to you for your site’s county. Let the SEARCH Coordinator know when you have decided on a project or if you need assistance (denise@tnpca.org).

Click here for a PROJECT INSTRUCTION SHEET (PDF), with more details about the community-oriented primary care project and examples of past projects.

Expense Stipend

Students relocating--moving to their rotation town receive:
· $350 a week for up to 6 weeks ($2,200 maximum) to help with the cost of travel, housing, and meals.

Students not relocating receive:
· $175 a week for up to 6 weeks ($1,050 maximum).

Please note that we do not withhold taxes. You may be responsible for paying income tax on the stipend, depending upon your filing status. You will be sent a 1099 form.

Application-Placement Process

· Many non-scholars receive placements; however, priority is given to National Health Service Corps scholars.

· The application process is competitive. Placements are made year-round; those seeking summer rotations must have their applications in by March 1. Students and residents seeking placements during fall, spring, or winter are encouraged to apply at least three months before the requested time of placement.

· We do take students who have been placed in rotations by their schools, as long as the rotation sites meet the criteria described in the Placement Sites section below. Indicate in the space provided on the application form where you have been placed and your preceptor information.

Placements are made in rural and urban primary care and behavioral health care sites through the state. See site details below.

Please use our SEARCH APPLICATION FORM (PDF). Print it out, enter the information requested, and mail it to the address below or fax it to 615-329-3823. (requires Acrobat Reader (get it here)

• EMAIL SEARCH Application Form to Recipient •

Placement Sites

“My preceptor was wonderful and I had an incredible experience. I was ‘blown away' by the scope of practice of a family physician in a rural community.”

“My preceptor was always available and approachable if I had questions and would provide explanations or point me in the right director to find the answer.”

“I would recommend the SEARCH program to all NHSC scholars to prepare them for their future employment in areas that are underserved.”

Since 1995, Tennessee SEARCH has worked with over 300 preceptors in underserved sites throughout the state. Most of these preceptors have worked with SEARCH for many years. We have a variety of rural and urban sites that offer wonderful experiences for those interested in working with underserved populations.

Student placements are made in federally funded community health centers statewide and in other community-based primary care practices in medically underserved health professional shortage areas (HPSAs) and other underserved communities, including: public health department clinics, homeless health care clinics, rural health clinics, behavioral health clinics, NHSC practices, and private practices. We prefer that sites see all patients regardless of ability to pay; offer a sliding fee scale; and accept Medicare and Medicaid (TennCare) assignments.

Click here to see a SAMPLE OF ROTATION SITES available (PDF). We have additional sites available throughout the state.

A student's rotation experience can truly change the course of their life. One example is the rotation of Shana Kaplan, a nurse practitioner student at Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions. Shana came to REACHS Community Health Center in LaFollette, TN and left with a different career plan. Click here to read Shana's story.

Creating a Community of Health Video

"Creating a Community of Health" (12-minute video) presents interviews with practitioners and administrators of clinics that serve the underserved communities in Tennessee. View the video to find out more about what it is like to be a clinical provider to the underserved.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Ambassadors

If you have questions about NHSC Programs or just want someone to talk with about your career goals, these folks have volunteered to help you. Many NHSC Ambassadors work at health professions schools throughout the country. A list of NHSC Ambassadors from each state may be found on the NHSC web site at http://nhsc.bhpr.hrsa.gov/ambassadors. Feel free to contact an Ambassador and tell them you are a SEARCH student.

Other Resources

Tennessee Primary Care Association

Tennessee Primary Care Association administers the SEARCH contract on behalf of the National Health Service Corps. We are a non-profit organization whose goal is the strengthening of community-based primary health care systems in Tennessee. Our member clinics serve the underserved in Tennessee. Please view our web site at http://www.tnpca.org for more details about us and our programs.

Community Health Centers

The Health Resources and Services Administration’s Bureau of Primary Health Care-supported Health Centers (http://www.bphc.hrsa.gov/) are a major component of America's health care safety net, the Nation's "system" of providing health care to low-income and other vulnerable populations.

Health Centers care for people regardless of their ability to pay and whether or not they have health insurance. They provide primary and preventive health care, as well as services such as transportation and translation. Many Health Centers also offer dental, mental health and substance abuse care. Health Centers cared for 13.1 million people in 2004, the most recent year for which data are available. The HRSA Bureau of Primary Health Care funds 1,000 Health Centers.

There are community health centers in every state. Click here to find out more information about “THE FUNDAMENTALS OF COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS (PDF)” This report explains how the safety-net of community health centers was formed, how these clinics are run, the role of the National Health Service Corps, etc. The President has set a goal of expanding the role of community health centers to strengthen the health care safety net.

National Health Service Corps (NHSC)

The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) helps underserved communities recruit and retain dedicated clinicians to meet their health care needs. It offers scholarships, loan repayment, and other opportunities for clinicians.

The Rural Partnership

http://www.theruralpartnership.com/index.html

The Rural Partnership's mission is to enhance statewide collaboration on workforce planning to better serve rural and underserved communities and health providers in Tennessee by assisting in the recruitment, placement and retention of physicians, physician assistants, advanced practice nurses and other health professionals.

Cultural Competency Resources

Looking for ways to expand your knowledge of cultural competency? Health Resources and Services Administration has developed a tool in collaboration with the HRSA Centers of Excellence (COE) program which encourages the teaching of cultural and linguistic competency content in the educational curricula of HRSA grant recipients.

This curriculum guide, Transforming the Face of Health Professions through Cultural & Linguistic Competence Education: the Role of the HRSA Centers of Excellence ”, is a significant achievement brought about by the efforts of a large number of dedicated individuals who have worked over many months to develop a cohesive and valuable curriculum guide. The goal of the HRSA Centers of Excellence is to reduce disparity in the health care system by increasing the number of underrepresented minorities working in the health field. For further information: www.hrsa.gov/culturalcompetence/curriculumguide