Work, Leadership in Healthcare Not Just for Doctors & Nurses

So, you want to be a doctor?

A little while ago, we reported the findings of a recent survey on the career preferences of diverse college students, conducted by Universum and reported in our sister publication, THE BLACK COLLEGIAN Magazine.

Among the interesting, but maybe not surprising findings: Asked to define the preferred industry suiting their career goals, American Indian/Alaska Native students were the only group whose majority preference lay in public service or educational sectors rather than in the financial or management arenas. -- even when factoring the MBAs. For the AI/AN group, the most desirable careers were in either the Government/Public service (23%) or Healthcare (23%) sectors. Tied for second place among their preferences were careers in Education/Teaching (15%) or Academic Research (15%).

In additional research we uncovered while redesigning our Healthcare Industry Career Channel, these interests marry well among those Native executives already entrenched in the industry. According to the American College of of Healthcare Executives, Native American healthcare executives overall are focused in small, government hospitals, and have the highest percentage working at public health agencies or military (non-hospital) services. Some 81 percent of Native American healthcare executives report working at a government-owned facility of some kind. They are also by far the most likely of all ethnic groups to work at smaller hospitals (median number of beds from 35 for women to 75 for men).

On the flip-side, they are also least likely to work at a freestanding hospital or as private consultants, where compensation is generally higher.

With healthcare among the fastest-growing industries in the country, certainly the opportunities for those who wish to help others in need are multiplying, and the needs of employers are swelling as well. Rural locations, in particular, face serious shortages of doctors, dentists, nurses and other professionals, including much of Indian Country.

At a time when funding for Indian health is rocky, finding dedicated healthcare professionals may become even more difficult and competitive than it already is.

But what our research reminds us is that not everyone is cut out to be doctor, and that those devoted to working in healthcare on principle have many and increasing paths, regardless of the school major or previous career paths. Technicians, IT, office management, billing and support staff and more are in increasing demand in this sector, and much of the growth centers on smaller, non-hospital entities such as home care services or nursing homes. In fact, in one of the Channel's recently published articles, Employment Outlook: Top Fields for Job Hunters by the CareerJournal, healthcare is listed as the top for 2007, but the focus is on nonclinical jobs.

We've expanded our Channel with additional information about some of the healthcare-related positions that don't require a specialized medical degree, and we'll keep adding to it with outlook and earnings reports, and more in future updates.

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“I commend Senator Byron Dorgan, the new chairman of the Senate Committee on
Indian Affairs, who is working on legislation to increase clinic hours and
doctor availability on reservations and encourage more low-cost health care for
American Indians and Alaska Natives. But the battle from last year is
still underway. When we win it, we will see the Indian health care system
brought into the 21st century to address matters at the heart of family and
community life: mental health, substance abuse, youth suicide, and the challenge
of attracting and retaining health care professionals of the first rank.”

- NCAI President Joe Garcia Delivers 5th Annual State of Indian Nations Address at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., January 25, 2007

Census, Tribes Get Going on 2010 Count

The U.S. Census Bureau has begun to mail out advance informational booklets to all federally recognized tribal governments asking for assistance in providing updated addresses for their reservations and off-reservation trust lands.

This early, concerted effort is part of the Census Bureau’s plan to make the 2010 Census as accurate as possible, says the Bureau's release.

The Cheyenne River Reservation in South Dakota was one of only two sites nationwide selected by the Census Bureau to participate in a 2006 Census Test designed to improve counting methods for the 2010 Census. Additionally, the Census Bureau plans to conduct a series of American Indian and Alaska Native consultation meetings this year with federally recognized tribes across the country in preparation for the 2010 Census.

Learn more at the Census Bureau or check out our homepage.

Native American Village / IMDiversity Career Center Featured Opportunities

Editors' Picks Featured this Weekend:

Multicultural UG Paid Internship Program - Museum and the Arts
The Getty Foundation - Los Angeles
In order to increase diversity in the professions related to museums and the visual arts, the Getty is offering summer internships at the Getty Center and Villa to undergraduates of culturally diverse backgrounds. Specifically invited are outstanding students who are members of groups currently underrepresented in museum professions and fields related to the visual arts and humanities: individuals of African American, Asian, Latino/Hispanic, Native American, and Pacific Islander descent. Internships provide training and work experience in areas such as conservation, library collections, publications, museum education, curatorship, grants administration, public programs, site operations, and information technology.
Deadline: March 1, 2007

For additional opportunities related to the visual and digital arts, also see iDMAa Jobs: The International Digital Media & Arts Association, powered by IMDiversity through our Employment Opportunity Network.

January - Welcome Back, and...Apocalypto

After some time off for family and travel, the editors wish everyone a happy, healthy and productive new year. We hope you had a chance to stop by over the holidays for some the features on the Village, where at least one of the more persistent stories was the buzz surrounding Mel Gibson's Apocalypto.

Sure, some viewers were pleased at least to see Maya represented on the silver screen, and often in-language -- nothing if not a rare movie-going experience.

For Gerardo Aldana of New America Media, though, one question about the film was simply, Where Was the Maya Civilization in Apocalypto?

In asking this question, Adana is inserting "Real" before "Maya Civilization". Although most viewers are doubtlessly not experts in background of this civilization, to many scholars familiar with the intricate, complex legacy of the Maya, "Mel Gibson's new film is an affront and embarrassment to that history," the article claims.

Writing for The Nation, Earl Shorris had stronger words regarding "Mad Mel and the Maya".

What do you think?

What Do Native American College Students Want in a Career?

Comprehensive survey takes the pulse of American Indian and Alaskan Native undergrads and MBAs; finds that work/life balance, opportunities to provide service, and opportunities to both teach and extend their own education are higher priorities than just making money.

Further details about the comparative, multiethnic survey can be found this week at the Native American Village Online.

PWC Diversity Leadership Scholarship, Internship, Conference Deadline Dec. 31

Financial services giant PriceWaterhouseCoopers has announced a December 31, 2006 deadline for applications to its annual PWC eXceed scholarships, a comprehensive program offering opportunities for Native American, African American, and Hispanic American college students to explore careers at PWC through internships and participation in an annual Diversity Business Leadership Conference, along with a $3,000 support stipend.

Applications are accepted from Freshmen or Sophomores with a 3.2 or higher GPA, and an interest in Accounting, Management Information Systems, and/or Computer Science.

Also of Interest: It's that season for students to apply for next year's internships. Most deadlines are coming up by early December. Visit IMDiversity's seasonal Internships & Co-ops special page with categorized internships listings.

Job Opps: American Indian Studies Faculty - Univ. N.Carolina

The Univ. N. Carolina @ Pembroke in southeastern NC is looking to fill two full-time, tenure track positions after July 1, 2007 -- one Assistant Professor and one Associate.

The deadline is upcoming on November 15, but the posting specifies that applications may still be given consideration until the positions are filled. If interested, go copy the posting and apply now!

Description from the posting on IMDiversity.com's job bank:

One of the positions includes both administrative responsibilities as department chair and teaching responsibilities within the American Indian Studies program at upper and lower division levels. Minimum qualifications for both positions include a PhD by time of hire in American Indian Studies, Anthropology, History, Ethnohistory, Folklore or a related field. Applicants should have a strong commitment to teaching and research/scholarly activity as well as sound leadership and interpersonal skills. Applicants must be interested in and willing to work with local and state tribal communities. Rank and salary are commensurate with qualifications. Please indicate position of interest in cover letter.

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke was established in 1887 as an institution for Native Americans. Since 1953, it has had a multi-racial student body and today, 25% of the student body is Native American. UNC Pembroke has the distinction of being one of the only two universities east of the Mississippi which offers a bachelor's degree in American Indian Studies.

The University is located right off of I-95, 90 minutes from Raleigh-Durham, and two hours from Charlotte, N.C.

It is hiring for a number of other positions as well.

Affirmative Action Ban Passes in Michigan

Michigan vows to seek legal remedies; drop in Black, Latino and Native American enrollment expected to follow.

Report by Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, IMDiversity Asian American Village Acting Editor, in Ann Arbor, and by attorney, author and dean of Wayne State Law School, Frank Wu.

Whalen falls short in S.D. House race

South Dakota Republican Bruce Whalen, an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe who served as as coordinator of the tribe's judiciary committee, fell short in his effort to oust incumbent Democrat Stephanie Herseth to represent the state in its lone House seat.

According to CNN projections, Whalen had garnered only 29% of the vote (with 100% of precincts reporting) as of 9:01 ET this morning.

Hawai'i Senator Akaka a Survivor -- Again

After surviving a very tough primary challenge by fellow Democrat Ed Case this year, Hawai'i Senator Daniel Akaka is projected by CNN exit polls to be more than safe in his quest to return to Washington. As of 5:17 ET this morning, the incumbent Senator held a wide lead over Republican Cynthia Thielen, at 61% to 37% respectively.

As the first U.S. Senator of Native Hawaiian ancestry (he is of mixed Native Hawaiian and Chinese background), Akaka serves on the Indian Affairs Committee and chairs the Congressional Task Force on Native Hawaiian Issues, and was the chief champion of the Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act (popularly referred to as "The Akaka Bill".)

Accompanying Akaka to Washington will be a new House colleague, Democrat Mazie Hirono, who won her campaign for the 2nd District, and incumbent 1st District Rep. Neil Abercrombie. The state’s other Senator, Daniel Inouye, did not face reelection this year.

Joe Shirley Jr. re-elected as President of Navajo Nation

Incumbent Joe Shirley Jr. has beaten back a challenge by Lynda Lovejoy to win a second term as president of the Navajo Nation, whose domain extends over the largest reservation in the U.S. Although Lovejoy had won a good deal of attention during her campaign to become the first woman to serve as Navajo president, Shirley prevailed by a comfortable margin, with 65% turnout, according to a report by the Associated Press.

The win makes Shirley the first Najavo leader to hold successive terms since 1982. See the full report here.

A historic election for ethnic, women voter engagement nationwide

Nov. 8 - In a historic midterm election night, high turnout among American voters has significantly changed the balance of power in Washington DC, with the Democratic Party retaking the majority of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Anti-incumbent sentiment and dissatisfaction with the war in Iraq led to sweep in which Democrats wrested control of at least 28 seats, with 14 still undecided.

With two key Senate races, in VA and MT too close to call as of this writing, and likely headed to recount challenges, Democrats also stand chance to take back majority control of the Senate.

The election saw historic landmarks set in a number of aspects. These include: Positioning Nancy Pelosi to become the first woman Speaker of the House; electing Deval Patrick as the first African American governor in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; and sending Democrat Keith Ellison, an African American, to represent Minnesota’s 5th as the first Muslim in the House of Representatives.

Preliminary exit polling indicates that unusually high turnout was reported nationwide, affected by a number of controversial ballot initiatives as well as support for specific candidates. Minority voters, swing voters and non-traditional coalition-building also played an important role in the shift. In the most recent exit poll figures by CNN, non-white voters veered strongly to the left, with 76% of non-white men and 78% of non-white women going Democrat.

The same data indicate that while white voters overall leaned Republican, it was by a smaller margin (51% GOP to 47%) than expected, due largely to a 49/49 split among white women voters. African American voters leaned even more heavily Democrat than expected, at 89%, despite the GOP’s fielding a number of prominent Black candidates in high-level races in states such as Ohio and Pennsylvania. Latino and Asian voters, who have traditionally been more inclined to lean Republican, emerged as clear and growing swing voters, breaking to the Democrats at 69% and 62% respectively.

Although the CNN data do not breakdown the percentages of American Indians, or Alaskan and Hawaiian Natives, its exit poll figures specify that "Other" non-white voters tracked split 56% Democrat to 41% Republican.

A good idea: How about American Indian Awareness Week?

November is, ostensibly, National American Indian Heritage Month. This year, according to a proclamation by the White House, "we honor the generations of American Indians and Alaska Natives who have added to the character of our Nation. This month is an opportunity to celebrate their many accomplishments and their rich ancestry and traditions."

Nonwithstanding the odd construction "generations...who have added to the character of our Nation," the sentiment can be appreciated. The month can be an opportunity to celebrate -- as good an opportunity as any. The problem is, American Indian Month, like many of the ethnic-themed commemorative heritage months, usually passes with little fanfare or attention -- only more so.

But a story from a student newspaper at the University of Dayton raises a good idea to think about this year: how about designating November a time to encourage awareness about Native Americans today?

The article, written by Staff Writer Carly Schott, reports that that university is for the first time organizing a "Native American Awareness Week" from Nov. 13-17. Acknlowedging that there are few Native Americans on UD’s campus, the article suggests that the emphasis on "heritage" -- i.e., more or less traditional forms of cultural/artistic expression -- is a way to move beyond culture to introduce students to contemporary social and political issues.

As more young people undertake this kind of effort on college campuses, it will hopefully provide opportunities for a greater and more diverse number of American Indians to share their news and perspectives about contemporary life, and not only focus on cultural traditions.

NCAI Empowers Native Youth through New Youth Ambassador Leadership Program

The National Congress of American Indians announced in a release this month that it has created the Youth Ambassador Leadership Program (YALP) to acknowledge and develop the strong leadership capabilities and skills present within Native youth.

The program takes the form of a competition in which two Ambassadors (male and female) and two Under-Ambassadors (male and female) are chosen based on "an oration, contemporary dress, extemporaneous question, cultural presentation and debate," as well as academic performance. Those selected receive a $2,500 scholarship, and a chance to "serve as spokespersons for the NCAI Youth Commission to raise public awareness about the many important issues impacting American Indians and Alaska Native youth throughout Indian Country."

For the list of the winners and details about the program, click here.