From: "Joan Kelday"

Date: 2/11/97 9:57am

Subject: Student interest groups-had to retype

Good morning! I'm not too clear on the format needed, but here's some

basic info on the SPARX program, which I gather is needed for an

immediate deadline:

More than 200 health professions students in the six schools of health

sciences at the University of Washington are demonstrating interest in

training and practicing in underserved rural and urban areas. As

members of the SPARX program, students attend evening forms on

pertinent topics presented by community practitioners, Saturday field

trips to tour hospitals and practices and talk with community leaders

in health, and brown bag lunches to discuss such matters of common

interest such as loan repayment for practicing among the underserved.

Participation in volunteer activities is encouraged and development of

a multidisciplinary training experience is underway. Forty-four

students have joined the National Rural Health Association and have

prepared the following mission statement for consideration at the

association's annual meeting in May:

"The mission of a student constituency group of the National Rural

Health Association is to involve health sciences students in learning

about and developing an interest in rural and underserved careers and

advocating for rural health issues in the context of academic health

settings. Student memebers provide interdisciplinary leadership to

involve student in the NRHA and its efforts to improve the health of

rural Americans. Health care is a right and all persons should have

access to affordable, high quality care."

Please let me know if you have questions or this is not in the format

you need. Joan Kelday, Assistant Director, WWAMI Area Health

Education Center Program (206)543-6020.