Summer Internships: Office of Statewide Clinical Education Programs

By Anna Grinter

This summer, I have the privilege of working with the Office of Statewide Clinical Education Programs (OSCEP) at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, as a Senior Project Assistant. Even though I have only been working for a few weeks, I have already been involved in numerous projects involving physicians, healthcare administrators, system recruiters, and family medicine residents.

OSCEP was founded in 1974 and has since served the state of Iowa by developing and managing various collegiate programs for the medical education system in Iowa. OSCEP is divided into three departments, Information Systems and Research Services, Community-Based Medical Education, and the Community Services division. Even though I interact with all three divisions, my primary responsibilities lie within the Community Services department, led by my preceptor, Lynette Lancial, an alumnus of our program. The Community Services division provides physician consultation services (arranging preceptorships, practice management consultations, extensive physician contract reviews, etc.), coordinates medical practice support for rural areas as well as physician recruitment, and also produces and maintains an Iowa Practice Opportunity Directory each year.

Myself, Michael Johnson ('13), and our preceptor, Lynette Lancial ('90)

This summer, my primary responsibility is collecting and compiling survey information for the Opportunities Directory with fellow classmate, Michael Johnson. Together at the end of the summer we will have surveyed or contacted all of the Iowa hospital administrators, system recruiters, family medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, hospitalist, pediatrics, general surgery, OB/GYN, and psychiatric physicians. Through this we will learn if these healthcare organizations or independent practices have practice opportunities for other physicians, surgeons, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, or midwives. By the end of this process, we will have contacted over 5,000 individuals!

Within the last week I was able to sit in on a physician contract review session where a R3 was recruited to work in a family practice in the Midwest. Even though these sessions can get quite long as we go through every line to be sure the resident understands their contract, this activity will be very beneficial. I am looking forward to gaining knowledge on “contract language,” the common and unusual clauses included in a physician employment contract, compensation and benefit arrangements, and the particular incentives healthcare organizations put in place to bring physicians to rural areas.

This experience has been truly unique from other more clinical internships, and I am greatly enjoying my projects! Also I appreciate interacting with my colleagues in the OSCEP office as everyone is supportive and encourages the learning and professional growth of Michael and myself. My time at OSCEP has been a great experience and I am looking forward to continuing throughout the next year!