Post-Katrina: Study in crisis-related program adaptability
OBJECTIVE: To discuss disaster planning, didactic reorganization, and clinical realignments useful in rebuilding academic otolaryngology residency programs after disaster. SUMMARY: We describe our reorganization and analysis of objective measures in resident education before and after Hurricane Katrina. Post-Katrina, the number of full-time faculty and part-time clinical instructors/gratis faculty has decreased (4 vs 9 and 36 vs 43, respectively), but the number of part-time LSU faculty (private-academic partnership) has increased (0 vs 3) with overall improved resident supervision. Resident complement decreased by 9.3%. Surgical case loads are essentially unchanged. Reorganization of the didactic schedule has increased attendance and maintained examination scores above national averages. Establishment of two new practice sites provided an adequate number of patients for residency training. CONCLUSION: Poststorm reorganization has maintained or exceeded pre-Katrina performance standards. Establishment of communication and data retrieval proved irreplaceable and demand advance preparation.
Sustaining the Teaching Mission: Lessons Learned from Katrina
T impact Hurricanes Katrina and Rita had on Louisiana and Mississippi in 2005 is deeply etched in the minds of most people across the United States and, in fact, the world. Indeed, some continue to follow and assist in the recovery process as the Gulf Coast region struggles to rebuild. Despite the tragedy, other major institutions can benefit from the many lessons learned here at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC)-New Orleans and thus strengthen their preparedness for a host of emergency events, including natural disasters. This article provides a brief account of LSUHSC’s 2005 Katrina experience and the lessons we have learned thus far, which are relevant to sustaining the core teaching mission, particularly in supporting its learners both personally and in terms of their medical education in the face of catastrophic disaster. Limiting our discussion to the teaching mission still involved too many aspects of institutional response and recovery worthy of consideration to cover succinctly. Therefore, we focus specifically on the learners—our medical students, residents, and fellows—and highlight the actions that contributed to learners’ well-being and academic success and to the continuation of quality educational programs that were vital to their ongoing professional development and educational advancement. Although we do not wish to minimize the enormous effort of and impact on faculty in terms of instructional adjustments, we did not describe those in as much detail. Yet the lessons summarized at the end of this article apply generally to the faculty and others who were essential in sustaining the teaching mission in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Background
Test security in medicolegal cases: proposed guidelines for attorneys utilizing neuropsychology practice.
In the context of forensic neuropsychological assessments, the professional interaction of law and psychology is viewed primarily as one where the retaining attorney or court dictates its needs to psychologists when resolving legal disputes. While this perspective is conceptually accurate, the positive and practical collaboration of law and psychology also relies on attorneys adhering to basic protections of sensitive psychological assessment procedures and tests. Objective testing is undermined when a practitioner of law engages in actions prior to, during, or following a neuropsychological examination in a manner that threatens the test security. An appreciation among practitioners of law and psychology regarding the necessity of test security is essential. This article reviews attorney actions that can affect test security, proposes a distinction by psychology between appropriate and problematic client preparation for a neuropsychological examination, integrates the available legal precedent regarding test security, and suggests productive measures to protect test security in medicolegal settings.