N.C. has an edge in medical training

It's a good feeling (being a Raleigh resident) and knowing that such wonderful health care facilities are nearby. However, the truth may be that highly-trained medical practictioners are staying in North Carolina as a whole -- not just the urban/metro areas.

"Several of the new medical residents who picked New Hanover Regional Medical Center for their training cited the smaller, hands-on program, respected faculty members and new facilities about to open as draws for applying," said this article in the Wilmington Star-News.

"But, once their training is complete, will they stay and continue practicing here? ...

"With warnings that growth in North Carolina’s population will outpace that of its doctors in coming years, retaining residents has become a major point of discussion among some health groups in the state. ...

"Of the nearly 18,400 active physicians in North Carolina, about 6,600 doctors did their residency in the state and stayed, according to the N.C. Health Professions Data System."

The location of their medical schools also plays a role in where doctors end up, though it’s less of a factor in North Carolina than residency location.

Among the state’s active physicians, nearly 27 percent graduated from one of the four medical schools in North Carolina, figures from the N.C. Health Professions Data System show.

Experts say states that have combined medical schools and residencies within their borders have significantly better chances of retaining doctors.

“The more contacts that the physicians have with the state in terms of medical and GME (graduate medical education), the more likely they are to practice in the state,” said Clese Erikson, director of workforce for the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Center for Workforce Studies.

Then, two-thirds of them, 66 percent, are likely to stay in that state. North Carolina is pretty much a similar comparison to the national average,” Erikson said.

North Carolinians could stand to be healthier

Perhaps it's the state's historic ties to tobacco. Or maybe it's because of the barbecue, hush puppies and gallons of sweet tea. But for whatever reason, too many North Carolinians still use tobacco and remain far too inactive and fat, according to a report card grading health and prevention measures.

The report was released recently by N.C. Prevention Partners. It stated that the state's overall grades were unchanged from the last report card, issued in 2005.

"Despite some improvement in cutting smoking, the overall numbers did not change enough to raise the state above a 'C' grade in that subject," said the News & Observer. "And the news was worse in diet and nutrition, areas that again each garnered 'D' grades."

The good news is that tobacco use among middle and high school students is way down, and most of the state's hospitals are tobacco free. The bad news is that the "percentage of adults who are obese or overweight increased, and senior citizens and high school students showed no improvement. And there are few signs of change. Fruit and vegetable consumption among youths was actually down, despite unprecedented public attention to healthy diet in recent years. 'We're at the bottom, and unfortunately the trend is worsening,' said Meg Molloy, executive director of N.C. Prevention Partners. ..."

Click here for the complete article.

Child well-being improves, lottery slips

Foster care improving in N.C.
"... The Annie E. Casey Foundation revealed its findings in the 2007 Kids Count Data Book," according to the Asheville Citizen-Times. "Each year, the foundation chooses a topic for an in-depth essay. This year’s essay is 'Lifelong Family Connections: Supporting Permanence for Children in Foster Care.'

"The foundation produces the data book annually, measuring 10 areas of child well-being in each state and ranking the states. North Carolina jumped two places in the ranking this year, from 41st to 39th. Among the categories measured are infant mortality, poverty, teen birth rate and high school dropout rates. The report also compares a number of demographic categories, like the number of children in foster care.

"North Carolina is moving in the right direction on foster care, the report says. The state is better than the nation as a whole in the number of children per 1,000 in foster care: seven, as opposed to 10 nationally. ..."

Lottery sales fall below expectations in first fiscal year
"Ticket sales for the North Carolina lottery's first fiscal year fell well short of expectations, generating about $110 million less in education funds than legislators had projected," according to the Associated Press.

"The North Carolina Education Lottery on Tuesday put another $69.4 million in a dedicated state fund for education, making the final quarterly transfer to the fund for the year ending June 30.

"The Lottery Education Fund has now received $375.3 million since the first tickets were sold in March 2006. Fund money, which is equal to at least 35 percent of net lottery revenues, is earmarked for initiatives such as class-size reduction, preschool programs, school construction and college scholarships for needy students. ..."

Not to be cynical, but how long before the lottery is allowed to really begin marketing via ways that they claimed then never would?