Health administrators trained at university

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VANCOUVER-The University of British Columbia's department of continuing studies has teamed up with the Institute for Aboriginal Health to offer a 10-month program to train Aboriginal health care administrators.

The program is the only one in British Columbia targeted specifically to Aboriginal people. It is designed to meet a demand for trained administrators that results from the transfer of health services from the federal government to First Nations. People are needed who know how to set up programs and manage all facets of health care resource allocation.

Five courses comprise the part-time program, which is aimed at current Aboriginal health practitioners and community development planners. Communication and Leadership, Aboriginal Health Systems, Health Policy and Research, Fundamentals of Administration and Information Management are offered in a combination of in-person and online study, to accommodate participants from outside the Lower Mainland.

The on-campus segments of the program take place about once every two months; the rest can be done via the Internet from home. The fall program cut-off date was Sept. 15, but anyone requiring information for the next session can visit www.cstudies.ubc.ca/ahcap or telephone 604-822-1559.