07-08 Department of Health Informatics Student Handbook

Honors, Awards and Scholarships

Academic Honors Dean’s List

To recognize superior academic performance among undergraduates, a Dean’s List is compiled each semester. The achievement of each student who qualifies is acknowledged and noted on the student’s permanent record. To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must have attempted 12 or more hours of graded academic work in a semester and have achieved a GPA of at least 3.50 (based on a 4.0 GPA system defined by the USG guidelines from the USG Board of Regents Policy Manual 305). Courses which are graded on a Pass/Fail basis are not included in the calculation of grade point average for the determination of the Dean’s List or Honors. These courses will clearly reflect this grading alternative in the applicable course syllabus.

Graduation with Honors

Baccalaureate Degrees

MCG awards undergraduate degrees with honors to candidates who meet specific standards of academic excellence as measured by the grade point average. In order to be considered for a degree with honors, a student must have completed a minimum of 60 semester hours in residence for a baccalaureate degree, and only work taken in residence will be considered. The honors GPA is computed beginning with the semester of initial enrollment or with enrollment in the School of Nursing or current program for students in the SAHS. The standards are as follows: Summa cum laude 3.90; Magna cum laude 3.70; Cum laude 3.50.

Certificates

MCG awards honors to students who successfully complete a program of study in a certificate program. In order to be considered for a certificate with honors, a student must have completed a minimum of 30 semester hours in residence, and only work taken in residence will be considered. The honors GPA is computed beginning with the semester of initial enrollment or current program for students in the SAHS. The standards are as follows: Highest Honors 3.90; High Honors 3.70; Honors 3.50.

For baccalaureate degrees and certificates, grade point averages will be rounded to the nearest hundredth to determine eligibility. This distinction of high academic achievement is placed on the student’s diploma or certificate and is noted on the permanent record.

Awards and Scholarships

Local, State and National Professional Scholarships

American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Fore Scholarships

AHIMA’s Foundation of Research and Education (FORE) offers Merit Scholarships to outstanding students pursuing degrees towards careers in Health Information (HIM) and Health Information Technology (HIT). FORE also offers student loans to students pursuing degrees in HIM or HIT, as well as to students enrolled in coding specialist programs associated with a regionally accredited college or university. For further information regarding FORE scholarships and loans: http:// www.ahima.org/fore/student/programs.asp .

Georgia Health Information Management (GHIMA) Scholarship

GHIMA has established an annual scholarship, in the amount of $500, to assist students who are enrolled in an accredited Associate, Baccalaureate, or Masters degree program in HIM in the state of Georgia. The recipient of the award will be selected on the basis of financial need, scholastic achievement, demonstrated leadership, and potential as an outstanding HIM professional.

Candidates for the scholarship will submit applications to the GHIMA Central Office Coordinator (COC) who will forward the applications to the Education Committee. The decision to award the scholarship is made by the GHIMA Board of Directors based on the recommendations of the Education Committee. At the discretion of the Education Committee, personal interviews may be conducted, if needed. The Board of Directors may approve one $500 award, two $250 awards, or no awards to be given in a single year. Students will receive scholarship award criteria and application instructions from the HIM school in which they attend. The deadline for application typically varies with scheduling of GHIMA’s Annual Meeting. The scholarship award is presented during the GHIMA Annual Meeting. For application and award criteria information, visit the GHIMA website at: http://www.ghima.org .

Augusta Area Health Information Management (AAHIMA) Scholarship

The AAHIMA typically offers a yearly $500 scholarship to a rising senior HIM student who has exhibited professionalism, leadership, and initiative. To be eligible, the student must have a 3.0 GPA at the end of fall semester and have shown initiative in at least three of seven specified activities. During fall semester, DHI faculty will provide new students with scholarship criteria and application instructions. Applications are usually due in early February and the AAHIMA scholarship award is presented during MCG Honors Day in early May.

MCG Scholarship

MCG Chapter of the Alpha Eta Society

The Alpha Eta Society is the national Honor Society for the Allied Health Professions and was established on March 17, 1975. Its purpose is the promotion of scholarship and friendship, and recognition of high attainment in the allied health professions. At present, there are ten chapters at the following institutions: Bowling Green State University, Community College of Philadelphia, Erie Community College, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Georgia State University, Medical College of Georgia, State University of New York at Buffalo, University of Alabama in Birmingham, University of Florida, and University of Tennessee. The MCG chapter was established in October of 1975.

Student Membership: Student membership in the society is a mechanism for honoring those graduating students who excel in academic, professional, and personal endeavors. Academic excellence is a preliminary qualification for consideration as a Society member, but there are three additional categories to be considered in the decision for nomination of any student. These areas, school activities, community activities, and leadership activities, serve to indicate the capabilities and efforts of a student to approach his profession and career in a manner that exemplifies enthusiasm and a willingness to serve as both a leader and a contributor to his field in Allied Health Sciences.

Eligibility: The student must be registered in the final semester of an associate, baccalaureate, graduate degree or professional certification program in the SAHS at MCG, with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.50 out of 4.00.

The total number of students to be nominated by a department is limited. It is possible that one, two, or no nominations to be submitted in a given year. The bylaws of the National Alpha Eta Society have been revised to read: “No more than twenty percent of the graduating class of a specified program shall be invited to membership or in those programs with less than ten students, no more than two students will be invited to membership.” Therefore, each department will be notified prior to a nomination period as to the number of students who may be nominated from each program’s graduates. Students within a program are to be considered at the time the class is graduating. Students finishing out of sequence need to be considered with the next graduating class.

Alpha Eta Scholarship Guidelines: In the scholarship area, the student must have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or better, for the courses described below, through the current semester and a projected GPA of 3.50 through graduation. The cumulative GPA is compiled from non-prerequisite courses that are part of the MCG degree program in the student’s area. For example: prerequisite requirements are not considered. Courses, though taken at another institution, that are part of the MCG program toward a degree, are considered.

• Schools: In the school activity area, students should include all activities in which the student participated relating to his/her program, department, or school in the way of service or memberships.
• Community: In the community activity area, students may use outside activities as example of participation, since temporary residence in Augusta is commonplace and opportunity for community activities could be minimal.
• Leadership: In the leadership activity area, students should indicate those instances when he/she held a position of responsibility in an organization or activity rather than participation alone.

Departmental Scholarships

Charlotte Johnston Memorial Scholarship

The Charlotte Johnston Scholarship is an award that recognizes a deserving rising senior in the Department of Health Informatics. The recipient of the award will be selected on the basis of financial need, scholastic achievement, demonstrated leadership, and potential as an outstanding health information practitioner. To be considered for this award, a student must submit a letter of application. The letter should include the following information:

1. Name
2. Local address
3. Permanent address
4. Telephone number where student can be reached
5. Current cumulative GPA
6. Description/explanation of financial need
7. Description of activities and accomplishments that illustrate leadership and potential as an outstanding health information practitioner
8. Description of future HIM goals

In addition, the student must submit at least one letter of recommendation from a credentialed health information practitioner. Applications should be submitted to the student’s faculty advisor. Deadline for receipt of application: No later than mid-March.

The DHI faculty serves as a review committee of applications received. It is possible for one or no awards to be given in a single year. The amount of the scholarship will vary each year in accordance with funds available.

The faculty will consider the following factors in selecting a recipient:

1. Financial need
2. Scholastic achievement
3. Demonstrated leadership in the school and professional associations
4. Attendance and participation in professional associations
5. Consistent demonstration of professionalism, a dedication to ethical conduct, and a respect for the individual as a peer, as a superior, or as a subordinate
6. Performance indicative of the student’s potential as a successful health information manager and one who will enhance the visibility of the profession to the general and professional publics.

Carmen Reyes Scholarship

The Carmen Reyes scholarship was established in memory of Carmen Reyes, a 1998 graduate of the HIA program at MCG. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial aid to a single parent enrolled in the baccalaureate HIA program in the SAHS. If no person meets this stipulation, then the funds may be available to a married student with children enrolled in the same program. The student needs to maintain a 2.5 GPA. The funds may be used for books or tuition. The amount of scholarship will be $250 for the first year and re-determined each year, as funds are available.

Departmental Award

Juanita Sirmans Award for Outstanding Achievement in Health Information Management

An award for outstanding achievement by a HIM student in the Baccalaureate program was established in 1977 by Juanita Sirmans, founder and first Director of the MCG HIM program.

The objectives of the Award are to:

1. Encourage students to strive for excellence in preparation for a life-long profession;
2. Encourage students to set personal goals and find ways to meet them;
3. Encourage student awareness of the need for growth and development of the whole person, and that academic achievement is not the only criterion used to measure a successful life;
4. Develop an awareness in students for the need for personal involvement in the activities of daily living in our society to gain personal and professional satisfaction in giving of themselves to others and,
5. Develop in students of this program increased pride in being a graduate of the MCG.

The student selected will be presented with an engraved plaque at the Honors Day Ceremony. A departmental plaque, located in the department, will have the student’s name and the year of the award engraved on it.

The faculty serves as a review committee and makes the recommendation for presentation of the award to the Chairman. It is possible for one, two, or no awards to be given in a single year.

Only full-time students in the upper 40% of the class at the end of the Fall semester, senior year will be eligible for the award. By faculty consensus the class rank requirement may be waived for a student who has shown extraordinary development throughout the program. Examples of such development area: more active participation in class, improved attitude, increased maturity, etc. These attributes are deemed contributory to professional growth and development.

Besides academic achievement, the recipient of the award must have demonstrated, while an MCG student, the characteristics of professionalism, leadership, and initiative.

The following examples are ways in which a student may demonstrate these characteristics:

1. Attendance of meetings of the local professional association (AAHIMA)
2. Service on a committee of the AAHIMA
3. Preparation of a paper for publication
4. Part-time employment performing a health information function during the two-year period.
5. Participation in school activities (MCG, SAHS, DHI) such as Student Government, student publications, service as class officer, and/or committee membership.
6. Organization of a major class endeavor (class parties are not considered a major endeavor), such as fund-raising activities, coordinator of exhibits for Allied Health Day or recruitment activities.
7. Contribution to the community such as volunteer work, involvement in church organizations, fund-raising for United Way, Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, etc.

Interested students must submit supporting data (typewritten) to their faculty advisor by March 1. The award recipient(s) will be announced at the last class meeting prior to graduation.