Posted to MediaSyndicate.com (Sep 21, 2009 - 12:53 PM) : FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Sharon Lustig, slustig@mrccommission.org, 540-725-3840
Medical Representatives Certification Commission Announces Commission Members
Fourteen medical and healthcare professionals selected to serve on independent standards board



Roanoke Va. (Sept. 21, 2009)—The Medical Representatives Certification Commission (MRCC), which sets criteria for certification examinations for pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device representatives, has announced names of fourteen members who will serve on its Commission. The independent not-for-profit commission oversees a national certifying examination for medical representatives to demonstrate proficiency in the professional competencies, including understanding of disease states, evidence-based medicine, pharmacology, healthcare industry best practices, ethical conduct, and regulations, set by the Commission.

The Commission is comprised of nationally recognized academic healthcare experts, healthcare providers, and leaders of health systems, provider groups, professional societies, and educators. The Commissioners oversee and control independently the creation of competency standards and validation of those competencies through certification examinations.

According to Lyle Bootman, PhD, ScD, Chair of the MRCC, final competency standards will be established by the Commission following stringent research methodologies. These research efforts, which have included stakeholder groups’ input, are currently scheduled for completion in October 2009. MRCC and this program will be accredited by an independent third-party organization. During their Commission meeting to be held in September in Alexandria, Va., the MRCC members will review and approve the committees’ recommendations on policies and procedures, eligibility requirements, continuing education, and recertification requirements, basing their decisions on research and the needs of the healthcare industry to value and trust the competence of certified medical representatives.

The Commission includes:

Lyle Bootman, PhD, ScD – Chair, Medical Representatives Certification Commission -- Dean, College of Pharmacy and Professor of Pharmacy, Medicine, and Public Health, University of Arizona; Founding and Executive Director of the University of Arizona Center for Health Outcomes (HOPE); Member of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies; Past President of the American Pharmacists Association (APhA).

Mohammed Akhter, MD, MPH -- Executive Director, National Medical Association (NMA); former Executive Director, American Public Health Association (APHA); recently served Howard University’s College of Medicine as Professor of Community Health and Chairman of the President’s Advisory Council on Public Health, as well as Senior Associate Dean for Public and International Health; former Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Kendall S. Allred, MD, MPH -- Resident in Emergency Medicine at University of California San Francisco – San Francisco General Hospital in San Francisco, CA.; served as the Vice-Chair of the American Medical Association(AMA) Medical Student Section; served on the AMA Board of Trustees 2008-2009.new

Bill Ashton, MEd -- Founding Dean, Mayes College of Healthcare Business and Policy and Associate Professor, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia(USP); former Vice President of Commercial Affairs and Reimbursement, and former Vice President of Sales for Amgen.

Philip Dombrowski, MBA -- President and CEO of Annenberg Center of Health Sciences at Eisenhower; Past Executive Director for the Transplantation Society; Former Senior Executive Vice President with Thomson Physicians World and Physicians World Communications Group.

Melvin I. Freeman, MD, FACS -- Research Scientist, and Emeritus Director, Continuing Medical Education, Benaroya Research Institute, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, Washington; Emeritus Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Washington School of Medicine; Vice-Chair, Washington State Medical Association’s CME Committee.

Harry Gallis, MD, FACP -- Former Director of Charlotte AHEC at Carolinas HealthCare System; former member of Duke University School of Medicine Faculty; former Director of Duke University CME; Former member of Conjoint Committee on CME; Past President for the Alliance of CME; Consultant in continuing medical education.

William Gouveia, MSC, DHL, FASHP -- President, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE); Senior Contributing Editor, American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy; Associate Professor of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine; Adjunct Clinical Professor, Northeastern University School of Pharmacy.

Marcia J. Jackson, PhD, FACME – Owner and President; CME by Design; Former Senior Executive Vice President, American College of Cardiology; former Director, Center for Instructional Development and Evaluation, University of Maryland University College; and former President of the Alliance for Continuing Medical Education.

Jim Kellam, MD -- Vice Chairman, Dept of Orthopedic Surgery, Director of Orthopedic Trauma and Education, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC; Editor, Dialogue; Past President, Orthopedic Trauma Assn(OTA); Past President, AO Foundation.

Marian Osterweis, PhD – Vice Chair, MRCC -- Consultant and National Expert on Health Education, Healthcare Delivery and Public Policy; Senior Fellow, American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U); Former Exec VP and COO, Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC); former Associate Executive Director for Program, Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies.

Elena V. Rios, MD, MSPH -- President and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA), and President of NHMA’s National Hispanic Health Foundation affiliated with the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University; former Advisor for Regional and Minority Women’s Health, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.

Lucy Rose, PA, MBA -- National Expert on Regulations and Compliance and President, Lucy Rose and Associates; Former Director of the Office of Training and Communications for the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), and CDER’s Division of Drug Marketing, Advertising and Communications (DDMAC) at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Rebecca P. Snead, R Ph -- Executive Vice President and CEO, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations (NASPA); Member, Board of Directors for the Pharmacy Quality Alliance(PQA), and Chair of the Patient Safety Workgroup 2006-07; current member and Chair (2008) of the Advisory Panel on Medicare Education(APME); former Executive Director, Virginia Pharmacists Association.
Following an extensive job analysis study and validation studies, the MRCC will begin offering examinations in early 2010. For more information on MRCC visit their website at www.mrccommission.org.
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The Medical Representatives Certification Commission is a not-for-profit certification company established to provide certification programs for medical representatives who have contact with healthcare professionals in order to discuss their pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device or diagnostic products. MRCC’s certification programs will benefit patients, the healthcare community, and certificants’ employers by providing well-researched standards of competency and ethical conduct and a continuously updated process of examination to ensure certificants meet those standards. For medical representatives, recognition by a third party enhances the credibility and reputation of certified professionals. More information is available at www.mrccommission.org.

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