The challenges and opportunities for health care providers in all communities comes with identifying common sources of ill health. Populations in the rural setting have a close connection to the environment and participate in more agriculture-based occupations than their urban counterparts. This relationship to the environment and to specific agricultural occupations relates to poor health in a number of ways. The 2003 Annual Forum on Community Health is designed to target this connection between the rural occupations, the environment, and the population. The purpose of this conference is to present the state of occupational and environmental health in rural communities, to present solutions to improve the health of rural populations, and to provide a networking opportunity for those involved in providing optimum health to rural residents. Professionals, academicians, and policy makers interested in environmental, occupational and rural issues as they pertain to health are encouraged to attend.

Goals:

• Identify and better understand the unique occupational health issues in rural communities
• Identify and better understand rural environmental health concerns
• Discuss alternative ways to improve rural health care
• Provide networking opportunities for those involved in rural occupational, environmental, and public health

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the Essentials and Standards of the Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) through the joint sponsorship of Carilion Health CME Program and Carilion Family Medicine Residency (a subsidiary of Carilion Health System), the Institute for Community Health at Virginia Tech, the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and COTA (Center for Organizational & Technological Advancement).

Carilion Health System designates this educational activity for a maximum of 12.25 hours of Category 1 towards the AMA Physicians Recognition Award. Carilion Health System is accredited by The Medical Society of Virginia to provide continuing medical education for physicians. This activity has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 11.0 prescribed credit hours by the American Academy of Family Physicians.

This program is co-sponsored by the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, recognized as an American Osteopathic Association (AOA)-accredited Category 1 CME sponsor by the AOA Council on Continuing Medical Education (CCME). This program anticipates being approved for 13 hours of AOA Category 1-A CME credit pending approval by the AOA CCME.

For additional information on AOA credits, please contact Kim Price at kprice@evvcom.org or (540) 231-5949.

Each physician should claim only those hours of credit that he/she actually spent in the educational activity.

How to Register

The fee is $150 for full participants, $100 for Friday only for attendees of the Virginia Osteopathic Medical Association Conference, and $65 for students. Full participant fees include conference materials, break service, and lunches. Registration deadline is September 2.

Register On-Line

For more information