The National Funeral Directors Association has indicated that 79% of this year's mortuary students are female, up from 35% in 1995, reflecting a nationwide trend of changes to the makeup of the funeral industry. The funeral industry is responding to chronic staff shortages and an aging workforce by recruiting a younger and more diverse workforce. An example in Vermont is the introduction of new and more affordable certificate programs leading to licensure.
October 26, 2022
US: trends in makeup of funeral industry
September 28, 2022
Study on physician burnout during pandemic
A survey conducted by the American Medical Association and research partners has found that almost 63% of US physicians had at least one manifestation of burnout in 2021, up from 38% in 2020. Satisfaction with work-life integration was found at 30%, down from 46% in 2020. Professional fulfillment scores dropped from 40% to 22%. The American Medical Association's "Recovery Plan for America's Physicians" focuses on "supporting physicians, removing obstacles and burdens that interfere with patient care, and prioritizing physician well-being as essential requirements to achieving national health goals.”
August 18, 2022
Racism in Nursing report
The American Nurses Association's National Commission to Address Racism in Nursing has released their foundational report, exploring how racism shows up in the nursing profession. The report series
- "centers the experiences of nurses of color in U.S. history and how structural and systemic racism have hindered access to educational and professional opportunities as well as institutional power,"
- "examines power, privilege, and prejudice in nursing today,"
- focuses on "creating equitable and inclusive learning environments [that] will lead to increased access and opportunities for students, faculty, and staff,"
- explores way to "eliminate racism in existing policy" and the need to create "new policies that address past harms and advance the nursing profession,"
- "explores the ethical obligations to develop a culture where all staff and patients are treated fairly," and
- explores how "minority nurse researchers are key to address health disparities and inequities."
Report on professions: osteopathic medicine
The American Osteopathic Association has released its 2022 Osteopathic Medical Profession report. Over the last decade, there has been an 81% increase in the number of DOs and osteopathic medical students in the US. DOs currently represent more than 11% of all physicians in the US. The report also gives details about the makeup of the profession - with 68% of DOs in active practice being under the age of 45 and 47% of female DOs in active practice under age 45. Fifty-seven percent of DOs practice in primary care, with the remainder in other specialties.
June 15, 2022
NCARB releases third Baseline on Belonging report
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards and the National Organization of Minority Architects have previously released reports in the Baseline to Belonging study related to the architecture licensing exam. A third report "explores survey data regarding experiences completing a post-secondary degree in architecture, including factors related to cost, program culture, and curriculum—and how these factors create unintended impediments on the path to licensure." Some key findings: "The report reveals that Black or African American women are more likely to face impediments at every stage of their collegiate experience, ultimately driving more than half to consider a different career path. It also underscores disparities in affordability and culture between graduates of National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB)-accredited programs and graduates of non-accredited architecture programs. . . When it comes to other barriers like architecture school culture and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), African American women were significantly more likely to report negative impacts and, consequently, more likely than their white male counterparts to say they considered leaving the field."
April 13, 2022
AMA article explores physician shortage
According to an Association of American Medical Colleges report, the US faces a projected shortage of 37,800 to 124,000 physicians within 12 years, exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. Rather than expending scopes of practice of other healthcare providers, the American Medical Association supports the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021 to provide 14000 new Medicare-supported GME positions. The AAMC will conduct a survey this year to collect data on physician work hours and patterns, retirement plans, use of telehealth, debt, burnout, and wellness.
January 19, 2022
Report Released on Review of USPAP and AQB Criteria
An independent analysis of the Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and the Real Property Appraiser Qualification Criteria (AQB Criteria), funded by the Appraisal Subcommittee (ASC) and managed by CLEAR, has been completed. The report is intended to represent a comprehensive and independent review of the appraisal standards and appraiser qualifications to ensure that neither encourage or systematize bias, and that both consistently support or promote fairness, equity, objectivity and diversity in both appraisals and the training and credentialing of appraisers.
From the report: "An appraiser has the unique power to determine the value of a home, which for most Americans, is their single most important financial asset and holds the key to wealth, stability, and opportunity for their family and generations to come. In addition, home values affect the tax base, school funding, and community investments. Moreover, time and again, our nation’s economy and financial markets have been significantly impacted by home valuations, with communities of color often bearing the brunt of failings in the mortgage market and the home appraisal process. Given the importance of homeownership to American families, particularly families of color, governmental and private organizations have called for reforms and a comprehensive examination of the structure and governance of the appraisal industry.
In response to these calls for reform, we have assembled the research and recommendations in this report. We urge federal and state governmental entities, The Appraisal Foundation, the GSEs, lenders, appraisers, researchers, and civil rights and consumer advocates to work together to address the concerns raised in the report:
- Questions About the Governance of the Appraisal Industry
- Gaps in Fair Housing Requirements and Training
- Barriers to Entry to the Appraisal Profession
- Compliance and Enforcement
We hope that this report will encourage conversations among key stakeholders in the appraisal and housing industries to seek workable, sustainable solutions that benefit the whole of the housing market, including borrowers of color."
June 16, 2021
NCARB special report on Covid-19's impact on profession
The National Council of Architectural Registration Boards has published a special report analyzing Covid-19's impact on the architecture profession. The report indicates a decrease of 39% in license applications and a decrease of 44% for Architect Registrations Examinations taken. The report also discusses impacts such as decrease in demand of postponed architectural work, reduced access to testing and programs, and limited early career experiences.
May 19, 2021
Veterinary profession impacted by COVID-19 pet boom
The COVID-19 pandemic has led many US households to adopt or purchase a new pet; approximately 12.6 million households got a new pet since March 2020, says a survey by the American Pet Products Association. This has led to a dramatic increase in the need for veterinary services. As well, with pet owners spending more time at home with their pets, veterinary hospitals are noting a greater tendency for people to bring their pets in for smaller ailments that might have gone unnoticed pre-pandemic. The situation has led to extended hours, a lack of sufficient staff, and burnout and fatigue among veterinarians. Some veterinary hospital groups have responded by hiring compassion fatigue specialists for support.
March 17, 2021
Report on pressure and understaffing at pharmacies
A report by NBC News highlights the pressures on US pharmacists faced with increased orders, additional tasks, and fewer staff in chain drugstores. The pressure and understaffing issues have increased during the pandemic as COVID testing and vaccination has become part of pharmacy services. The National Association for Boards of Pharmacy notes the concern for patient safety as well as pharmacists' well-being. The 2019 National Pharmacist Workforce Study showed more than two-thirds of pharmacists saying their workload had risen in the last year (pre-pandemic). The NABP indicates that about one-third of states have regulations addressing pharmacy working conditions.
