Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection: Comment Request

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Health Resources And Services Administration

Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Collection:

Comment Request

In compliance with the requirement for opportunity for public

comment on proposed data collection projects (section 3506(c)(2)(A) of

Title 44, United States Code, as amended by the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1995, Pub. L. 104-13), the Health Resources and Services

Administration (HRSA) publishes periodic summaries of proposed projects

being developed for submission to OMB under the Paperwork Reduction Act

of 1995. To request more information on the proposed project or to

obtain a copy of the data collection plans and draft instruments, call

the HRSA Reports Clearance Officer on (301) 443-1891.

Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed collection of

information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of

the agency, including whether the information shall have practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of the

proposed collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality,

utility, and clarity of the information to be collected; and (d) ways

to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents,

including through the use of automated collection techniques or other

forms of information technology.

Proposed Project: Surveys to Assess the Outcomes of Curricular

Changes at Eight Medical Schools--NEW

In July, 1998, eight medical schools were awarded federal funding

under the Undergraduate Medical Education Program for the Twenty-first

Century (UME-21) initiative to develop and implement curricular change

during the clinical years. This project aims to bring about change in

the clinical phase of medical education so that medical students are

better prepared for residency training and practice. The selected

schools must institute specific changes in their clinical education

programs, including the addition of content related to clinical

practice in a managed care environment and the introduction of primary

care based clinical experiences that cut across the generalist

disciplines. UME-21 is administered by the Bureau of Health Professions

of the Health Resources and Services Administration. The surveys are

designed to: (1) Obtain the opinions of graduating seniors regarding

their education in selected topics important for practice in the

changing health care environment, and (2) determine whether the

physicians who supervise the graduatesduring their first year of

residency believe that these graduates possess appropriate knowledge,

skills, and attitudes.

The surveys are being conducted as part of a broader evaluation of

the overall UME-21 initiative. The study population of students will

consist of 2,400 seniors at the eight medical schools, evenly

distributed between the graduating classes of 1999 and 2000. The study

population of residency program directors will consist of approximately

1,200 physicians in residency programs throughout the country

determined by the residency locations of the graduating seniors in each

year.

The estimated respondent burden is as follows:

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Hours per

Respondent Number of Responses per response Total Burden

respondents respondent (minutes) hours

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Students...................................... 2,400 1 7 280

Program Directors............................. 1,200 2 7 280

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3,600 ............... ............... 560

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Send comments to Susan G. Queen, Ph.D., HRSA Reports Clearance

Officer, Room 14-33, Parklawn Building, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville,

MD 20857. Written comments should be received within 60 days of this

notice.

Dated: October 23, 1998.

Jane Harrison,

Director, Division of Policy Review and Coordination.

[FR Doc. 98-29111 Filed 10-29-98; 8:45 am]

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