HIM Student Engagement Connecting with the Industry Dee Johnson, PAHM Arapahoe Community College HIT Program

Paving Your Path… Bullet “ Chase down your passion like it’s the last bus of the night! ’” -Terri Guillemets

Flexibility in Path-Paving

Volunteering Definition: The practice or advocacy of working as a volunteer, often with the hope of thereby gaining paid employment in the same field. -Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. Volunteerism Implies Active Involvement Volunteerism is (Relatively) Uncoerced “ The road to success is not crowded. Because while most are looking for ways to take, the truly successful people are finding ways to give. With a giving attitude, every situation is an opportunity for success. ” -Unknown

Reasons to Volunteer To help your community To combat boredom To learn/practice new skills To get your foot in the door If you're watching to learn....Watch! If you're watching for a break....Speak up! If you’re watching for me to stop....Leave! If you're here to help....Grab a shovel! -Unknown

Volunteer Avenues School program directors AHIMA Website: AHIMA Component State Association (CSA) – Committees and subcommittees Hospitals & State Hospital Associations HIT Vendors Professional clubs & associations – Health Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) State chapters of HIMSS Special Interest Groups of HIMSS " I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve." -Albert Schweitzer

Conferences, Conventions, Seminars, Exhibits & Summits As an HIM professional you will attend events to meet the annual CEU requirements to keep your credentials! As a student, the fees for these events are greatly discounted or waived! AHIMA Events: AHIMA CSA Quarterly & Annual Meetings iHT2 Summit Calendar (Institute for Health Technology Transformation): Women in Computing Presented by the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology: “And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” -Anais Nin

Other Considerations Health IT Workforce Development Program offered through federal grant programs sponsored by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC):  Community College Consortia, visit:  University-Based Health IT Training, visit:  Curriculum Development Centers, visit:  Competency Examination Program, visit:  Health IT, visit: “You can have anything you want if you want it desperately enough. You must want it with an exuberance that erupts through the skin and joins the energy that created the world.” -Sheila Graham