TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Keena Miller
Phone: 512-462-5328, cell: 512-658-4444
Email: [email protected]
FOR RELEASE APRIL 5, 2013
Diversifying the Future for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Healthcare Professionals and Interpreters
Professionals and Students Attend Annual Conference at the Texas School for the Deaf
Austin, Texas – April 5, 2013 – The Association of Medical Professionals With Hearing Losses (AMPHL) brings 150+ participants to Austin today, through Sunday, April 7, for the group’s 2013 Biennial Conference – Diversifying the Future for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Healthcare Professionals and Interpreters, hosted at the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD).
Participants include specialists, veterinarians, nurses, audiologists, emergency medical technicians, radiologists, as well as medical students and professors – all with hearing losses working to serve public health care needs. With a forum for networking and an agenda focused on the top issues in healthcare today, conference attendees will meet peers and providers of innovative communication services, and experiment first-hand with the latest in accessible medical technologies.
AMPHL conference co-chair, Dr. Chris Moreland, who is deaf himself, is a practicing Internal Medicine physician and assistant professor at the University of Texas’ Health Science Center in San Antonio. Moreland relies on the skills of interpreters and uses specialized technology to serve patients and teach students on a daily basis.
“This conference, says Moreland, is a wonderful opportunity for deaf and hard of hearing healthcare professionals, students, and interpreters to meet and learn from others in related (medical) fields and explore what’s new and changing in our industry today.
“At the end of the day, Moreland adds, we are all aiming to improve the quality of service for our patients, support caregivers, and to work better together among ourselves, our colleagues. What we’ll take back to our hospitals, our clinics and our practices, will help us grow as better healthcare providers.”
TSD will also host a special session, Saturday, for high school students from all over Texas who are deaf and hard of hearing. Conference leaders will introduce students to the variety of career opportunities available in healthcare today and demonstrate that their hearing status does not have to limit what they can achieve in medical careers, or in any chosen path.
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ABOUT THE TEXAS SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF (TSD)
The Texas School for the Deaf is the oldest continuously operating public school in Texas. Educating deaf and hard of hearing students of Texas since 1856, the campus also provides outreach and educational resources for students, their families and professionals in the field throughout the state of Texas. With educational excellence and a strong belief in a culture and community at TSD, students form a unique identity based on their individual strengths and talents. TSD is an environment where students learn, grow, and belong. For more information about the Texas School for the Deaf, visit http://www.tsd.state.tx.us/.
ABOUT THE ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WITH HEARING LOSS (AMPHL)
A national organization, AMPHL was founded in 2000 by individuals who recognized the need to address issues surrounding their hearing loss as practicing professionals in healthcare fields. AMPHL helps educate colleagues and instructors of healthcare professionals and students who are deaf and hard of hearing. With resources and a network of sharing, AMPHL promotes advocacy and mentorship, and allows individuals with hearing loss interested in, or working in healthcare careers, to network and support each other. For more information, visit: http://www.amphl.org.