Re: An HP Position is Open in Texas [LicenseReviewer,MedicalandAcademic Licensing Program]

[Alan Watts <wattsa@ohio.edu>]

I think he's hit it on the head!



Alan Watts

RSO

Ohio University



--On Friday, November 07, 2003 9:25 AM -0500 William V Lipton 

<liptonw@DTEENERGY.COM> wrote:



> This comes full circle to my original questions about the alleged "human

> capital" crisis in hp.  This discussion has been worthwhile, to me at

> least.  I think the questions come down to 2:

>

> 1.  Is there a human capital crisis in hp?  To an outsider, there will be

> a human capital crisis when power plants shut down, medical diagnosis or

> therapy is cancelled, research is held up, etc., due to a lack of hp's.

> So far this has not happened, to the best of my knowledge.  Missed or

> less than adequate inspections, regulatory violations with nominal fines,

> low wages, and unfilled positions don't really count!

>

> 2.  If there is federal money to avert this "crisis," how should it be

> spent?  It seems that financing fellowships to encourage intelligent and

> motivated students to study hp when salary prospects are below those of

> comparble fields is like pushing with a rope.  If you think you can sell

> "job satisfaction" as a sufficient inducement, go for it, but I'm not

> holding my breath.

>

> Having said that, I'll put in my $0.02 on where we should spend the money.

>

> To me, it seems that the root cause of our lack of recognition is our

> lack of recognized credentials.  We seem to be one of the few professions

> which does not have a required credential to be accepted as a member.

> CHP is a good credential, but that is not its purpose.  We need

> something, e.g., academic curriculum, license, certificate, etc. that

> represents a minimum requirement before someone can be hired to fulfill

> the duties of a health physicist.  This would prevent employers from

> hiring unqualified persons to fulfill these duties (The regulators seem

> to let them get away with this.), and make us essential to their

> operation.  This would improve salaries for those who are qualified, and,

> incidentally, increase academic enrollments much more effectively than

> fellowships.

>

> The opinions expressed are strictly mine.

> It's not about dose, it's about trust.

> Curies forever.

>

> Bill Lipton

> liptonw@dteenergy.com

>

>

> Jim Hardeman wrote:

>

>> John, Dean, et al.

>>

>> This isn't "the future", it's "the present". When we're able to hire, we

>> offer entry level salaries that MOST recent college grads would laugh at

>> ... and based on our last attempt at hiring "experienced" staff,

>> experience apparently only counts while employed with our agency ...

>> private industry experience or experience with other state government

>> agencies counts for little.

>>

>> Bottom line is that those of us in state (and presumably federal as

>> well) government are in it for more than just "the compensation". I

>> would point out, though, that I'd put my retirement plan up against just

>> about anybody's ... but then again, I'm on our "old plan". New hires

>> have a retirement plan more similar to those found in private industry.

>>

>> My $0.02 worth ...

>>

>> Jim Hardeman, Manager

>> Environmental Radiation Program

>> Environmental Protection Division

>> Georgia Department of Natural Resources

>> 4244 International Parkway, Suite 114

>> Atlanta, GA 30354

>> (404) 362-2675

>> Fax: (404) 362-2653

>> E-mail: Jim_Hardeman@dnr.state.ga.us

>>

>> >>> "High Plains Drifter" <magna1@jps.net> 11/6/2003 22:08:44 >>>

>> ----- Original Message -----

>> From: "John Jacobus"

>>

>> "But what is the future going to be like if compensation at the state

>> level does not compare with those of the regulated."

>>

>> John, this is the future!  When did the compensation at the state level

>> ever exceed those that they regulate?

>>

>> Dean Chaney

>

>

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