Friday, April 22, 2011

USA Biomedical Library Director Renewed For Membership in Academy of Health Information Professionals

Judy Burnham, director of the University of South Alabama Biomedical Library, was recently renewed for membership in the Academy of Health Information Professionals (AHIP) at the Distinguished Member level.

AHIP is the Medical Library Association’s peer-reviewed professional development and career recognition credentialing program. The academy promotes lifelong learning and exemplary professional performance by recognizing achievements in continuing education, teaching, publishing and research.

Burnham, who has been a member of AHIP for 20 years, said the credential is recognized as a valuable membership. “It shows that we are active in our profession and that we stay up-to-date on what is happening,” she said. “As medical librarians, we must have the necessary expertise and knowledge in order to meet the needs of our users and to provide them with quality information.”

The AHIP credential denotes the highest standards of professional competency and achievement in the field of health care information and must be renewed every five years. Someone who has the AHIP designation must participate in continuing education courses and other professional development activities to maintain the knowledge and skills necessary to successfully support the institution’s mission and goals.