Connecting Students to Careers, Professionals to Communities, and Communities to Better Health
August 23rd, 2013 by Microland Admin
Training Health Professions Students
- AHEC clinical placements put health professions students in real world settings: migrant, urban, rural, community health clinics and health departments working with underserved populations.
- Students who participate in AHEC Service Learning programs develop an awareness of the economic and cultural barriers in healthcare delivery.
- AHEC is uniquely qualified to facilitate clinical placements because of its linkages to local healthcare resources and organizations.
- Health professions students who participate in AHEC-sponsored clinical placements have a better understanding of the complex needs of underserved communities.
- These students are motivated to provide additional services and to practice in underserved areas following their training
Health Careers Recruitment
- AHECs are committed to expanding the health care workforce, maximizing diversity and facilitating distribution, especially in underserved communities.
- AHECs offer creative, hands-on and innovative health careers curriculum for young students.
- AHEC programs introduce students to a wide assortment of health career possibilities, guide them in goal setting and educational planning, and offer science courses that strengthen critical thinking skills.
- Working with schools, colleges and community partners, AHECs target economically disadvantaged students and those from underrepresented minority groups in school programs and summer institutes.
Supporting Health Professionals
- AHECs provide accredited continuing education programs and professional support to meet the needs of health care professionals, especially those practicing in underserved areas.
- Programs are designed to enhance clinical skills and help maintain professional certifications.
- AHECs focus on recruitment, placement, and retention activities to address community and state health care workforce needs.
- AHECs provide information dissemination on health care issues and participate in collaborative community-based research.
Health and Community Development
- AHECs are designed to be responsive to local health needs and serve as an important link between academic training programs and community-based outreach programs.
- AHECs provide innovative, collaborative, multi-disciplinary responses to community health issues including: diabetes, obesity, asthma, and traumatic brain injury.
- AHECs develop community health education and health provider training programs to meet the needs of diverse and severely underserved populations.