AHEC Scholars Program

AHEC Scholars is a program for health professions students interested in supplementing their education by gaining additional knowledge and experience in rural and/or underserved urban settings. As an AHEC Scholar, the student, who is already invested in healthcare as a career, increases their knowledge of HRSA core topics and the AHEC’s state current and emerging issues to apply to their future health professions workplace or community. While completing their own health professions training, AHEC Scholars participate in a longitudinal curriculum created by COAHEC, as well as community training and activities provided uniquely by SWCAHEC. The purpose is to apply their AHEC Scholars training and knowledge in their future health care settings in urban and rural areas that are medically underserved.

HRSA Core Topics

Educational and training activities will support the following eight core topics:

  • Interprofessional Education
  • Behavioral Health Integration
  • Connecting Communities and Supporting Health Professionals
  • Virtual Learning and Telehealth
  • Social Determinants of Health
  • Cultural Competency
  • Practice Transformation
  • Current/Emerging Issues (such as the opioid crisis and oral health)
  • Suicide prevention
  • Maternal morbidity and mortality
  • Strengthening healthcare access through telehealth
  • Preventing and reducing maternal morbidity and mortality

Program Benefits

Upon completion of the programs, Scholars may request letters of recommendation for jobs and/or graduate school Access live, monthly Learning Collaborative meetings.

Eligibility Criteria

Students should have a current interest in rural or under-served healthcare and be currently enrolled in an approved health professions degree or certificate program and be two years from program or degree completion.

AHEC Scholars Approved Programs: Physicians (MD/DO)

  • Physician Assistants
  • Nurse Practitioners
  • Nurse Midwives
  • Dentists
  • Psychologists (PhD)
  • Optometrists
  • Community Health Workers
  • Public Health
  • Certified Nursing Assistants/Aids (CNAs)

How to Apply
Apply and sign up for Cohort 6 of AHEC Scholars Program by completing the following form: https://formstack.io/F2DD3

Highlights

The AHEC Scholars Program is proud to announce the following graduates of AHEC Scholars. The following scholars represent a mix of community health workers and public health disciplines. Through their hard work and dedication to their studies, these students have completed the Program.

Amberleigh Lorenzetti
Angel Curley
April Chavez
Gabriela Meraz-Fishbein
Jessica Sanchez
Kylie Cayedito
Luis Ramirez

 

 

Lynelle Slim
Sunflower Huskie
Taylor Murphy
Tehani Waahila
Trejan Clichee
Tyra Johnson
Wacey Begay
Lovella Ortiz

Southwestern Colorado AHEC proudly honors this year’s graduates of the AHEC Scholars Program. The following video celebrates their success and provides deeper understanding into the perspectives, abilities, tactics, and more of what it takes to work in rural and medically underserved communities.

View the AHEC Scholars Video