AHEC Scholars
AHEC Scholars is a national initiative through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) geared toward professional healthcare students. Through additional training and team-based clinical experiences, the goal is to encourage future healthcare providers to work in rural areas and/or with underserved populations. The AHEC Scholars program through UAMS is in collaboration with the National AHEC Organization (NAO). The primary student programs accepted include the UAMS College of Medicine, UAMS College of Pharmacy and the Physician Assistant Program through the UAMS College of Health Professions. Other programs can be reviewed for acceptance on a case-by-case basis.
AHEC Scholars focuses on the following HRSA Core Topic areas:
- Connecting Communities and Supporting Health Professionals
- Virtual Learning and Telehealth
- Social Determinants of Health
- Behavioral Health Integration
- Current and emerging issues
- Inter-professional Education
- Practice Transformation
- Cultural Competency
Who should apply?
Professional healthcare students with an interest in learning more about working with underserved patient populations and/or in rural areas are encouraged to apply.
Benefits
- Enhanced healthcare knowledge in rural and community settings.
- Positively impact underserved communities.
- Engage in interdisciplinary teams
- Increased marketability
- Networking with like-minded providers
- Certificate of completion and pin
- Enrollment award ($1,000—current year)
- (Award can be used to pay for educational opportunities and/or personal use.)
Program Requirements
Two-year program consisting of 160 hours total.
80 hours of didactic training over two years
80 hours of experiential training over two years
Options to Meet Program Requirements
- Through concurrent curriculum (Curriculum mapping has been completed for the UAMS College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and the Physician Assistant programs.)
- Dual degree program requirements
- Ongoing UAMS educational opportunities (Some unique to AHEC Scholars)
- Partnerships with other AHEC Scholars programs nationwide
- Student Interest Groups
- AHEC Scholars elective course (Optional) Contact Sarah Eastham — SMEastham@uams.edu
How To Apply
- Complete an orientation or information session with an AHEC Scholar advisor.
- Complete online application.
- Complete the AHEC Scholars Program of Study related to your specific discipline.
- Complete forms to receive enrollment award. (Provided by advisor)
- Students apply in the fall semester of their next to last academic year.
- Applications close when the current year’s capacity is reached.
For More Information
For more information about the AHEC Scholars program, contact Stephen Attebery, Program Manager at saattebery@uams.edu
saattebery@uams.edu