What is the AHEC Scholars Program?
AHEC Scholars is a nationally recognized certificate program that can set you apart.
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. This is a longitudinal program with interdisciplinary curricula to implement a defined set of clinical, didactic, and community-based activities. All experiential or clinical training will be conducted in rural and/or underserved urban settings.
This program is designed to increase the number of skilled and culturally competent health professions students in rural and underserved areas. AHEC Scholars will practice interprofessional collaboration to join a well-prepared, diverse, and culturally competent primary care workforce demonstrating team-based care to improve patient outcomes.
Scholar Benefits
- The program emphasizes an interdisciplinary team-based approach to address health disparities in your communities
- Enhance healthcare knowledge in clinical and community settings
- Participate in enhanced training experiences related to health care delivery impacting underserved communities
- Some of your current clinical coursework may qualify for AHEC Scholars credit
- AHEC Scholars curriculum can be completed at no cost and complements your existing coursework
- Train on topics of leadership, communication, and critical thinking
- Improved employability skills
- Resume review
- Resume building opportunities
- Job interview preparation
- Introduction to area health organizations
- Receive an official AHEC Scholars certificate and letter of completion
Who is eligible to participate?
- Current interest in rural or underserved healthcare
- Be currently enrolled in a college-level health professions education training program in Oklahoma, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and be two years from program or degree completion
The program is open to students in disciplines that support primary health care services delivery in both clinical and non-clinical roles. Applicable majors include but are not limited to: medicine; community and public health; nutrition and dietetics; pharmacy; nursing; dental; optometry; communication sciences and disorders; social work; and counseling. The program has a special interest in students from underserved, under-represented populations, and/or disadvantaged backgrounds.
What are the commitments?
Program duration is two years and each year includes the following, for a total of 160 hours:
- Must attend the online orientation
- 40 hours annually of community-based, experiential, or clinical training in rural and/or underserved area
- 40 hours annually of didactic education (focused on six Core Topic Areas)
- Core Topic Areas
- Interprofessional Education
- Behavioral Health Integration
- Social Determinants of Health
- Cultural Competency
- Practice Transformation
- Current and Emerging Health Issues: The Opioid Crisis
- Complete a follow-up evaluation one (1) year after exiting the program
Apply to the AHEC Scholars Program
Hurry – Space is limited!
