About the NYS AHEC Scholars Program

The NYS AHEC Scholars Program is a two-year, interdisciplinary program with a defined set of clinical, didactic, and community-based training activities. All experiential or clinical training will be conducted in rural and/or medically disadvantaged settings throughout New York State. Utilizing a hybrid model of in-person experiences and online modules participants will gain in-depth training on topics designed to augment patient care, such as cultural competency, social determinants of health, practice transformation, behavioral health integration, and interprofessional care coordination. The overarching goal of the AHEC Scholars Program is for students to gain a valuable understanding about the numerous social and cultural factors that influence an individual’s overall health and their ability to access quality care. By exposing students to social, financial, and cultural issues of care, this program aims to support the development of future healthcare professionals who are able to provide high-quality, patient-centric care to all members of their community.

Eligibility:

Individuals interested in participating in the NYS AHEC Scholars Program must:

• Be currently matriculated into an accredited allied health or health professional degree/certificate program;
• Be able to devote a minimum of 2 hours per week throughout the duration of the two-year program;
• Be interested in improving health quality for all individuals, regardless of background

AHEC Scholars Program Requirements:

• Each AHEC Scholar will be a part of an interprofessional team of students. Participants will be expected to will work with a core group of patients to identify issues associated with social determinants of health, and propose potential solutions that will ultimately reduce the number of avoidable hospitalizations and emergency room visits. Each AHEC Scholar will be required to complete 40 hours of community-based experiential training per year.

• Additionally, each AHEC Scholar will be required to complete an online curriculum that address topics designed to augment patient care, including cultural competency, practice transformation, behavioral health integration, and interprofessional care coordination. Each AHEC Scholar will be required to complete 40 hours of didactic education per year.

Apply to the NYS AHEC Scholars Program!