AHEC SCHOLARS PROGRAM INFORMATION

Lead healthcare into the future!

Washington AHEC Scholars is a free program designed for health professions students who are passionate about serving under-resourced and rural patients in their future careers.
By joining AHEC Scholars, you will improve your team-based skills and contextualize what you are learning in your primary program.

Jasper Bang

Testimonial from a former AHEC Scholar

(click on photo to view)

Set yourself apart

Earn a nationally recognized certificate that helps you access future employment opportunities and will provide you with an advantage in residency applications. Participation stipends are also available at some WA AHEC Centers.

Expand your network

Establish a robust professional network spanning diverse health disciplines. Collaborate closely with a cohort of peers representing various healthcare fields throughout Washington. Become part of the larger national AHEC cohort, comprising approximately 3,900 scholars across 49 programs nationwide.

– Must be a citizen of the United States or a foreign national with a permanent resident visa.

– Must be two years away from program or degree completion*   AND   Enrolled in a program that runs for a minimum of 6 quarters or 18 months.   

(*exception: medical and dental students may apply in the first two years of their MD/DO or DDS program)

– Must be enrolled in one of the following health professions programs:

  • Athletic trainer/Exercise Science MS
  • Clinical Mental or Behavioral Health Counseling MA/PsyD
  • Community Health Worker
  • Dental Hygienists and Dental Assistants
  • Dentistry DDS
  • Medical Assistant
  • Medicine MD/DO
  • Nursing ADN/RN/DNP
  • Nutritionist/Dietitian
  • Pharmacy PharmD
  • Pharmacy Technician
  • Physical/Occupational Therapy Assistant
  • Rehab Medicine (PT/OT/P&O)
  • Physician Assistant
  • Public Health BS/MPH
  • Recreation Management/Therapeutic Recreation Concentration BA
  • Respiratory Therapist
  • Speech-language Pathology
  • Substance Use Disorder Professional/Addiction Counseling

Didactic Training; 40 hours/year – 80 hours total

8 week online evening class for each year of enrollment (30 hours)
    • Year 1 – Introduction to Team-based Care in Rural and Underserved Settings (optional: register for CONJ 515 for 1 UW credit)
    • Year 2 – Advanced Team-based Care in Rural and Underserved Settings (optional: register for FAMED 516 for 1 UW credit)
10 hours of Self-Directed Learning for each year of enrollment
    • There is a good deal of flexibility around this requirement and we welcome your ideas!

Clinical Fieldwork; 40 hours/year – 80 hours total

40 hours of fieldwork for each year of enrollment
    • Hands-on, interprofessional training in clinical rural and under-resourced settings. Clinical placements/rotations for your primary program can satisfy this requirement.
AHEC Scholars curriculum centers on eight core topic areas:
  • interprofessional education
  • social determinants of health
  • cultural humility
  • community health engagement
  • practice transformation
  • telehealth
  • behavioral health integration
  • current & emerging health issues
There are opportunities for in-person events, but most AHEC Scholars activities take place online. The AHEC Scholars evening classes are on Zoom and are composed of a mix of students from around the state and across disciplines.

WA AHEC consists of four AHEC Centers that are supported by the central Program Office at the UW School of Medicine. Each Center recruits a cohort of AHEC Scholars in their region (MAP).