SSW MSW Blog

WWAMI AHEC Scholars Application Open- App Deadline 9/1

Applications are now open for the interprofessional elective WWAMI AHEC Scholars Program 2021-2023 cohort!

Watch the 2020 graduation video (2021 class graduation event is June 14^th, 2021)

Watch our video of our Habitat for Humanity community interprofessional event*: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d6I3eTvFH8

*These students have agreed to allow us to share their information.

What is it?

An interdisciplinary educational and training program focusing on increasing the diverse, culturally competent healthcare workforce that specializes in rural and underserved areas.
AHEC Scholars is a nationwide elective certificate program existing in 85% of the nation, through state AHEC programs.
It provides you with skills and experiences to better prepare you for work in these areas.
It especially seeks to help students from disadvantaged backgrounds, rural areas, and racial/ethnic groups that are inadequately represented in health care (but that is not a stipulation for acceptance).
The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) will identify AHEC Scholar students as having special training and experience with rural and underserved communities.

What is the structure?

This is a two-year inter-professional program in which you would learn about other disciplines and develop team-based learning and skills that you can take into practice.
You can take the courses for UW elective credit if you are a UW student or no credit/no cost.
If you complete the program, you would will receive a certificate of completion.
Year One:

- Kick off event-Introduction to AHEC Scholars
- 40 hours per year of community/experiential/clinical work in rural or underserved sites
- 40 hours of didactics through Rural/Underserved Health Course I . Classes are taught in the evening to best accommodate your schedule.
- Optional field trip

- 40 hours per year of community/experiential/clinical work in rural or underserved sites
- 40 hours of didactics through Rural/Underserved Health II. Classes are taught in the evening to best accommodate your schedule.
- Spring networking event and graduation ceremony
- Optional field trip

What topics are covered?

Who can apply?

You can apply if you are in a health professional program that ends in a certificate or degree. (The long list of accepted disciplines is in the application.)

- Last year in Seattle, the program had students from UW Medicine, Social Work, Dentistry, Pharmacy, PT/OT, Prosthetics and Orthotics , PA (MEDEX) and N.D. students from Bastyr, Doctorate of Nursing students from Seattle University and UW.
- This past year, 132 students across Washington and Idaho were enrolled in the program.

Some questions students may have this year:

When do the applications open and close? Application is now open! Closes September 1, 2021
When do they get informed of the decision? September 17^th, 2021
When is the kick-off event and is it online? It will be in person for Seattle. Last week of September
Are the classes this year in person or online? In person, yay! Year 2 can be done online or via accepted primary program didactics if needed. Students can take the Bellingham AHEC online cohort instead, if they cannot meet in person either year. Faculty from Western Washington University will be teaching the online UW didactic Canvas courses in synchronous ZOOM format.
What happens to the community/experiential/clinical work when there is COVID19 around? We provide many opportunities to do interprofessional opportunities that require less contact or none. As the pandemic becomes under control, we are encouraging students to do in-person events or clinical experiences.

How do I apply?

Comments are closed.