Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)
The Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) program was developed by Congress in 1971 to recruit, train, and retain a health professions workforce committed to underserved populations. The AHEC program helps bring the resources of academic medicine to address local community health needs. The strength of the AHEC network is its ability to creatively adapt national initiatives to address local and regional healthcare issues.
The AHEC mission is to enhance access to quality health care, particularly primary and preventive care, by improving the supply and distribution of healthcare professionals via strategic partnerships with academic programs, communities, and professional organizations. In turn, these partnerships and networks support strategic priorities to increase diversity and distribution among healthcare professionals, enhance health care quality, and improve health care delivery to rural and underserved areas and populations.
In September 2007, Cherokee Health Systems (CHS) established a partnership with Meharry Medical College to serve as East Tennessee’s Area Health Education Center (AHEC). CHS currently serves as the East and Southeast Tennessee AHECs. Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center in Nashville is the AHEC in central Tennessee, and Christ Community Health Services in Memphis is the AHEC in west Tennessee.
AHEC initiatives include:
●Workforce Development and Distribution: CHS will contribute to a statewide workforce development plan designed to recruit and retain health professionals in practice in rural and urban medically underserved areas (RUMUAs)
●High School to Practice Pathways (HSPP): CHS will promote awareness of health professions careers among high school and college undergraduate students and will offer support to established HOSA clubs.
●Continuing Education on cutting-edge topics will be sponsored to ensure that the CHS health care workforce is prepared to deliver high quality care in a transforming health care delivery system with an emphasis on rural and underserved areas and communities.
●The AHEC Scholars Program is a unique interprofessional training opportunity designed to prepare a diverse, culturally competent health care workforce that is representative of the communities it serves. In general, eligible trainees are graduate students entering the final two years of their training programs. The program involves a two-year commitment. Each year will include 40 hours of team-based, interprofessional clinical exposure and 40 hours of didactic learning focused on eight core topics: Patient-Centered Clinical Practice Transformation; Interprofessional Education, Cultural Competence, Social Determinants of Health, Behavioral Health Integration, Virtual Learning/Telehealth, Connecting Communities and Supporting Health Professionals, and Current/Emerging Health Issues. At least 15 Scholars will be selected annually by each of the east, central, southeast and west Tennessee centers. Accepted Scholars will receive a $500 Participation Award upon completion of Year 1 requirements and an additional $500 Participation Award upon completion of Year 2 requirements.
Interested in becoming an AHEC Scholar?
Please click here for the AHEC Scholars Program Brochure [PDF]. For the Letter of Reference Form, click here. To apply, complete the application here and submit as indicated.
AHEC Program Resources:
**At this time, Tennessee AHEC does not offer housing or have resources to support housing for scholars or other trainees.
2023-2025 AHEC Scholars
Sarah Daabies
LMU, medicine
JD Goates
UTK, counseling psychology
"The AHEC program has helped me connected with other disciplines to move beyond just a conceptual understanding of the importance of interdisciplinary care. After only one year, I feel more confident in understanding how I can connect my clients with other providers to create a robust treatment experience."
Sophie Maynard
UTK, public health
"AHEC Scholars holds true beliefs that align with my own which made it a great fit for me pursuing a career in healthcare and serving those who need it most. Also, AHEC Scholars program has been life-changing for me as it has helped me in finding my true passion in life - patient care, leading me to gaining my BSN, RN. I am so grateful for this program and the opportunities it has given me."
Erin McConocha
UTK, counseling psychology
"I'm so grateful that I have had the opportunity to be a part of an interdisciplinary community of health scholars in training who share my passion for health equity, centering structural and social determinants of health in our work, and advocating for health justice and access to care in rural communities. I have also loved meeting and working with providers in a variety of settings within Cherokee Health Systems, which has meaningfully complemented my doctoral training and helped me to grow as a clinician, scholar, and advocate."
Chris Nguyen
LMU, medicine
"Being an AHEC scholar has provided me with a unique opportunity to collaborate with peers from various health disciplines and engage in discussions on critical topics essential to delivering quality patient-centered care. I am so grateful for an environment that allows me to learn, grow, and advocate alongside members of my future healthcare team."
Caterina Obenauf
UTK, counseling psychology)
"I loved learning alongside other fellow students in so many different healthcare disciplines!"
Logan Scott
LMU, medicine
Desiree Woodle
UTK, clinical psychology
"My first year as an AHEC Scholar has been incredibly rewarding. I have gained invaluable knowledge through engaging discussions with my peers and healthcare professionals who are dedicated to providing quality care and services to all individuals. This year has reinforced the importance of continuous learning as I enhance and develop my clinical skills."
Olivia Campbell
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"This past year in AHEC, I have learned even more than I thought. I am so thankful to have another year to learn and grow through this organization. This is such a meaningful experience for me, and I cannot wait for year two!"
Elizabeth Hydzik
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"Being an AHEC Scholar has provided me with invaluable insight and training that I will use every day while serving all members of our community."
Emily Morton
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"This experience has made me strive to be a life-long learner and always dig deeper. AHEC has built an inspiring network of individuals that I know will make such an impact in the healthcare world. Along with building connections with different disciplines and backgrounds, this year has been a learning experience for me as I work my way into my career."
Angela Parisi
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"AHEC has been an incredible learning experience! It has exposed me to so many different aspects of the healthcare field. Connecting with other members has also been an incredible opportunity."
Jennie Pont Briant
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"Thank you again for the opportunity to participate in such an engaging and insightful program! I look forward to expanding my horizons as a 2nd year AHEC Scholar!"
Taylor Roth
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"I thoroughly enjoyed my experiences this year with AHEC!"
Ellie Shem
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"AHEC has been a wonderful experience for me to learn how to be the best healthcare provider to individuals in my region from all walks of life and backgrounds. I love learning from the didactic presenters as well as my incredible peers. I can’t wait for next round!"
Christina Stauffer
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"AHEC has been so eye opening and impactful for me during this first year. Not only have I been able to connect with other future healthcare professionals, but I have also been able to engage in didactic webinars and conversations that have taught me how I can be a better healthcare provider to our communities that are all in different stages of life, different backgrounds, and have different needs. I look forward to continuing to learn this next year!"
Taylor Stitt
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"The AHEC Scholars program has been a transformative experience that has deepened my passion for community healthcare and my role in dietetics as part of an interdisciplinary team. I have gained invaluable insights into diverse healthcare practices, embracing inclusivity and cultural appreciation, and homed in my skills surrounding patient centered care. I look forward to another year of growth and opportunity!"
Emilie Wilson
UTK, Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Graduate Program
"I have really enjoyed learning alongside other future healthcare professionals! Our discussions were challenging, educational, informative, and beneficial in many ways for all of our future careers. I feel as though I grew as a person and future professional and look forward to continuing to learn with this wonderful group of people next year!"
Sai Dwarampudi
ETSU, medicine
2022-2024 AHEC Scholars
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Samantha Morris
ETSU, pharmacy
"My time in the AHEC program and my interactions with [Regional Coordinator] and the other members of our team have truly helped shape me into a better health care professional and for that I will forever be grateful."
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Jasmine Aguirre
UTK, counseling psychology
“The AHEC Scholars Program was fundamental in my training as a future psychologist. The introduction to integrated care and recognition of social determinants of health impacting healthcare provided the training background I needed to confidently pursue a career in community mental health. I truly feel healthcare models need to move to integrated treatment approaches that incorporate the patient as a valuable team member and respect various professional perspectives in collaborating care services. The AHEC Scholars Program allowed me ample practice to familiarize myself with other disciplines and recognize how we can work together to meet patient healthcare goals. The intentional focus on recognizing and addressing social determinants of health in rural areas, and the systemic change required, continues to be an advocacy avenue that I am passionate about interpersonally and institutionally. Without the AHEC Scholars program, I would not have had exposure to integrated care health models, recognition of the clear impact social determinants of health have on overall wellbeing, or the professional social networking opportunities that allowed me to fulfill my graduate training goals. I loved participating in this program!”
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Jane Kim
UTK, clinical psychology
"I am grateful for the two years that I have spent getting to know and learning from fellow scholars through the AHEC Scholars Program. I have learned so much from them about the other disciplines in healthcare and how they complement and overlap each other. I truly feel that this experience has broadened my perspective and helped me to value integrated health care and working with an interprofessional team."
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Ahauve Orusa
ETSU, medicine, public health
"If you are passionate about learning how to promote the health of those living in underserved communities, then AHEC is the program for you. AHEC gave me tools, knowledge, and hands-on experience on a variety of topics that all relate back to supporting the healthcare needs of those living in rural or underserved areas. I will carry all that I learned in AHEC to my future as a physician."
2021-2023 AHEC Scholars
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David Tierney
UTK, counseling psychology
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Araminta "Minta" Ray
ETSU, medicine, public health
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Stella Uchendu
ETSU, social work
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Grayson Aldridge
ETSU, medicine
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Kody Sexton
UTK, counseling psychology
"In addition to new knowledge and connections, I’ve also gained a stronger sense of my professional identity--who and how I want to be as a psychologist--through my participation in AHEC. My experience has instilled in me a passion for both behavioral health integration and interprofessional collaboration, in service of providing the best possible care to those most in need. I’m grateful for the ways AHEC has helped me clarify my professional interests and future goals!"
Marcia Thacher
ETSU, medicine
