The Virginia AHEC Scholars program is a longitudinal, interdisciplinary program which will launch in Fall 2018. The Virginia AHEC Scholars program will consist of the following:
• Clinical activities • Didactic activities • Community-based training • Rural Track • Underserved Track
The program is open to all students enrolled in healthcare and pre-healthcare certificate or degree programs, from the undergraduate level up. Students will spend a minimum of 80 hours in classroom instruction, and 80 hours in hands-on clinical experience, delivered over a period of two years.
HRSA-Defined Goals The Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) has defined the following goals for the AHEC Scholars program.
The program must have:
- A formal application process
- An interdisciplinary curriculum
- 40 hours of defined didactic activities ( each year/2-year total of 80 hours)
- 40 hours of defined clinical activities, conducted in a rural or underserved setting (2-year total of 80 hours)
- Defined community-based training activities, conducted in a rural or underserved setting
- Strategic partnerships with funders, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and industry partners
The student cohort must include:
- Diversity, with preference given to students from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented minorities
- Students from multiple disciplines
The curriculum must include:
- Interdisciplinary learning objectives and outcomes
- Defined points of entry and exit, tailored to fit specific fields of study
All six HRSA Core Topic Areas:
- Interprofessional Education
- Behavioral Health Integration
- Social Determinants of Health
- Cultural Competency
- Practice Transformation
- Current and Emerging Health Issues-Substance Abuse (Opioids)
The program must collect data about students, including:
- Demographics
- Number of training hours in designated settings
- Employment information (one year after completion of academic program)
- One-year follow-up after graduation or completion of the academic program
