top of page
Homepage
Support RHP

28

Active Cohort Scholars

Total multi-disciplinary healthcare students actively supervised within the rigorous rural pipeline following recent regional program consolidations.

14

Certified CHWs

Total Community Health Workers successfully trained, including 5 specialists stationed directly within our Northwest Center.

19

Rural Counties

Distinct Oklahoma counties actively reached by workforce recruitment and student clinical rotation pipelines.

$123k+

$123,494 Obligated

Total single-year federal funding leveraged during key project iterations to optimize student support frameworks.

Key Achievements & Community Impact

Facts & Figures

  • The AHEC Scholars Pipeline: Maintained a multi-disciplinary two-year rural health track preparing future professionals across nursing, public health, respiratory therapy, and physician assistant fields for rural primary care.

  • Statewide CHW Training: Designed and deployed an intensive 15-week statewide Community Health Worker (CHW) training program to anchor regional navigation networks.

  • Inspiring Future Providers: Hosted milestone pipeline recruitment events like "Operation Orange," giving hands-on healthcare career exposure to rural youth.

  • Critical Professional Certifications: Delivered life-saving regional training courses, including Mental Health First Aid, PAX Tools, Fundamentals of Pharmacy, and specialized AIDS/HIV provider education.

  • The program emphasizes an interdisciplinary team-based approach to address health disparities in your communities

  • Enhance healthcare knowledge in clinical and community settings

  • Participate in enhanced training experiences related to health care delivery impacting underserved communities

  • Some of your current clinical coursework may qualify for AHEC Scholars credit

  • AHEC Scholars curriculum can be completed at no cost and complements your existing coursework

  • Train on topics of leadership, communication, and critical thinking

  • Improved employability skills

    • Resume review

    • Resume building opportunities

    • Job interview preparation

    • Introduction to area health organizations

  • Receive an official AHEC Scholars certificate and letter of completion

  • Currently interest in rural or underserved healthcare

  • Be currently enrolled in a college-level health professions education training program in Oklahoma, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and be two years from program or degree completion

 

The program is open to students in disciplines that support primary health care services delivery in both clinical and non-clinical roles.  Applicable majors include but are not limited to: medicine; community and public health; nutrition and dietetics; pharmacy; nursing; dental; optometry; communication sciences and disorders; social work; and counseling.  The program has a special interest in students from underserved, under-represented populations, and/or disadvantaged backgrounds.

Program duration is two years and each year includes the following, for a total of 160 hours:

 

  • Must attend the online orientation

  • 40 hours annually of community-based, experiential, or clinical training in rural and/or underserved area

  • 40 hours annually of didactic education (focused on eight Core Topic Areas)

​

Core Topic Areas

  • Connecting Communities and Supporting Health Professionals 

  • Virtual Learning and Telehealth 

  • Interprofessional Education

  • Behavioral Health Integration

  • Social Determinants of Health

  • Cultural Competency

  • Practice Transformation

  • Current and Emerging Health Issues

​

Complete a follow-up evaluation one (1) year after exiting the program

bottom of page