Southwest Georgia AHEC Scholars
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Southwest Georgia AHEC Scholars Program Receives National Recognition National AHEC Organization Center of Excellence Award – AHEC Scholars Program
Southwest Georgia AHEC Scholars is an exciting new multidisciplinary program that gives health professions students a unique opportunity to practice hands-on training, experience providing care in a rural/underserved environment, work with other health professions students in their region, build their resumes, and increase their professional contacts. Students will make lasting connections with different professions and learn how to function as an interdisciplinary team. The program consists of 80 hours of classroom or online instruction and 40 hours of hands-on community-based experiential training over two years. Most instructional material will be self-paced study, with some small group-facilitated discussions and in-person workshops held in your region with local health professions faculty.
Core Topics
Core topic areas covered in the Southwest Georgia AHEC Scholars Program curriculum:
- Interprofessional Education
- Behavioral Health Integration
- Social Determinants of Health
- Connecting Communities and Supporting Health Professionals
- Virtual Learning and Telehealth
- Cultural Competency
- Behavioral Health Integration
- Practice Transformation
- Current and Emerging Health Issues
Applications open each year on August 1.
Benefits
- Understanding that all healthcare providers contribute to the team.
- Showing respect and building trust among team members.
- Using appropriate language when speaking to other healthcare providers.
- Keeping the patient and family at the center of care for best outcomes.
Eligibility Requirements
Students are invited to apply for the program if they meet the following criteria:
- Currently enrolled in the following Georgia health professions degree programs with a duration of two years or longer:
- Augusta University/Medical College of Georgia Southwest Campus: MD students
- University of Georgia, College of Pharmacy Southwest Georgia Clinical Campus: PharmD students
- Georgia Southwestern State University: BSN students
- PCOM South Georgia Campus: DO students
- Albany State University: BSN and FNP Students
- Albany Technical College ASN students
- Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.5
- Able to commit to the two-year term
Requirements for this program are in addition to a student’s regular coursework required by their degree program. Program participants will be eligible for stipends during the program based on the completion of curriculum objectives and required activities.
How to Apply
You will be asked to provide personal and contact information. This information will be used both to screen applicants to the program and for federal reporting purposes.
You must show evidence of an overall cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher to apply for the AHEC Scholars program. You may upload an electronic copy of an official transcript on the application form.
On the application, you will be asked to answer the following open-minded questions, in no more than 250 words:
Why do you want to apply to the Southwest Georgia AHEC Scholars Program?
- Explain your definition/understanding of interprofessional/interdisciplinary practice in health care.
- What personal characteristics make you a good fit for the Southwest Georgia AHEC Scholars Program?
- How could participation in this program contribute to your professional development?
If you’re ready to set yourself apart from your peers and develop skills that will transform healthcare in Georgia, click on the “Apply Now” button below to begin the process. You will be directed to the Statewide AHEC webpage to complete the application. For any questions, email the Program Coordinator.
I have never been a part of a program quite like the Southwest Georgia (SOWEGA) AHEC Scholars. This experience broadened my understanding of healthcare disparities and allowed me to hone my communication towards less literate patients.
I highly recommend this program as it will teach you how to collaborate with a wide range of medical professionals, to provide optimal care to your patients, and to treat each patient as an individual and not just a number. You will have so much fun in this program!
The SOWEGA AHEC Scholars Program was a valuable part of the clinical years of my medical education which I chose to spend in Southwest Georgia. This program fostered discussions around current frontiers in healthcare with a special focus on impact on rural and underserved areas.
It was such an honor to be a SOWEGA AHEC Scholar. As a person who wants to practice medicine in a rural setting, this program was especially valuable in helping me prepare for my career. The program encompassed telemedicine, mental health, and interprofessional education.
Do you want to be a part of a program that gives health professional students the opportunity to practice hands-on training and experience providing care in a rural/underserved environment? The AHEC Scholars Program taught me to “Treat the patient as a ‘whole’ not just the ‘hole’ in the patient.