The Nebraska Area Health Education Center Program has released its 2021-2023 impact report, detailing the program’s successes in its mission to meet Nebraska’s health and health workforce needs.
In his introduction to the report, Nebraska AHEC Director Jeffrey Harrison, MD, who also is chair of the UNMC Department of Family Medicine, said he was pleased to showcase the program’s achievements.
“The Nebraska AHEC Program is an academic and community-based partnership intended to enhance access to quality health care, particularly primary care, by improving the supply and distribution of health care professionals via strategic partnerships with academic programs, communities and professional organizations,” Dr. Harrison said.
“At its core, the Nebraska AHEC Program is a connector working to improve access to health care throughout the state.”
In addition to quotes from AHEC scholars, the report contains a profile of Sidney Armstrong-Grint, DDS, a Rural Health Opportunities Program, AHEC and UNMC graduate who is practicing in her hometown of Grand Island, Nebraska; a clinical training feature on registered nurse Devin Watts; stories on various training activities or learning opportunities; and by-the-numbers breakdowns of program impact, including information such as:
- 6,054 students across Nebraska exposed to health care careers;
- 134 high school partners, 26 college and university partners and more than 100 employer partners;
- 470 students completing 4,127 hours of job-shadowing in 49 different health professions; and
- 126 Nebraska AHEC scholars completing training to date, among other milestones.
Dr. Harrison said: “Through our multiple statewide partnerships, Nebraska AHEC continually works through targeted engagement and activities in recruiting, training and retention to ensure we can meet the healthcare workforce needs in Nebraska.”