FIND OUT IF THIS PROGRAM IS FOR YOU

The Idaho AHEC Scholars stands as a nationally recognized certificate initiative backed by HRSA/AHEC, designed for students within health professions programs who seek to elevate their interprofessional competencies. This program centers on eight fundamental subject domains, augmenting the expertise of each health scholar, with the goal of cultivating a versatile and capable primary care workforce, dedicated to serving rural and underserved communities. Explore eligibility, annual requirements, and submit your application below.

  • AMPLIFY YOUR LEARNING EXPERIENCE

    Enhance your understanding of health-related obstacles and circumstances faced by rural and underserved communities in Idaho. Idaho AHEC Scholars aims to empower you as a more proficient healthcare practitioners, equipping you with the ability to excel in collaborative, team-driven environments. Acquire fresh proficiencies, broaden your experiences, and formulate innovative strategies to enhance healthcare accessibility and provision. You will achieve this through engagement with a curriculum jointly crafted and instructed by educators and professionals spanning across Idaho as well as the esteemed University of Washington School of Medicine.

  • BROADEN YOUR NETWORK

    Establish a robust professional network spanning diverse health disciplines. Collaborate closely with a cohort of up to 50 peers representing various healthcare fields throughout Idaho. Additionally, become part of a larger national cohort, comprising of approximately 3,900 scholars across 49 programs nationwide. Seamlessly blend didactic courses and community-oriented learning obligations to engage alongside present-day healthcare trailblazers.

  • SET YOURSELF APART

    Attain a nationally recognized certificate, secure a $1,000 stipend throughout your dedicated participation, and acquire a digital badge giving you access to future employment opportunities. These achievements will provide you with a distinct advantage in presenting your skills to potential employers, enhancing your marketability. Furthermore, you will be featured in a publicized roster of graduating scholars, which will be shared with employers actively seeking to make new hires.

The application cycle for the 2023 – 2025 Cohort has closed. 

The application cycle for the 2024 – 2026 Cohort will open in Spring 2024. 

WHO'S ELIGIBLE?

To be eligible for the AHEC Scholar Program in Southwest Idaho you must:

  • Be a citizen of the United States or a foreign national having in his/her possession a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States
  • Be a health professions student of an approved program (see “Approved Disciplines”)
  • Be in good standing in your program and have a GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • Be at least two years from program or degree completion
  • Commit to a two-year AHEC Scholars activity agenda
  • Be going directly into a health profession when you graduate*
  • Be willing to be contacted with a survey request one year after graduation from your degree program

*Pre-health programs that do not lead directly to a practicing health profession upon graduation and lab-based programs are not eligible.

As of December 2023, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) recognizes the following programs in Idaho:

  • Athletic Training (MS)
  • Clinical Psychology (MS or PhD)
  • Community/Public Health (BS, MPH)
  • Dietetics/Nutrition (MS)
  • Medicine MD, DO)
  • Nursing (AS, BSN, MSN, DNP)
  • Pharmacy (PharmD)
  • Physician Assistant
  • Radiographic Science (BS)
  • Respiratory Therapy (BS)
  • Social Work (BSW, MSW)
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?
  • Attend New Scholar Orientation (Fall)
  • Complete 20 Hours of Synchronous Didactic Learning
    • Attend 8 Virtual Class Meetings, 90 Min/Each (Spring)
    • Complete Accompanying Modules
  • Complete 10 Hours of Self-Paced Didactic Learning
  • Complete 40 Hours of Clinical, Experiential, Community Learning
  • Complete 20 Hours of Synchronous Didactic Learning
    • Attend 8 Virtual Class Meetings, 90 Min/Each (Fall)
    • Complete Accompanying Modules
  • Complete 10 Hours of Self-Paced Didactic Learning
  • Complete 40 Hours of Clinical, Experiential, Community Learning
  • Attend AHEC Scholars Graduation (Spring)
CORE TOPIC AREAS

Supports a coordinated, patient centered model of healthcare that involves an understanding of the contributions of multiple healthcare professionals.

Promotes the development of integrated primary and behavioral health services (mental health and substance use conditions).

Recognizes the impact of economic stability, education, social and community context, health & healthcare, neighborhood and built environments (determinants) on health.

Training healthcare providers to recognize and address the unique culture, language and health literacy of diverse individuals and communities.

Goal-setting, leadership, practice facilitation, workflow changes, measure outcomes, adapting organization tools and processes to support new team-based models of care delivery.

Examples include COVID-19, opioid abuse, geographically relevant health issues, etc.

Aims to increase training and development of CHWs and paraprofessionals to be the connectors who are able to serve as a liaison/link/intermediary between health professionals and the community to facilitate access to service and improve health equity, community/population health and social determinants of health.

Seeks to improve virtual learning and telehealth curricula and community-based experiential training. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced all health care systems, hospitals and clinics to rapidly implement telehealth services, simulation-based technology and virtual trainings to continue delivering patient care.