The AHEC Scholars Fellowship is a two-year program designed to improve a health professions student’s practice readiness skillset. AHEC Scholars covers six topic areas related to the practice of health care. Each year, students complete 40 hours of online training through an online Learning Management System and another 40 hours of community-based learning in the field. Many students complete their community-based learning in a small rural community, but there are also options for working with urban underserved populations. Community-based learning components take place in clinics, hospitals, schools and community organizations. Through these experiences, students train side-by-side with practitioners, experts and health care professionals to purposefully engage Scholars in direct experiences. Obtaining these skills and practices in the field allows Scholars to increase knowledge, develop expertise, clarify values and develop their capacity to contribute to their communities.
As an AHEC Scholar, you will build relationships and networks with health care professionals, explore career opportunities, and gain valuable experience working in team-based environments.
The scholars program focuses on six core competencies – behavioral health integration, cultural competency, interprofessional education, emerging issues, practice transformation and social determinants of health.
Applicants to this program must meet the following criteria.
- Be in the final two years of an accredited health professions program (Two-year degree programs are eligible to apply.) Graduation year must be in 2022.
- Have reliable transportation – this program includes multiple site visits across the selected AHEC region(s).
- Be willing to submit to a criminal background check and drug screening.
- Be available to participate for two years.
- Be available to participate in 40 hours of online learning units and 40 hours of team-based community experiences per year (for two years).
- Be willing to complete evaluations related to fellowship activities.
- Be able to provide the necessary paperwork (such as W-9 and direct deposit form) to receive the
stipend. - Be willing to respond to AHEC upon completion of the AHEC Scholars on an annual basis for updates on practice location and activities.
Students in an undergraduate prep program (e.g., Pre-Med/ Biology) are not eligible unless they are concurrently enrolled in a health professions undergraduate program, such as nursing, ASN/BSN). Pre-Nursing (ASN and BSN) are eligible to apply on the condition of successful matriculation into a selected program.
Allied Health (Clinical Lab Technology, Paramedic Science, Med Tech, Health informatics)
• Audiologist
• Behavioral Health (Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health Counselors, etc.)
• Community Health Worker | Advocate
• Dentistry (Dental Assistant, Dental Hygiene, General Dentistry, etc.)
• Dietetics | Nutrition Science
• Exercise Science
• Health Administration
• Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
• Medicine (Medical Assistant, Optometry, Pathologist Assistant, Physician Assistant, DO | MD)
• Nursing (CNA, LPN, LVN, Nurse Midwife, ASN, BSN, MSN, MS-NP, DNP, etc.)*
• Nutrition / Nutrition Science
• Occupational Therapy (includes: OTA)
• Pharmacy
• Physical Therapy (includes: PTA)
• Public Health (All concentrations)
• Radiation Therapy
• Radiological Assistant
• Radiological Technologist
• Respiratory Therapy
• Speech-Language Pathologist / Speech Therapy
• Surgical Technologist
• Veterinary Medicine (DVM)
Programs not mentioned above may still be eligible. Please reach out to AHEC program staff for more
information.
There is no tuition for the AHEC Scholars program. Each Scholar receives a stipend of $750.00 per year to help offset travel and related expenses, for a total of $1500.00 over the course of the program.
The AHEC Network is split into eight regional cohorts, encompassing all 92 Indiana counties. Each region can accept 15 students. Applicants are asked to select up to three AHEC regions, where they have housing/ transportation available. Selection(s) should reflect the regions where the applicant lives, attends college, or has other important ties. All selections need to be regions where the applicant can reasonably participate in community experiences throughout the academic year as well as over the summer.