Mid Central Area Health Education Center

MID CENTRAL AHEC IS A NON-PROFIT CORPORATE ORGANIZATION WHOSE PURPOSE IS: A. TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO GOOD QUALITY HEALTH CARE, PARTICULARLY PRIMARY AND PREVENTATIVE CARE BY IMPROVING THE SUPPLY, DISTRIBUTION, DIVERSITY AND QUALITY OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS THROUGH COMMUNITY/ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS. B. IMPROVE ACCESS TO GOOD QUALITY HEALTH CARE FOR UNDERSERVED AREAS AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. C. TO RECEIVE AND ADMINISTER FUNDS AND TO OPERATE EXCLUSIVELY FOR CHARITABLE, SCIENTIFIC, LITERARY OR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES WITHIN THE MEANING OF SECTION 501(C)(3) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE OF 1986, OR COMPARABLE PROVISIONS OF SUBSEQUENT LEGISLATION (THE"CODE"), AND TO GIVE FUNDS AND PROPERTY FROM TIME TO TIME TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO BE USED (OR HELD FOR USE) DIRECTLY IN CARRYING OUT ONE OR MORE SUCH PURPOSES. D. TO ACQUIRE, OWN, DISPOSE OF AND DEAL WITH REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY AND INTERESTS THEREIN AND TO APPLY GIFTS, GRANTS, BEQUESTS AND DEVISES AND THE PROCEEDS THEREOF IN THE FURTHERANCE

THE CENTRAL & WESTERN AHEC HOST SEVERAL HEALTH CAREER PIPELINE PROGRAMS THROUGHOUT OUR THIRTY-EIGHT COUNTY CATCHMENT AREA. THE HEALTH CAREER PIPELINE PROGRAM WILL EMPOWER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PURSUE CAREERS IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS. THROUGH EXPOSURE TO HEALTH CAREER OPTIONS,MENTORSHIP, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS EDUCATION, STUDENTS WILL PARTICIPATE IN AN ENGAGING, HANDS-ON, ENRICHING EXPERIENCE THAT WILL HELP DEVELOP THEIR CONFIDENCE AND A SUPPORT SYSTEMN FOR THEIR JOURNEY INTO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION AND BEYOND. PROGRAM OVERVIEW: THIS INNOVATIVE PROGRAM REPRESENTS A COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN SEVERAL REPRESENTATIVE AREA HIGH SCHOOLS, CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, AND CENTRAL & WESTERN AREA HEALTH EDUCATION CENTER (AHEC). IT IS DESIGNED TO RECRUIT A DIVERSE GROUP OF STUDENTS INTERESTED IN PURSUING A HEALTH PROFESSIONS CAREER. THREE MAIN PILLARS TO THIS PROGRAM INCLUDE MENTORSHIP, TEACHING, AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS. UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF CMU UNDERGRADUATE, MEDICAL STUDENTS AND OTHER HEALTH PROFESSIONS STUDENT MENTORS, STUDENTS WILL EXPLORE CAREER OPTIONS, ENGAGE IN HANDS-ON CLINICAL SIMULATION EXPERIENCES, LEARN HOW TO NAVIGATE THE POST-SECONDARY ENVIRONMENT TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS, AND BECOME MORE OBSERVANT OF THEIR OWN HEALTH AND WELLNESS.

PROVIDE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS IN URBAN AND RURAL SETTINGS, MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, AND HEALTH PROFESSIONAL SHORTAGE AREAS IN MICHIGAN. THE CENTRAL & WESTERN AHEC COLLABORATIVELY DEVELOPS COMMUNITY HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUMS, FOR BOTH ONLINE AND FACE-TO-FACE TRANING PROGRAMS, THROUGH UNIQUE PARTNERSHIPS THAT MEET THE BROADER RANGE OF PUBLIC HEALTH NEEDS OF DIVERSE AND SEVERLY RURAL AND UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. THESE TRAININGS ARE OFFERED TO PRACTICING HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, EDUCATORS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, STUDENTS, ETC. THE TOPICS PRESENTED ARE CURRENT AND EMERGING HEALTH ISSUES.

INCREASE CLINICAL PLACEMENT OF HEALTH CARE CAREER STUDENTS IN UNDERSERVED AREAS THE CENTRAL & WESTERN AHEC SUPPORTS MEDICAL STUDENTS WITH THE CMU COLLEGE OF MEDICINE WHILE THEY COMPLETE THEIR COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY CLERKSHIP ROTATION. THIS ROTATION PLACES STUDENTS IN PRIMARILY RURAL COMMUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE AND PROVIDE PATIENT CARE IN MEDICALLY UNDERSERVED AREAS FOR LONGITUDINAL EXPERIENCES. THE CENTRAL & WESTERN AHEC PLAYS AN INTEGRAL ROLE IN ASSISTING STUDENTS IN IDENTIFYING HOUSING OPTIONS AND PROVIDING CUMMUNITY, PROVIDER AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM INFORMATION TO IMPROVE STUDENT EXPERIENCES IN UNDERSTANDING PRACTICING UNDERSERVED PATIENT POPULATIONS.