North Central Wisconsin Ahec

Ahec scholars:ahec scholars is a two-year program for health professions students interested in supplementing their education by gaining additional knowledge and experience in rural and/or underserved settings. Core topics include interprofessional education, behavioral health integration, social determinants of health, cultural competency, practice transformation, current and emerging health issues virtual learning/telehealth, and connecting/supporting health professionals. The program requires 40 hours of didactic training each year and a minimum of 40 hours of experiential learning per year. Ncahec accepts 20 students into the program each year, and students commit to two years in the program leading up to the graduation of their academic degree program. Students receive a stipend for participation in the program and a certificate and digital badge upon program completion.

Pipeline activities:pipeline activities involve the recruitment, training, interactive and/or didactic activities developed for high school students (grades 9-12) and pre-health undergraduate students which focus on exposing individuals to health careers, including public health. Program activities center around exploring the multitude of health careers available. North Central Ahec offers a multi-day health careers exploration experience in collaboration with the department of public instruction upward bound program for high school students and a future physician's day open to high school juniors/seniors and pre-med undergraduates in partnership with the medical college wisconsin-central wi campus.

Field placement programs for non-scholars students: North Central Ahec supports community-based experiential training in rural and underserved areas through field experiences, projects, and clinical rotations for undergraduate and graduate health professions students. Experiences are team-based and include a formal, didactic component addressing one or more of the 6 core topic areas (inter-professional education, behavioral health integration, social determinants of health, cultural competency, practice transformation and current and emerging health issues). Examples of community-based experiential learning programs offered at North Central Ahec include: community health internship program (8-week student internship at local public health department and community health service agencies), advocates in medicine pipeline program, multi-day community health immersion programs, and community health engagement projects in underserved community-based settings for 3rd year uw-madison medical students.

Continuing educationcontinuing education programs are programs for currently practicing healthcare professionals. This year, ncahec sponsored a six-session, 18 total hours, bipoc (black, indigenous, and persons of color) leadership training for a group of community health workers and other healthcare professionals in the region. Topics included: cultural and trauma influences in leadership, taming the imposter, emotional intelligence, effective communication skills, social change and advocacy, and leading in alignment (time management, boundaries, and self-care)