Opportunities through the Area Health Education Center at NEOMED

Maureen Drummond, MSM, SLM, VCM and Rebecca Brabander, M.S., M.Ed.

Strengthening Health Professions Education: How AHEC Scholar Alumni Integrate Regional AHEC Learning in Their NEOMED Graduate Programs

The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholars Program provides undergraduate health professions students with enriched training focused on social determinants of health, health disparities, interprofessional teamwork, and community-based care. As an established pipeline initiative for students entering NEOMED’s health professions programs, AHEC Scholars equips participants with skills that enhance their confidence and preparedness for graduate-level education. With many alumni now enrolled in NEOMED’s medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and graduate programs, it is important to evaluate how AHEC training has prepared them for their academic careers.
This study investigates how NEOMED AHEC Scholar alumni integrate the knowledge and skills gained from their regional AHEC Scholars experience into their current graduate programs. Using a cross-sectional, descriptive survey design, anonymous data will be collected through a Qualtrics survey distributed to eligible alumni during the 2025–2026 academic year. Findings will inform quality improvement efforts, guide the development of evaluation tools, and strengthen the alignment between AHEC Scholars programming and graduate health professions training.

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