The New Omaha AHEC
The Nebraska Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program works statewide through regional centers to connect students to health careers, health professionals to communities, and communities to better health. AHECs are part of a nationwide network created to aid health career training programs and communities in recruiting and training health care professionals to serve in rural and underserved areas, in order to meet the state’s health and health workforce needs.
Established in 2019 and housed in the University of Nebraska at Omaha Health Careers Resource Center, the Omaha AHEC--Nebraska’s only urban AHEC--works with folks at every stage of training in healthcare professions, from high school, college, and professional students to professionals currently working in healthcare.
NEW INITATIVES AT OMAHA AHEC
AHEC Scholars
The Omaha AHEC has been in collaboration with the Nebraska AHEC Program Office and the four other AHEC centers in the state to implement Year 2 of the AHEC Scholars Program. The Nebraska Area Health Education Center (Nebraska AHEC) Scholars Program provides enhanced training and opportunity for health profession students interested in providing health care in rural and urban underserved areas of Nebraska. The Nebraska AHEC Program supports a diverse group of students from across the state, creating a multidisciplinary team of health professionals committed to the transformation of health care in Nebraska. See below for the chance to participate in an Omaha-area AHEC Scholars event.
Supporting Undergraduate Pre-Health Students
The Omaha AHEC works with undergraduate pre-medical students in the Urban Health Opportunities Program (UHOP) at the University of Nebraska at Omaha to strengthen and diversify the medical workforce in urban Nebraska. The Omaha AHEC has provided resources and information to the UHOP cohorts including volunteer opportunities, lectures, and activities centered around the core topic areas of the National AHEC Program: Interprofessional Education, Behavioral Health Integration, Social Determinants of Health, Cultural Competency, and Practice Transformation.
Exploring Health Careers
The Omaha AHEC is involved in several programs for high school and undergraduate students to explore health careers, including partnerships with various programs at UNMC including the Office of Recruitment and Student Engagement, the High School Alliance, and the Empowerment Network’s Step Up Program. One highlight of the fall was the Health & Research Careers Symposium, held in partnership with Omaha AHEC, UNO, and UNMC, to expose undergraduate students to a variety of career paths available at UNMC. The photo at the top of the newsletter captured one of the presentations from that unique event.
