Celebrating National AHEC Week

Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) serve to recruit, train, and retain a professional heath workforce.

National Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Week is March 25-29, 2024, and this year’s theme is “Strengthening the Nation’s Healthcare Workforce”. Established in 1971, through congressional legislation, AHECs have served as a mechanism to recruit, train, and retain a professional heath workforce dedicated to providing care for underserved urban and rural communities. Currently there are over 300 AHEC program offices and regional centers serving over 85% of US counties.

Our organization, Southern Vermont Health Education Center (AHEC), launched in 1999, has adapted AHEC’s national initiatives to address local community health needs. Southern Vermont AHEC aims to foster and sustain a qualified, engaged, diverse, and accessible health workforce in Addison, Bennington, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor counties by empowering students and healthcare professionals with the education, resources, and opportunities essential for success in an ever-evolving health landscape. We do this work in collaboration with the Vermont AHEC Network which includes the University of Vermont Robert Larner College of Medicine’s Office of Primary Care and AHEC Program and Northern Vermont AHEC.

Southern Vermont AHEC connects students with health career exploration programs, meaningful college internships and professional mentoring opportunities. It is our goal that this important foundational programming will contribute to the development of a robust and future-ready health workforce so that all Vermonters, especially those in rural and disadvantaged areas, will have access to quality healthcare.

As we celebrate the 25^th anniversary of our organization, we know there is much more work to do in creating opportunities for youth in the rewarding and growing field of healthcare. Vermont is still facing significant shortages of health professionals, especially among physicians, nurses, and home health aides.

We are excited to announce that Southern Vermont AHEC will be hosting its first MedQuest Health Careers Expo on Wednesday, May 8^th from 3-7pm at the Rutland Recreation and Community Center. Admission is free. The event hopes to attract youth ages 14-21 but all are welcome. There will be an array of health-related activities and amazing exhibitions.

For more information on Southern Vermont AHEC and the MedQuest Health Careers Expo visit www.svtahec.org. Also, please check out other AHEC resources at www.vthealthcareers.org  and www.nationalahec.org