AHEC addresses issues related to access and quality through:

• Continuing education and quality improvement initiatives with primary care providers.
• Training providers in best practices and practice guidelines.
• Developing opportunities for interdisciplinary training.
• Training individuals to promote health education.
• Facilitating access to mental health practitioners.

One of the primary objectives of the Area Health Education Centers Program is to improve the training, diversity, and quality of Vermont’s health professions workforce. Each year, hundreds of students enter health careers via the state’s educational institutions, creating an opportunity for both Vermont’s communities and students to develop community campus partnerships. As delivery of healthcare is increasingly done in ambulatory settings, it is important for students to experience and understand practicing in rural, underserved areas. Our community faculty plays a vital role in providing an opportunity to observe the benefits and rewards of selecting rural communities as their place of work and as their home. To help make experiences in rural areas more accessible and affirming, AHEC:

• Provides housing assistance to students with clinical rotations 25 miles or more from campus.
• Creates experiences in communities above and beyond the student clinical experience, such as conducting community health screenings, interdisciplinary opportunities, community presentations and encouraging health careers in middle and high school students.

The Vermont Educational Loan Repayment for Health Care Professionals is funded by the State of Vermont, through the Department of Health: it is administered by the University of Vermont College of Medicine and the Vermont Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Program. The goal of the program is to ensure a stable and adequate workforce to meet the health care needs of Vermonters.

Eligible Health Care Professionals

Primary Care Practitioners: Primary care physician (MD or DO), psychiatrist, or hospitalist or employment in a primary care practice setting for: nurse practitioner, certified nurse midwife, or physician assistant).

Nurses: Must have graduated from an (in state or out of state) LPN or RN program on or after April 1, 2001.

Nurse Faculty: Must be a nurse employed as a nurse educator/faculty at a nursing program in Vermont (Castleton State College, Norwich University, Vermont Technical College, Southern Vermont College, or the University of Vermont).

Dentists

See applications and program overviews for details on this web site under “Educational Loan Repayment”

The AHEC Educational Loan Repayment Programs have:

Used significant community input to determine awards based upon regional needs.

Awarded educational loan repayment in every region of the state.

Awarded educational loan repayment in every eligible health professional area.