Frequently Asked Questions About AHECs

All AHECs do the same type of work, but they have the flexibility to be responsive to their communities. While all AHECs have AHEC Scholars programs, different AHECs may do different types of health careers pipeline work. For example, most AHECs facilitate rural medical student clinical rotations, but some may also reach younger groups with summer camps for, say, middle school students.

States that currently do not have AHECS include Mississippi, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Wyoming and Delaware.

A medical school or school of nursing within the state must apply for and receive the federal AHEC grant.

All AHECS receive federal funding, and a majority receive state funding as well. In addition, many AHECs successfully pursue funding via grants and service contracts.

AHEC program offices typically are located in the school of medicine or nursing at the university receiving the federal AHEC grant. They contract with AHEC centers, which carry out the AHEC scope of work throughout their state. Typically, there are from two to 10 AHEC centers per state.

The number of employees of AHEC centers may range anywhere from one to more than 100, but a four to eight-person staff is typical.

Yes, some are organized as 501C3s. Others are “hosted” by a larger institution such as a hospital, community health center, community college or university. In such cases, the AHECs may be a department of that institution but still maintains autonomy to fulfill the AHEC mission. All AHECs report to either boards of directors or advisory boards composed of members of their region’s communities.

No.

Many do. Continuing education is a way for AHECs to help their rural/underserved medical communities stay connected with the latest information and with each other.

Many, but not all, do. AHECs are an integral part of their communities and are counted on to secure resources in service of the AHEC mission. Many have developed local and regional contacts for a variety of purposes, including securing housing options for students doing clinical rotations.