The AHEC Scholars program will prepare students to more effectively enter the health professions workforce. AHEC Scholars is designed specifically for applicants who have a strong interest in providing care to those living in rural and medically underserved communities across Indiana in positions such as physicians, physician assistants, nurses, public health practitioners, physical therapists, social workers, and other allied health occupations.

AHEC Scholars offers online learning units and community-based experiences designed to give health professions students a deeper understanding of rural and urban health care, caring for underserved populations, and the importance of practice transformation in a clinical care setting. Scholars will focus on five core issues – behavioral health integration, cultural competency, interprofessional education, practice transformation, and social determinants of health.

• Scholars earn up to $750 in stipends (per year)

• Two-year program (160 hours total)

• Focus on six core topic areas

• 40 hours online learning (per year)

• 40 hours community based experiences (per year)

• Emphasis on rural and underserved urban communities

• Must be in the final two years of an accredited health professions program. (Two-year degree programs are eligible to apply.)

• Must be available to participate for two years.

• Must have reliable transportation: this program includes multiple site visits across the NWI AHEC region.

• Must be able to provide the necessary paperwork (such as W-9 and direct-deposit form) to receive the annual stipend of $750 that supports participation in the AHEC Scholars.

• Must be willing to respond to AHEC on an annual basis upon completion of the fellowship for updates on practice location and activities.

• Must be available to participate in 40 hours of online learning units and 40 hours of team-based community experiences per year (for two years).

• Must be willing to submit to a criminal background check and drug screening.

• AHEC Scholars Program Policy and Procedures

• Allied Health (Clinical Lab Technology)

• Paramedic Science

• Med Tech

• Health informatics

• Audiologist

• Behavioral Health (Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health Counselors, etc.)

• Community Health Worker | Advocate

• Dentistry (Dental Assistant, Dental Hygiene, General Dentistry, etc.)

• Dietetics | Nutrition Science

• Exercise Science

• Health Administration

• Health and Rehabilitation Sciences

• Medicine (Medical Assistant, Optometry, Pathologist Assistant, Physician Assistant, DO | MD)

• Nursing (CNA, LPN, LVN, Nurse Midwife, ASN, BSN, MSN, MS-NP, DNP, etc.)

• Nutrition / Nutrition Science

• Occupational Therapy (includes: OTA)

• Pharmacy

• Physical Therapy (includes: PTA)

• Public Health (All concentrations)

• Radiation Therapy

• Radiological Assistant

• Radiological Technologist

• Respiratory Therapy

• Speech-Language Pathologist / Speech Therapy

• Surgical Technologist

• Veterinary Medicine (DVM)