AHEC Scholars Syllabus

2022- 2024 Cohort

 

Please ensure that the Program Coordinator has your correct contact information.

 We will be using email and UEN Canvas to disseminate program information.

Program Information

Description

The AHEC Scholars Program is a 2-year program for health professions students interested in addressing underserved urban and rural health needs in a transformed health system. Within this program, AHEC Scholars will be focusing on the 6 Core Topic Areas of Interprofessional Education, Behavioral Health Integration, Social Determinants of Health, Cultural Competency, Practice Transformation, and Current and Emerging Health Issues. We believe that education on these topics will be crucial for students to be prepared for the U.S.’s rapidly changing health system. The learning objectives for the 6 Core Topics are as follows:

 

Foundational Core Topics

Inter-Professional Education: ·        Work with individuals of other professions to maintain a climate of mutual respect and shared values ·        Use the knowledge of one’s own role and those of other professions to appropriately assess and address the healthcare needs of the patients and populations served ·        Communicate with patients, families, communities, and other health professionals in a responsive and responsible manner that supports a team approach to the maintenance of health and the treatment of disease ·        Apply relationship-building values and the principles of team dynamics to perform effectively in different team roles to plan and deliver patient-/population-centered care that is safe, timely, efficient, effective, and equitable

Behavioral Health Integration: ·        Describe the concepts and methods for integrating behavioral and social sciences with public health and primary care ·        Recognize, respect and value the role and expertise of healthcare consumers, family members, and both behavioral health and primary care providers in the process of healthcare delivery ·        Demonstrate ability to link healthcare consumers and family members with other resources, including but not limited to specialty healthcare, rehabilitation, and social services, peer support, financial assistance, and transportation, following up to ensure that effective connections have been made

Social Determinants of Health: ·        Describe contributions of economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and neighborhood and built environment to health disparities ·        Discuss the means by which structural bias, social inequities, and racism undermine health and create challenges to achieving health equity at organizational, community, and societal levels ·        Identify ways to incorporate population health, community engagement, and advocacy into clinical care

Cultural Competency: ·        Define cultural diversity including language, sexual identity, age, race, ethnicity, disability, socioeconomics, and education. ·        Describe the importance of cultural competency and “cultural humility” in communicating health content to patients and communities

Practice Transformation: ·        Describe the Quadruple Aim for the health care system: health, quality of care, smart spending, sustainable workforce ·        Compare the organization, structure, and function of health care, public health, and regulatory systems across national and international settings ·        Describe organization of the delivery of healthcare services in the United States ·        Describe elements of health systems transformed to better achieve the Quadruple Aim, including coordinated, comprehensive, accessible, team-based primary care, information systems, population health, continuous improvement, and alternative payment.

New and Emerging Health Issues: ·        Assess population needs, assets, and capacities that affect communities’ health ·        Identify the prevalence, current (and future) health impact, and possible responses to an emerging health issue of importance to Utah, such as teen pregnancy, opioid use, teen suicide, migrant health, e-cigarette use, HPV vaccination, or other emerging clinical or public health problems

 

As an AHEC Scholar, you will:

• Join a Cohort of Fellow Health Professions Students from across the state
• Gain Access to the Utah Primary Care Summit
• Connect with Professional Mentors and Community Health Workers
• Better Understand Underserved Urban and Rural Health Issues
• Receive National Recognition for Program Completion

At the end of the 2-year experience, AHEC Scholars will receive a certificate upon graduation from your degree or certificate program AND a letter of recommendation from the Utah AHEC Program Director. Students who complete the AHEC Scholars Program are prepared to:

• Partner with other health professionals to address pressing population health issues
• Provide high-quality services and care in transformed health systems
• Meet the health needs in Utah’s underserved urban and rural populations

Program Components and Expectations

1. Foundational Core Topics

It is expected that students will be exposed to the Six Core Topics outlined above in their educational programs. Utah AHEC will provide a series of short modules and presentations on Canvas designed to help students apply the six core topic areas to their practicum and field experiences as well as prepare them for common issues in the field surrounding these topics. Students will be expected to watch these modules as a compliment to areas that might be missing in their own educational programs.

2. Advanced Core Topics and Elective hours

AHEC Scholars are required to attend the Mentor Dinner, the Annual Primary Care Summit, and two book club meetings per year. Scholars will also need to complete 22 hours per year, for a total of 44 elective hours with projects/events focusing on at least one of the 6 Core Topic Areas. A list will be provided for elective ideas.   Scholars are also encouraged to develop their own projects with other Scholars in their cohort. If a student, or group of students wish to complete a project or attend an event that is not on the approved list on Canvas, students must reach out to the AHEC Scholars Program Coordinator for approval.

 

3. Applied Clinical Rotation/Practicum

Students will be required to complete at least 40 hours per year, for a total of 80 hours in a rural or underserved urban area. This placement will be coordinated through your educational program.

AHEC Scholars are expected to complete the educational requirements for their individual program - doing so ensures that you complete the foundational core topics and applied clinical practicum/field experience hours required for the AHEC Scholars program.

ALL HOURS ARE DUE BY THE TIME YOU GRADUATE FROM YOUR HOME PROGRAM, IF YOU MISS A MANDATORY ACTIVITY, YOU WILL BE EXPECTED TO MAKE UP THE CREDIT HOURS

Book Club Text

 (Text will be provided to you free of charge and mailed to you during September 2021)  You are expected to attend one session (1.5 hrs.) to discuss the book with a moderator. Please sign-up on Canvas for a session later in the semester.

Program Schedule

2020-2022 Required Cohort Activities
Attend Annual Fall Mentor Meet & Greet  (2 hours)	Thursday, October 28, 2021 Join Zoom Meeting https://utah.zoom.us/j/93945417309?pwd=anpiRGV1MWpZaHptdWExOXZtd1hwQT09   Meeting ID: 939 4541 7309 Passcode: 541892
Read Assigned 2021 Book Club Choice and attend book discussion (1.5 hours)	Winter (December 2021 – Spring March 2022)
Attend at least 2 CHW Seminars on Community Health (2 hours each), virtual platform 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM	September 15, 2021 November 17, 2021 January 26, 2022 March 16, 2022
Attend the Primary Care Summit Fall 2021*	October 29, 2021, Virtual Event

*If you cannot attend these activities, you must make up the hours for them with elective credit.

Elective Activities (Complete 44 hours from the approved list posted on CANVAS under MODULES or ANNOUNCEMENTS. The list below is only a sample of other approved electives.)
PARCKA PARLEYS is a monthly, one hour, seminar series focusing on various topics around addiction, held the 3rd Tuesday of each month	Center for Research on Migration & Refugee Integration Refugee Women’s Committee
Utah AHEC Special Topic Seminars	Utah Rural Outreach Program Presentations
School of Medicine Student Global Health Conference	Global Public Health Grand Rounds
Office of Health Equity and Inclusion Patient Voice Series	Public Health Disaster Conference
Rural Health Association of Utah Conference	AHEC HPV Vaccination Trainings
Health Insight Quality Improvement Conference	Project ECHO
AIDS Education and Training Center	Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Project
Any other activity you complete that coincides with at least one of the six core topics will also count!

Primary Care Summit

The Primary Care Summit will take place on a virtual platform on October 29, 2021, from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM, this event will be virtual, platform and link TBD, AHEC SCHOLARS may register for free for this event.

Evaluation

Students will be expected to complete the evaluations and reflection forms listed below in order to receive full recognition as an AHEC Scholar. Any information used in reporting will be de-identified.

Entrance survey

Students will be given an entrance survey after acceptance into the program that will be distributed electronically. This survey will be used to track overall numbers and improve the AHEC Scholars program.  

Elective activity reflection

Students will need to complete a short reflection form for each elective activity that counts towards the AHEC Scholars hours. You can find this reflection form attached to the syllabus. The form will also be disseminated electronically, you can find it here: https://forms.gle/c1oXStrwic52wEVg7

This reflection is intended to ensure that students are completing their required hours as well as evaluate the effectiveness of ongoing projects/events.

Clinical rotation/field placement evaluation

Students will be required to complete an evaluation after completing any practicum or field placement(s) that will count towards your AHEC Scholars' required hours. This evaluation will be used for general tracking purposes. The form can be found here: https://forms.gle/2boaySYSesBWq8JFA

Exit survey

Students will be required to take an exit survey at the completion of the program. This survey will mirror the entrance survey and will be used to improve the AHEC Scholars program. The survey can be found here: https://forms.gle/A3UNkmRor1zrWf6QA

Follow up surveys

Utah AHEC will send AHEC Scholar alumni a short follow-up survey 1 year, 3 years, and 5 years after program completion. This will be used to track employment trends among AHEC Scholars.

 

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Disclaimer: This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the AHEC Scholars administrators. Students will be notified of such changes via email.