AHEC Scholars – This competitive, two-year cohort program for college students pursuing a health profession in Illinois supplements the student’s education with job shadowing, career coaching, seminars, and experiences in underserved areas. Participants also receive additional training on practice transformation, behavioral health, social determinants of health, cultural competency and interprofessional education and training. Program details

Career Advising – While most high schools and colleges have counselors with information regarding career-related training opportunities and requirements, a personal interaction with someone in the field can add dimension and be more meaningful. By talking to a health professional, a student or career changer can explore the many opportunities in the health field and gain insight into which career might be the best choice. A working health professional can talk about their day-to-day experiences. Professionals working in a specific career can fill in the picture about what the work can be like in different settings or specialties. This service is offered to students at many education levels in the context of multiple programs.

Classroom Presentations – When our speakers visit a classroom, students have the opportunity to meet working health professionals and discuss career ideas and preferences. Presentations can enrich existing science, health or pre-med course offerings in ways that convey the practical application of the coursework. Even fields like customer service can come to life in these presentations. We typically discuss: why choose a career in health care, and examples of careers; educational requirements and potential salaries; how to learn about various careers and prepare for them; and what AHEC can do for students. For younger students, we can organize a fun lesson – for example, learning to use a stethoscope or blood pressure cuff, demonstrating the things health professionals do. We are available for career fairs, school classes in biology, science classes, introduction to health careers, or other subjects, with talks tailored to the educational level of the students. Central • Chicago • Chicago South • East Central • South Central • Southeast • West Central

CNA Training – Becoming a certified nursing assistant (CNA) is a great entry point to the nursing profession. CNA training and certification, which is entry-level training in the nursing profession, will allow you to enter the healthcare field in a short time – you can start working as a CNA while you finish high school and continue to work while you complete an associate’s or bachelor’s degree in a health field. CNAs work in many health settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities and nursing homes. A CNA works under the supervision of a registered nurse, a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or other supervisory staff. Typical CNA duties include: feeding, bathing and dressing patients; taking a patient’s vital signs; serving meals, making beds and keeping rooms clean. CNAs also answer patients’ calls for help and report any observed changes in a patient’s condition or behavior. South Central • Southeast

College Prep – There is a lot more to preparing for college than getting good grades and test scores. The world of scholarships and financial aid is complicated, but so is choosing between opportunities and deciding which one is right for you. AHEC presentations to students, teachers and parents regarding opportunities and requirements for college-level health career preparation help families understand the different programs that are available and how they relate to your health career ideas. While the sessions are offered to students at various educational levels, they are especially pertinent to those in high school or already pursuing entry-level training. Our working professionals and advanced students can give aspiring students important insights and information about requirements, specific coursework and help them make good decisions regarding their undergraduate education. A number of our K-12 programs incorporate college prep. (Note that, in addition to centers that offer these in-person sessions, there is extensive information on the subject in our Resources section.) Chicago South • Southeast • West Central

Community Placements – Illinois AHEC works with organizational and community partners to provide community placements, field placements and service learning opportunities for health students and medical residents. These placements – often formal rotations – give participants the opportunity to experience health care delivery and population health outside of the university. Through interaction with patients in community health centers, community-based primary care settings, hospitals, county health departments, homeless shelters and other local organizations, students learn first-hand about economic and cultural barriers to care and the specific needs of underserved populations. Community placements provide opportunities to experience the life of a health professional embedded in an underserved setting and clarify for themselves if they want to make such a commitment. Central • Chicago • Chicago South • East Central • South Central • Southeast • West Central

Continuing Education – These didactic and experiential programs advance the AHEC core areas of interprofessional education, behavioral health integration, social determinants of health, cultural competency and practice transformation. Some also address current and emerging issues such as palliative care and the opioid epidemic. Training is provided in both face-to-face classroom settings and online learning formats, and is designed to support the training and educational needs of practicing healthcare professionals in rural and underserved communities. Professional development activities are geared toward currently practicing health professionals and utilize adult learning principles. Activities include faculty development for current AHEC-affiliated faculty, rural residency training, opportunities for earning continuing education credit (CEUs), and “just-in-time” training. Central • East Central • Northwest

Curricular Enhancements – Curricular enhancements include simulations, clinical skill exploration, small-group learning, and opportunities to design and complete community health projects. Studies have demonstrated that integrating enhancements to a regular curriculum reinforces the interconnectedness of personal health and community health. This holds true for all educational levels. By enriching the regular curriculum offered in science, biology, health and pre-med courses with presentations on the social determinants of health, public health, behavioral health and other timely topics, we not only connect the students with a practical side of their course work but also bring them closer to the context in which it may be applied. Chicago • Chicago South • West Central

Facility Tours – One of the most iconic aspects of the AHEC experience is the opportunity for groups of students to visit labs, treatment facilities and hospital departments. These tours, offered to students at many educational levels, can include visits to hospitals and other organizations that represent the depth and breadth of the health field. In addition to group tours held as part of a larger activity, tours can be arranged to match an individual student’s learning needs or program requirements. Tours can be arranged in a variety of settings, including physical therapy units, dentistry offices, behavioral health centers, laboratories, emergency departments, and geriatric/senior supportive services. Facility tours are featured activities in multiple programs.

Grants and Awards – Mini grants and scholarships to help cover educational expenses for students in the health sciences and health professions, given as part of our efforts to improve health care for rural and underserved populations by increasing access to education in the health professions education. South Central • Southeast

Health Careers Camps – These are weeklong opportunities for groups of young students who have a budding interest in a health profession to explore health careers, meet working health professionals, and visit local health facilities. Health career camps are oriented to different age levels, from K-8 grade students wanting to explore their curiosity to high school students who benefit from a hands-on learning experience about different health professions. Students receive information about education and training, academic requirements, and financial aid. They participate in various hands-on health labs, and receive a tour of the local hospital, among other activities. The faculty for the camp is often drawn from the sponsoring organization’s health professions faculty, health professionals currently in practice in the local area, and advanced health professions students. Health careers camps give participants a unique opportunity to gain more knowledge about the health professions they may want to pursue, meet peers with the same goals, and learn what it’s really like to be a college student. Students will also receive information about education and training, academic requirements, financial aid, and campus life. Many health careers camps are offered at no cost to the students. Northwest • South Central • Southeast • West Central

Health Career Clubs – These school-based clubs are set up to expose students to health careers through service learning experiences that promote preventive health care. Students in grades in 9-12 who have a serious interest in pursuing a career in health are given an opportunity to engage in health career exploration, leadership and service learning; become involved and engaged in community service and community health issues; and meet other students interested in health career. Club members participate in an array of science workshops designed to prepare them for service learning, including topics such as serving vulnerable populations, cultural competency, ethics and legal issues. They also learn healthcare skills and are able to earn CPR and AED certifications. Club meetings can offer health science workshops, health career speakers, games and other learning activities. Benefits of membership include improved knowledge of health careers, participation in meaningful service, experience in the health field and helping build a student resume showing leadership skill development. Chicago South • Northwest • South Central • Southeast

Health Competitions – Health competitions offer opportunities for students to deep-dive into a health topic of interest and learn from each other in an atmosphere of friendly competition. This competition program is designed to enhance the educational awareness of adolescents of health disparities and expand their perceptions of clinical and non-clinical health issues. Benefits of participating include refining research and writing skills, gaining experience in team-based projects, and honing presentation skills. Competitions held in conjunction with the Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) program often include a local, state and national competitions. Chicago

HRSA Virtual Job Fairs – Virtual job fairs are free online recruitment events that occur throughout the year and connect job-seeking primary care clinicians with health care delivery sites. Held by HRSA Bureau of Health Workforce, the job fairs are designed to help recruit and retain primary care clinicians at sites in underserved communities nationwide. The participating sites and available job openings vary by date. AHEC centers announce upcoming fairs so that those intending to participate have time to register and complete their clinician profiles prior to the event. Apply at HRSA

Immersion Experiences – The Immersion Experience aims to strengthen the healthcare workforce in rural communities by exposing students to the diversity of rural populations and services, as well as the unique challenges and rewards of working in a rural community. Immersion experiences offer an intensive exposure to a specific health career and setting. The program is open to undergraduate juniors and seniors, gap year students and professionals returning to graduate school. Students travel to some of the most remote communities in Illinois and ‘walk in the shoes’ of a rural provider. The experience includes job shadowing and visits to local health clinics, emergency departments, rehabilitation facilities, as well as behavioral health and hospital settings. Rural immersions highlight the social and communal aspects of rural life. Through group activities and meetings with community leaders, participants get a preview of life as a rural health professional. Central • East Central • Chicago South • South Central • West Central

Job Shadowing – Job shadowing provides a student the opportunity to follow a working professional and gain an up-close view of their job. While a student is shadowing, they can experience a hospital or clinic setting as well as observe the duties performed by the health care worker. Local AHECs arrange shadowing experiences through their standing partnerships with hospitals, local clinics and other healthcare facilities. Shadowing students are able to observe patient care; in-patient and clinic setting are available. Opportunities to observe services such as physical therapy and occupational therapy are also available. Shadowing is available for students attending high school through medical school and experiences can last from a few hours to a few months. Some students shadow more than once, allowing them to observe different settings. For some students, their shadowing experiences are used for degree requirements. East Central • Northwest • South Central • Southeast • West Central

Mentorship – A one-on-one relationship with a seasoned professional can be one of the most impactful experiences in a student’s journey to choose a health profession, complete preparation, and transition into the workforce. A mentor can speak to what the career is really like, and what it takes to do well and make a contribution. Unlike job shadowing, having an assigned mentor provides moments of individual attention and can create an extended relationship, helping a young person find their way. Mentorship offerings range from pipeline programs for those still in high school to more advanced programs for college and post-baccalaureate students. Mentorship is an important aspect of several programs, and can be requested specifically as needed.

Native American Pathways – This program, designed to promote health careers among Native Americans, offers an entry to pre-med and pre-health professions curricula; upon successful completion of the MCAT and a competitive GPA, it leads to a guaranteed interview for entry into the RMED program. Students from the University of Wyoming and Humboldt State University in northern California participate through an arrangement between those schools and the UIC College of Medicine at Rockford. Rural Program Office

Palliative Care Skills – These on-demand CE/CME webinars are offered through a collaboration with the Coleman Palliative Care Organization. All presentations embrace an interprofessional care perspective and are appropriate for a wide variety of health professionals interested in palliative care. The webinars feature recognized experts in the palliative care field with extensive experience treating patients during the current epidemic. While some content has been COVID-19 focused, many of the issues are germane for palliative care in all contexts. Topics include:, Advance care planning, Symptom management, Pain and pain management, Communication issues, Issues specific to nursing homes and long-term care facilities, team morale, and clinician burn-out. On-Demand

Preceptorships and Internships – These longitudinal experiences are structured to meet requirements in health professions study programs. We place medical, nursing, public health and allied health students in rural and urban underserved settings including community health centers, hospitals, public health departments and community organizations. The setting, duration and specifics of preceptorships and internships vary based upon the requirements of the participant’s degree program. Central • Chicago • Chicago South

Preceptorships and Internships for Rural Medical Students – Illinois AHEC maintains a specific preceptorship program designed for medical students who have completed their second year of basic sciences, but not yet started their junior year clerkships. Through a four to six-week preceptorship, students can get a firsthand perspective of a primary care physician at work in a rural Illinois community. A preceptorship can help ease the transition from basic science into clinical medicine and provide an initial experience to assist the medical student determine their career goals and preferences. A stipend is provided for this rotation. Preceptorships are arranged with solo practitioners, group practices and clinics that provide primary care in rural or medically under-served areas. Preceptors for the program are residency-trained, board certified or eligible, primary care providers. Because of the program’s popularity, interested students meeting the participation criteria should apply early in the process. South Central • Southeast • West Central

Public Health Clubs – These school-based programs for students who have a serious interest in pursuing a health career. The clubs, composed of students in grades 9-12, meet on a regular basis – typically monthly – to learn about aspects of public and population health. Topics include healthy habits, flu preparedness, food safety, prescription drug overdose, and environmental health. The clubs are free and open to all high school students and offer an opportunity to engage with other students while learning about public health and various health care disciplines. Chicago South • South Central

Public Health Explorers – Undergraduate public health students at UIC are eligible to participate in its public health club, Public Health Explorers. Explorers are offered service learning opportunities and a variety of activities including job shadowing, mentoring and career coaching. Urban Program Office

Rural Health Careers Camps – This four-day overnight camp hosted on the Rockford University campus is a fun and interactive way for rural high school students to learn about health careers they might want to pursue or to discover careers that they might not know existed. Campers participate in hands-on learning labs and activities together with their peers, talk to health professionals and network with staff at healthcare facilities. Parents are welcome to attend a session about how to prepare/pursue a career in the health professions including information about college admissions, career educational and training requirements, and financial aid. The camp costs $100, which covers all housing and meals during the camp. For families with financial hardship, scholarship applications are available upon request. Rural Program Office

Rural Health Experience (RHE) – The RHE program is a one-week (3-5 days) or two-week (7-9 days) rural immersion experience in which students shadow healthcare professionals in a rural Illinois community. This is a great opportunity for students interested in a short-term commitment to network with professionals and understand how healthcare is delivered at multiple levels in a rural community. A typical RHE might include observation and interactions in the ER, nursing, and rehab departments, sitting in on a care management meeting and discharge planning, and visits to the county health department and a home health agency. The program is designed for students enrolled in a health professions program who will have completed their sophomore year by the start of the experience. Locations for the RHE are available across the state and dates are dependent upon the schedules of the sites and students. Learn more and apply

6-week Rural Summer Preceptorships – This program is a full-time opportunity set in rural communities in Illinois. The paid six-week rural immersion experience promotes interprofessional collaboration and organized community participation. Students train in a rural hospital and the surrounding community, learn to work as part of an interdisciplinary team, and network directly with rural health professionals. They spend each week shadowing different healthcare professionals in the community, and work together in weekly classroom sessions and for their Community Service Learning project. The project, which is the culminating experience of the program, allows students to apply their understanding of healthcare to a real-life community health priority. Our host sites have preceptors from a variety of professions, including physicians, surgeons, nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, behavioral health specialists, public health professionals, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and others. Learn more and apply

Scrub Exposure – Scrub Exposures are half-day opportunities for groups of young students to visit a health facility and observe working professionals. The tours are designed to provide an interactive opportunity, offering a unique opportunity to observe a variety of health careers in a specific setting. A scrub exposure might kick off the day with a tour of the hosting facility where participants learn about the variety of services provided by the hospital. They are guided through hands-on activities such as counting and cutting candy M&Ms to demonstrate how pills are counted and cut, or mixing food coloring in IV bags to show how different medicines are combined. Participants often receive information on a particular disease or condition (such as diabetes) and then complete related hand-on activities (learning to count carbohydrates or inject insulin). Scrub exposures are featured in various K-12 programs, and often include meeting with a health careers educator to learn about various job opportunities and careers.

Stackable Credentials – In recent years, many colleges have redesigned their health-related technical and certificate programs to align more closely with the requirements for future training – essentially viewing a certificate as a stepping stone to further training and career building. One such example is a nursing assistant certificate (CNA) that is designed to allow entry into the workforce as well as entry into registered nurse programs. By awarding academic credit for a range of education, training, workplace learning and skill-building experiences that “stack together” toward associate degrees, such programs help working students achieve certification to advance on the job while at the same time earning credits that enable further study. Unlike a career pathway that typically focuses on an entire career field, stackable credentials focus on sets of competencies within the pathway. Our programs for those on a career track are structured to maximize stackability.

Summer Institute – Two days to learn, teach, network, and discuss best practices for improving health in and with marginalized communities across Illinois. Organized by the urban AHEC centers, the Summer Institute is open to graduate and undergraduate students pursuing health careers with a commitment to serve marginalized populations. Participants have the opportunity to earn certifications in topics such as Blood Borne Pathogens and Mental Health First Aid, receive career coaching and training, network with one another, and learn from leading health professionals in various industries. Chicago • Chicago South • Northeast

Transition to Work – In programs oriented to teaching the science and practical skills that a health professional needs, the process of transitioning from student to professional can be waylaid. When helping prepare students to transition to work, we focus on job search skills such as preparing a resume or cover letter, arranging informational interviews, and structuring a job search. Some students need to upgrade their basic computer skills or learn how prepare for an interview. Proper dress and professional etiquette are also covered. AHECs collaborate with workforce development and economic development boards, as well as local employers, to make the transition to work as smooth as possible.

Virtual Job Shadowing – is the next best thing when unable to shadow in person! We can provide students access to this site which provides interactive tools to help students develop career paths. The platform offers:

• Career Exploration – Students can access hundreds of videos showcasing various occupations and the paths to pursue those careers
• Career and Interest Assessments – Students complete assessments to gain insight into themselves that guide them in choosing a career path
• College Search – From four-year universities to community colleges, students can research college options based on location, major, degree/certification, test scores, and tuition
• Cover Letter and Resume Builder – guides users through creating these documents that can be edited, deleted, and/or downloaded as needed
• Job Search – VirtualJobShadow.com has partnered with Indeed.com. Students can enter their field location and research job opportunities and internships.
• Scholarship Search
• Videos on life skills and career-readiness topics

Central Illinois • East Central • South Central • West Central

Young Doctors Club – The Young Doctors Club is a specialized health career club for middle school and high school students who are interested a career in medicine. The club offers UIC Urban Medicine students an opportunity to teach and mentor young students. Club participants study a variety of science topics, gain dissection skills, learn to use a microscope, and practice injection skills. Each year, as a culminating activity, they organize a health fair and present posters on a variety of health topics. Urban Program Office