Our programs and activities work to recruit, support, and maintain a diverse health care workforce.

PRE-COLLEGE STUDENTS

Interested in a career in health care? AHEC can help you find your career path.

JOB SHADOWING is a great way to explore the challenging and rewarding positions that the health care field has to offer. By experiencing a “day in the life” of a health care professional, you learn about the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to work in that field. You get the opportunity to ask questions, observe job tasks, and see how professionals provide team-based care. We can help arrange shadowing experiences at hospital departments, clinics and other health care facilities. Apply here.

VIRTUAL JOB SHADOWING is the next best thing when unable to shadow in person. We can provide access to VirtualJobShadow.com, with its interactive tools to help students develop career paths. Learn more.

COLLEGE PREP WITH THE PRINCETON REVIEW is a great way to prepare yourself to take the exam and improve your score. Our agreement with The Princeton Review lets you take the SAT and ACT prep courses at a discounted rate of $50 each (vs. $499 when purchased online). Contact us for details.

COLLEGE LEVEL HEALTH PROFESSION STUDENTS

The health care work environment is changing rapidly, and students often need additional trainings to enhance their current curriculum. AHEC has those opportunities for you.

JOB SHADOWING experiences are not only for those considering a health career. Many students continue to shadow to learn more about the field and make connections with professionals who might be their colleagues in the future. Some graduate schools (for example, DPT programs) even require a certain number of shadowing hours to be completed before you apply, and others require job shadowing as part of their degree program. We can help arrange shadowing experiences at hospital departments, clinics and other health care facilities. Apply here.

FIELD PLACEMENTS, INTERNSHIPS OR COMMUNITY-BASED ROTATIONS are opportunities to experience health care delivery and population health in community settings. We work with partners in primary care settings, hospitals, county health departments, and other local organizations to provide placements – often formal rotations – and service learning opportunities. Through interaction with patients, students learn first-hand about economic and cultural barriers to care and the specific needs of underserved populations. Contact us to discuss.

RURAL HEALTH EXPERIENCES (RHE) is a three- to five-day opportunity for students to fully immerse themselves in rural health care at a site in Illinois. Participants shadow professionals of various disciplines in a rural hospital or clinic as well as observe interprofessional team meetings. This collaboration between AHEC and the National Center for Rural Health Professions is open to AHEC Scholars (priority), undergraduate juniors and seniors, and gap year students. Learn more.

6-WEEK RURAL INTERPROFESSIONAL PRECEPTORSHIP is a full-time, paid rural immersion experience in a rural community. Students shadow a variety of health professionals in hospital and clinic settings, county health departments and other organizations. They discuss core topics in underserved health care and develop and implement a community service learning project focused on a real-life health priority in the community. The program, offered annually through a collaboration with the National Center for Rural Health Professions, is open to AHEC Scholars and students in the third or fourth year of their academic program. Learn more.

AHEC SCHOLARS is a two-year program for students who are committed to improving health care in rural and underserved communities. It uniquely blends community-based experiential opportunities with online training on key topics such as cultural competency and social determinants of health. Being an AHEC Scholar gives students the opportunity to distinguish themselves and to make meaningful connections that can lead to future employment and career growth. See details and apply!

EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS

AHEC is here to help you prepare the students of today to be the health care professionals of tomorrow.

HEALTH FAIRS AND EXPOS  are a way for East Central AHEC to participate in your health-themed celebrations, whether it be providing items from our Lending Library or having a booth that promotes health and wellness activities. Contact us about how we can work together to promote the health and wellness of your audience.

OUR LENDING LIBRARY  is a collection of free resources designed to enhance education on health concepts and inspire students toward a career in health. Educators and community leaders can borrow books, DVDs, games, and a variety of anatomical models, as well as In-A-Box programs with all-inclusive lesson plans and activities. The My Plate items include 300+ food replicas that demonstrate healthy eating concepts. Please browse our catalog and request items of interest.

CLASSROOM-BASED PRESENTATIONS are an essential part of our promotion of health careers. We can come to your school or organization and teach students in a fun and engaging way about the vast opportunities in health care. Contact us to schedule a date to speak with your group.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRACTICING PROFESSIONALS

CONTINUING EDUCATION sessions, in the classroom and online, are designed to support the educational needs of practicing health care professionals in rural and underserved communities. The IL AHEC network provides educational opportunities for current health professionals. Contact us for details.

See News & Events for all our program announcements, and stay on top of our activities on our Facebook page.

(Shown at top, students participated in a scrub exposure tour at Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka, IL. These tours provide the opportunity to learn about various health professions and participate in hands-on activities that inspire students to make healthcare the choice for their future.)