Southeast Nebraska Area Health Education Center

ahec

Nebraska AHEC Program

 

Nebraska Area Health Education Center's Mission: To meet the state's health and health workforce needs. The Nebraska AHEC Program provides educational programs and services that bridge academic institutions and communities to improve the health of Nebraskans with a focus on rural and underserved populations.

Program Goals

    • Develop and sustain a robust and diverse local health workforce in Nebraska by engaging youth and others to complete health professions training programs and enter health careers.
    • Recruit health students to consider working in rural underserved areas of the state by providing clinical experiences in these communities during their training.
    • Retain health professionals in these regions by offering accessible continuing education and professional development opportunities.

    Counties Served

      Below in green on the map and in the table are the 20 counties that make up the southeast region.

      Counties Served

           
      Butler Johnson Richardson
      Cass Lancaster Saline
      Clay Nemaha Saunders
      Fillmore Nuckolls Seward
      Gage Otoe Thayer
      Hamilton Pawnee York
      Jefferson Polk  

      About AHEC

        What is Area Health Education Center (AHEC)?
        Through the Rural Health Education Network Office, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) applied for and received federal funding to establish Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) in Nebraska. UNMC received its first AHEC funding from the Division of State, Community and Public Health within the Bureau of Health Professions under the Health Resources and Service Administration (HRSA) in September 2001 as part of the National AHEC Organization.

        The Nebraska AHEC Program is based at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and is implemented through five regional centers located in Kearney, Norfolk, Scottsbluff, Lincoln and Omaha. Regional centers enable AHEC to carry out local programs with efficiency and provide statewide local services to deliver high quality, efficient, effective and flexible services that meet local needs of all 93 counties in Nebraska.

        The Nebraska Area Health Education Center Network works throughout Nebraska to improve access to basic healthcare by linking local community groups with the resources of UNMC and other health professions training programs. AHEC improves access to healthcare by:

        • Recruiting minority students into the health professions. AHECs work with Nebraska's public schools to provide health career programs for grades 8-16.
        • Partnering with community organizations to address local health issues. AHECs have helped local groups secure federal and private funding by ensuring and effective group process.
        • Providing continuing education that improves the care received by vulnerable populations.
        • Developing and supporting community training opportunities for health professions students. The AHEC Program has been instrumental in helping UNMC place more of its students in underserved communities.
        • Developing and implementing the Nebraska AHEC Scholars Program for health profession students designed to give students a deeper understanding of rural and urban health care, caring for underserved populations, and the importance of transformation in a clinical setting.

        Careers in Healthcare

          Careers in Healthcare Book
          The Nebraska AHEC Program is excited to share 'Careers in Healthcare: Your Map to a Career in Healthcare 2022' with you. You can download the updated Careers in Healthcare Book at no cost.

          The AHEC Health Career Book provides information on a plethora of health careers. It includes guidance on aptitudes for success in a particular health career, education and licensure requirements and provides information on the educational programs available in Nebraska. The document is frequently used by the five Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) across the state, high schools, undergraduate institutions and others.