San Francisco AHEC Scholars
Background:
The AHEC mission is to enhance access to quality health care, particularly primary and preventive care, by improving the supply and distribution of healthcare professionals via strategic partnerships with academic programs, communities, and professional organizations. The San Francisco AHEC is part of the National AHEC Organization (NAO). NAO represents a network of more than 300 AHEC program offices and centers that serve over 85% of United States counties. The NAO helps its members achieve the AHEC mission through advocacy, education, and research.
California is currently facing a shortage of primary care health professionals. Over the next decade, California expects to see a shortfall of more than 4,000 primary care clinicians in underserved areas— where Community Health Clinics operate – will likely shoulder the impact. Nearly half of all Californians live in regions with insufficient primary, medical, dental and mental health services. The Covid-19 pandemic has increased the population of uninsured and Medi-Cal patients seeking care – at a time when healthcare demand is already surpassing provider supply.
SF AHEC Scholars Overview:
The San Francisco AHEC Scholars in Community Health Program provides a 2-year interdisciplinary curriculum designed for students who are currently enrolled in a health professions degree or certificate program and at least two years from program or degree completion. Eligibility extends to, but is not limited to, students in medical, dental, pharmacy, nurse practitioner, nursing, physician assistant, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and public/population health programs. A one-year option is available for community health workers and medical assistants.
Program components: (Temporarily Remote due to Shelter in Place SF Health Order)
1. Community-Oriented Web-based Training covers 6 core topic areas: Inter-professional Education; Behavioral Health Integration; Social Determinants of Health; Cultural Competency; Practice Transformation; and Current & Emerging Health Issues. Training can be completed during scholars’ free time and is delivered through 11 Modules with carefully selected case studies and online learning tools, e.g., webinars and podcasts. (40 Hours per year, minimum of 80 hours total)
2. Clinical/Public Health Training provides professional exposure for scholars through team-based volunteer work at an SFCCC member clinic or another approved site. AHEC scholars are welcome to work for an outside health organization working with an underserved population pending approval from Center Director. (40 Hours per year, minimum of 80 hours total)
3. Community-Based Health Project is a collaborative effort with an SFCCC Community Health Clinic or other approved site to target and address a specific community health need. (10 hours total over 2 years)
The Community-Based Health Project is facilitated by the San Francisco AHEC Center Director and may take many forms. The SFCCC AHEC Program Director will work with scholars to develop and approve appropriate and enriching community projects based on scholars’ professional interests.
Examples of past AHEC scholar Community-Based Health projects include:
Helped to organize and coordinate a patient health fair for homeless patients served by the Mission Neighborhood Resource Center, researching and recruiting other community service organizations to join, conducting outreach to patients and community, and compiling resource materials to disseminate at the fair.
Worked with SFCCC partner clinic HealthRIGHT360 to design and assisted with patient diabetes education and support program including group and individual counseling for patients living with diabetes or pre-diabetes. Conducted initial outreach to link patients with support group and provided one-to-one counseling sessions.
Helped design, plan and organize community events for Adelante Jornaleros Unidos en Acción (AJUA), a program distributing mental health resources to day laborers in the East Bay through UC Berkeley’s Communidad for Health Equity club.
During the COVID-19 restrictions, AHEC scholars have found innovative ways to complete the Community-Based Health requirement while also pursuing their individual academic interests. Examples of current projects include:
Built educational materials on the Health Professional Shortage Designation and financial aid opportunities to support the Community Health Clinics workforce.
Worked with SFCCC Workforce Director to compile a report on the presence of Social Determinants of Health education in health professional curricula.