Community Based Edcuation

The goal of Community-based Education is to provide health professions students a real-life experience in a community setting that contributes to the development of general knowledge, skills and attitudes.

The Panhandle AHEC affords a vital link between higher education institutions focused on health professions and community preceptors. The AHEC recruits preceptors, assists students with selecting the community-based experience that meets their needs, and assists with student housing when necessary.

Each placement provides many situations for the students to develop their skills and knowledge under the direction of practicing community health professionals.

Students spend time in a community clinical setting and have opportunity to interface with multiple health disciplines. Their experiences include but are not limited to observation and instruction, involvement in performing history and physical examinations, developing diagnosis and treatment plans, and in applying office procedures and treatments.

The Panhandle AHEC serves as the liaison between community-based professionals, health professions training programs, and health professions students.

The Panhandle AHEC provides opportunities for students in allied health, medical, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, undergraduate nursing and dentistry programs. Students in these health profession programs have opportunity to complete training in communities across the region.

The Panhandle AHEC works with universities and health professions training programs from across the state - including Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, University of Texas Medical Branch, and University of North Texas Health Science Center, just to name a few.

For communities across the region, hosting students for part of their clinical training experience offers an opportunity for the community to promote what they have to offer. It is an excellent recruiting tool, which allows both the community and the student to learn about each other to determine if a future professional relationship is a good fit. Having students in the clinic for training also provides a tremendous man-power resource for health care facilities.

Fall 2006 PA Students

The Panhandle AHEC welcomes six new PA (Physicians Assistants) Students to their rural rotation.