FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How is AHEC different from WV RHEP?

WVRHEP is the West Virginia Rural Health Education Partnership, a state-funded program that provides educational opportunities for health professions students and some residents in underserved areas in West Virginia. AHEC differs from RHEP in that a primary care resident, graduate-level students (i.e., PharmD, MSN, MPH) and other health professions students are recruited to be part of an interdisciplinary team that works together for a four-week period to assess community-based problems, identify solutions and provide a community health service. In addition to the time spent with their RHEP clinical preceptor(s), team members will develop and implement an AHEC Team Work Plan with an AHEC faculty facilitator dedicated to their team. Teamwork and the subsequent community service take approximately two half-days per week.

Is an AHEC rotation required?

AHEC rotations are optional. Students will, however, get their rural (RHEP) rotation "credit" for AHEC rotations as long as they participate in all required AHEC activities. The AHEC Interdisciplinary Team (IDT) work is academically equivalent to the traditional RHEP community service and Interdisciplinary Session (IDS) requirement.

Who can qualify for AHEC rotations?

The AHEC residency program director and the RHEP site coordinators assemble each AHEC team. Primary care residents and students in medicine, dentistry, dental hygiene, nursing, pharmacy, clinical psychology, dietetics, physical or occupational therapy, social work, medical technology, or physician assistants may qualify. Also, pre-professional students interested in the health sciences, including participants in the Health Sciences Technology Academy (HSTA) may qualify.

Is there project continuity between one AHEC rotation and the next or between AHEC rotations and RHEP rotations in the same area?

An AHEC team may decide to continue or expand a project started by a previous AHEC team or work on a project started by one or more RHEP students. In turn, RHEP students in the area may elect to continue an AHEC community service project as part of their community service requirement.

Can I do an AHEC rotation even if I have not done an RHEP rotation?

The AHEC program does not require a previous RHEP rotation, however, your individual school may require that you complete an RHEP rotation or demonstrate specific competencies before participating in the AHEC program.

What opportunity will I have to evaluate my AHEC rotation?

Students and residents will evaluate AHEC rotations in the same manner as an RHEP rotation through RHEP's data instrument, the Student Evaluation of Rural Field Experience (SERFE). SERFE is available electronically through TRACKER© on the RHEP website. In addition to the SERFE, AHEC students will be asked to complete a few additional questions at the end of the SERFE. Evaluation data is strictly confidential.