The AHEC program in Virginia aims to keep medical professionals in underprivileged regions

Roanoke, Viginia – A persistent concern in the healthcare industry is the lack of qualified healthcare workers. Recognized for providing student training in underprivileged communities where healthcare is most needed are two of our neighborhood clinics. It’s a component of a Virginia initiative to support professional retention.

Virginia is experiencing an unparalleled shortage of health professionals, encompassing nurses, mental health therapists, doctors, and dentists. Low-income residents are disproportionately affected by health professional shortage areas (HPSAs), which cover 70 of Virginia’s 95 counties as of March 2024.

We find it frightening that there is a shortage of health professionals in every part of Virginia, particularly for those who live in Richmond and may assume that their needs are met. Accordingly, those are the places where we should be focused on ensuring that people have access to the healthcare they require, according to Amy Taloma, director of Virginia AHEC & Programs.

In order to address the problem, the Virginia Health Workforce Development Authority (VHWDA) is establishing eight Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) to give current Commonwealth health professions students community-based clinical training.

Our AHEC Scholars will receive mentoring from the host sites as well. For our AHEC Scholars program, we choose 120 students a year who are in their last two years of training to become health professionals,” Taloma added.

The goal of the AHEC Scholars program is to expose students to healthcare vocations in rural and medically underserved areas through practical experience. The objective is to keep students employed in those areas.

“One of the best things about it is that it allows us to bring in new dentists to the valley and allows them to view our area. Dentist Scott Miller of Bradley Free Clinic stated, “We always need fresh new faces with the latest technology and the latest information to continue to drive dentistry ahead in a positive manner. We’re always experiencing turnover due to individuals retiring.

Among the many medical treatments provided by the Bradley Free Clinic is dentistry. The clinics in Roanoke and Lynchburg’s Free Clinic of Central Virginia were chosen as AHEC sites due to the training they already offer to students pursuing health professions while treating patients from underprivileged medical communities.

“They may not be able to keep down a job due to behavioral health concerns, homelessness, or not having had a job for a number of years. According to Janine Underwood, executive director of the Bradley Free Clinic, “students who visit the clinic get to experience what it’s like to treat a population that is in need and cannot afford their own medical insurance.”

The deadline for students to apply to the AHEC program is November 5.

The new AHEC sites are:

Blue Ridge Region: Augusta Health, Fishersville

Central Region: Mary Washington Healthcare, Fredericksburg

Eastern Virginia Region: ODU Community Care, Norfolk

Northern Virginia Region: Claude Moore Opportunities, Fairfax

Rappahannock Region: Northern Neck Free Health Clinic, Kilmarnock

South Central Region: Free Clinic of Central Virginia, Lynchburg

Southside Region: PATHS in Southside (Piedmont Access to Health Services), South Boston

Southwest Region: Bradley Free Clinic, Roanoke