About Us
Alaska Center for Rural Health & Health Workforce
Vision
The health workforce that Alaska needs is developed through collaborations inside and outside of the University system.
Mission
The Center supports the University of Alaska's Strategic Pathways mission of health program planning and intercampus collaboration. The Alaska AHEC Program provides the framework of statewide community partnerships to support the full pipeline of health workforce development from career exploration to health program training to continuing education.
Principles/Values
- Collaboration and Partnership
- Grow Our Own, Close to Home
- Responsive and Reliable Service
- Intelligent and Transparent Dialogue
- Positivity (“Can Do”)
- Integrity
- Flexibility
AHEC Mission & Organization
Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) are academic and community-based partnerships engaged in primary care workforce engagement, training, recruiting and retaining activities to improve the distribution, diversity, supply and quality of the healthcare workforce. The national AHEC program is funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration, Bureau of Health Workforce (HRSA). The Alaska AHEC began at the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2005 and was the first in the country to be awarded to a School of Nursing, rather than a School of Medicine. The six Alaska regional centers conduct educational activities to increase diversity and improve the distribution of the healthcare workforce while preparing future professionals to provide high quality care in a transforming healthcare landscape. The AHEC has a special focus working with rural and underserved communities.
