The Alaska AHEC Program is pleased to announce the return of the Rural Immersion Institute of the North (RIIN). RIIN introduces healthcare students to the realities of providing care in rural Alaska. Students spend the beginning of the program in Anchorage, learning about Alaskan culture and meeting with healthcare professionals to hear about their experiences. Participants are then paired with healthcare professionals from around the state to obtain hands-on experience in rural Alaska communities. The program ends back in Anchorage, where students present their experiences and lessons learned. 

RIIN is a Rural Alaskan "Edventure" for undergraduate & graduate healthcare students or professionals interested in rural health practice. All disciplines are welcome. Students may be in-state ($3,175 tuition) or out-of-state ($4,000 tuition). The price includes in-state travel, accommodations, and select meals. The program will run from June 7-18, 2023. 

Schedule is as follows:
June 7 - Student arrival and check-in
June 8 - Orientation Day: Cultural center, Tribal Health Overview and Tours
June 9 - Faculty "Walking lectures" and Rural Health Simulation
June 10 - Outdoor Excursion: Glacier Cruise or River
June 11 - Rural Prep Day
June 12-16 - Rural Experience
June 17 - Debrief and Wrap-Up
June 18 - Participants Depart

Applications are currently open for Summer 2023! Deadline for applications is March 31, 2023. Apply today! (When registering, select "UAA > College of Health > AHEC" as your affiliation.)

An application fee of $25 per participant is required. After you register and pay, look for the link to the application survey with your registration email. A completed survey (sent with the registration confirmation) will be required before your application may be considered. 

• Rural Immersion Institute of the North (RIIN) Brochure
  
• Visiting Alaska

  Alaska has a lot to offer the visitor, but it has some special challenges as well. Here are some things to be aware of in planning for your trip.

  

  Wildlife

  There are no poisonous snakes or spiders in Alaska. No mountain lions, either--the only cat species native to the state is the lynx, which mainly eats rabbits. Ticks have recently moved into the southeast, and mosquitoes are everywhere. Moose and elk can be dangerous if disturbed, but will ignore you if you leave them alone.

  Bears are found in all parts of Alaska, including the Anchorage metro area. The state offers some advice on staying safe, and we will go over bear safety as part of the RIIN program, including a demonstration of how to use bear spray. (Note that bear spray is considered a weapon and cannot be carried on a plane. If you want to carry bear spray at your rural site, you will have to acquire it there.)

  There is also a staggering range of wildlife that presents no threat to humans (there are 471 species of birds alone). The Department of Fish and Game offers a partial list of the most common species found throughout the state.

  What To Bring

  The climate and terrain of Alaska varies enormously from place to place, so be prepared for a wide range of conditions. We have compiled a short packing/advice list for the necessities.

• Rural Sites in the RIIN Program

  Alaska includes an enormous variety of climates and terrain, and our rural communities reflect that diversity. Utqiagvik (Barrow) is the northernmost town in the United States, while Ketchikan is more than a thousand miles farther south; Bethel is surrounded by flat marshlands while Talkeetna rests at the base of the continent's highest peak. Our students have visited all these places, but no two experiences are the same.

  Resources for Prospective RIIN Students:

  Rural Sites Quick-Comparison Chart: All the rural sites in the program, with their amenities.

  Rural Site Fact Sheets: Detailed information about each community.

  Community Index: A website, maintained by the State of Alaska, which includes statistical information on many smaller villages.

• Photos and Videos

  

  The 2016 RIIN students went for a group hike in the Chugach Range, close to Anchorage.

  Videos

  All the Alaska AHEC's videos can be found online at the Alaska AHEC YouTube channel. Videos include interviews with students and clinic personnel from past years; recordings of all the final presentations from the end of the program; and Q and A sessions between the students and a live audience.

  Photos from RIIN 2018

  

  

  

   

  

  

  

   

  Photos from RIIN 2017

  

  

  

   

  

  

  

  Photos from RIIN 2016

  

  

  

  

  

  

For more information on RIIN, contact: