The Oregon Area Health Education Center (Oregon AHEC) was established in 1988. In 2008, the Oregon Healthcare Workforce Institute became a designated regional Oregon AHEC office, for the Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington county region. OHWI-AHEC's work increases access to primary care services for rural and underserved communities through practice transformation programming, including the recruitment, education and training of primary care health professionals.
Pacific AHEC Scholars
Over the past six years, Pacific University's scholars from the schools of Physician Associate Studies, Pharmacy and Occupational Therapy, represent 40% of the 515 participants in the Oregon AHEC Scholars program. OHWI-AHEC offers support to the statewide AHEC Scholars program through provision of distance didactic instruction. OHWI-AHEC supports Pacific University scholars by offering career development, wellness programs, and social and professional networking opportunities.
Compass Leadership and Mentorship Program
The Compass Mentorship Program empowers health professions students to become leaders in their fields by providing real experience planning projects and community events. Compass participants are eligible for our mentorship program, which trains students on how to be mentors and provides mentorship for undergraduate students interested in health professions.
SYNAPSE: Healthcare Career Explorations
SYNAPSE, a healthcare career immersion program for high school juniors and seniors, is hosted each summer on Pacific University's Hillsboro campus. The week-long day camp features experiential health science activities, healthcare job shadows and a service-learning project.
High School Outreach
OHWI-AHEC provides outreach and volunteer opportunities for graduate students interested in speaking at local and regional high schools. High school students at the crux of choosing their academic future benefit enormously from speaking with currently enrolled students.