Foothills AHEC

Foothills AHEC Foothills AHEC is a non-profit that supports a diverse health professions workforce in NE Georgia

We have kicked off 2 sessions of our 2025-2026 Piedmont Health Scholars ! Students from Rabun County High School and Fra...
10/08/2025

We have kicked off 2 sessions of our 2025-2026 Piedmont Health Scholars !

Students from Rabun County High School and Franklin County High School have learned so far about organic chemistry, foot and arch support, and the health sciences.

We even ran into 2 former Piedmont Health Scholars who are now students at Piedmont University !!!

08/21/2025

Practicing in Toccoa, Georgia, Dr. Christopher Kiker knows the needs of rural communities run deep.

But what keeps him inspired is more than just treating patients — it's mentoring and training the next wave of doctors through AHEC (Area Health Education Centers) programs.

“A lot of students who go into medicine come from cities, from strong school systems, and families who’ve done it before,” he says. “But rural areas are full of talented students who just need a path. AHEC helps open that door — and I’m proud to be part of that.”

As a faculty member with Mercer University, Augusta University, and Northeast Georgia Health System, Dr. Kiker trains students and residents in real-world rural primary care.

Through the Foothills AHEC's Pathway to Medical School program and rural clinical rotations, he offers hands-on experience in family medicine — and, more importantly, a window into the communities that need them most.

He didn’t participate in AHEC as a student — but now he’s all in.

“All the students I’ve had through AHEC are top-notch,” he says. “If we can find kids like me — from small towns, without a roadmap, but with the talent and heart to serve — and mentor them into medicine, we’ll transform rural health care.”

His goal? To give students what he once needed: a mentor who believed in them and showed them what was possible.

“My goal isn’t just to teach medicine — it’s to give trainees a window into the life of a small-town physician,” he says.

“One day, I hope there are dozens of doctors across Georgia who came through AHEC programs or shadowed doctors like me.”

🔗to learn more about the Pathway to Med School program:

https://www.foothillsahec.org/programs/pathway-med-school

Congratulations to the 2025 Pathway to Med School Graduating Class!We are so proud of these future physicians as they sp...
06/23/2025

Congratulations to the 2025 Pathway to Med School Graduating Class!
We are so proud of these future physicians as they spent an intensive month shadowing, researching, and preparing themselves for the rigors of medical school and beyond!

Thank you to physicians, physicians, Swanahoochee Pediatrics, Oconee Valley Healthcare, Synergy Health, Legacy Medical, and Whole Hart Wellness for providing clinical shadowing!

Thank you to , , , and for providing guidance on their journey to med school!

We would also like to thank Piedmont Athens Regional Internal Medicine GME and the Department of Public Health - District 2 for mentoring research projects! This program would not be possible without these volunteers.

You can learn more about the PTMS program by visiting our website: www.foothillsahec.org

We are thrilled to share that the Foothills Area Health Education Center (AHEC) awarded 2 First In Family scholarships t...
05/28/2025

We are thrilled to share that the Foothills Area Health Education Center (AHEC) awarded 2 First In Family scholarships this year !!

This scholarship, awarded to students who are the first students in their families to pursue higher education, helps students in our region’s marginalized populations overcome some of the financial challenges they face to pursue and/or complete a post-secondary degree in health care.

“We are committed to helping students in our region attain health careers that will ultimately grow and support our diverse healthcare workforce here in Northeast Georgia,” Missy Lochstampfor, director of Foothills AHEC.

CONGRATULATIONS to Joseph Ortiz-Flores of Johnson High School and Esmeralda Rivera of Flowery Branch High School!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 to our 2025 Intensive Program Scholarship Recipients. Claire Hall is a student of Franklin County High...
05/20/2025

CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 to our 2025 Intensive Program Scholarship Recipients. Claire Hall is a student of Franklin County High School and Chloe Tanner is a student at Dawson County High School.

These young ladies both exhibited a strong passion towards healthcare and their local communities. We are so proud of you both !!

Pathway to Med School 2025 is off to a great start!We can’t wait to see all that these students accomplish over the next...
05/13/2025

Pathway to Med School 2025 is off to a great start!
We can’t wait to see all that these students accomplish over the next few weeks!

Join us in congratulating our 2024-25 Brenau Medical Scholars ! We had a great graduation day . Thank you so much to a...
03/31/2025

Join us in congratulating our 2024-25 Brenau Medical Scholars ! We had a great graduation day . Thank you so much to and Brenau nursing and Psychology departments! 🎉🎉🎉🎉 also we want to extend a huge Thanks to all of the great parents who came to support their grads !!

🎊CONGRATULATIONS🎊 are in order for our 2024-25 Piedmont Health Scholars! Thank you so much to Franklin County High Schoo...
03/20/2025

🎊CONGRATULATIONS🎊 are in order for our 2024-25 Piedmont Health Scholars! Thank you so much to Franklin County High School and Rabun County High School for sending such amazing healthcare science students to participate in our intensive program. Also thank you to Piedmont University for hosting us and providing this amazing opportunity!

The Pathway to Med School program application closes in 1 week – Friday, January 31st @ 5:00 pm. This means there is st...
01/24/2025

The Pathway to Med School program application closes in 1 week – Friday, January 31st @ 5:00 pm. This means there is still time to complete your application!

For your application to be considered complete, you need to complete the online application and submit an official copy of your transcript. For more information and to apply today, please visit
https://www.foothillsahec.org/programs/pathway-med-school

The Pathway to Med School program application closes in 1 week – Friday, January 31st @ 5:00 pm. This means there is st...
01/24/2025

The Pathway to Med School program application closes in 1 week – Friday, January 31st @ 5:00 pm. This means there is still time to complete your application!

For your application to be considered complete, you need to complete the online application and submit an official copy of your transcript. For more information and to apply today, please visit https://www.foothillsahec.org/programs/pathway-med-school

Address

329 Oak Street, Ste 101
Gainesville, GA
30501

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

(770) 219-8130

Website

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Recruiting, training, and retaining healthcare professionals in northeast Georgia.

Foothills Area Health Education Center (AHEC) is a community-driven, non-profit organization serving northeast Georgia supported by federal, state, and local funds. Our mission is to partner with communities to recruit, train, and retain health care professionals in our region and to improve their supply and distribution in medically undeserved areas, ultimately improving the health of our citizens. Our center is the newest of six AHECs in Georgia's network and one of 178 AHECs nationwide.