Illinois Area Health Education Centers - AHEC Network

11/17/2025

We are so happy to share our first monthly highlight on a South Central Illinois AHEC Scholar, Dirk II Tecson!

Dirk’s journey into healthcare began with nonprofit work that put him alongside families experiencing disability, poverty, and disaster. As a team lead with AmeriCorps and the Rockford Park District, he often stepped in “when support systems fell short.” Those experiences showed him how meanin...

08/22/2025

Join this webinar today, Friday, August 22, 2025 at 12:00 pm, CT! It's a great opportunity to learn more about communication strategies to build a supportive care team.

It is FREE! Here is the Zoom link to join the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88698251286?pwd=HkS6HUwONbhzV8mCxbxOaIVtaPBrsJ.1

06/25/2025

Congratulations to our Program Office, the The National Center for Rural Health Professions, and our East Central Illinois AHEC Director, Christina Haag, for their oral presentation on the long-term outcomes of the Six-Week Interprofessional Preceptorship (SWIP) program. Thanks to this rural immersion program, begun in 2005, 94% of the students who completed the SWIP program are now working in healthcare.

The team presented at the 2025 National AHEC Organization Biennial Conference on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Lexington, KY.

06/25/2025

Our East Central Illinois AHEC is hosting four students in the 2025 Six-Week Interprofessional Preceptorship (SWIP) at Gibson Area Hospital in Gibson City, IL. This rural immersion program allows college students majoring in a health profession to live in a rural community while job shadowing multiple healthcare professionals during the six week program. In addition to the job shadowing, they also learn about rural health through weekly discussions with a faculty preceptor. Finally, the students complete a community service learning project for the local community based on feedback from community stakeholders. Check out what the 2025 SWIP students are doing this year for their community service learning project at Gibson Area Hospital and the East Central Illinois AHEC!

It’s summer which means our six-week preceptorship student's (SWIP) are back!! They are out this week at the Ford County Fair providing substance abuse education and creating a handprint garden with the local kiddos. Please stop by and see them if you get a chance!!

06/23/2025

The IL AHEC Network was very well represented at this year's National AHEC Organization Biennial Conference. The East Central Illinois AHEC and AHEC of Northwest Illinois outcomes of the Six-Week Interprofessional Preceptorship were shared at a presentation. Our Research Specialist, Dr. Zhi Li, and Post-Doctorate Fellow, Dr. Kiruthika Balakrishnan, completed data analysis of the long-term outcomes.

Congratulations to all for the presentation!

06/23/2025

The AHEC of Northwest Illinois is hosting four students as part of the 2025 Six-Week Interprofessional Preceptorship (SWIP), a rural immersion program for health majors interested in working in rural communities after graduation.

This year's students are fortunate enough to experience this immersion program held by OSF!

Thank you very much for this unique opportunity for our SWIP students this year!

04/30/2025

Limited space and scholarships remaining for the 2025 two-day Healthcare Summer Camp at Governors State University. High School Students will participate in hands-on learning activities, labs, basic CPR training , and listen to guest speakers speak about working in the healthcare field. Students interested in health careers can look forward to learning more about the Urban Health Experience from our special guest speakers in partnership with the Illinois AHEC Chicago Network https://ilahec.uic.edu/

Registration: https://www.govst.edu/youth-programs/ deadline to register is June 2.

04/22/2025

If you or someone you know is considering a career in Pharmacy, space is still available at the April 26, 2025 and May 10, 2025 Rural Pharmacy Camp!

Details are below as well as at this link: https://pharmacy.uic.edu/events/rural-pharmacy-camps/

Come learn about all the different careers available in rural pharmacy!

Are you a high school or college student exploring careers? Learn all about rural pharmacy careers at one of the Rural Pharmacy Camps being offered around the state!

Here is a link to learn more and to register: https://pharmacy.uic.edu/events/rural-pharmacy-camps/

Details are also in the attached picture. For questions, email jmclark7@uic.edu or call 815-395-5775.

04/10/2025

Shoutout to our amazing South Central Illinois AHEC Scholars, Vonna Boyd and Miranda Maldonado, for making a difference at Mount Vernon High School!

These two second-year IL AHEC scholars from the Rend Lake College Nursing Program set up an eye-opening informational table on the dangers of va**ng. Through interactive games and discussions, they reached 242 students — and inspired each of them to sign a pledge poster committing not to v**e! 🙌

💬 “I’m incredibly proud of Vonna and Miranda for taking their project to the next level. They’re not just learning — they’re leading the way in educating others about a serious health issue,” said Gloria Przygoda, South Central IL AHEC Director.

Way to go, Vonna and Miranda! Your passion and leadership are making a real impact!

04/10/2025

Do you know a high school student who is exploring careers in health care? Space is still available in the College of Health and Human Sciences' (CHHS) Summer Health Camp at Governors State University in University Park, IL!

The IL AHEC Network has partnered with CHHS and will be providing sessions!

The camp is scheduled from Thursday, June 26 - Friday, June 27, 2025 from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm each day.

More details are below. Scan the QR code to register or click this link: https://www.enrole.com/govst/jsp/session.jsp?sessionId=CEPD-HHSC25-SU1&courseId=CEPD-HHSC25&categoryId=8E331358

04/08/2025

Are you a student currently studying to become a physician, dentist, nurse practitioner, nurse midwife, or physician assistant? You may be eligible for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship Program! Information about the scholarship is in the attached picture.

For more information, visit this webpage: https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarships/overview. The application can be found at this webpage: https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarships/how-to-apply.

The application deadline is Thursday, May 8, 2025 by 7:30 pm, ET.

For questions about this scholarship opportunity, please contact the NHSC Program Office. Their phone number can be found in the application and guidance documents in the how-to-apply link above.

03/24/2025

It's National AHEC Week this week! We are celebrating all things AHEC throughout the week.

Fun Fact for Monday: The IL AHEC Network has been in Illinois since 2010 and the program office is located in the The National Center for Rural Health Professions at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford!