The curriculum resources listed here represent an introduction to each of our core topic areas. Each resource has been chosen and reviewed by our team to build a core foundation of understanding in alignment with the Oregon AHEC Scholars learning objectives. Scholars are highly encouraged to start with these resources. 

I. Interprofessional Education

Interprofessional Education (also known as interdisciplinary training) supports a coordinated, patient-centered model of health care that involves an understanding of the contributions of multiple health care professionals.

1. Article 

   1. NIH: Role of Pharmacists in the Interprofessional Care Team for Patients with Chronic Diseases (10 pages) 

2. Podcast 

   1. PT MEAL Podcast: BTR 4- Interprofessional Education and Collaboration Core Competencies/Behind the Research (50 minutes) 

3. Video 

   1. National Network for Oral Health Access: Integration of Care to Improve Health Outcomes (1 hour) 

II. Behavior Health Integration

Behavioral Health Integration promotes the development of integrated primary and behavioral health services to better address the needs of individuals with mental health and substances use conditions

1. Article 

   1. The Center for Rural Behavior Health/Minnesota State University: The Suicide Epidemic in Rural Minnesota--How we got here and how we move forward (24 pages) 

   2. America Academy of Family Practice: Integrating Behavior Health into Primary Care (2 pages) 

2. Podcast

   1. AMA Moving Medicine Podcast: Behavior Health in Practice- Establishing Efficient Workflow  (30 min) 

3. Video 

   1. Strategies for Integration of Behavioral and Oral Health (1 hour) 

III. Social Determinants of Health

Social Determinants of Health includes five key areas (determinants) of economic stability, education, social and community context, health and health care, and neighborhood and built environment, and their impact on health.

1. Article 

   1. Preparing to Address Social Determinants of Health: Approaches to Clinic Transformation (9 pages)

2. Podcast

   1. Addressing Health Equity and Social Determinants of Health through Healthy People 2030 (20 minutes) 

3. Video

   1. Utah AHEC: Poverty- Barriers and Disparities in Healthcare from a Cultural Lens (90 min) 

   2. Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Social Determinants of Health in Older Adults Webinar- Password: BjXR26gc (1 hour)  

IV. Cultural Competency

Cultural Competency seeks to improve individual health and build health communities by training health care providers to recognize and address the unique culture, language and health literacy of diverse consumers and communities.

1. Article 

   1. BMJ Global Health: Towards attainment of Indigenous health through empowerment: resetting health systems, services and provider approaches (4 pages) 

   2. Reclaiming Indigenous Health in the US: Moving beyond the Social Determinants of Health (12 pages) 

2. Podcast

   1. Rural Remix: Bruce Poinsette- Telling the stories of Black rural Oregonians (30 minutes) 

3. Video

   1. The American Institute of Dental Public Health Lunch & Learn: Rural Oral Health (35 minutes) 

V. Practice Transformation

Practice Transformation aims to fully support quality improvement and patient-centered are through goal-setting, leadership, practice facilitation, workflow changes, measuring outcomes, and adapting organizational tools and processes to support new team-based models of care delivery. 

1. Article 

   1. American Medical Association: Improving Professional Satisfaction and Practice Sustainability (2 pages) 

2. Podcast 

   1. So You Want to Transform Healthcare: Augmented Intelligence- A Bridge to Clinical Automation (35 min) 

3. Video 

   1. American Medical Association: Practice Transformation Brief Overview (4 min) 

   2. TEDx: Future Medicine with Daniel Kraft MD (15 min) 

   3. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality National Webinar: Digital HC Innovations to Engage and Empower Patients in Their Care   (80 minutes) 

VI. Connecting Communities/Community Health Workers

Connecting Communities/Community Health Workers is intended to increase training and development of Community Health Workers and paraprofessionals.

1. Article

   1. Community Health Workers in Rural Settings  (1 hour) 

2. Podcast 

   1. OSU Research in Action: Dr. Kenny Maes on Community Health Workers (30 min) 

3. Video

   1. Oregon AHEC Lunch & Learn- ORCHWA (1 hour) 

      1. The password is: 8TqnUE6W 

VII. Enhancing Knowledge in Virtual Learning and Telehealth

Virtual Learning and Telehealth is intended to increase provider and patient proficiency with virtual learning and telehealth and to understand the barriers to access.

1. Article 

   1. The Outcomes of Telehealth PT Provided Using Real-Time, Videoconferencing for Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Longitudinal Observational Study (11 pages)  

2. Podcast 

   1. Health Leaders Podcast: Using Telehealth to Improve Healthcare Access in Rural America (25 min) 

3. Video 

   1. Developing Digital Empathy and the Virtual Physical Exam (1 hour) 

VIII. Current and Emerging Health Issues

The Current and Emerging Health Issues listed below are HRSA-approved priorities for Oregon’s rural and underserved populations. Learning in these areas is focused on a deeper understanding of the impacts on state health and health care systems. Students are further encouraged to commit to the concept of ongoing continuing education as new topics of concern emerge in the state, nation and internationally.

• Diseases of Despair/Illnesses of Poverty: high school graduation rates, health equity, mental/behavioral health, suicide and suicide prevention
• Substance Use Disorder: alcohol, tobacco, OUD
• Prevention/Health Promotion: maternal/fetal well-being, physical inactivity, cancer
• Community Health/Resiliency: emergency preparedness, pandemic response, emerging diseases
• Climate change and public health policy
• Cardiovascular disease/prevention and strokes, diabetes
• Healthcare Workforce: shortages, provider well-being, lack of rural preceptors
• LGBTQ+ health and access.

1. Resources 

   1. Rural Healthy People 2030: Common Challenges, Rural Nuances (14 pages)

      1. Rural Health Information Hub Podcast: Rural Healthy People 2030 (30 min)  

   2. Healthier Together Oregon: 2020-2024 State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)

   3. Oregon Counties Community Improvement Plans (CHP)

   4. Indian Country Pharm ECHO: OUD in Jackson County from a Criminal Justice Perspective (35 min)

   5. Current and Emerging Health Issues Podcast: Innovative Technologies Addressing Health Disparities (30 min) 

Regional Centers

Regional Center staff support students throughout program participation, regardless of where your academic curriculum takes you. All counties in Oregon are served by one of five regional Centers and thus can offer students regionally specific information. AHEC Scholars are offered ongoing and special project participation opportunities with the regional centers, for which they earn program hours credit.

If you would like assistance in connecting with regional centers during current or future rotations, please reach out to us at ahec@ohsu.edu. Regional staff are great resources that can guide you on things such as: insights on area employers; ways to engage with and learn about the community, and fun suggested activities in the area.

AHEC Scholars Enrollment

We are proud to have AHEC Scholars enrolled from six schools, representing 15 programs. The below graph shows our updated enrollment by program and cohort.

Data collection from the AHEC Scholars program is covered under IRB# 18471. Please contact the Oregon AHEC Program Office for more information.