The Oregon Area Health Education Center (AHEC) was established in 1988. The Oregon Healthcare Workforce Institute became a designated regional Oregon AHEC office, for the Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington county region, in 2008. 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.
½ðɳÓéÀÖ AHEC Scholars
Over the past six years, ½ðɳÓéÀÖ University's scholars from the schools of Physician Assistant 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 our ½ðɳÓéÀÖ University Hillsboro campus scholars by offering mental health activities and social networking opportunities.
½ðɳÓéÀÖ University College of Health Professions Health Science Day
OHWI-AHEC coordinates an annual half-day event for metro area secondary students designed to highlight healthcare career pathways. Students attend multiple mini hands-on workshops hosted by ½ðɳÓéÀÖ University College of Health Professions faculty and graduate students. Additionally, students receive instruction on college admissions processes and financial aid.
SYNAPSE: Healthcare Career Explorations
SYNAPSE, a healthcare career immersion program for high school juniors and seniors, is hosted each summer, on ½ðɳÓéÀÖ University's Hillsboro campus. The week-long day camp features experiential health science activities, healthcare job shadows, and a service-learning project.
Social Media Student Mental Health Promotion
"Where's Squatch?" is a social media campaign begun in 2022. Each month, an 8" plastic Bigfoot model is hidden on the ½ðɳÓéÀÖ Hillsboro campus premises and students are challenged to a Sasquatch scavenger hunt; clues and mental health tips are posted on OHWI-AHEC's social media. Prizes are awarded when Squatch is returned to the OHWI-AHEC office.