March 20, 2026

9AM - 4:30PM

Graylyn International Conference Center

1900 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem, NC

Join us for a transformative retreat designed specifically for healthcare professionals who devote themselves to caring for others. Nurturing the Nurturers: A Retreat for Sustaining Healthcare Well-Being is an opportunity to pause, recharge, and prioritize your own well-being.

Through expert-led sessions, interactive activities, and restorative practices, you’ll gain tools to prevent burnout, foster resilience, and sustain your passion for caregiving. Don’t miss this chance to reconnect with yourself and your purpose while learning strategies to thrive in your professional and personal life. Reserve your spot today and take the first step toward a healthier, more balanced you.

Agenda details are up, check it out.

Available Credits:

• 6.25 Contact (category A) CE for NC Psychologists Hours

This program will provide 6.25 contact hours of (Category A) continuing education for North Carolina psychologists. No partial credit will be given.

• 6.25 Contact Hours from Northwest AHEC

6.25 Contact Hours from Northwest AHEC

• 6.25 NBCC Hours

6.25 NBCC Contact Hours. Northwest AHEC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5465. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Northwest AHEC is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.

• 6.25 Nursing Contact Hours

6.25 Nursing Contact Hours. Northwest AHEC is approved as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the North Carolina Nurses Association, an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Our first Northwest AHEC e‑Newsletter of 2026 is live! 🎉

Inside you’ll find updates on:
🔹 New programs and training opportunities
🔹 Continuing education from the Wake Forest University School of Medicine OCME
🔹 Workforce development initiatives across our region
🔹 Community engagement highlights
🔹 Upcoming events and ways to get involved

Start the year informed and inspired — explore all the latest here:
👉 https://go.northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/newstostart2026

As we step into 2026, Northwest AHEC extends heartfelt thanks to all our partners, learners, and community members who helped make 2025 a year of meaningful progress and shared accomplishments. Your dedication to improving health education, strengthening our workforce, and supporting the well‑being of our communities continues to inspire us. We look forward to another year of collaboration, innovation, and impact. Together, we will continue advancing education, expanding opportunities, and supporting the healthcare professionals and students who make a difference every day across our region. Wishing you a healthy, hopeful, and productive year ahead.

Happy New Year from all of us at Northwest AHEC - here’s to an outstanding 2026! 💙

As we enter 2026, the Northwest Area Health Education Center (NWAHEC) and our partners across the Health Talent Alliance are excited to launch the year with two collaborative events designed to strengthen healthcare education, workforce development, and employer–educator partnerships across our region.

These initiatives bring together leaders from healthcare, education, and workforce sectors to advance shared priorities - and continue building a robust talent pipeline for North Carolina’s future.

1. Upcoming Joint Meeting: NWAHEC CCEP & Employer and Educator Collaborative

January 20, 2026 | Virtual
Audience: Healthcare employers & educational partners

The NWAHEC Consortium for Clinical Education and Practice (CCEP) and the NWAHEC Employer and Educator Collaborative will host a joint virtual meeting to open the year with discussion, updates, and shared learning across the healthcare and education landscape.

This meeting offers participating organizations the opportunity to:

• Hear updates on clinical education and workforce development initiatives
• Share what’s happening within their systems, schools, and communities
• Learn about emerging trends shaping healthcare practice and talent needs
• Strengthen connections between employers and academic institutions

👉 Join the meeting: Click here to join the meeting
Meeting ID: 233 234 490 312 03 / Passcode: U2Qg2Hh3

We look forward to your participation and continued collaboration as we work together to support the region’s healthcare workforce.

2. Northwest Healthcare Accelerator: Strengthening Apprenticeships & Pre‑Apprenticeships

February 4, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Davidson-Davie Community College, Mary E. Rittling Conference Center
297 DCC Road, Thomasville, NC 27360
Lunch provided - REGISTER NOW

The Northwest Healthcare Accelerator is a new, high-impact event designed to help our region expand high‑quality healthcare apprenticeship and pre‑apprenticeship pathways.

This Accelerator will bring together secondary and post-secondary educators, healthcare employers, and workforce partners for a day of learning, collaboration, and program planning.

Participants will:

• Explore best practices for developing healthcare pre‑apprenticeships and youth registered apprenticeships
• Learn directly from employers successfully implementing these models
• Hear from local school districts and community colleges on how programs are structured
• Participate in a working session to begin designing pathways tailored to community workforce needs

Who should attend?
Healthcare employers, university and community college partners, K–12 administrators, CTE leaders, workforce board representatives, and other industry stakeholders committed to growing locally trained talent.

This event is hosted in partnership with:

• NC Business Committee for Education (NCBCE)
• MyFutureNC
• Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC)
• Piedmont AHEC
• South Piedmont AHEC

👉 Reserve your spot today: https://unc.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bpFmtsyBRbTNznM

As the year comes to a close, we reflect with gratitude on the partnerships that have helped us grow and serve our communities. Thank you for your continued support. Wishing you peace, joy, and a bright New Year.

SINCERELY,
Northwest Area Health Education Center (NWAHEC) and the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Office of Continuing Medical Education (OCME)

Staff Photo taken at Wally’s Service Station, Mount Airy, NC (Surry County)

We invite you to explore our 2024–2025 Annual Report. Visit nwahec.org/AR to view and download the report.

To stay connected with us throughout the year, visit our blog at nwahec.org/blog.

This holiday season, Northwest AHEC was honored to partner with the Salvation Army of Greater Winston-Salem and Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist to support the Angel Tree program.

Our team embraced the spirit of giving through multiple volunteer opportunities:

• Gift Collection: Several teammates helped collect gifts from hospital employees during their shifts at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital.
• Adopting Angels: As a team, we adopted three angels and worked together to fulfill their Christmas wishes.
• Gift Distribution: In mid-December, we wrapped up the season by volunteering at the Angel Tree Warehouse, organizing and distributing gifts to families in need.

This program is such a worthy cause, and we are proud to play a part in bringing joy to local families during the holidays. A heartfelt thank you to our teammates for their time and generosity, and to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist for creating these community service opportunities.

Together, we make a difference!

Check out the WXII News Story - Click Here

Registration is OPEN for the 40th Annual Northwest AHEC Respiratory Care Conference, scheduled to be held virtually on February 25–26, 2026.

Join us for this landmark event honoring four decades of advancing respiratory care education, innovation, and collaboration. Attendees can expect a dynamic lineup of expert speakers and the latest in clinical practices and technology. Whether you're a seasoned practitioner or new to the field, this milestone event offers valuable insights and a chance to celebrate the legacy and future of respiratory care. 

February 25–26, 2026
Virtual - WebEx

Objectives

• Provide up-to-date, patient-centered and evidence-based practices in respiratory care.
• Explain the importance of respiratory therapists in improving patient outcomes and quality of life.
• Discuss new treatments and advancements associated with respiratory care.
  
  

Do you ask yourself these questions when you drink from your tap or when choosing items at the grocery? We know that optimal health starts with literally what you put in your gut. And that has immediate and downstream effects on our health and wellness. We know the body - right now in the present moment -  is the highest resolution feedback we can see how we have been living with our current habits. The good news is that we can invest our time and effort, and have better control over what goes in our body... and ultimately, what we get back from it.

On November 5–6, 2025, the 43rd Annual Perinatal Conference: Gravidas at Risk welcomed more than 135 healthcare professionals to the Hickory Metro Convention Center for two days of education, networking, and collaboration.

This year’s event featured an impressive lineup of speakers who addressed some of the most pressing issues in perinatal care. Topics ranged from perinatal mental health and gestational diabetes management to advancing birth equity, navigating critical scenarios in the labor room, marijuana use during pregnancy, and best practices for medication safety. A particularly engaging session focused on real-world case studies, giving participants the opportunity to apply evidence-based strategies to complex clinical situations. The conference also hosted exhibitors who showcased innovative products and resources designed to support maternal and infant health, adding another layer of value for attendees.

The event concluded with an inspiring presentation titled “Unapologetically You: The Power of Radical Self-Care,” reminding participants of the importance of prioritizing their own well-being while caring for others. Breaks and lunches provided ample time for networking, allowing professionals to share experiences and build connections that strengthen the perinatal care community.

We are thrilled with the success of this year’s conference and invite you to save the date for next year’s event, which will return to the Hickory Metro Convention Center on November 4–5, 2026. We look forward to another opportunity to learn, connect, and advance the quality of care for babies and families.