August is National Breastfeeding Month, a time to recognize and celebrate the incredible journey of breastfeeding. From lactation consultants to providers, nurses, and educators, these experts provide essential guidance, compassion, and care to families navigating the path of infant feeding. It is important to celebrate those who work diligently to empower parents with the knowledge and confidence to nourish their babies. At the same time, we are proud of and support all families, no matter how they choose to feed their babies, because every feeding journey is valid and deserves respect.

On April 8, 2025, an Interprofessional Education (IPE) event brought together a diverse cohort of over 320 students from multiple institutions and healthcare disciplines. This collaborative experience centered around a simulated patient case, designed to foster interprofessional communication, critical thinking, and team-based problem-solving within a realistic clinical scenario. The event is put on in collaboration with Wake Forest University School of Medicine and Winston-Salem State University.

Participants represented a broad spectrum of healthcare education programs, including students from Winston-Salem State University’s Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Nursing, Healthcare Management, Therapeutic Recreation, Rehabilitation Counseling/Services, Social Work, and Clinical Laboratory Science departments. The event also welcomed students from Wake Forest University School of Medicine’s Physician Assistant Studies program and Forsyth Technical Community College’s Nursing program.

Post-event evaluations are currently under review. The review process aims to identify key strengths—such as team engagement, communication effectiveness, and scenario realism—as well as areas for improvement to further enhance future iterations of the event.

This initiative not only highlights the value of interprofessional education but also reinforces the importance of preparing future healthcare professionals to work in diverse, team-based environments. As we analyze outcomes, we remain committed to refining this collaborative model. The continued success of this event underscores its potential to shape more cohesive healthcare teams and ultimately improve health outcomes for the communities we serve.

We look forward to the continued evolution of this initiative and the positive impact it will have on the development of competent, compassionate, and collaborative healthcare professionals.

On May 15–16, nearly 200 healthcare professionals, advocates, and caregivers gathered at Appalachian State University for the 2025 Aging Well Conference—a two-day event dedicated to improving the quality of care for older adults. Now in its second year, this interprofessional and collaborative conference was hosted by Northwest AHEC and the Appalachian Institute for Health and Wellness.

This year’s event featured expert-led sessions covering a wide range of critical topics, including healthy aging strategies, cognitive health, dementia care, medication optimization, mobility and fall prevention, and patient-centered decision-making. Breakout workshops allowed for deeper discussion and hands-on learning, while also fostering networking across disciplines.

An interprofessional lineup of speakers created a dynamic learning environment where attendees could share insights, discuss real-world challenges, and explore innovative approaches to aging care. The timing of the conference aligned perfectly with Older Americans Month, making it all the more meaningful as we celebrated and empowered the older adults in our communities.

We’re grateful to everyone who joined us to learn, connect, and grow. The feedback we received was incredibly encouraging:

“This is one of the greatest conferences I have ever attended and I can’t wait to attend next year!”

“After attending last year, I knew I needed to bring my friends. My friends came with me this year and it has been so great. We can’t wait to come again next year!”

Mark your calendars—Aging Well 2026 is already in the works! Stay tuned for details as we continue to grow this powerful event focused on healthy aging and collaborative care.

At the start of January 2024, Northwest AHEC launched the opening day of the 2024 North Carolina Lactation Educator Training Program, a longstanding initiative dating back to 1996.

WSSU School of Health Sciences students, WFUSM Dept. of PA students, and Forsyth Technical Community College nursing students collaborate through Northwest AHEC on an inter-institutional, interprofessional program.

Excitement filled the air on June 8th, 2023, as the AHEC Nurse Educators embarked on a journey to Iredell County for their first in-person visits since the pandemic. This momentous occasion allowed the nurses to connect with valuable partners within the Northwest AHEC region at Iredell Health System and Iredell Health Department, setting the stage for productive collaborations and discussions.

On May 3rd, 2023 Northwest AHEC and Mountain AHEC hosted the 11^th Annual Breastfeeding Forum at the Mission Health A-B Tech Conference Center in beautiful Asheville, NC. After two years of being held virtually, the excitement of being able to gather in person for the Breastfeeding Forum was evident and could be felt throughout the event.

On May 19th, 2023, geriatric care professionals from across our region descended upon Village Inn Event Center in Clemmons to attend the highly anticipated 2023 Geriatrics Conference hosted by Northwest AHEC. The air buzzed with excitement as attendees finally had the opportunity to meet face-to-face after years of virtual events due to the pandemic.

WSSU School of Health Sciences and WFUSM Dept. of PA Students collaborate through Northwest AHEC on inter-institutional, interprofessional program which simulate management of patient care while integrating EHR Go software. 

WSSU School of Health Sciences and WFUSM Dept. of PA Students collaborate through Northwest AHEC on inter-institutional, interprofessional program which simulate management of patient care while integrating EHR Go software.