16th Annual “One Community in Recovery” Conference Healing Together: Building Stronger Communities

The 24th annual Share the Health Fair, sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the Northwest Area Health Education Center, will be held this Saturday, Nov. 2. More than 10 free screenings, tests and other health-related services will be available to the public.

This free event will be held from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Wake Forest Baptist’s Downtown Health Plaza, located at 1200 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. in Winston-Salem. The event is open to all adults and children regardless of insurance coverage, income level or immigration status. There will be several children-focused stations as well as childcare for families who attend.

Interested individuals can walk-in the day of and register at the event. Spanish-language interpreters will be available.

A variety of vaccinations and screenings will be offered, including:

• Bone density screening
• Flu vaccinations
• Glaucoma and vision testing 
• Glucose and cholesterol testing
• Lung function testing
• Mental health and memory screenings 
• Sexually transmitted infection screening
• Skin screenings
• Strength and balance testing 

A comprehensive team of physicians and specialists will be present, along with medical students, PA students, technicians and other health care professionals. Most test and screening results will be immediately provided to the participants as well as educational materials to help individuals understand what results mean. Participants will also be provided with the option to discuss any abnormal findings or other health concerns with one of the Wake Forest Baptist physicians on-site.

For those who require follow-up care, referrals will be provided to either the Downtown Health Plaza or other free, local community organizations and clinics that provide the needed services on a regular basis.

“As a medical student, it is so important to get out into our community and take the opportunity to educate our neighbors about healthy lifestyle changes to help them improve their overall health and wellbeing,” said Elsa Katarina Acosta, third-year medical student at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. “The goal of the health fair is to address the needs of underserved populations and create healthy lifestyles for generations to come. This is one small way to give back and I am thankful to be part of it.”

There will be representatives on-site to provide consultations regarding health insurance and legal resources, living wills and advance health care directives. Participants will also receive a goody bag while supplies last with essential items, such as toothbrushes, soap and fresh produce.

Live webinar Engaging LGBTQ Youth and Families: How Do You Show You are an Ally? 

Healthy aging — and finding ways to age well — is the focus of the first Appalachian State University Aging Well Conference, to be held May 16 and 17 at the Levine Hall of Health Sciences in Boone. The event is sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina. 

The North Carolina Annual STI Update was held on March 20, 2024, as fully remote for presenters and attendees for the fourth year in a row. Hosting it virtually allowed Northwest AHEC and partners to offer the longstanding and reputable continuing professional development activity to a larger audience. Northwest AHEC collaborates with the following organizations to plan and provide the activity: NC Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Public Health, Epidemiology Section and Communicable Disease Branch; University of Alabama at Birmingham, Division of Infectious Diseases; Southeast STD/HIV Prevention Training Center; NC HIV Training and Education Center; and Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Section on Infectious Diseases.

Health Careers & Workforce Diversity hosted the 1st annual statewide Emerging Leaders in Healthcare Conference for AHEC Scholars from February 16-18, 2024. This event, tailored for Scholars in Cohorts 5 and 6, drew approximately 169 AHEC Scholars to the Piedmont AHEC region for 20 hours of vital didactic education as part of a new statewide enrichment model complementing region-specific didactic hours across AHEC centers.

Remember A'nya Bucker, we introduced her last year as an outstanding Northwest AHEC Scholar. She is being recognized with an NC Space Grant! Read the full article on our blog from WSSU. 

Winston-Salem State University student A’nya Buckner of Morrisville is unleashing her genius out of this world. The junior biology major with a chemistry minor has been selected by the N.C. Space Grant as one of the 2023-2024 Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) STEM Bridge Scholars.

Join us virtually on March 20th to explore the latest developments in sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevention, diagnosis and treatment specific to North Carolina.

This one day workshop will focus on learning, improving, and perfecting the ACOG recommended route of hysterectomy.