Northwest AHEC Impact Highlights
Each year, National AHEC Week provides an opportunity to spotlight the important role Area Health Education Centers play in strengthening the healthcare workforce nationwide. From March 23–27, Northwest Area Health Education Center (Northwest AHEC) joins AHECs across the country in recognizing the partnerships, programs, and people who make this work possible.
Across northwestern North Carolina, communities continue to face challenges related to healthcare access, workforce shortages, and health equity—particularly in rural and medically underserved areas. Northwest AHEC addresses these challenges by supporting learners and professionals at every stage of the healthcare pipeline, helping ensure communities have access to high-quality, locally connected care.
2024–2025 Impact Snapshot
In AY25, Northwest AHEC supported the healthcare workforce through the following efforts:
Health Careers & Student Pathways
- 3,123 participants engaged through 45 health careers activities, totaling 870 instructional hours, including 504 in-person and 84 virtual Camp Med participants.
Student Support Housing
- Northwest AHEC provided 6,155 housing nights for 140 students, with an average stay of 44 nights per student, helping remove barriers to clinical training.
Graduate Medical Education & Patient Services
- 55% of Northwest AHEC–supported resident graduates (36 of 66) chose to remain in North Carolina, collectively serving an estimated 47,905 indigent and underserved patients during AY25.
Continuing Professional Development
- Northwest AHEC supported 34,847 health professionals through 1,741 continuing professional development activities delivered.
Practice Support Services
- The practice support team completed 2,312 regional encounters and 292 additional engagements beyond the Northwest AHEC region, extending impact across North Carolina.
A Shared Commitment to Community Health
“At Northwest AHEC, our mission is to strengthen the healthcare workforce by supporting learners and professionals at every stage—from early exposure to health careers through clinical training and professional practice,” said Dr. Michael Lischke, the Richard Janeway MD Distinguished Director of Northwest AHEC. “By investing in students, health professionals, and community partnerships, we are helping build a workforce that is prepared, connected, and committed to serving communities across our region.”
As Northwest AHEC celebrates National AHEC Week, the organization extends its gratitude to educators, healthcare partners, students, preceptors, and communities who make this work possible. Together, we are shaping the future of healthcare—one learner, one professional, and one partnership at a time.