This week has been bustling for Northwest AHEC and the Office of Rural Health (ORH), with three site visits to the State Designated Rural Health Centers! Our partnership with SDRHC and ORH ensures top-notch primary healthcare for all residents in their communities. At NWAHEC, we're delighted to collaborate with these organizations, which truly strive to address the needs of their communities. A big thanks to Grace Clinic in Elkin, Surry Medical Ministries in Mt Airy and Hugh Chatham in Ronda and of course, working with the ORH team is always a pleasure.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most frequently used evidence-based practices in behavioral health services and is a valuable treatment tool for helping individuals achieve their goals.

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 Department of Radiology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine is renewing their annual tradition of offering top-notch CME at the beach in 2024. Kiawah Island offers a beautiful backdrop for this new course- refreshing content, innovative approaches to learning and more. Register now to secure your spot for the Summer Radiology Review! Join us!

Excitement filled the air as the Northwest AHEC team gathered for a much-anticipated team meeting and tour of the brand-new Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness in Winston-Salem. The team was eager to explore this innovative space and learn about the cutting-edge practices of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. This visit offered a unique opportunity for the team to witness firsthand the collaboration between different generations, which is sure to spark curiosity and interest in these vital healthcare professions among the younger generations to start a path into healthcare.

The Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) School of Health Sciences (SOHS) is a dedicated space partner in the new Senior Services Intergenerational Center for Arts and Wellness. The space houses several specialty clinics currently offered by the WSSU SOHS in and around East Winston and surrounding areas that provide health and preventive care services and programming for the underserved population. The goal is to also expand the health services offered to meet the needs of the community while providing experiential learning for WSSU SOHS students in a state-of-the-art facility.

Delve into the complex and intertwined history of race and medicine in the United States, gaining valuable insights into the pervasive presence of structural racism within the healthcare system. By participating in the online program led by esteemed expert Dr. Jennifer Schaal, you will have the opportunity to deepen your understanding of how racist ideologies have shaped the development of American medical systems.

Ethical Psychopharmacology is a look at several different aspects of how psychoactive drugs are evaluated, marketed, and promoted by prescribers by looking at issues of transparency, research data, conflict of interest, funding sources and their interests, and informed consent. I will describe the drug approval process through the FDA, history of the DSM and how the diagnostic process has been influenced by money, big Pharma, and conflict of interest. We will look at some clever marketing messages and the difference between marketing and science. 

To celebrate National Volunteer Month, Northwest AHEC is thrilled to empower and assist our team members in making a difference in the community through volunteer work. Our primary focus lies in addressing pressing social issues like food security, housing, and employment. Several Northwest AHEC staff met up on April 4th to kick off National Volunteer Month at Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest NC to lend a hand in Community Meals, where each week thousands of meals are lovingly prepared, tray packed, and boxed up for delivery to programs serving seniors, children, neighbors living with disabilities, and others.

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.

Join other dental and pharmacy healthcare providers for this 1.5 hours lecture to discuss updates on pharmacotherapy management of dental pain and statewide efforts. Today's healthcare landscape is complex when it comes to ensuring appropriate pain management. Topics discussed include: Opioid prescribing practices, 2022 CDC pain guidelines, review of NC's new Dental Opioid Action Plan and the NC prescription drug monitoring program, how to engage with other healthcare providers (including pharmacies) to discuss controlled substance prescribing patterns, and pharmacological approaches to acute dental pain.