LET’S CELEBRATE - Announcing A Day of Recognition

We are excited to introduce a new day of recognition to honor the dedicated staff of Northwest AHEC, the Wake Forest University School of Medicine Office of Continuing Medical Education, the Faculty CME Committee, and esteemed healthcare continuing education professionals!

Healthcare Continuing Education Professionals Day is an opportunity to recognize and show our appreciation for our exceptional CE professionals.

What is Healthcare Continuing Education Professionals Day?

TODAY, January 24, 2025, marks the inaugural Healthcare Continuing Education Professionals Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the professionals who ensure that healthcare providers stay informed, competent, and capable of delivering the best possible care to their patients. Healthcare continuing education professionals play a pivotal role in shaping the future of healthcare by fostering lifelong learning and professional development.

Each year, we’ll celebrate on the Friday during the third full week of January, beginning with Friday, January 24, 2025. This special day offers an opportunity to reflect on the impact of continuing education professionals and their unwavering commitment to advancing healthcare excellence.

Celebrating Our Team

Today, our staff celebrated this momentous occasion with a luncheon at River Birch Lodge in Winston-Salem. We were delighted to come together as a team to honor the hard work and dedication of our incredible staff. Their efforts ensure that healthcare professionals in our region have access to the education and resources they need to thrive in their careers and deliver high-quality care to patients.

In preparation for this day, we also sent a survey to our staff, asking, "In one word, how would you describe yourself or the work you do as a contributor to Healthcare Continuing Education?" From the responses, we created a word cloud that highlights the passion and dedication of our team. This design was incorporated into a commemorative t-shirt that everyone will proudly wear to celebrate. 

Here are the words from the word cloud that describe our amazing team:

A Message from Leadership

“Healthcare Continuing Education Professionals Day is an important opportunity to shine a spotlight on the incredible work our team does every day,” said Michael P. Lischke, EdD, MPH, FCPP, Associate Dean of Continuing Medical Education and Richard Janeway, MD, Distinguished Director of Northwest AHEC. “Our staff is made up of knowledgeable, professional, and passionate individuals who are not only exceptional at what they do but are also a joy to work with. Their unwavering commitment ensures that healthcare professionals are equipped with the education they need to deliver outstanding care to their patients. I’m proud to celebrate this day and the extraordinary contributions of our team.”

“It’s the educators within our community that do the work to support healthcare professionals to practice at their best,” said Graham McMahon, MD, MMSc, President and CEO, ACCME. “CE professionals are outstanding agents of change who engage and inspire learners to innovate and improve our healthcare system; they deserve to be celebrated and appreciated for their critical role.”

Join the Celebration

We encourage everyone to take a moment to recognize the healthcare continuing education professionals in their lives. Whether you’re a learner, a healthcare provider, or a colleague, your acknowledgment and gratitude can go a long way in highlighting the vital contributions of CE professionals.

Let’s make Healthcare Continuing Education Professionals Day an annual tradition filled with gratitude, reflection, and celebration for these outstanding individuals who make a lasting impact on healthcare.

Happy Healthcare Continuing Education Professionals Day!

Northwest Area Health Education Center (AHEC) and the Office of Continuing Medical Education (OCME) work with state and local health associations, universities, community colleges, hospitals, and community organizations to serve constituents in the Northwest AHEC 17-county region and across the state. We provide activities that increase knowledge, as well as renew clinical and professional skills.  

Please take about 5 minutes to complete this needs assessment.

Planning for future activities will be based on your input, survey deadline is January 24^th. We value your feedback. 

    
There are no known risks or personal benefits to completing this survey; however, the knowledge gained will benefit the planning of Northwest AHEC/OCME continuing education activities. Completing the survey is voluntary, and neither completing nor declining to complete the survey will affect your participation in any Northwest AHEC/OCME activity. This information will only be used to determine educational needs and methods of course delivery. The only identifiable data that will be collected are name and email if you choose to provide them. If you have questions or comments about this survey, contact ahecmktg@wakehealth.edu.  

Pharmacy Week is celebrated from October 20-26. This week is dedicated to National Pharmacy Week, a time to honor and appreciate the crucial contributions pharmacists and pharmacy technicians make to patient care.

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Join us for the 2024 LPN Symposium on October 4th, dynamic hybrid event that promises to engage and inspire!

Northwest Area Health Education Center (Northwest AHEC), part of Wake Forest University School of Medicine, recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Since 1974, Northwest AHEC has served as a primary resource for educational activities and services with a focus on primary care in rural communities and areas with less access to resources. Northwest AHEC provides advanced training to health care professionals and students to recruit, train and retain the workforce needed to create a healthy North Carolina.

This conference is designed to provide diabetes best practices for healthcare professionals. Participants will gain knowledge about specific topics in the field of diabetes management. It is imperative that providers remain educated in all aspects of their patients’ care, from clinical management to behavior and quality of life. Find out all the details and get registered today - click here.

What do sleep, homelessness, electroconvulsive therapy, and Alzheimer's have in common? They are all part of our Podcast CE learning series. Listen to a podcast, pass the post-test, and earn an hour of continuing education credits for your professional development, and there is no cost! Get the details here: https://go.northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/podcastce 

Why a Podcast Learning Series? 
Podcasts have emerged as a popular learning tool for adult learners, offering flexibility and accessibility. Recent research has explored the effectiveness of podcasts in educational settings, focusing on how they contribute to knowledge acquisition, engagement, and retention among adult learners.

Studies suggest that podcasts can be effective in enhancing knowledge acquisition and retention. Adult learners appreciate the convenience and ability to learn on the go, which fits well with their often busy schedules. Podcasts have been shown to improve understanding and retention, especially when paired with supplementary materials such as transcripts or quizzes.

Podcasts are highly engaging due to their conversational style, which often makes complex topics more accessible. Research shows that learners are more likely to stay engaged with the material when it is delivered in an audio format, especially if the content is structured in a narrative or storytelling format.

The ability to listen to podcasts at any time and place is particularly beneficial for adult learners who may struggle to find time for traditional learning methods. This flexibility can lead to higher levels of motivation and self-directed learning.

See our current podcast course offerings here: https://go.northwestahec.wakehealth.edu/podcastce 

Join us on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024 from 8:00 am–5:05 pm at Bowman Gray Center for Medical Education for the Winston-Salem Dance Medicine Conference. Featured Presenter is Antoine Hunter aka Purple Fire Crow an award-winning internationally  known African-American, Indigenous, Deaf, Disabled, choreographer, dancer, actor, instructor, speaker, producer, and Deaf advocate. 

Check out these no-cost online learning offerings from Northwest AHEC, catch up on your contact hours from the comfort of your own home.