Community Based Student Education and Training

Service While Learning

Community-based clinical training experiences focus on the primary care needs of the medically underserved and help in building the future capacity of the students to deliver patient services to target populations. These clinical training rotations promote and assure the distribution of the health workforce in north Florida by providing training opportunities in rural and underserved communities for medical and physician assistant students. All health professions student training activities include patient care interactions and cultivate student interest in future practice in rural or medically underserved areas.

Northeast Florida AHEC recruits and trains preceptors from county health departments, community health centers, rural hospitals and clinics, mental health facilities, private physician offices, schools, and others that host clinical rotations for students.

For more information on how to become a preceptor, contact Tonia Harris, Executive Director, or Jennifer Smidt Federal and Wellness Program Coordinator.

Medical Student Rotations

1st Year Medical Students

Northeast Florida AHEC facilitates and assists with the University Of Florida College Of Medicine Primary Care Preceptorship for 1^st year medical students by identifying qualified preceptors in rural and underserved areas, providing student housing as requested, conducting site visits as needed, coordinating site requirements for rotating students with University of Florida AHEC Program Office, participating on conference calls regarding the Preceptorship and attending local meetings and trainings.

3rd Year Medical Students

Northeast Florida AHEC also proudly facilitates University of Florida College of Medicine Community-based Clerkships for 3^rdyear medical students. The 12-week AHEC-sponsored community-based “interdisciplinary” clerkship is completed by almost 115 3^rd year medical students. This interdisciplinary course integrates key components from clerkships in family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics.

4th Year Medical Students

In collaboration with the University of Florida AHEC Program Office, Northeast Florida AHEC facilitates the “Rural Health Systems” elective for 4^th year medical students from the College of Medicine at the University of Florida. Northeast Florida AHEC identifies qualified preceptors for the elective clerkship and provides housing as needed.

Physician Assistant Student Rotations

Northeast Florida AHEC coordinates the Physician Assistant Primary Care Initiative for second year UF physician assistant students. Four-week rotations in Primary Care, Pediatrics Outpatient, General Surgery, and Emergency Medicine are scheduled for selected students, five days per week, and supervised by physician-preceptors approved by the University of Florida AHEC Program. Northeast Florida AHEC arranges and maintains housing for physician assistant students on an as needed basis. The initiative consists of approximately twelve rotations in the Northeast Florida AHEC service area.