SOWEGA-AHEC Preceptorships

Community Faculty Development and Coordination

In an era when quality clinical training sites for health careers education become an increasingly precious commodity and academic centers compete to identify and utilize these sites, a community based effort to facilitate and support site development is occurring through the efforts of SOWEGA-AHEC. Because academic programs are sometimes remote and extra time and resources for clinical development are difficult to find, regional efforts to promote clinical rotations can be very helpful to those involved.

Moreover, the needs of the preceptor and site can be interwoven into this process. For example, a particular practice may enjoy and value providing clinical experiences for medical students. In addition, they may be interested in expanding their precepting efforts to physician assistant or nurse practitioner programs in order to achieve other goals such as becoming more familiar with the role that provider plays in the health care team. Because the Preceptor Coordinator is available to facilitate that process, identify feasible options, arrange schedules as needed, and assist with related issues (such as housing, hospital access, etc.), the process of working with more that one institution is feasible. Consequently, quality sites with a sincere interest in education may be efficiently and effectively utilized.

On a community level, enhanced access to more programs is provided. For the academic center, there is regional representation to enhance communication, trouble shoot, promote that center's program, and serve as a resource for the student involved.

For more information, please contact Julie Roth.

Farmworkers' Summer Project

This project entails providing health care services to migrants, seasonal farmer workers and their families. Services are a result of the formulation of collaborative partnerships with the Southwest Georgia Area Health Education Center, local physicians, health care agencies and institutes of higher learning. Partnership with Universities such as Emory, Georgia State and Albany State provides faculty and students the opportunity to experience a different clinical and classroom setting. Provision of health care services necessitate traveling to campsites, harvesting fields, grocery stores and living accommodations. Students get a first hand view of the lifestyles, habits, illnesses and practices of the migrant population.