Montana Area Health Education Centers (AHEC)
The AHEC (Area Health Education Centers) program was developed by Congress in 1971 to recruit, train and retain a health professions workforce committed to underserved populations. The purpose of the AHEC program is to meet the needs of the communities they serve through robust community-academic partnerships, with a focus on exposure, education, and training of the current and future healthcare workforce. AHECs achieve this work through programs that introduce healthcare careers to high school students, support health professions students during post-secondary education, and promote continuing education for current healthcare professionals.
Montana has 5 AHEC regional centers and a program office located at Montana State University in Bozeman. Each regional center works within its community to recruit, train, and retain a health profession workforce committed to rural and underserved populations. Montana Hospital Association hosts two regional centers, North Central Montana AHEC and South Central Montana AHEC.
North Central Montana AHEC serves the following counties: Glacier, Toole, Liberty, Hill, Blaine, Pondera, Chouteau, Teton, Cascade, Judith Basin, and Meagher.
South Central Montana AHEC serves the following counties: Lewis and Clark, Powell, Granite, Deer Lodge, Silver Bow, Jefferson, Broadwater, Beaverhead, Madison, Gallatin, and Park.