Magnolia AHEC Scholars Program
The Magnolia Coastlands Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Scholars Program is dedicated to recruiting, training, and supporting a diverse and multidisciplinary group of health profession students. This two-year initiative focuses on delivering contemporary healthcare education through community-based experiential or clinical training coupled with classroom learning.
The curriculum addresses vital topics such as Interprofessional Education, Behavioral Health Integration, Social Determinants of Health, Cultural Competency, Practice Transformation, along with other pressing and emerging health issues.
Cohort 5 AHEC Scholars recently showcased their Capstone projects, which explored “The Challenges of Maternal and Child Health in Rural Georgia and Potential Solutions.” These inter-professional teams, comprising students from the Master of Public Health, Nursing, Pre-Med/Biology, and Nutrition programs, proposed a program targeting the maternal and child health challenges in Georgia’s rural communities. A distinctive feature of their projects was the inclusion of a telehealth component, emphasizing the importance of inter-professional collaboration.
The Magnolia Coastlands AHEC invited esteemed guest judges for the event, including Mr. Lloyd Sirmons, Director of the Southeastern Telehealth Resource Center; Ms. Gina Crabb, Clinical Instructor at GSU Waters College of the Health Professions; Ms. Yvonne Dillon, Clinical Coordinator – Sonography at GSU Waters College of the Health Professions; Dr. Myka Bussey-Campbell, Assistant Chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences and Program Coordinator of Diagnostic Medical Sonography; and Ms. Kathryn Ziegler, Lecturer at GSU Waters College of the Health Professions.
The competition concluded with a tie for the Judges Award between two innovative projects:
The “EAT. FEEL. MOVE!” Campaign
The “Healthy Mommy, Healthy Baby” Program
This recognition highlights the program’s commitment to addressing complex health challenges through collaborative and innovative solutions.