The North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program (NC AHEC) is pleased to announce the selection and on-boarding of four rural interprofessional teaching hubs.

In its 2023 session, the North Carolina state legislature allocated funds to NC AHEC to establish up to five rural, community-based health teaching practices, known as rural teaching hubs. These hubs are situated in rural areas where medical, nurse practitioner, and physician assistant students can train together. Interprofessional education (IPE) involves two or more professionals – such as nurse practitioner and medical students -learning with, about, and from each other to foster effective collaboration and improve health outcomes. NC AHEC will provide technical assistance to the teaching hubs and consult as needed with the schools where the students are enrolled.

“We are grateful for the General Assembly’s commitment to developing the workforce needed to care for rural communities, particularly with the emphasis on teamwork and collaboration,” said Hugh Tilson, Executive Director of NC AHEC. “This investment will help us understand what it takes for rural primary care practices to establish intentional, effective, and seamless student teaching efforts, ultimately resulting in collaborative-practice-ready students committed to working in rural areas.”

Each teaching hub will receive at least $150,000 per year for at least two years and will report to NC AHEC annually on the impact on the teaching site, the learning and success of the students, and the health and well-being of their respective service areas.

NC AHEC engaged a group of stakeholders from relevant education and health care provider organizations to develop the rural teaching hub model and application and to select four hubs to participate.  The teaching hubs are:

• Campbell University School of Medicine Community Care Clinic with sites in Dunn County and Harnett County
• Atrium/Wake Forest with sites in Randolph County, Cleveland County and Stanly County
• Ocracoke Health Center with sites in Dare County and Hyde County
• Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center with sites in Hertford County, Bertie County, Northampton County and Washington County

NC AHEC looks forward to working with these teaching hubs and is grateful to the NC General Assembly for their commitment to educating future rural health care professionals and to entrusting NC AHEC to develop and implement this important work.