Education General Health and Wellness

North Texas AHEC has widespread outreach to rural communities in 2024-25

Andy Newberry
09 July 2025
2 min read

The North Central Area Health Education Center at Midwestern State University had an excellent event-filled 2024-25 school year serving West Texas students with a mission of improving rural health care.

“It’s been an honor to serve as the director of North Central AHEC,” AHEC manager Sarah Long said. “It has allowed me the opportunity to promote health care careers and education to our most vulnerable populations here in North Texas while strengthening our partnerships alongside our rural communities as well.”

One mission of the program is to serve as a “Health Careers Pipeline,” introducing students (grades 9-12) in rural and underserved areas to health careers and educating students on health-related information. A total of 6,586 West Texas students received information and participated in activities regarding health careers and health care education, and more than 3,000 hours were dedicated to health careers activities and camps for rural and underserved students to learn about becoming future health care providers. More than 350 health care profession students received free scrubs through North Central AHEC's “Scrubs Club.”

AHEC roundup

AHEC at Forestburg ISD with school sign behind AHEC personnel

AHEC with large group in classroom — Photos by Paige Rask/Area Health Education Center Community Based Educator

The North Central Area Health Education celebrated another year of improving rural healthcare education in the area. More than 204 rural high school students from North Texas received a hands-on tour of MSU Texas and Vernon Regional Junior College health science programs.

With a mission to support health care professionals and health professions students with hands-on continuing education and professional development training, NCAHEC provided nearly 30,000 hours of continuing education this year.
AHEC by the numbers
- 136 people received a mental health certification through NCAHEC.
- Over 5,000 Hot Job books were distributed to students across North Texas to promote/expose a future career in health care.
- $32,000 was given in stipend payments to health care profession students in North Texas.
- 204 rural high school students from North Texas received a hands-on tour of MSU Texas and Vernon Regional Junior College health science programs.
Community Based Education

The NCAHEC has a mission to support health care professionals and health professions students with hands-on continuing education and professional development training.
- Provided 29,885 hours of continuing education
- 695 professionals, high school students, and collegiate students participated in the training sessions. This community-based training benefits local communities, health professions training programs, and health professionals.
Community Outreach and Health Literacy

Reaching out to the community and health professions students regarding health literacy, education, and careers.
- Reached 4,565 participants through career and health fairs.
- Held community outreach activities with 325 participants.
- Held 11 events for CBE professional development activities, attended national conferences in Washington, D.C., and Lexington, Kentucky. Partnered with Region 9, Cook Children’s Hospital, United Regional Hospital, Texas Organization of Rural and Community Hospitals), and many other organizations to promote health literacy.

About the West Texas AHEC Program

Maintains six regional AHEC centers in partnership with area organizations.
The region spans more than 131,000 square miles as one of the most rural and medically underserved regions in the United States.
The region is home to 106 rural counties and 54 of those are frontier — 23 counties do not have a physician, and many have limited access to health care services.
Partnerships with more than 830 community-based organizations.