Health Professions Students & Residents
Preparing for a Healthcare Career
The Central Arizona Area Health Education Center (CAAHEC) seeks to provide students in healthcare professions with unique and rewarding community-based education and training, both clinical and non-clinical rotations and internships, in rural and underserved communities. The purpose of the health professions training program is to increase the number of clinicians in Arizona’s medically underserved areas, specifically in primary and preventative medical, dental and behavioral health.
Teaming up with primary care providers who act as preceptors or mentors, students have the opportunity to experience primary care first-hand. Students participate in the daily activities of the medical facilities, gain knowledge of the health care needs of the community, the social determinants of health that impact the community, and learn skills to better serve and improve clinical health outcomes of their patients.
Rotations
Primary care students with a serious desire for exploring an opportunity with rotation sites offering services to underserved populations are encouraged to apply for a rotation by filling out an online application.
Qualifying Disciplines
- Physician (MD and DO)
- Physician Assistant
- Nurse Practitioner
- Dentist
- Dental Hygienist
- Behavioral Health Professionals (Master’s level or higher)
Rotation Sites
- Located in Arizona
- Located in a federally designated Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA)
- Located in a Medically Underserved Area (MUA)
- Located in a Medically Underserved Population (MUP)
- Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)
After careful review, students are compared to selection criteria and ranked according to available rotation slots. If the applicant is accepted, they will receive notification and be asked to follow program procedures.
Selection Criteria
- Student/Resident enrolled in a primary care training program
- National Health Service Corps or AHEC Scholar
- Academic Year
- Prior experiences working with underserved populations
- Medical resident or health profession student
- From a rural area or disadvantaged background
- Desire to work in an underserved area
Approved Students Must Complete
- Online registration
- Pre-rotation survey
- Required documents and trainings online prior to rotation start date
- Orientation as directed by placement site
- Post-rotation survey
CAAHEC partners with clinical rotation sites in rural and underserved areas in Central Arizona including Maricopa, Pinal, and Yavapai Counties to help streamline clinical rotation requests from primary care students using the myClinicalExchange Clinical Rotation Management Platform and the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers’ online student application.
For Students
- If you already have a subscription to myClinicalExchange, you can log into your account and request a rotation by following the instructions on the site for clinical rotation sites participating in the mCE Clinical Rotation Management Platform.
- If you do not have a subscription to myClinicalExchange and would like to request a rotation with clinical rotation sites participating in the mCE Clinical Rotation Management Platform, please fill out the form on the MCE website and they will send you log in instructions to set up a temporary account at no charge.
- If you would like to request a rotation with a clinical rotation site that does not participate in the mCE Clinical Rotation Management Platform, please fill out the Alliance's online student rotation request form.
For Academic Clinical Coordinators
- If your academic institution has an account with myClinicalExchange, log into your account to request a clinical rotation with clinical rotation sites participating in the mCE Clinical Rotation Management Platform.
- If you do not have an account with myClinical Exchange and would like to request a rotation with clinical rotation sites participating in the mCE Clinical Rotation Management Platform, please fill out the form on the MCE website to request a rotation and they will send you follow up instructions.
- If your academic institution would like to request a rotation with a site that does not participate in the mCE Clinical Rotation Management Platform, please fill out an online student rotation request form that can be accessed at the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers Website.
Internships
CAAHEC assists in placing students for community-based non-clinical internship opportunities. Through academic-community partnerships, CAAHEC can help connect students to experiences at community-based organizations.