New interactive online Urban Service Track Scholars Map connects past, current and future UST/AHEC scholars
Stock image (Courtesy of CT AHEC).
You are probably familiar with the "Where's Waldo?" puzzle where readers are challenged to find Waldo and his friends hidden throughout the pages. It's a lot of fun when you find Waldo, but it takes time!
Urban Service Track/AHEC (UST/AHEC) scholars and alumni are spread out all over the country and it is often hard to find one another to network and share resources. The reach and breadth of the UST/AHEC alumni scholars spans 40 states and territories across the United States. But now UST/AHEC scholars and alumni from the UConn schools of medicine, dental medicine and pharmacy have access to an interactive map that helps them quickly determine if a fellow scholar in residency or an alumni is in a particular state. Once identified, connecting is much easier!
"We have trained more than 500 UST/AHEC health professions students who are in, or who completed residency since 2011. We are always looking for ways to support our scholars and the interactive online Urban Service Track Scholars Map connects our past, current and future UST/AHEC scholars so they can network around residency programs and specialties. They can search by discipline, field and graduation year," says Cecil Tengatenga, associate director, of the Connecticut Area Health Education Center (CT AHEC), that oversees the UST/AHEC program.
CT AHEC's role in promoting and supporting Connecticut's health care workforce is one piece of the organization's mission to address health disparities through educational workforce development. As a federally funded program, the CT AHEC Network also extends the resources of the University of Connecticut as well as other partner organizations, to Connecticut's health care and public health workforce, and to other states and territories.
CT AHEC is celebrating 28 years in operation at UConn's medical school.
"The UConn School of Medicine is pleased to contribute to the rigorous training of state and national health care workforce through CT AHEC. An investment in health profession learners across disciplines is an investment not only for Connecticut, but the nation," said Bruce Liang, MD, dean of the UConn School of Medicine.
As a major engine for UConn's Primary Care track, 61% of the UST/AHEC program graduates who have continued their training into residency, have been matched into family medicine/general practice, Advanced Education in General Dentistry, pediatrics, pediatric dentistry, internal medicine and pharmacy practice.
Kenia Mansilla, MD, UConn School of Medicine, Family Residency director, and UST/AHEC faculty, says "Our residency program has integrated community collaborations to enhance our students' experiential learning to serve better the urban and underserved population we care for in our office in Hartford. UST has been essential and key, creating more opportunities for our residents to work in the community, and at the same time teaching them the skills they need as health care professionals."
The UST/AHEC program covers two universities, four campuses and six disciplines. In addition to students from the schools of medicine, dental medicine and pharmacy, UST/AHEC students come from nursing, physician assistant, and social work programs. Because the focus is on interprofessional skills, and understanding underserved urban and rural populations, graduates of the two-year UST/AHEC scholars program bring unique skills and experience to employment and residency training.
Family Medicine's Mansilla agrees: "Residents benefit also from the education UST provides on the different vulnerable population in their curriculum. They integrate in their learning experiences in a true interprofessional structure that sometimes is not yet available in their clinical training sites. Serendipitously, they become role models and a resource for those students going through the program."
UST/AHEC graduate Elizabeth "Lizzie" Suschana, MD is currently in her first year, post grad, at SUNY Downstate Medical Center/King's County Hospital in Brooklyn, NY and echoes these sentiments.
"As one of the bigger institutions in central Brooklyn, we mainly work with underserved populations, including many immigrants and refugees," says Suschana. "Being a part of UST in medical school, I built the foundational skills to better serve my patients and take a holistic approach to practicing OBGYN that considers the unique challenges faced by this patient population. As I move forward in my career, staying connected with UST is something that centers me, reminding me why I went into medicine and allowing myself to grow in new capacities as a leader."
CT AHEC's Petra Clark-Dufner says the UST/AHEC graduates often stay connected and return as faculty and mentors. Mansilla agrees: "When UST scholars graduate and they go to their next level (e.g. medical and dental students going into residency), many want to connect back and continue being part of UST in their new role as residents. They know how valuable these experiences were for them and simply want to give back to others in the program."
The Urban Service Track Scholars Map is a valuable tool available to them when they want to know "Where are the UST/AHEC Scholars?"
