Area Health Education Centers in Tennessee

The Tennessee AHEC Program Office                                       

Agency Name: Meharry Medical College

Location:  Nashville, Tennessee                                                                  

Website:  http://familymedicine.mmc.edu

Description:  The Tennessee AHEC Program Office is housed in the Department of Family & Community Medicine at Meharry Medical College.  The TN AHEC Program Office serves as the coordinating center for the three centers; facilitates a community-based Family Medicine clinical rotation for 4th year medical students; connects health professionals with continuing opportunities; facilitates and participates in career exploration programs/events for local high school students. 

The West Tennessee AHEC

Agency Name:  The West Tennessee AHEC, Inc.

Location:  Somerville, Tennessee

Website:  http://www.wtahec.org

Description:  The West Tennessee AHEC, Inc. opened in 1987 and serves the western region of the state, which encompasses twenty-one counties.  The center was established as a nonprofit organization to partner with Meharry Medical College to enhance access to care, quality of care, and the decisions of health professions’ students to practice in medically underserved urban and rural areas of Tennessee.  Current programming focuses on health careers recruitment for students, providing continuing education programs for health professionals, promoting training experiences in medically underserved areas, and enhancing consumer awareness of health, wellness, and preventative care. 

The Central Tennessee AHEC

Agency Name:  Tennessee Primary Care Association

Location:  Brentwood, Tennessee

Website:  http://www.tnpca.org

Description:  Tennessee Primary Care Association (TPCA) is a nonprofit corporation connecting Tennesseans with a health care home, especially the medically underserved.  Since its inception in 1976, TPCA is committed to 1) identifying unmet needs and gaps in service access, 2) developing systems of care, 3) advocating for resources, and 4) promoting awareness of Community Health Centers.  Membership includes 34 nonprofit primary care clinics across the state operating over 150 sites providing comprehensive medical care. Educational training is a major part of TPCA’s program.

East Tennessee AHEC

Agency Name:  Cherokee Health Systems

Location:  Knoxville, Tennessee

Website: http://www.cherokeehealth.com

Description: Cherokee Health Systems has served the medically uninsured and underserved populations of East Tennessee since 1960. Cherokee provides a clinical care model that blends primary care and behavioral health services, enabling clinicians to address a comprehensive array of physical and emotional health issues. Cherokee has also been a pioneer in the use of telehealth equipment to link patients in underserved areas and providers when long distances separate them. The current system uses teleconferencing equipment and high-speed telephone lines to allow the clinician and patient to speak to each other as if they were in the same room. Cherokee’s commitment extends beyond improving access to quality care for underserved populations. The organization is actively engaged in preventive and community outreach activities and the training of health professionals. Training is currently offered to students preparing to work as Clinical, Counseling and School Psychologists; Primary Care Physicians; Nurse Practitioners; Social Workers as well as several other health professions.