History
Established in 1990, the Lower Rio Grande Valley Area Health Education Center (LRGV AHEC) began as a health care training program for community health centers. The LRGV AHEC eventually provided the fundamental infrastructure for the development of a medical education component (in Harlingen), a research component (in Edinburg), and a public health component (in Brownsville), known today, as the Regional Academic Health Centers. The LRGV AHEC continues its pioneering forte with a plethora of educational programs aimed to ameliorate future and current health care professionals.
Mission
To establish a continuum of access to quality healthcare in the Lower Rio Grande Valley by cultivating and nurturing healthcare professionals through innovative academic and community educational partnerships.
Region
The Lower Rio Grande Valley is a four-county region (Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy) that lies in the southernmost tip of South Texas along the northern bank of the Rio Grande River. It has a bilingual (Spanish and English) population estimated at over 1.2 million who have one of the highest high school dropout, poverty, and unemployment rates in the nation (US Census Bureau). In addition, the region is perpetually designated as Medically Underserved Area (MUA) and Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, HRSA.
Mailing Address:
- Regional Academic Health Center 2.104
- UT Health Science Center at San Antonio
- Mail Code: 8052
- 2102 Treasure Hills Blvd.
- Harlingen, Texas 78550
Phone Numbers:
- Phone: (956) 365-8660 • Campus: 5-8660
- Fax: (956) 365-8723 • Campus: 5-8723
Armando Lopez, MPH
lopeza13@uthscsa.edu
Director
Janie Escareño
escareno@uthscsa.edu
Administrative Assistant/Housing Coordinator
LRGV AHEC HOUSING
We participate in the South Texas AHEC Student Housing, where our goal is your safety and comfort. The LRGV AHEC currently works to accommodate UTHSCSA students from all health care disciplines who are working on clerkships or rotations in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. When available, the low cost housing is offered to non-UTHSCSA students. All students are required to submit a request form, pay a nominal deposit fee, and abide by the South Texas AHEC Housing rules and regulations. For more information, please contact our office or Janie Escareno at 956-365-8722 or at escareno@uthscsa.edu.
Mario E. Ramirez, MD Medical Library Partner
LRGV AHEC has established a strong relationship with the Mario E. Ramirez, MD Medical Library leadership to develop community outreach programs. Both students and health professionals have been the beneficiaries of these programs that include health career recruitment, continued education, and comprehensive training. Together, we are developing programs that help connect the health care students, health care institutions, and the Rio Grande Valley community
The High School Summer Science Internship aims to increase the number of students, particularly Hispanic students, who graduate with science degrees. We believe that many students from the Rio Grande Valley have the capacity to become scientists given the opportunity to develop those interests. Therefore we participate with the Summer Science Internship program. Internships are offered at several university settings in the Rio Grande Valley including: The University of Texas Pan American (UTPA), The University of Texas at Brownsville (UTB), The University of Texas, School of Public Health (UTSPH), The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (UTHSCSA), and the Lower Rio Grande Valley Area Health Education Center (LRGV AHEC).
The "Night at the RAHC" is a program aimed to increase the number of students, particularly Hispanic students, who pursue a health profession. The UTHSCSA-Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC), who is a third and fourth year medical school located in Harlingen, Texas, Will host local high school students. The students will participate in a variety of hands on demonstrations to further spark their interest in pursuing a health profession. Participating centers include the Mario Ramirez Library, the RAHC Medical School, STEER State Department of Health Services, and LRGV AHEC.
The College Enrichment Internship aims to increase the number of students who apply
to health professional degree programs. According to local experts, the LRGV students
have the potential to apply and be successful in many of today’s health professional
degree programs. What is lacking are the basic educational fundamentals to be successful
in the required courses and the entrance exams. We have developed a program in conjunction
with The University of Texas Pan American and The University of Texas at Brownsville
to offer students a two week enrichment internship in critical thinking, science,
writing, and study skills.
College students are offered an opportunity to learn along with real life doctors
through the Grand Rounds Training Program. It is an actual continued education course
offered to family physicians and other primary care providers in South Texas with
evidence-based and patient-center instruction they can use to prevent disease and
improve the care they deliver to their individual patients, families and communities.
Students are invited to attend these weekly training sessions at the University
level classroom to attend these sessions.
An innovative elementary school program aimed to promote health and science careers
among 4th grade students. The Little Scientists Program is working with La Joya
School District elementary school district to promote health careers using lesson
plans, health professional career day, and field trips. The students will learn
about the basic sciences needed to become a health professional, as well, as the
duties that are performed at a work place.
LRGV AHEC staff is readily available to participate in all school level activities.
High schools, middle schools, and elementary schools, can call for presentation
and materials support during their career day or fair activities. LRGV Staff are
equipped with the necessary equipment and materials to provide a presentation or
an exhibit regarding health professional careers. In addition, LRGV AHEC can provide
education materials and website information regarding the various health careers
in Texas through the TEXAS HOTJOBS.
In collaboration with the UTHSCSA-Mario Ramirez Library, LRGV AHEC will convene a series of workshops for community health workers, more commonly known as "promotora". The sessions will include a comprehensive training with continuing education credit for promotoras. In addition, local agencies and organizations will present programs that are available for the promotoras to participate in.
Training of medical, dental, and allied health students is a high priority in the
Lower Rio Grande Valley. LRGV AHEC supports health professions student rotations
by providing low-cost housing convenient to most rotation sites. Students rotate
through a number of sites, including four Federally Qualified Health Centers, local
and regional public health departments, and through offices of approximately 200
local preceptors.
College Enrichment Programs Changes
The College Enrichment Internships aim to increase the number of students who apply to health professional degree programs. According to local experts, the LRGV students have the potential to apply and be successful in many of today’s health professional degree programs. We are currently working to restructure our current programs, both at The University of Texas Pan American and The University of Texas at Brownsville. We plan to offer students a tailored-two week enrichment internship in critical thinking, science, writing, and study skills.
Promotora Workshops
LRGV AHEC will collaboration with the UTHSCSA-Mario Ramirez Library to convene a series of workshops for community health workers, more commonly known as “promotora”. The sessions will include a comprehensive training with continuing education credit for promotoras along with local agencies and organizations presentations on programs that work with promotoras.
Night at the RAHC
The “Night at the RAHC” is a program aimed to increase the number of students, particularly Hispanic students, who pursue a health profession. The UTHSCSA-Regional Academic Health Center (RAHC), who is a third and fourth year medical school located in Harlingen, Texas, will host local high school students. The students will participate in a variety of hands on demonstrations to further spark their interest in pursuing a health profession. Participating centers include the Mario Ramirez Library, the RAHC Medical School, STEER, State Department of Health Services, and LRGV AHEC.
IAHEC Committee Appointment
LRGV AHEC director, Armando Lopez, has agreed to participate in the IAHEC advisory
Committee. The committee will focus on electronic data collection and reporting
of all AHEC related activities. Its design provides a secure, easy to use web-based
information portal that encourages daily activity entry and ensures accurate and
up-to-date data accessible on demand. All three Texas AHEC programs have been involved
in the creation and implementation of this project.
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