UAB students Cacia Billings and Eleanor Williams are heading into the new year with something to celebrate. Both first-year students in UAB’s Physicians Assistant Studies program were selected as Alabama Area Health Education Center Scholars.
Developed by Congress in 1971, Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) is an organization that aims to advance the rural healthcare workforce. Their educational programs fill in the gap between academics and real-life experiences in local communities.
The scholars program is a two-year commitment comprising 40 hours of online training and 40 hours of team-based service learning per calendar year. Each participant receives a $500 stipend each year to aid in travel and other materials needed to complete the program.
For Billings, accepting the fellowship was a leap of faith. Initially, Billings was hesitant to take the opportunity, as she was weighing how it would affect her schedule as a PA student, “I finally went to one of their orientations,” she said, “and the reason why I wanted to become a PA was summed up in this organization.”
Scholars will enhance their knowledge in areas like behavioral health integration, social determinants of health, cultural competency, current and emerging health issues, and more. Students chosen for this program must be enrolled in a health professions program with a minimum GPA of 2.5.
Housed in the Department of Clinical and Diagnostic Sciences within UAB’s School of Health Professions, Williams spoke about how the PA program prepares students to become a “bridge for medicine,” so their students are able to take hold of opportunities like AHEC’s Scholar program.
For Williams, Birmingham is her hometown. “We are an everything school. As far as healthcare goes, we’re the best of the best.” When she learned about AHEC, it only confirmed the path she had chosen, “I really like how they’re targeting students and letting us learn about different areas of Alabama and different areas of healthcare.”
“The whole point is to bring our specialties together and get us excited about working in underserved areas,” added Billings. When she was first looking for a campus to call home, her husband, who is active-duty in the military, was waiting to hear where he would be stationed. Alabama was placed at the top of their list once Billings learned about UAB’s PA program and soon the family moved to Montgomery, Alabama.
As they prepared for their first days of class, both students were unsure how they would fit into their cohort. “We spent our whole undergrad being so competitive, trying to get the best GPA we could,” said Billings, “I don’t think I ever had a study group before I came to UAB.”
Now as they finish out the calendar year, they feel closer to their peers than ever before. “The PA program itself is very uplifting,” Williams said, “I feel like I can talk to anyone.”
“Here it is definitely a collaborative spirit, we’re all in this together,” Billings added.
Both students are preparing for their final classes and adjusting their schedules before the fellowship begins. Starting in January, they’ll be one of 108 participants who will provide care to vulnerable and underserved patients in settings like homeless shelters, free clinics, community health centers, health fairs, and more.
Williams is looking forward to the next year and all of the skills she’ll gain both as a student and medical professional. She adds, “The fellowship gives you a new perspective, a new skill as a provider to help those patients in rural communities.”
To learn more about the Alabama Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Scholars Program click here. To stay up to date on other students enrolled in UAB’s Physicians Assistant Studies program follow them on Instagram.
