As an independent, local center of the University of Florida AHEC Program , Northeast Florida AHEC develops and implements health professions recruitment, retention, and training programs in collaboration with local community groups, health care providers and educational institutions. Northeast Florida AHEC serves Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. John's and Volusia counties and is one of ten centers in the state dedicated to linking local health providers to medical resources of academic health science centers and other educational institutions. Northeast Florida AHEC is governed by a Board of Directors representing local hospitals, clinics, schools and communities.
Local input is sought to identify the most pressing health-care access challenges in the community.
Recruitment, training, and retention strategies are utilized to address the uneven distribution of physicians, nurses, and allied health professionals within the Northeast Florida region. Special emphasis is placed on professions that provide primary health care, such as family and general practice physicians, nurses, advanced registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and family dentists. T raining specializes in offering Health Professions student training experiences in rural and underserved communities. These experiences are designed to impact the mal-distribution of health professionals by exposing students to the benefits of community practices. R etaining health professionals in rural and underserved areas by linking them with the information resources and consultation services at the University of Florida and by providing them with continuing education activities based on their identified needs.