Mid-Central Regional AHEC Update

Virtual CampMed

Central Michigan University's College of Medicine in partnership with the Mid-Central Area Health Education Center will host the Virtual CampMed for high school students interested in medicine and other health-related fields. CampMed participants will virtually participate in a 2-day experience provided at no-cost to the students this June. Students will experience demonstrations and activities including a medical case study, anatomy lab experience and college mentorship with current CMU medical student facilitators. 

Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribal Opioid Speaker Series
"Healing Our Families Together"
Virtual Speaker Series Session #1: Embracing Expungement: The expungement process, successes and how community support can lead to changing lives!

Presented by:   Rebecca Simkins Nowak, Esq.
Director, Clinical Operations and Outreach, Detroit Mercy Law
June 30, 2020 from Noon 1:00 p.m.

The Mid Central AHEC serves as a collaborative partner on the Tribal Opioid Planning Committee, with a specific focus on native populations. With growing enthusiasm for new models of tribal-specific care yet replicable for all communities, innovative strategies included conference workshops to identify speakers and introduce new and innovative approaches to family and community.

The annual conference was originally planned for June 2020, but due to COVID-19, the committee decided to postpone the conference with the intent to provide some of the originally planned summit sessions through virtual offerings during the year leading up to the June 2021 conference.

Additional speaker series topics to be offered, in relation to addressing the opioid epidemic are: maternal child health and addiction during pregnancy, infectious disease, and telehealth services. The upcoming schedule for these sessions and registration information is currently being developed and we encourage you to please contact April Osburn (april.osburn@cmich.edu) or Jennifer Morneau (morne1jm@cmich.edu) if you would like updates on upcoming session offerings.

Saginaw Health Careers Pipeline Program goes VIRTUAL

The Mid Central AHEC completed the Spring Health Careers Pipeline Program in partnership with the CMU College of Medicine, funded by a trust managed by Huntington Bank, on April 30th, 2020. This six-week program empowered high school students to explore careers in the health professions. 

Applicant characteristics that were considered: a diverse group of students that represent a mix of 9th and 10th grade students, broad representation of schools in the Great Lakes Bay region, living in a medically underserved (rural or urban) area of the region, and first-generation college student. Students also submitted a statement of interest in relation to the program and their interest in health. The Saginaw area high schools that had student representation this spring included Arthur Hill, Freeland, Merrill, Novel Catholic Central, Saginaw Arts & Sciences, and Valley Lutheran.

High school students in the 9th and 10th grades received individual and joint mentorship from student mentors enrolled at Central Michigan University, Davenport University, and Saginaw Valley State University who are enrolled in various health professions programs. Through the support of AHEC staff, medical student facilitators, and college mentors, high school students not only learned about future careers in health professions but also what it takes to prepare for college through time management skills, application processes and follow-up.

Through exposure to health career options, mentorship, and health and wellness education, students participated in engaging, virtual health education, enriching experiences that fostered personal growth and leadership characteristic development. The HCPP is the channel to help students develop their confidence and support system for their journey into post-secondary education and beyond.

The Mid Central AHEC staff and CMU medical students administer this program. The virtual program curriculum was developed by AHEC staff, academic and community partners.

Session topics included:

  • Program Launch: Local Community Resources and Emerging Public Health Topics
  • Career Overview with Educational Pathways & Networking Opportunities
  • VIRTUAL Simulation Lab Overview with Interactive Web Simulations
  • Mobile Medical Response Panel and Emergency Preparedness Trainings
  • Nursing and Health Information Management System Careers Overview with Online Simulations
  • Pathway into the Horizon Closing Reception with Keynote Speaker and Participant Presentations

For additional program information please contact April Osburn (april.osburn@cmich.edu) or Jennifer Morneau (morne1jm@cmich.edu).