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Mid Rio Grande Border AHEC connects South Texas students to mentors, training and healthcare career paths while supporting providers.<\/p>\n
Courtesy\/AHEC<\/p>\n
The path to becoming a healthcare professional doesn\u2019t always begin in a science lab or college lecture hall. Sometimes it starts with a summer academy, a mentor or a hands-on activity that sparks a lifelong passion for helping others.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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For thousands of students across South Texas, those first experiences have come through the Mid Rio Grande Border Area Health Education Center, better known as\u00a0AHEC. For more than 30 years, the organization has been helping students turn that spark into a career while strengthening the healthcare workforce that communities across the region depend on.<\/p>\n
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Founded in 1993 through a partnership between community leaders and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, the Mid Rio Grande Border\u00a0AHEC was established to address the growing need for healthcare professionals and educational resources throughout South Texas. Today, the nonprofit serves Webb, Zapata, Jim Hogg, La Salle, Duval and Dimmit counties, connecting students, healthcare providers and community members with educational opportunities designed to improve both individual lives and the region\u2019s overall health.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur mission is to develop and sustain a skilled, diverse and community-focused healthcare workforce,\u201d Executive Director Dr. Julie\u00a0Bazan said. \u201cWhen students can see themselves in these careers and have access to the right opportunities, they begin to realize there are no limits to what they can accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n
That mission is rooted in a simple belief that has guided\u00a0Bazan throughout her career.<\/p>\n
\u201cI realized early that while talent is universal, access to opportunity is not,\u201d she said. \u201cOur responsibility is to create programs that open doors, expand possibilities and help students envision themselves achieving meaningful careers in healthcare.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Rather than waiting until students reach college,\u00a0AHEC begins introducing healthcare careers at an early age. Through programs such as the AHEC Mini Academy, Junior Academy, College Academy, Summer Biomedical Enrichment Program, Student Leadership Club and Health Careers Opportunity Program, students from elementary school through college gain exposure to the many professions that make up the healthcare workforce.<\/p>\n
Those opportunities extend well beyond physicians and nurses. Students learn about careers in pharmacy, behavioral health, public health, rehabilitation sciences, healthcare administration, medical technology and numerous other fields that play essential roles in patient care.<\/p>\n
AHEC\u2019s educational philosophy emphasizes experience as much as instruction. Students participate in hands-on activities, interact with healthcare professionals, explore college campuses and receive mentorship from individuals already working in the field.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMentorship and hands-on learning help students develop confidence, professional identity and a commitment to serving their communities,\u201d\u00a0Bazan said. \u201cThose qualities are essential if we\u2019re going to build a resilient healthcare workforce that understands the people it serves.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The organization\u2019s long-term impact is reflected in the stories of its alumni. According to\u00a0AHEC, more than 90 percent of participants who continued into higher education credit the organization with contributing to their educational success.<\/p>\n
One former student attended an\u00a0AHEC Junior Academy simply because her parents wanted a safe place for her during the summer. While there, laboratory activities \u2014 including frog and pig brain dissections \u2014 sparked an unexpected fascination with medicine. That experience ultimately inspired her educational journey, and today she serves her community as a licensed pharmacist.<\/p>\n
Stories like hers reinforce\u00a0AHEC\u2019s belief that early exposure can change lives while addressing one of South Texas\u2019 greatest challenges: developing more homegrown healthcare professionals.<\/p>\n
The organization also supports those already working in healthcare. Since its founding,\u00a0AHEC has provided more than 101,000 continuing education hours to over 5,000 healthcare providers and professionals across multiple disciplines, helping ensure they remain current with evolving medical practices and community health needs.<\/p>\n
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Beyond workforce development,\u00a0AHEC promotes healthier communities through health literacy initiatives focused on disease prevention, mental health awareness, cancer prevention, opioid education, suicide prevention and other public health priorities. The organization expanded many of these efforts through virtual programming following the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing it to reach more families throughout South Texas than ever before.<\/p>\n
During the 2023-2024 fiscal year alone,\u00a0AHEC served more than 85,000 individuals through its educational and community outreach programs, a reflection of both the growing demand for its services and the organization\u2019s expanding role throughout the region.<\/p>\n
Looking ahead,\u00a0Bazan believes one of the greatest opportunities lies in preparing students to address the area\u2019s shortage of mental health professionals while continuing to strengthen partnerships with schools, colleges, universities and healthcare organizations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat excites me most is watching our students realize that healthcare careers are within their reach,\u201d she said. \u201cWe\u2019re building a homegrown workforce that reflects our culture, language and community values. Our students are no longer asking if they belong in healthcare\u2014they\u2019re imagining how far they can go and how they can lead.\u201d<\/p>\n
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For\u00a0Bazan, the message to students considering a future in healthcare is simple.<\/p>\n
\u201cBuild your career on purpose, not under pressure,\u201d she said. \u201cAlways keep in mind that you have the ability to achieve every goal you desire. Your potential is limitless.\u201d<\/p>\n
For additional information and to participate in\u00a0AHEC program, call (956) 712-0037 or visit facebook.com\/AreaHealthEducationCenter<\/p>\n
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