Community Health Scholars Program

Who Are Community Health Scholars?

Community Health Scholars are health professions students who spend eight weeks of their summer conducting community health projects in rural and medically underserved areas in response to locally identified needs.

What Kind of Projects Do They Develop?

Students in the Community Health Scholars Program develop projects that will have a direct impact on the health of a community. Past projects have involved issues such as HIV/AIDS education, medication management in the elderly, health promotion and disease prevention in migrant children, and the diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit disorder.

Some projects may be conducted by an individual student, although most will involve a team of two or three students. Prior to students' arrival in the community, each project is designed through a joint effort of the program director, the local Area Health Education Center, the community preceptor and the student(s). Although the projects are designed to be completed during an eight-week period, each project should produce results of lasting benefit to the community.

Do the Projects Include Clinical Experience?

Most projects offer an opportunity to participate in clinical or practitioner activities in the student's area of training under the direct supervision of a preceptor. However, some projects may not include a clinical component. Those projects that do not offer clinical experience will be identified as such. In projects that do provide clinical experience, up to one-half of the student's time may be spent in clinical activities.

What Projects Have Been Done in the Past?

A listing of past projects can be found here: Past Projects

Goals of the Community Health Scholars Program:

To expose students to issues of community-oriented health care, particularly in rural and medically underserved communities.
To give students the opportunity to participate in finding local solutions to community health problems.
To provide an introduction to community-based clinical research, project development, data collection and analysis.
To create opportunities for students in the health sciences to participate in interdisciplinary health-care teams.
To expose students to clinical experiences outside the academic health center.
To interest students in primary care as a career choice.

What Do Interested Students Need to Know?

Students participating in the program on a full-time basis will receive a stipend ranging from $3,200 to $4,000, depending on location. Housing, if needed, can be arranged through the host AHEC.

At the end of the project, each student will be responsible for providing a written report of the community project and an evaluation of the entire experience.

Final selection of sites and projects for students will be done by the program director and the local AHEC, but students' project preferences will be considered. Students can request applications from the North Florida AHEC Program or the local AHEC.

What Do Preceptors Need to Know?

All sites will be located within the North Florida AHEC Program region, and may include county public health units, schools, residency programs, or community/migrant health centers. Sites may apply for participation in the program through their local AHEC. Each site must have an identified preceptor or preceptors who will supervise the student(s), develop a work plan and be responsible for evaluating each student's performance at the conclusion of the project.

Who Do I Contact for Further Information or Application Forms?

Download forms:

CHS Flyer
CHS Brochure
CHS Student Application
CHS Projects Overview 2008
CHS Project Application

Project Reports 2000 to 2007

For further information please contact:

Larry Rooks, M.D.
University of Florida AHEC Program
2750 NW 43 Street Suite 102
Gainesville, FL 32606
Phone (352) 273-8530

- OR -

Your local AHEC

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