Clinical and Health Profession Students

About Purchase AHEC

Purchase AHEC offers a variety of clinical education opportunities for medical, dental, pharmacy, and allied health students throughout the 12-county Purchase service area. AHEC coordinates the off-campus advanced clinical rotations for students from the University of Kentucky, the University of Louisville, and we serve as a hub site for the University of Pikeville Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine. The 12-county service area offers a variety of clinical education opportunities to enhance your clinical expertise. Local physicians and licensed health practitioners serve as preceptors to students who move beyond the classroom to obtain practical hands-on experience in a rural clinical setting.

Preceptors - Community-Based Faculty Opportunies

Interested in becoming a preceptor and working with students?

There are many advantages to working with students. Preceptors have stated that they expand their clinical knowledge while teaching students and thus learn a new trend in medicine or find updated guidelines. Students can help with the workload; they can take patient histories, perform basic tests and give immunizations. They can help get lab results, help with referrals, or make calls to the next day's patients. Preceptors pay it forward by educating the next generation of students. They are the future of our healthcare, and preceptors find working with students ensures they will carry on that knowledge. Additionally, meeting the next generation of students gives preceptors and our local hospitals the opportunity to recruit these future providers to our region. Finally, there are University specific benefits to taking students: CME credit (varies by type and institution), access to the Medical School and Health Sciences library, annual conferences, to name a few of the added benefits.

We can help you with the applications for the schools we work with: University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, and the University of Pikeville. In most cases, your short application along with some supporting documentation is all that is required. AHEC will work with you on placing students according to your schedule and needs, as well as provide support before, during, and after the rotation.

AHEC Services for Students

In addition to scheduling and/or coordinating students' clinical rotations, AHEC offers additional services to students. Please see below how AHEC prepares students for their rotations in our area.

Housing Sites

For students who may not have connections to the region, housing assistance can be provided during rotations. We maintain a great group of housing hosts who will welcome you and help you feel comfortable in the community you are assigned to during your off-site rotation. There is a fee for housing; however, University of Kentucky and University of Louisville students receive housing stipends to cover this cost. UK students receive their stipend through the university and arrangements should be made for pick up at the AHEC central office on campus, 138 Leader Avenue. U of L student stipends will be directly deposited into your university account, provided you have completed the required paperwork. While priority is given to students attending universities in KY, housing assistance is also offered to out-of-state students in locating suitable living arrangements in the region. We are actively seeking housing hosts throughout our 12-counter service region.

Drug Screening / Background Check & Hospital Orientation

Preparing for hospital clearance prior to your arrival needs your immediate attention once a rotation is confirmed. In addition to current immunization records and a 2 STEP TB test, many regional hospitals require that a drug screening, a background check, and a flu vaccine be conducted before you will be cleared to accompany physicians at the facility. Hospitals do NOT provide these on site. The Purchase AHEC Clinical Education Coordinator will work with students to help them prepare for hospital clearance and orientation. We send out reminders to the students and the hospital staff to make sure all documents are gathered and on file with the proper departments.

Journey Home Dinners

Several times a year the Purchase AHEC hosts Journey Home Dinners for all students who are rotating in the region. These dinners offer students an evening of dinner, networking, and fellowship. These informal gatherings give students the opportunity to discuss their journey to a healthcare career, connect with other students and network with AHEC Staff and local professionals in our region.

Journey Home Dinner at Mellow Mushroom in Paducah

About the Region

In addition to providing excellent training in a rural healthcare environment, the region is full of a variety of cultural and recreational activities that makes this a wonderful area to consider for practicing in the future. While your clinical experience is the primary focus of the time you spend in the region, this is an excellent opportunity to explore the many interesting aspects of our communities and culture. During your stay in the Purchase, take time to unwind by getting out and enjoying some of the beauty of the region. There's a little something for everyone and even some unexpected (and unexplained) sites to visit.

Where else but Kentucky could you...