South Carolina AHEC News & Updates

Kelly Jones, PharmD, BCPS is recognized as the 2016 South Carolina AHEC Educator of the Year. Dr. Jones is the Associate Professor of Family Medicine in the Department of Family Medicine at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence. He was nominated by the Continuing Professional Development staff of Pee Dee AHEC in recognition for his outstanding contribution to the continuing professional development of healthcare providers across South Carolina and beyond. The South Carolina AHEC Outstanding Educator of the Year Award recognizes excellence in instructors of continuing education in the South Carolina AHEC system. The Outstanding Educator is selected based on their ability to present content in a practical, useful format that meets the needs and expectations of program participants while communicating the material enthusiastically. Educators must also successfully adapt presentations to address multiple learning styles.   Dr. Jones has served the South Carolina AHEC in a my...

Saeed Rehman, MD, has been selected as the 2016 South Carolina AHEC Preceptor of the Year in recognition for his unwavering commitment to health professions students’ clinical education .   The purpose of this award is to bring recognition to an outstanding community-based preceptor serving South Carolina health professions students. Each year practitioners volunteer to provide hours of clinical education to students from various health professions. It is their dedication to the education of the next generation of health professionals that we honor with this award. Dr. Rehman has been an ER physician at Beaufort Memorial Hospital for 20 years and the emergency room director since 1999. Since 2000, he has participated in health professions students’ education.  Primarily, he precepts medical students and physician assistant students.  Each year when asked about his availability to precept, Dr. Rehman requests a physician assistant student for every rotation. He is a...

The Practice of the Year Award recognizes practices and training sites that exhibit exemplary dedication to the teaching of health professions students and a commitment to serving their communities.  The South Carolina AHEC recognizes Piedmont Family Practice as the South Carolina AHEC 2016 Practice of the Year. Piedmont Family Practice, with locations in Anderson and Greenville counties, is a National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) recognized Level III Patient Centered Medical Home. The practice provides quality comprehensive care with exceptional service to their patients.  All of the providers are recognized by the NCQA for providing excellent care for both diabetes and heart disease/stroke prevention.  In addition to being board certified in family medicine, several of the physicians are also certified in geriatrics, allowing them to better serve a diverse community. Piedmont Family Practice serves as a superb example to students of rural medical care, i...

Mid-Carolina AHEC recently hosted the first in a series of quarterly events featuring Dr. Keith Shealy of Mackey Family Practice in Lancaster.   As the first privately-owned practice in South Carolina to receive Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Certification, Dr. Shealy is in a unique position to offer insight on the establishment, maintenance and benefits of the PCMH model.   Mid-Carolina AHEC invited local students and preceptors to attend and gain valuable knowledge on how implementing PCMH measures can provide substantial returns on investment.   These returns include increased patient and office staff satisfaction, improved health outcomes and a more efficient operation.   Dr. Shealy covered several steps that Mackey Family Practice has incorporated into its workflow to improve patient experience, including physical rearrangement of the workplace.  Reducing process steps required for employees and patients on a given visit makes for a less tiring...

Sandy Nichols joined Upstate AHEC this spring as Financial and Human Resources Manager and brings her extensive accounting background to the AHEC team. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from Bob Jones University and worked as a staff accountant at Bob Jones for 17 years. She holds over 30 years of bookkeeping and accounting experience and practiced business capability. Sandy and her husband Duane are active members in their church’s music ministry and have two married children, both of whom live in the Upstate. She welcomed her first grandchild into the family in October of 2014. Her deep knowledge of bookkeeping and many years of financial experience make her a valuable asset to the Upstate AHEC team and the South Carolina AHEC System. Please help us welcome her to AHEC at snichols@upstateahec.org.

It’s that time of year again; the Mid-Carolina AHEC Health Careers Academy (HCA) is now recruiting for the 2016-2017 Health Careers Academy. The Health Careers Academy aims to increase the number of students, especially minority and disadvantaged students, entering the health professions in South Carolina. The evidence-based HCA curriculum is also designed to promote resiliency, improve overall academic success, and foster a sense of purpose in the student participants.   It provides students with a practical link between academic studies and preparation for participation in the workforce. The Mid-Carolina AHEC offers the HCA for rising 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade high school students. HCA activities promote academic success, career development and personal growth for students. The HCA also helps families understand that the path to becoming a health care professional begins in high school. The HCA provides exploration into health careers and prepares students for t...

Lowcountry AHEC will be offering Acquired Brain Injury: A Clinical Picture and Rehabilitation Strategies on June 30 at Bon Secours St. Francis Hospital in Charleston. This multi-disciplinary program will discuss the challenges faced when working with patients with traumatic brain injury in a rehabilitative setting.   Participants will review the pathophysiology of traumatic brain injury, as well as explore common symptomologies that challenge caregivers and healthcare professionals working with survivors of traumatic brain injury.   The program will discuss issues related to specific populations, such as sports injuries, adolescents, and the elderly, as well as the social, ethical and legal challenges faced when working with this patient population.    Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy credits are pending.   Nursing and South Carolina AHEC Best Practice credits apply.   Limited seating is available, pleas...

Mid-Carolina AHEC would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Murdock Orthodontics for their donation to the Health Careers Program this past winter. Murdock Orthodontics is committed and passionate about supporting local charities within its communities.   Both of the Murdock brothers participated in a similar program in high school and look at them today. They now have the opportunity to be role models to students and support healthcare leaders of tomorrow. To learn more about Murdock Orthodontics and their community outreach programs, go to www.murdockortho.com . Thank you for your support!

To find out more and to register, visit Palmetto Care Connection's website .