The Michigan Area Health Education Center, a program of Wayne State University that seeks to increase access to quality primary care providers in underserved communities, announced that it has been awarded a one-year, $1.2 million grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration.
The grant is the largest HRSA award to Michigan AHEC since it was launched in 2010. Michigan AHEC will use the funds to strengthen its statewide network of five regional centers and provide an unprecedented number of health care career preparation initiatives, clinical experiences and continuing education programs for health care professionals in communities throughout the state.
"This award is critical for the state of Michigan, which is facing a major shortage of health care professionals, especially in underserved areas in rural parts of the state," said Ramona Benkert, co-principal investigator and interim associate dean for Academic and Cultural Affairs of the Wayne State University College of Nursing. "Michigan AHEC is well-positioned to help address this shortage with its statewide network that reaches all 83 counties, a fully functional database management system, and collaborative partnerships and community advisory boards throughout the state. We are looking forward to a great year with more initiatives than ever before that have great potential to positively impact Michigan's state of health."
Michigan AHEC also announced the recent appointment of a new co-principal investigator, Tsveti Markova, M.D., F.A.A.F.P., professor and chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences, and associate dean for Graduate Medical Education, for the Wayne State University School of Medicine. "I am honored to join the AHEC team and contribute to future advancements of its interdisciplinary educational mission," Dr. Markova said.
Under Dr. Markova's leadership, the School of Medicine's GME successfully achieved the maximum accreditation status for institutional accreditation. In addition to being recognized with many teaching awards from the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences and the School of Medicine, she was the recipient of the 2008 Michigan Academy of Family Physicians Educator of the Year Award for her outstanding contributions to education in undergraduate, graduate and continuing education. For several years, she has been selected one of "America's Top Family Doctors" by the Consumers' Research Council of America and "Best Doctors of America" by peers. She was also honored with the prestigious 2011 Parker J. Palmer Courage to Teach Award from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, for exemplary teaching of residents and leadership of innovative and effective residency programs.
Michigan AHEC is funded by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (Grant # U77HP26582) and Wayne State University. Academic partners include Wayne State University's College of Nursing, School of Medicine, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and School of Social Work; the University of Detroit Mercy School of Dentistry; Central Michigan University; Western Michigan University; and Northern Michigan University.