R-AHEC is designed to provide health education with specific focus on individual community needs and demographics. We provide information on and assist in facilitating a variety of local programs and events, including incentive programs, skill enhancing workshops, and industry certification courses. Please check back often to view the most current event postings.

Pipeline programs (initiatives that guide students in a given direction over an extended period of time) have proven an invaluable  strategy to address various recurrent workforce issues nationally. Pipeline programming is designed to expose elementary, middle, and high school students to a variety of heath career awareness programs and seek to foster life-long interest in science and math.

R-AHEC's chosen pipeline programs include a fun and interactive puppet show using "The Great Hospital Adventure" video presentation that introduces students in grades Kindergarten through third to the various health careers they may encounter on a trip to the hospital. For students entering seventh and eight grades, a two or three day hands-on Medical Academy of Science and Health (MASH) Camp is offered. The camps take place in local area hospitals and nursing homes. Participants are issued scrubs, interact with healthcare staff, tour various departments, and get a first-hand opportunity to learn about nursing, physical therapy, laboratory technology, and other medical occupations.

Students in ninth and tenth grades are given an opportunity for skill building and a reinforcement of the importance of math and science through the MedQuest program, a one to two day camp. Information on the many opportunities in healthcare are experienced first-hand through shadowing local health professionals in their specific areas of interest.

Students in ninth through twelfth grades are exposed to specific careers through our Health Career Exploration Programs. Students are transported to a university where they will spend the day in hands-on and brief lecture sessions in health career opportunities such as Physical Therapy, Gross Anatomy, Ultrasound, Lab Technician, Physician Assistant, and Nursing career options. Students will meet medical and other health professions students, gathering further insight into available healthcare careers.

My Health Career is a data-base driven website (www.rahec.myhealthcareer.org) licensed to      R-AHEC, designed to provide healthcare workforce development services users, educators, employers, and communities. The program uses cutting-edge technology to recruit, guide, and support youth and adults into healthcare careers. The website provides  users with essential healthcare career information, including regional occupational outlook, assessment and foundational skill training, while simultaneously connecting them with education, employment, professional development, mentors, and related resources. The program allows students to track their courses, grades, and programs and generates a "portfolio" of information for use in college applications.

Additionally, we operate an after-school enrichment program for kindergarten through eighth grade students. It is a registered school age childcare (SACC) program through the New York State Office of Children and Family Services. Programming is age appropriate and specifically designed to improve student competences (especially in Math, Science, and Reading), expose youth to the opportunities available in healthcare careers, reduce negative youth behavior, and provide a safe after-school environment. R-AHEC is investing approximately $1.7 million dollars into this project.