Illinois Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Network Program
Established in 2010, the HRSA funded Illinois Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) Network Program has nine regional centers throughout the state to serve both rural and urban underserved residents through access to health professions education, health careers development and community and public health promotion activities.
NCRHP serves as the main Program Office and partners with a satellite program office in Chicago that is part of the University of Illinois College of Medicine Chicago and the UIC School of Public Health. The IL AHEC Network develops and offers innovative, long-term solutions to health and workforce disparities.
Regional centers include AHEC of Northwest Illinois in Polo, South Central Illinois AHEC in Centralia, South East Illinois AHEC in Fairfield, Chicago Area Health Education Center in Chicago, West Central Illinois AHEC in Carthage, Central Illinois AHEC in Normal, East Central Illinois AHEC in Gibson City, Chicago South AHEC in Chicago. A newly established ninth center, North East AHEC, will be formed in 2019-2020.
IL AHEC SCHOLARS
Undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a health profession in Illinois can apply for the new Illinois AHEC Scholars Program. This competitive, two-year cohort program supplements students’ education with job shadowing, career coaching, seminars and experiences in underserved areas. Participants also receive additional training on practice transformation, behavioral health, social determinants of health, cultural competency and interprofessional education and training.
Illinois AHEC Scholars will graduate from the program with practical insight and expertise that will prepare them to serve as leaders in their health care field. It expands on traditional health professions education and training with the goal of increasing awareness of and interest in health care professions in rural and underserved areas.

Application Information
Eligibility Requirements
Students currently enrolled in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physical therapy, public health, social work and other health professions are eligible for the program.
AHEC Centers
- North West AHEC
- North East AHEC
- Chicago AHEC
- Chicago South
- West Central AHEC
- Central AHEC
- East Central AHEC
- South Central AHEC
- South East AHEC

North West AHEC
North East AHEC
Chicago AHEC
Chicago AHEC South
West Central AHEC
Central AHEC
East Central AHEC
South Central AHEC
South East AHEC

University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford
1601 Parkview Avenue
Rockford, Illinois 61107
815-395-5780

Latest News
- Register for a FREE Virtual Student Program!March 27, 2023 - 5:52 pm
Illinois Primary Health Care Association (IPHCA) is excited to announce their fourth virtual student program, “Understanding and Serving America’s Underserved”. IPHCA has hosted this program for the past 10 years. Through a virtual, self-paced format, they are excited to offer this program to even more students interested in pursuing a career serving the underserved. “Understanding […]