The North Carolina Area Health Education Centers Program is dedicated to improving the healthcare workforce through educational programs.  This program is affiliated with several academic institutions and healthcare agencies to develop better relationships for healthcare providers with specific focus on primary care, prevention, healthcare outcomes, and the needs of underprivileged communities.

The program was originally developed to address national and state concerns; a report from Carnegie Commission encouraged the progress of nationwide Area Health Education Centers.  In 1972, the program was launched with three AHEC regions under a federal contract with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine; as a result a network of nine separate divisions were developed and in succession by 1975.

In addition to the AHEC programs partnerships, they offer fellowships and awards.  The Glenn Wilson Award for Public Service honors the founding director of the North Carolina AHEC Program.  Tribute is made to the late John Payne in the form of a fellowship for 25 years of worthy dedication to the program.  The Mayer traveling fellowship is a specially designed exchange program where students are given the opportunity to study British Medical Education traits and health service delivery systems.  This fellowship is in memory of the long-term NC AHEC director, Eugene S. Mayer.  The NCAT/Wyeth traveling fellowship which was created by John D. Lister, MD of the United Kingdom; and Christopher Fordham, MD of the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine was later renamed the above mentioned Mayer traveling fellowship for the United States division in 1996.  Last but not least, the National Primary Care Week Student Award is given to a deserving student from UNC-Chapel Hill who will study a discipline in one of the following areas: Dentistry, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy or Public Health.  This award is given at the National Primary Care Week, which is an annual event that allows health care practitioners to network and discuss primary issues.

With all of the partnerships, countless opportunities are created thus goals are achieved.  In just one year 169,000 students of North Carolina Schools benefited from the program, and the number is continually growing.

Written by: Amanda McRae