Capstone Projects

Throughout the program, AHEC Scholars work within a small interprofessional team to identify a need within the community/region, partner with an organization in the community, and plan and implement a project to address the need identified. This project will be accomplished through smaller assignments and activities within each Block to help Scholars research their region and connect with community partners.

By the end of year one, each Scholars team will have identified and proposed a project idea to meet this criteria. The project will be implemented in Year Two, in which many of the hours dedicated to this project will also count toward the community-based experience 40-hour requirement. This can include meetings with community leaders, working with patients and other community members, etc.

A good project should offer lots of contact with members of the community and should produce a final product that can be used by healthcare professionals in that community. If at all possible, it should also be sustainable after that team completes the program.

The 2019-2021 AHEC Scholars cohort was divided into two groups for the community-based project, often referred to as a capstone project. Both groups presented their capstone projects during the statewide AHEC Conference, where Scholars from across the eight Indiana AHEC regions presented their posters in a virtual exhibit fashion.

This poster, titled Hepatitis, HIV and Harm Reduction, placed third out of 24 entries:

This capstone project had a focus on promoting health and wellness at the Boys & Girls Club of Evansville: