Minority Health Conference honors Student Development, Diversity Program
The South Carolina Area Health Education Consortium (S.C. AHEC) Student Development and Diversity Program was honored as an organization that implemented strategies to increase the representation of minorities in the health professions.The consortium was selected as an honoree in the S.C. DHEC Minority Health Professions Development category during the 2005 Minority Health Issues Conference, co-sponsored by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control in collaboration with various public and private agencies and organizations.
The
S.C. DHEC Minority Health Professions Development honor S.C. AHEC
Student Development and Diversity Program's Paula Jones, left, program
assistant, and Angelica Williams, program director, during its annual
recognition awards luncheon.Angelica Williams, director of the S.C. AHEC Student Development and Diversity Program, was also nominated for this award.
One of the highlights of the conference was the second annual Recognition Awards Luncheon to recognize outstanding individuals, groups and organizations that contributed significantly to the promotion of minority health issues, improvement of the health status of minority populations, and the elimination of health disparities in South Carolina. The awards focused on community-based efforts in the areas of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, immunizations, infant mortality, sickle cell anemia and other health problems that disproportionately affect minorities. Nominations for the awards were solicited statewide and a committee of internal and external partners selected the honorees.
More than 250 people attended the conference, which was held April 17 -19 in Columbia and coincided with National Minority Health Month.
The conference’s theme, “South Carolina Leadership Summit on Eliminating Health Disparities: Prospects for Change,” set the stage for bringing together state, local and community leaders and other stakeholders to collaborate and coordinate health disparity efforts.
“I feel it was a tremendous honor for the Student Development and Diversity Program to be recognized by our peers,” Williams said.
The S.C. AHEC Student Development and Diversity Program strives to achieve population parity among the state’s health professions workforce. One initiative that is successful in recruiting students into academic programs is the S.C. AHEC Association of Future Health Professionals. The association meets through health career clubs available for secondary and undergraduate students, and provides a variety of activities and programs that offer personal, academic and professional enhancement opportunities. Developed and facilitated by four regional AHEC centers, the association continues to evolve collaboratively to increase the experiences and opportunities for students.
The SDDP integrates a curriculum of courses to provide a standard of instruction for program participants. Course content is intended to augment skills relevant to academic and professional achievement as well as to address issues of population health.
For information about the S.C. AHEC Student Development and Diversity Program, visit http://www.scahec.net or call 792-4431.
Friday, May 13, 2005
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