Health Science Students

Office of Regional Primary Care Education (ORPCE)

The ORPCE mission is to facilitate quality, community-based primary care education for health science students enrolled in NC AHEC associated programs. Our focus is to further primary care education for physician, physician assistant, nurse practitioner, and pharmacy students in ambulatory community sites, especially in rural and underserved areas, as well as provide support services for preceptors and the associated health science schools.

MAHEC also offers a variety of 4th year medical student electives in both Family Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology for both in-state and out-of-state students interested in our residency programs.

ORPCE Services for in-state students

For Students:
• Assist with placements in community sites.
• Provide and coordinate student housing. (A completed North Carolina AHEC Community Primary Care Rotation must be completed before housing can be assigned. Please fax the form to Gaye F. Colvin at 828-407-2896 or scan and send as email attachment to Gaye Colvin.)
• Facilitate quality educational experiences consistent with curricular goals.

For Preceptors:
• Implement protocols for payments to eligible site
• Link to AHEC information resources
• Represent preceptor concerns to the schools, AHECs, and AHEC Program Office

For Health Science Schools:
• Assist with identifying and recruiting preceptor sites
• Coordinate placement of students in community-based sites
• Assist with evaluation of community-based education