Distance Learning

The Maryland AHEC (MAHEC) program utilizes the University of Maryland’s Statewide Health Network (UMSHN) videoconferencing linkages-- with 25 sites throughout the State of Maryland and at the University of Maryland, School of Medicine--to support clinical education and distance education programs, public health, and health administration with its Centers.

Clinical Education -- The MAHEC Program supports Clinical Education activities in conjunction with the University of Maryland’s School of Medicine’s Department of Family Medicine. Fourth year medical students participate in a Senior Ambulatory Medicine Clerkship in which they serve an eight-week rotation at a rural site or at an urban underserved area. Each Area Health Education Center is equipped with videoconferencing equipment. These sites are arranged with the Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center, the Western Maryland Area Health Education Center, in Southern Maryland, the Baltimore AHEC Program, or through the Department of Family Medicine.

MAHEC and Family Medicine utilize the UMSHN’s videoconference links to conduct clinical educational video conferences during each of the medical student’s eight-week rural rotations. These clinical education conferences highlight issues related to primary care and public health.

Continuing Education -- Continuing Education Programs are available to the MAHEC Program and its three centers via the UMSHN video conferencing system. In 2004, all the MAHEC centers were able to take advantage of their videoconferencing systems and link with UMSHN and others throughout the State to participate in monthly presentations on health disparities. These programs were sponsored by UMSHN.

Administrative Applications -- the MAHEC Program utilizes UMSHN’s videoconference link for administrative purposes such as monthly MAHEC meetings with the three centers.

Baltimore Area Health Education Center (BAHEC) is located in urban Baltimore is the most recently opened of three AHECs in Maryland. Beginning operation in the fall of 2003, the BAHEC has a video conferencing lab that is used for clinical education, continuing education, and administrative meetings with MAHEC and the other AHECs in the State.

Eastern Shore Area Health Education Center (ESAHEC) was opened in 1996 in Cambridge, Maryland and serves the nine rural counties on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The ESAHEC recently moved to a new building in Cambridge and has a distance-learning lab. This lab is used for clinical education, continuing education, and administrative meetings with MAHEC and the other AHECs in the State.

Western Maryland Area Health Education Center (WMAHEC) has been in operation for nearly 30 years. Located in Cumberland, Maryland, the WMAHEC services Maryland’s three most western counties—Washington, Allegany, and Garrett. The WMAHEC has a video-conferencing lab and is capable of connecting with other sites throughout the region (Hagerstown Community College, Garrett Community College, two Western Maryland UMSHN offices, etc).

MAHEC and its 3 Centers work in partnership with the University in the training of students for health careers as well as recruitment and retention of health care professionals.

Other University of Maryland Distance Learning Resources

In addition to distance learning links to the three AHEC centers in Maryland, the MAHEC Program has a host of distance learning resources via the University of Maryland.

Statewide Health Network (UMSHN) -- UMSHN was established in FY 2002 with Cigarette Restitution Funds to …” reduce morbidity and mortality related to cancer and tobacco-related diseases through promotion of a wide variety of prevention and control activities as well as promotion of increased participation in clinical trials.” UMSHN has an extensive video conferencing network with 25 sites dispersed throughout the State. The UMSHN sites are used for distance professional health-related education, community education, clinical consultations and administrative purposes.

School of Nursing -- The UMSON offers a web-based RN to BSN degree program at five outreach centers located across the State of Maryland in Western Maryland (Cumberland, Hagerstown), Eastern Shore (Cambridge), Southern Maryland (Waldorf), and Montgomery County (Shady Grove). The RN to BSN Program is certified by the Southern Regional Electronic Board’s Electronic Campus and meets their principles of good practice in distance education.

School of Pharmacy -- Non Traditional PharmD Pathway (NTPD)—Beginning in the fall of 2001, many of the NTPD courses started using a course management system called Blackboard. This is a web-based program that allows faculty coursemasters to place the syllabus, related course documents, and even audio lectures accompanying Microsoft PowerPoint slides on the web.

Dental School -- Future courses are planned through distance learning media.