MaineHealth Franklin Hospital is home to our education department, nursing administration team and the Western Maine Area Health Education Center (AHEC).
The education department, in collaboration with Western Maine AHEC, supports care team members and the broader community through educational programs, clinical training opportunities and professional development initiatives. Western Maine AHEC sponsors health classes, conferences and learning events—inviting specialists to share their expertise in support of stronger health care delivery across our region.
Western Maine AHEC also partners with colleges and community organizations to provide on-site clinical experiences, student placements and continuing education opportunities for health care professionals.
Western Maine AHEC mission
The Western Maine AHEC’s mission is to prepare and support Maine’s health care workforce by creating health care learning opportunities for youth, students and professionals to foster healthier communities and expand access to care across Maine.
How we fulfill this mission:
- Encouraging and supporting Maine youth to pursue careers in the health professions
- Providing didactic and community-based education to health profession students to prepare them to care for rural and medically underserved communities
- Offering continuing education programs for practicing health professionals
Western Maine AHEC supports workforce development initiatives and career exploration to strengthen access to care in rural and medically underserved communities across five counties: Franklin, Oxford, Androscoggin, Somerset and part of Kennebec.
Summer Scrub Club
The Western Maine AHEC Summer Scrub Club is a hands-on health careers exploration camp hosted by MaineHealth Franklin Hospital for students entering grades 8-12 and recent high school graduates. Participants explore a wide range of health care careers through interactive activities such as:
- Casting and suturing
- Operating room simulation
- First aid and emergency response scenarios
- Mock accident simulations
Campers also receive certification in:
- American Heart Association Heartsaver CPR
- First Aid
- Stop the Bleed
Registration opens each March for camp sessions held in late June.
Contact Us
For more information about Western Maine AHEC programs and partnerships, please contact:
Jolene Luce
Program Manager
jolene.luce@mainehealth.org
Did you know?
MaineHealth Franklin Hospital is a teaching site for Tufts University School of Medicine MaineHealth Maine Track students.