Training and Education

At UMass Medical School’s Center for Health Policy and Research, we translate policy into practice by bringing our academic knowledge directly to the community level. Through our training and education services, we increase health care access for vulnerable populations and train future health care workers. The Center for Health Policy and Research also offers training for current health care professionals. We equip them with evidenced-based knowledge, increase their sensitivity to the needs of community members, and help them perform more effectively within a health care team.

These services are offered through three key programs:

MassAHEC Network

Our MassAHEC team’s education, training, and workforce development activities address the challenges of health care disparities, access to quality care, and health care workforce diversity. Part of the National AHEC Organization, the MassAHEC Network operates six regional centers located in culturally diverse, medically underserved communities and has offices at UMass Medical School and Boston University School of Medicine.

Office of Community Programs

With strong academic and community ties, our Office of Community Programs develops, implements, and manages a range of complex health care projects, all of which are designed to increase health care access for underserved populations. The Office of Community Programs also works to improve the quality of health care available to Massachusetts’ most vulnerable citizens, including both Massachusetts Medicaid (MassHealth) members and uninsured residents.

New England AIDS Education and Training Center

Dedicated to providing state-of-the-art HIV-related prevention, treatment, and care, our New England AIDS Education and Training Center (NEAETC) offers education, training, clinical mentorship, and faculty development. Part of a national network of AIDS Education and Training Centers, NEAETC operates in all six New England states. The program’s minority initiative, New England HIV Education Consortium, expands cultural diversity within the health system and improves the quality of HIV care in communities that serve minority populations.