​Oregon Area Health Education Center is part of a nationwide system created to improve the distribution, diversity, quality and supply of health care workers in rural and under-resourced areas. Oregon AHEC has education programs across five regional centers, a central program office housed at Oregon Health & Science University and community partnerships which help leverage resources. Programs are designed to engage aspiring health care professionals at each step of their journey, which starts with career exploration in their youth, follows them through their education and continues after they obtain their credentials.