Southwest Indiana AHEC Honors Rural Health Partners

Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (AHEC) presented Outstanding Preceptor Awards to Good Samaritan providers Allyson Wehrheim, PA-C, and Erin Sievers, PA-C. Through AHEC collaboration, both providers precept students from the University of Evansville Physician Assistant (PA) Program, primarily those interested in learning about primary health care in a rural/medically underserved community. Between both preceptors, they typically precept about a dozen students each academic year.

Wehrheim is a Knox County native who graduated from Butler University with her Master of Physician Assistant Studies. A recent student comments, “Allyson was an amazing preceptor! She was nice and answered my questions. She was open to letting me see so many of her patients. I had a wonderful experience at this site.”

Sievers is also from Knox County. She completed her undergraduate studies and Master of Physician Assistant Studies at Butler University. One of her students describes her as “fantastic,” adding, “She is a preceptor but also makes you feel very comfortable with performing new procedures and asking questions. The learning environment is very friendly, and I enjoyed and looked forward to driving to the site every single day.”

“After college, Wehrheim and Sievers both returned to their hometown of Vincennes to make a positive impact on the community,” says Jane Friona, Executive Director of Southwest Indiana AHEC. “Southwest Indiana AHEC recognizes their dedication to educating future health professionals by sharing their passion and clinical knowledge by precepting students, which is critical to the long-term health of rural communities.”

Southwest Indiana AHEC began as a regional center in 2008 and is hosted by the University of Southern Indiana in the College of Nursing and Health Professions. Southwest Indiana AHEC is part of a national network with a mission to improve health by leading the nation in the recruitment, training and retention of a diverse health workforce for underserved communities.