Connecticut Area Health Education Center Network Provides Free Continuing Education to Over 160 Health Care Providers Annually

Strategic Insights -

Health care professionals in Connecticut can access a range of free continuing education opportunities through the Connecticut Area Health Education Center Network (CT AHEC Network), a federally funded program that extends the resources of the University of Connecticut to the state's health care and public health workforce. The network provides training to over 160 health care providers annually, helping them stay up-to-date with the latest developments in the field. CT AHEC's mission is to provide frontline providers with access to the information they need to manage the ever-evolving environment they work in day to day.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Connecticut Area Health Education Center Network (CT AHEC Network) provides free continuing education training to more than 160 health care providers annually.
  • CT AHEC offers a variety of training platforms, including in-person conferences, asynchronous online modules, hybrid sessions, and targeted online synchronous educational offerings.
  • The network's training programs cover topics such as primary care career advising and mentoring, screening and responding to suicide, and legislative changes impacting lead poisoning interventions for pediatric populations.
  • CT AHEC also offers training programs for high school, college, and health profession students, which are vital to ensuring growth in the health care profession pipeline.
  • The network's programs allow students to engage with other health care providers and communities through hands-on activities, such as the suturing workshop co-sponsored by CT AHEC and Primary Care Progress.

Statistics:

  • Over 160 health care providers receive free continuing education training through CT AHEC annually.
  • 30 Connecticut nurses participated in the Essential Skills for Preceptors conference co-sponsored by CT AHEC in 2025.
  • CT AHEC has been in operation for 28 years, celebrating its anniversary as a key player in the state's health care education and development efforts.

Sources:

  • "New laws, new paradigms, as well as new treatments, are a constant in the health care environment, and health care providers need not only 'the headlines' or the 'updates' but a thoughtful and expert synthesis to make the best of what is new," says Dr. Anton Alerte, associate dean of Primary Care at UConn School of Medicine. (Source: UConn School of Medicine)
  • "The mission of continuing education is a vital component of AHEC's mission, giving frontline providers access to the information they need to manage the ever-evolving environment they work in day to day," says Petra Clark-Dufner, director, CT AHEC. (Source: CT AHEC Network)
  • "We know clinicians are busy and require flexibility in accessing continuing education sessions. Our CT AHEC Network utilizes a variety of platforms, from in-person to virtual to hybrid, to deliver high-quality training by our amazing content experts," says Clark-Dufner. (Source: CT AHEC Network)