Northwest AHEC: Linking Education, Practice and Communities for Better Health MISSION STATEMENT The Northwest Area Health Education Center is an educational outreach and training program designed to enhance the health of the public in its 17-county region by improving the supply, distribution, and quality of health and human service personnel--especially in primary care—through diverse community/academic partnerships. GEOGRAPHICAL SERVICE AREA Our service area encompasses 17 counties in Northwest North Carolina: Alexander, Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Iredell, Rowan, Stokes, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes and Yadkin. SUB-REGIONAL BASES In order to allow easy access of our services to our large geographic area, there are two sub-regional bases at community hospitals. These regional facilities house library collections, staff and classroom space for CE and other activities. The sub-regional bases are located at Watauga Medical Center (part of the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System) in Boone and Catawba Valley Medical Center in Hickory. KEY SERVICE AREAS Health Careers - Diversity & Recruitment Health Sciences Student Support Graduate Medical Education (GME) & Patient Services Continuing Education Activities & Services Information & Library Research Services