MAHEC Medical Mentoring Program

MAHEC Medical Mentoring Program (MMMP)

An internship designed for high school seniors who have a serious interest in the practice of medicine and pursuing a career as a healthcare professional

Participating students will have the opportunity to shadow physicians, physician assistants, nurses, community health workers, and many other allied health professionals in both the inpatient and ambulatory settings. This program provides 135 credit hours for one semester, and has been approved by Asheville City and Buncombe County high schools as an honors-level course.

Participating students also receive educational lectures from healthcare administrators and leaders across the country who are committed to developing the healthcare workforce. This exposure to multiple career paths allows students to narrow their focus within a particular area of healthcare.

This pathway program is a supported by MAHEC, Mission Health, and the Western Carolina Medical Society.

Meet Our Interns

Program Overview

Students who participate in this program are exposed to a variety of healthcare fields including:

• Chinese Medicine
• Dentistry
• Optometry
• Pharmacy
• Physical Therapy
• Public Health
• Social Work
• Medicine and related subspecialties such as:
  Anesthesiology Cardiology Dermatology Ear/Head/Nose/Throat Emergency Medicine Endocrinology Family Medicine Genetics Geriatrics Internal Medicine Integrative Medicine Radiology Sports Medicine Obstetrics & Gynecology Oncology Palliative Care Pediatrics Psychiatry Trauma Surgery

Students will rotate through various clinics (such as memory care, sleep lab, diabetes management), hospitals, indigent care clinics, private practices, education centers, and more. Participants also attend resident physician didactics and are connected with MAHEC’s Virtual Library and Knowledge Services.

In addition to scheduled rotations, students may use internship hours to participate in ABIPA Action Teams, MAHEC health career programs for academic enrichment, college planning, conferences, and service-learning opportunities. Student participants should enroll in his/her school’s internship program for the last period of the day and choose the last available lunch. This will enable the student to have a rotation schedule from 2:30–4:30 pm.

Students enrolled in the internship program are covered under their school’s liability coverage. Verification of the school’s liability coverage must be provided to MAHEC by the school designee prior to the start of the program.

Eligibility Requirements

• Desire to pursue a career as a healthcare professional
• Rising high school senior
• Enrolled in one of the following schools:
• Asheville Christian Academy
• Asheville City Schools
• Buncombe County Public Schools
• Henderson County Public Schools
• Odyssey School
• Minimum weighted grade point average of 3.0
• Letters of recommendation (at least one from a teacher)
• Active record of leadership, work, and/or community service
• Access to reliable transportation

Questions & Contact

Keyasia Meade
Program Coordinator, Health Careers
Department of Community and Public Health
keyasia.meade@mahec.net