Division of Health Education and Workforce Expansion

The Division of Health Education and Workforce Expansion will develop its Academic Affairs workstream along three axes: 1) Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education, 2) Staffing Partnerships, and 3) Research and Development Partnerships.

It has been shown that physicians are more likely to practice in rural settings if they train in rural settings, and thus it is in the agency’s interest to encourage medical education in our facilities as a strategic initiative towards workforce development. Furthermore, while IHS does not have a mandate towards research, we operate in unique environments - geographically, culturally, and socioeconomically - and thus the manner in which we must deliver care often calls for novel approaches that would benefit from co-development with the academic community, who are dedicated to the generation of new knowledge.

The Community Health Aide Program (CHAP) is a multidisciplinary system of mid-level behavioral, community, and dental health professionals working alongside licensed providers to offer patients increased access to quality care in tribal communities.

The IHS Clinical Support Center (CSC) is a national program located in Phoenix, Arizona, dedicated to delivering accredited continuing education (CE) services for Indian Health Service, Tribal, and Urban (I/T/U) health care team members serving AI/AN communities nationwide.

The IHS TeleBehavioral Health Center of Excellence (TBHCE) tele-education program aims to equip, connect, and encourage healthcare providers in the I/T/U health system and those serving AI/AN people and communities.