Register now for Rural Health Book Club on "The Cancer Factory” by Jim Morris

Sometimes, cancer runs in the family. Other times, cancer runs in the factory. At Goodyear’s chemical plant in Niagara Falls, New York, the workers “all know what happens when you start peeing blood,” according to Harry Weist, a retiree with recurrent bladder cancer who was interviewed by Jim Morris for The Cancer Factory. The book’s title portends the growth of the bladder cancer cluster that came to afflict at least 78 workers—a result of the factory’s hands-on work with ortho-toluidine. The chemical, now established to be a carcinogen, has been used by Goodyear as an ingredient in synthetic rubber tires since 1957. Don’t let the 20th century date mislead you—the chemical is nowhere near concluded history.

Scholars may earn up to two hours in credit for participating in this book club session, one by reading the book, and the second by attending to chat! Community members welcome.

More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

We will be using one of the following full-length practice exams:

• AAMC Full-Length Practice Exam 1, or

• The Princeton Review Full-Length Test 1 (for students enrolled with Princeton Review)

Please make sure you have access to your selected exam and your login information ready in advance.

Because this is a mock exam, you must bring your own laptop and charger. All other procedures will be run as close to official MCAT conditions as possible.

We will simulate MCAT test-day intake, including:

• ID check (two forms required; typically a photo ID plus a credit/debit card with your name)

• Palm scanning simulation

• Signing a test-day agreement

• Placing phones and personal belongings in lockers

• Assignment of an individual testing space

Once testing begins, phones and personal items will remain locked away until the exam is complete.

Here is a video on what to expect for check in procedures if that is helpful for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L1wNSNzdlNw

Exam Schedule & Timing (Approximate)

Total seat time is 7 hours and 30 minutes, plus breaks.

• Chemical and Physical Foundations – 95 minutes

• 10-minute break

• Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS) – 90 minutes

• 30-minute lunch break

• Biological and Biochemical Foundations – 95 minutes

• 10-minute break

• Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations – 95 minutes

Please note: going over break times will reduce time in your next section, just like the real exam.

What to Bring

• Valid photo ID + second form of ID

• Laptop and charger

• AAMC or Princeton Review account login credentials

• Lunch (refrigerator and microwave are available)

• Optional snacks

We will provide lockers for personal belongings, paper and pens, and some light snacks and bottled water.

This mock is intended to help you experience the mental, physical, and logistical demands of test day in a supportive environment. While this is a practice exam, all AAMC policies regarding prohibited items, exam conduct, and discussion of exam content still apply. Learn more about discussing the MCAT here: https://students-residents.aamc.org/taking-mcat-exam/guidelines-discussing-mcat-exam

If you have any questions or concerns before Monday, please reach out as soon as possible. We’re looking forward to supporting you through this important step in your MCAT preparation!

This is a Scholars Only Event!

Did you know we recruit Scholars from any practice-ready healthcare program? We have histology techs, nurses, medical students, public health students, and more. Come chat in College Station to network with other professionals- and yes, dinner’s on us. We’ll be meeting at RX Pizza!

How to Write a Personal Statement with Tara from Sway Essay

Topics this workshop covers:

• How to approach your prompt

• How to find and tell your stories

• How to use real language so your voice shines through

• How to use details to make a memorable impression

• How to tell stories from your perspective

• How to transition from story to story to advance your argument

• Examples of great essays

• How to write impressive conclusions

• What not to write about

CHAMPS & Future Docs Students Only

Come hang out with other CHAMPS and Future Docs students at our Topgolf mixer! This is a fun way to take a break and get to know your peers. No golf experience needed, just show up, we have 3 bays reserved, appetizer trays will be provided, and plenty of time to mingle.

Join us for Mix It Up this December! This is an open networking opportunity healthcare students, AHEC Scholars, and professionals who want to learn more.

Mix It Up is an online webinar series on intersectional issues for healthcare students and community members. Through a more conversational, casual tone, attendees have the opportunity to ask questions, network, and engage deeply. Each session starts with a 30-45 minute presentation from the speaker, and afterwards we break into Q&A for the remainder of the time. AHEC Scholars may receive an hour in credit towards their hours for attending the session.

Texas AHEC East - Waco Region in conjunction with Waco Family Medicine is delighted to host our 5th annual Healthy Families Expo. The theme of the event is Healthy Families, Healthy Homes. Waco Family Medicine and Texas AHEC East-Waco Region are committed to strengthening families and transforming communities through outreach. The Healthy Families Expo is intended to promote individual, family, and community well-being by partnering with community resources to provide educational and interactive health services.

The day will be filled with kids activities, health education, community resources, a community mural, and much more! Please mark your calendars and spread the word for an event you do not want to miss. See you there!

Waco AHEC Advisory Board Meeting; not open to the public

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on "The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt

In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the “play-based childhood” began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the “phone-based childhood” in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this “great rewiring of childhood” has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies.

Scholars may earn up to two hours in credit for participating in this book club session, one by reading the book, and the second by attending to chat! Community members welcome.

More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

ATS, CV, and more, oh my! Job hunting in the LinkedIn era can feel overwhelming, but fortunately we’re here to help. Join us for a job preparation session on Zoom during lunch or dinner for accountability and expert advice.

Each 2-hour session is structured but flexible:

1. Check-In (5 minutes)

2. Assess & Recap (5 minutes)

3. Core STEM Tutoring (45 minutes)- Focus on Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Statistics, A&P or Algebra II.

4. Break (10 minutes)

5. Coursework & Exploration (45 minutes)

• Homework/test prep support.

• Study skills, note-taking, or test prep strategies.

• Watching a short, helpful video (e.g., Khan Academy).

• Sharing what you wish you knew in high school about college.

6. Check-Out (10 minutes)- Goal setting & complete the Google Form check-out (what was covered, needs assessed, student check-in/out times, notes).

The Field of Infection Prevention and Control: Truths and Myths

Welcome to the last Mix It Up of 2025! Dr. Kayla Ruch from the Texas Public Health Epidemic Institute will be sharing with us the on-the-ground challenges of her work, as well as the path she's taken to get here. Infection prevention has become an increasingly large focus in the national health spotlight, and there are a lot of misconceptions on best practices. Join us to learn more, ask questions, and grow in your studies. 

AHEC Scholars who are seeking hours may request verification for this hour lunch and learn. Community members and health professionals are welcome to join 

Mix It Up is an online webinar series on intersectional issues for healthcare students and community members. Through a more conversational, casual tone, attendees have the opportunity to ask questions, network, and engage deeply. Each session starts with a 30-45 minute presentation from the speaker, and afterwards we break into Q&A for the remainder of the time. AHEC Scholars may receive an hour in credit towards their hours for attending the session.

Welcome event for our inaugural cohort of CHAMPs Scholars! We will provide an overview presentation about the program, provide each student with an orientation packet and Google Classroom access. Parents are welcome to attend but are not required.

If you’re interested in shadowing with us or a clinical preceptorship, please apply before August 12th!

If you want to learn more about this program and apply, click the button below.

Waco AHEC Advisory Board Meeting; not open to the public

This is a Scholars Only Event!

Did you know we recruit Scholars from any practice-ready healthcare program? We have histology techs, nurses, medical students, public health students, and more. Come chat for a casual mixer in Belton to welcome you back to school- and yes, dinner’s on us. We’ll be meeting at Oakfire Pizza & Brewing!

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on "Everything is Tuberculosis” by John Green

Award-winning author and leader of international tuberculosis nonprofit John Green explores the public health efforts that have gone into eradicating tuberculosis in our world, and the world around us. Join us for an approachable conversation on public health, the politics of disease, and tuberculosis as a metaphor for well, everything!

Scholars may earn up to two hours in credit for participating in this book club session, one by reading the book, and the second by attending to chat! Community members welcome.

More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

Join us for Mix It Up this June! This is an open networking opportunity healthcare students, AHEC Scholars, and professionals who want to learn more.

Mix It Up is an online webinar series on intersectional issues for healthcare students and community members. Through a more conversational, casual tone, attendees have the opportunity to ask questions, network, and engage deeply. Each session starts with a 30-45 minute presentation from the speaker, and afterwards we break into Q&A for the remainder of the time. AHEC Scholars may receive an hour in credit towards their hours for attending the session.

The first installment of Mix it Up will feature Fannie Parker, MPH, CPH of the Waco Public Health District

Mix It Up is an online webinar series on intersectional issues for healthcare students and community members. Through a more conversational, casual tone, attendees have the opportunity to ask questions, network, and engage deeply. Each session starts with a 30-45 minute presentation from the speaker, and afterwards we break into Q&A for the remainder of the time. AHEC Scholars may receive an hour in credit towards their hours for attending the session.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on "The Wellness Trap" by Christy Harrison

It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle.” You've probably heard this phrase from any number of people in the wellness space. But as Christy Harrison reveals in her latest book, wellness culture promotes a standard of health that is often both unattainable and deeply harmful.

The Wellness Trap delves into the persistent, systemic problems with that industry, offering insight into its troubling pattern of cultural appropriation and its destructive views on mental health, and shedding light on how a growing distrust of conventional medicine has led ordinary people to turn their backs on science. Weaving together history, memoir, reporting, and practical advice, Harrison illuminates the harms of wellness culture while re-imagining our society’s relationship with well-being.

More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

The first installment of Mix it Up will feature a panel of Waco Family Medicine providers and residents speaking on their experiences.

Mix It Up is an online webinar series on intersectional issues for healthcare students and community members. Through a more conversational, casual tone, attendees have the opportunity to ask questions, network, and engage deeply. Each session starts with a 30-45 minute presentation from the speaker, and afterwards we break into Q&A for the remainder of the time. AHEC Scholars may receive an hour in credit towards their hours for attending the session.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on Blazing Hot Takes by the Curbsiders Addiction Medicine podcast.

Join us to hear the latest pearls and best practices on talking to patients about vaping, if e-cigarettes can be used to stop smoking cigarettes, and every other question you hadn’t thought to ask about vaping with Drs. Pam Ling and Maya Vijayaraghavan.

More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here. CMEs and episode can be claimed here: https://thecurbsiders.com/addiction-medicine-podcast/30-blazing-hot-takes-the-latest-in-vaping-with-drs-ling-and-vijayaraghavan

ATS, CV, and more, oh my! Job hunting in the LinkedIn era can feel overwhelming, but fortunately we’re here to help. Join us for a job preparation session on Zoom during lunch or dinner for accountability and expert advice.

The second installment of Mix it Up will feature Dr. Megan Williams, a current Waco AHEC board member and current professor at Texas A&M University. She will be presenting on her work in human sexuality, as well as the journey she took to get to that work today.

Mix It Up is an online webinar series on intersectional issues for healthcare students and community members. Through a more conversational, casual tone, attendees have the opportunity to ask questions, network, and engage deeply. Each session starts with a 30-45 minute presentation from the speaker, and afterwards we break into Q&A for the remainder of the time. AHEC Scholars may receive an hour in credit towards their hours for attending the session.

Megan Williams, PhD, CHES® is currently an Instructional Assistant Professor at Texas A&M University and is a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®). She is an innovative educator with a variety of college-level teaching experiences in public health and sexuality-related courses. In the classroom, she utilizes a variety of teaching methods including game-based learning, student-led projects and hands-on activities to maximize student learning and engagement. Professionally, Megan is interested in improving sexual health outcomes of young adults by increasing sexual health care utilization, implementing comprehensive sexuality education, and exploring the components of sexual health interventions. In conjunction with student researchers, she investigates access to contraception in the Bryan/College Station area. Her previous research projects have explored barriers and facilitators to sexual health services in the Southern U.S..Previously, she worked at the North Carolina School Health Training Center, where she oversaw mental and sexual health curriculum professional development, and within the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiatives at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, where she explored avenues to improve various sexuality curricula.

She is a Section Councilor within the Sexual and Reproductive Health section of the American Public Health Association and the founder of Young Professionals of Sexual and Reproductive Health. Previously, Megan earned her B.S. in Public Health and MPH in Health Behavior from East Carolina University (ECU) and her Ph.D. in Health Education and Promotion from The University of Alabama.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on "The Price We Pay" by Dr. Maty Makary.

One in five Americans now has medical debt in collections and rising health care costs today threaten every small business in America. Dr. Makary, one of the nation's leading health care experts, travels across America and details why health care has become a bubble. Drawing from on-the-ground stories, his research, and his own experience, The Price We Pay paints a vivid picture of the business of medicine and its elusive money games in need of a serious shake-up. Dr. Makary shows how so much of health care spending goes to things that have nothing to do with health and what you can do about it. Dr. Makary challenges the medical establishment to remember medicine's noble heritage of caring for people when they are vulnerable.

The Price We Pay offers a road map for everyday Americans and business leaders to get a better deal on their health care, and profiles the disruptors who are innovating medical care. The movement to restore medicine to its mission, Makary argues, is alive and well--a mission that can rebuild the public trust and save our country from the crushing cost of health care.

More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

The first installment of Mix it Up will feature Dr. Kathileen Boozer, a previous board member of Waco AHEC and a current featured speaker on chronic care issues in healthcare.

Mix It Up is an online webinar series on intersectional issues for healthcare students and community members. Through a more conversational, casual tone, attendees have the opportunity to ask questions, network, and engage deeply. Each session starts with a 30-45 minute presentation from the speaker, and afterwards we break into Q&A for the remainder of the time. AHEC Scholars may receive an hour in credit towards their hours for attending the session.

Dr. Kathileen Boozer is a full-time clinical practitioner and previously taught in the undergraduate and graduate nursing programs at LHSON. Dr. Boozer graduated from Baylor University in 2003 with a degree in Political Science. She began her nursing career after graduating from West Texas A&M with her BSN in 2008. Dr. Boozer pursued her passion for nursing and serving others and became a Family Nurse Practitioner in 2011. Kathileen completed a dermatology internship in 2014 and has been specializing her practice in dermatology and community health since that time. Dr. Boozer earned her Doctor of Nursing Practice from Creighton University in 2018. Dr. Boozer is an active member of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners, Dermatology Nurses Association, National Academy of Dermatology Nurse Practitioners, Texas Nurse Practitioner Association, National League of Nurses, and Sigma Theta Tau.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “Healing Justice Lineages” by Cara Page and Erica Woodland. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “Abolition and Social Work”, an essay collection. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.

Register now for Rural Health Book Club on “Hooked” by Lonny Shavelson. More information on the Rural Health Book Club can be found by clicking here.