Northeast Ohio AHEC celebrates future healthcare professionals at annual jacketing and pinning ceremony
The Northeast Ohio Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Regional Program Office welcomed more than 90 undergraduate students to campus on Oct. 3, 2026, for its annual Jacketing and Pinning Ceremony, celebrating AHEC Scholars and Eastern Ohio AHEC Future Docs.
AHEC Scholars is a nationally recognized program that enhances health professions education through interprofessional training, community-based learning experiences and preparation for careers serving rural and underserved communities. The Future Docs program, supported by Boston Scientific, helps pre-medical students, particularly those from underserved backgrounds, prepare for medical school through mentorship, academic enrichment, MCAT preparation and clinical exposure.
The day began with an educational training for students with community professionals focused on vaccine hesitancy. Participants explored how vaccine hesitancy is defined, examined factors that influence individuals’ decisions about vaccination, and identified strategies to strengthen vaccine confidence. Following lunch, students were joined by family members, friends, faculty and legislative representatives in Watanakunakorn Auditorium for the ceremony, recognizing their dedication to pursuing careers in healthcare and serving their communities.
For Level 1 AHEC Scholars and Future Docs, receiving a jacket marked an important milestone in their educational journey. The jacket represents more than participation in an AHEC program; it symbolizes a commitment to look beyond the classroom and clinical setting to understand the people, families, and communities behind the patients they will one day serve.
For Level 2 AHEC Scholars, receiving a pin celebrated their continued growth and connection to a broader community of future healthcare professionals. Through AHEC, students become part of a national network spanning Northeast Ohio, the state of Ohio and communities across the country. They join healthcare professionals, educators, community partners and fellow Scholars who share a commitment to improving health and expanding access to quality care.
“The ceremony is about much more than putting on a jacket or receiving a pin,” said Maureen Drummond, Northeast Ohio AHEC Regional Director. “It is an opportunity to recognize students who have made a commitment to something larger than their individual education and career—a commitment to understanding the communities they will serve and becoming health professionals who see the whole person, not simply the diagnosis.”
Northeast Ohio AHEC congratulates the students who are taking important steps toward leadership in healthcare through programs offered at NEOMED and its four regional AHEC centers hosted by Cleveland State University, the University of Akron, Kent State University at Stark and Youngstown State University.
Together, these programs help prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals to meet the needs of rural and underserved communities through education, collaboration, and community engagement.