SoAHEC History

The New Mexico Area Health Education Center at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine was established in 1986 in an attempt to improve access to primary care in New Mexico. The University of New Mexico (UNM) entered into a collaborative agreement with New Mexico State University (NMSU), College of Health & Social Services to establish the Southern Area Health Education Center (SoAHEC) in the late 1980's. The New Mexico Border Health Education Training Center (BHETC), also through the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, was established at NMSU in the early 1990's respectively. Both SoAHEC and BHETC are housed under the Department of Health Science.



The original primary functions of both programs were to:
  • Provide partial support for the placement of health professions students and residents performing clinical and community health experiences across the 17 southern counties in New Mexico.
  • Provide school-based health career awareness programs for under-represented middle and high school students from around the state in an effort to increase the applicant pool for ethnic minorities, prepare them for a college education in a health profession, and ultimately place them in health professional shortage areas (HPSAs).
  • Coordinate and co-sponsor continuing education and training programs across New Mexico to promote the retention of health professionals in the southern part of the state.


Additional functions now include:
  • Coordination and implementation of bilingual community health leadership trainings aimed at strengthening partnerships between health professionals and community groups and/or residents
  • Providing environmental health and home safety education to families and communities throughout the New Mexico border region
  • Plan and coordinate regional health conferences and workshops that offer continuing education opportunities for health professionals from around the SW region
  • Development of a cadre of local bilingual trainers/peer educators around diabetes, nutrition, physical activity, and healthy lifestyles