Alabama Medical Education Consortium
The Alabama Medical Education Consortium (AMEC) was incorporated in 2005 as a 501(c)3 non-profit to "establish and maintain a physician manpower pipeline for rural and under served Alabama that includes all related components of medical education."
In the beginning, AMEC’s mission was to utilize a community-based model to educate medical students in their third and fourth year medical school clerkships. Twelve of these core sites were established throughout Alabama with paid coordinators, core site directors, and preceptors.
In 2015-2016, AMEC matriculated its last class through the Pipeline and its core sites were dedicated to providing clinical education for Students of the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine (ACOM), opened in 2010. ACOM students were admitted in 2013 and entered the core sites in 2015-2016.
Today, AMEC is evolving; continuing its mission through the startup funding of up to twelve new hospital residency programs throughout Alabama. This successful and growing endeavor first received funding from the Alabama Legislature in 2017.
AMEC’s Mission Statement
To expand its mission to establish a primary care physician pipeline for rural and underserved Alabama by assisting Alabama hospitals in developing graduate medical education programs to increase the probability that Alabama-trained medical students who do their residency in these hospitals will practice in Alabama.
Board of Directors
Dr. Richard Holland, President
Livingston
(West Central Alabama)
Dr. Jeff Caylor
Gulf Shores
(Southwest)
Mr. Terry Mitchell
Sylacauga
(East Central)
Mr. Holley Midgley
Mentone
(Northeast)
Mr. John Boyett
Sulligent
(Northwest)
Dr. Kenneth McLeod
Foley
(Southwest)
Dr. Brent Boyett
Hamilton
(Northwest)
Mr. Dale Quinney
Mathews
(Central)
Executive Director
Wil E. Baker, PhD, has been the Executive Director since AMEC was incorporated. His vision and that of others with similar interest in medical education have created the present success of AMEC. More medical students are being educated in Alabama; the number of physicians practicing in the State has increased; and more students now have opportunities to train in new Alabama residency programs.
Dr. Baker also serves as Associate Dean of Graduate Medical Education at the Alabama College of Osteopathic Medicine in Dothan.
AMEC's journey officially began in 2005 with funding in Governor Bob Riley's recommended budget and approved in the 2006 State budget. In 2015-2016 AMEC completed its mission of students progressing through the Pipeline for their third and fourth years of medical school.
In 2017 Governor Robert Bentley and the Alabama Legislature funded AMEC's Proposal to assist up to 12 Alabama hospitals to start new GME programs. When matured, these new programs will offer more than 500 new residency slots. We are grateful to Governor Kay Ivey and to the two Governors who preceded her and to the State Legislature for their foresight in recognizing the pressing need for physicians in Alabama by funding this ongoing effort.