Through a partnership with the East Texas AHEC Program of The University of Texas Medical Branch-Galveston, the Greater Houston Area Health Education Center (AHEC) has been funded since October 1, 1994. Its mission is to improve the supply and distribution of health care professionals, with an emphasis on primary care, through community/academic partnerships, and to increase access to quality health care, especially for the medically underserved. AHECs have a great sensitivity to community needs with special attention given to improving the representation of minorities and the disadvantaged in the health professions and meeting the needs of populations with inadequate access or availability of primary care services. The Greater Houston AHEC includes Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery, and Waller Counties, and provides services most needed in these counties, including needs assessment, health careers promotion, continuing education, information dissemination services, and community based education for students in allied health sciences, dentistry, medicine, nursing, nurse practitioner and nurse midwife program, physician assistant studies, and social worker programs. The AHEC staff hopes to continue building a strong link between the community and health care academic institutions. If you would like more information, please email Dr. Kathy Becan-McBride, Greater Houston AHEC Assistant Director for Academic Liaisons at http://www.ghahec.org/ or Kathleen.Becan-McBride@uth.tmc.edu.