The UF Area Health Education Centers Program and the colleges across the UF Health Science Center are hosting two training sessions that focus on preparing future and current health care providers for their roles in tobacco use prevention and cessation intervention.

On Aug. 30, more than 750 students from the UF Health Science Center are expected to participate in the AHEC Tobacco Training and Cessation – Initial Training and hear presentations by experts on current evidence-based strategies for treating tobacco use and dependence, motivational interviewing techniques, and alternative forms of tobacco.

The presentation for students will take place at the MSB Auditorium at 1 p.m., followed by small group meetings in which multidisciplinary students can engage in discussions.

The training session will also focus on preventing tobacco use among middle school students. The health science students will spend a day in October engaging middle school students in tobacco prevention education through videos and interactive activities, serving as role models for the youth and reinforcing what they learned about tobacco use at the ATTAC-IT.

On Aug. 31, Bernd Wollschlaeger, M.D., an expert in epidemiology and treatment of tobacco dependence, will speak to health care professionals at a seminar, which includes one hour of continuing medical education credit.

The event will begin 9 a.m. in the Communicore Building room C1-17.

For more information, please contact Syraj Syed or Kathy Nichols at 352-273-8530.