Mini-Medical School Spring Semester Begins Feb. 24

Autoimmune disorders, colon cancer screening, pediatric malignancies, cardiovascular health and headaches are among the topics slated for the spring semester of the Medical College of Georgia Mini-Medical School that begins Feb. 24.

The lecture series, conducted by MCG faculty members, helps educate the public about medicine and health care as it gives them a taste of what medical students learn.

"It provides the general public with an opportunity to learn about medical topics and allows physicians to share knowledge in a comfortable environment," says Dr. Alan Roberts, associate professor of medicine and creator of the MCG Mini-Medical School. “This is what the patient-physician relationship and interaction is all about and adds to the concept of family-centered care, which is at the core of the MCG health care delivery system."

Classes are from 7-9 p.m. on six consecutive Tuesdays in the MCG School of Dentistry at the corner of 15th Street and Laney-Walker Boulevard. Participants can park at the StudentCenter lot across from the School of Dentistry. Tuition is $10 for high school students and $25 for college students with identification, $35 for MCG employees, $50 for individuals and $75 for families. Snacks, learning materials and a certificate of achievement are provided. The semester counts for 12 hours of continuing education credit.

The Tuesday, March 3 lectures, Women and Cardiovascular Health by School of Medicine Dean D. Douglas Miller, who was recently named one of the top four cardiologists for women in the South by Women's Health Magazine, and Sex, Hormones and Happiness by Dr. Murray A. Freedman, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the School of Medicine, are free to the public.

The MCG Mini-Medical School began in fall 2003; the first mini-medical school was developed by the National Institutes of Health, and more than 80 similar programs now exist nationwide.

MCG attendees have ranged in age from teens to senior citizens. Former participants are encouraged to attend.

Class dates, topics and educators:

Feb. 24: Scleroderma and Other Autoimmune Disorders, Dr. Walter J. Moore, chief of the Section of Rheumatology and senior associate dean for graduate medical education, School of Medicine; and Common Skin Problems, Dr. Daniel J. Sheehan, assistant professor of medicine and pathology, School of Medicine.

March 3: Women and Cardiovascular Health, Dr. D. Douglas Miller, dean; and Sex, Hormones and Happiness, Dr. Murray A. Freedman, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology, School of Medicine.

March 10: Physical Medicine – What Is It and What Is a Physical Medicine Doctor?, Dr. Pamela B. Salazar, clinical assistant professor of pediatrics, School of Medicine; and Learn All About Oral Surgery, Dr. Solon T. Kao, assistant professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery, School of Dentistry.

March 17: Screening for Colon Cancer in 2009 – What Are the Options?, Dr. Sherman M. Chamberlain, associate professor of medicine, School of Medicine; and Lupus Nephritis, Dr. Michael P. Madaio, chair of the Department of Medicine, School of Medicine.

March 24: Pediatric Malignancies, Dr. Colleen H. McDonough, assistant professor of pediatrics, SchoolMedicine; and Breast Cancer, Dr. Thomas A. Samuel, assistant professor of medicine, School of Medicine.

March 31: I Have Such a Headache, Dr. J. Ned Pruitt, associate professor of neurology, School of Medicine; and Pathologists – The Doctors Behind the Scenes, Dr. Paul W. Biddinger, chief of the Section of Pathology, School of Medicine.

For more details, contact the Department of Continuing Education at 706-721-3967 or visit www.mcg.edu/ce/.

Amy Connell
MCG

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