NASA awards Emory, MCG $7.6 million for space radiation research

Researchers from Emory University’s Winship Cancer Institute and the Medical College of Georgia are launching a new cancer research initiative – literally.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has awarded a team of investigators from both institutions $7.6 million over five years to study how a component of space radiation may induce lung cancer.

The award establishes a NASA Specialized Center of Research (NSCOR), consisting of a team of scientists with complementary skills who work closely together to solve a set of research questions. Ya Wang, PhD, professor of radiation oncology at Emory University School of Medicine and Winship Cancer Institute, is director of the NSCOR at Emory.

Interplanetary space travel could expose astronauts to conditions where they are chronically exposed to types of radiation not normally encountered on earth. One of these is high energy charged particles (HZE), which results in complex damage to DNA and a broader stress response by the affected cells and tissues.

There is no epidemiological data for human exposure to HZE particles, although some estimates have been made studying uranium miners and Japanese atomic bomb survivors, says Wang.

Animal experiments show that HZE particle exposure induces more tumors than other forms of radiation such as X-rays or gamma rays. Because it is a leading form of cancer, lung cancer can be expected to be prominent among increased risks from radiation even though astronauts do not smoke. However, the risk for astronauts remains unclear because the dose of HZE astronauts are expected to receive is very low, Wang says.

The Emory-MCG researchers will probe whether the broader stress response induced by HZE particles amplifies cancer risk. Investigators will collaborate with physicists at Brookhaven National Laboratory to gather information on HZE’s effects. Individual projects include the study of how cells repair DNA damage induced by HZE particles, how HZE particles generate oxidative stress, and how they trigger regulatory changes in DNA known as methylation.

Participating faculty include:

Ya Wang, PhD, professor of radiation oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory – director of NSCOR
Paul Doetsch, PhD, professor of radiation oncology and biochemistry, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory – associate director of NSCOR
William Dynan, PhD, professor, Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics at the Medical College of Georgia – associate director of NSCOR
Paula Vertino, PhD, professor of radiation oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory
Huichen Wang, PhD, assistant professor of radiation oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory
Shi-Yong Sun, PhD, associate professor of hematology and medical oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory
Gregg Orloff, PhD, assistant professor of hematology and medical oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory
“The information generated by this project will be critical for estimating risks and establishing countermeasures for cancers associated with long term space travel. In addition, new insights into cancer resulting from all types of radiation exposure, including those found on earth, are likely to emerge from this project,” Dr. Doetsch says.

Dr. Dynan adds, “We plan to visualize the response to HZE particle radiation in real time using nanomedicine tools and approaches. A focus on leading-edge technology was a distinguishing feature of our application.”

Walter Curran, MD, executive director of Winship and chairman of Emory’s Department of Radiation Oncology, says “the center will place Emory and the State of Georgia squarely on the map as a place of international importance within the handful of NSCORs in the world dedicated to the study of cancer and space radiation exposure.”

New NSCOR awards are also being made to Duke University and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center on the topic of space radiation-induced lung cancer.

Additional information is available on the NASA Space Radiation web site.


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Georgia Health Sciences University Name Approved By Regents

What’s in a name? When it comes to telling the full story of the missions of its 35 colleges and universities, plenty, according to the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia (USG). The board approved today a request from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) to change its name to Georgia Health Sciences University (GHSU).

“The new name more accurately reflects and encompasses the broad and growing health sciences teaching and research mission we have, not just in Augusta, but statewide,” said USG Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr.

Board Chair Willis Potts said, “Georgia Health Sciences University truly indicates the institution’s status as a comprehensive health sciences university that benefits the citizens of this state and nation as a whole and the board’s approval is a testament to our commitment to its mission.” The name change will take effect February 1, 2011.

The regents’ action today, while changing the name of the broader institution, will allow MCG President Ricardo Azziz to retain the historic name Medical College of Georgia for the university’s School of Medicine. MCG’s other four schools will change their designations to colleges.

“Georgia Health Sciences University better defines our institution as what it is – a comprehensive health sciences university and a modern academic health center,” said Azziz. “In this competitive world of rankings and reputation, we believe the new change will allow us to achieve the national prominence and recognition that this university community so richly deserves.”

The name change will not affect the MCG Health System or MCG Health. Both entities will retain their names, a reflection of their strong connection to the university’s medical school.

The board’s action today follows three independent studies conducted since 2007, all of which supported the renaming. Earlier this year, the possibility of a name change resurfaced during a MCG Health System retreat. Azziz and other MCG officials have engaged the university’s many constituent groups, including alumni, students, faculty, staff, corporate and community leaders, in the dialogue leading up to today’s board approval.

Founded in 1828 as the Medical Academy of Georgia, the university has been renamed five times in its 182-year history. It was first named Medical College of Georgia in 1833 and has been called MCG continuously since 1950.

A website featuring frequently asked questions is available at: http://name.mcg.edu

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MCG: Dr. Miller resigns as medical school dean; Dr. Buckley named interim dean

After more than four years of accomplished service, Dr. Douglas Miller has resigned as Dean of the School of Medicine and Senior Vice President for Health Affairs for the Medical College of Georgia.
“Together with the faculty, Dr. Miller has led MCG’s School of Medicine to a truly impressive set of achievements,” said MCG President, Dr. Ricardo Azziz.  During Dr. Miller’s tenure, MCG’s medical school has expanded across the state and is now the largest class in MCG’s history and the ninth-largest medical school enrollment in the nation.  In addition to MCG’s new clinical campuses in Savannah and Albany, the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership recently opened the four-year Athens campus.  The medical school’s faculty have been primarily responsible for bringing MCG’s research funding to nearly $100 million annually.  All of these milestones were reached in a time of budget challenges and restructuring.

“We are grateful for Dr. Miller’s exemplary professionalism, leadership and service, and we wish him the best in his future endeavors,” said Dr. Azziz.  “I am thankful for my time at MCG, and I am honored to have been able to work with such fine faculty, staff and students during my service as Dean,” said Dr. Miller. "These are exciting times for MCG, and I look forward to this institution’s continuing progress.”

Dr. Miller will begin a period of sabbatical leave. He will remain a tenured Regents’ Professor in the School of Medicine, and as one of Castle Connolly’s Top Doctors in Cardiovascular Disease, Dr. Miller plans to continue caring for his patients during his sabbatical. Dr. Peter Buckley, Senior Associate Dean for Leadership Development and Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior in the School of Medicine, has been named interim dean. “I appreciate Dr. Buckley's willingness to lead our School of Medicine in these challenging times,” stated Dr. Azziz. 

Dr. Buckley came to MCG in 2000 from Case Western Reserve University where he was Vice Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Medical Director for the state psychiatric services in Cleveland. He earned a medical degree from Ireland’s University College Dublin School of Medicine. He completed internships at St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin and a psychiatry residency and research fellowship at St. John of God Psychiatric Services in Dublin. An internationally renowned and federally-funded clinical investigator, Dr. Buckley is also a 2008 fellow of the Council of Deans of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

“I am humbled to be offered the chance to play this role for an institution that has been so important to me," said Dr. Buckley.  "This is a tremendous responsibility, and I know that I will need the support and expertise of all our faculty and staff.  Fortunately, I have complete confidence that we have the talent and judgment on our team."

Dr. Buckley also expressed appreciation for Dr. Miller's leadership and broad institutional accomplishments. "As a friend and grateful mentee, I wish Doug every success in the next stage of an impressive career. I am excited by the work now ahead of us under Dr. Azziz's new leadership and - like so many others at MCG - I am fully committed to our institution and our community."




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Dedication marks inaugural day of classes of MCG/UGA Medical Partnership

Forty aspiring physicians began their education in Athens August 9 as part of the inaugural class of the Medical College of Georgia/University of Georgia Medical Partnership.

“This was a pretty clear decision for me when you look at the per capita number of doctors (in Georgia),” said Governor Sonny Perdue, who gave the keynote address at a dedication ceremony to mark the historic partnership. “The fact is that we were importing medical talent not only from around the nation, but from around the world, to serve our citizens in Georgia. And while we love that people like to come to our state, we felt like we needed to grow more of our own.”

The inaugural class of the four-year medical education program consists of 40 MCG students who will study basic science and clinical skills in a program that mirrors the curriculum of the Augusta campus. Like other speakers at the dedication ceremony, University System of Georgia Chancellor Errol B. Davis Jr. praised Perdue and the General Assembly for supporting the expansion of public medical education in Georgia.

“It’s important to note that they did this in the midst of this economic downturn,” Davis said. “Their commitment expanding medical education and providing more doctors for the people of the state has not wavered.”

MCG President Dr. Ricardo Azziz and UGA President Michael F. Adams both emphasized how the partnership leverages the strengths of the state’s only public medical school and its largest and most comprehensive research university.

“Only through collaboration will we succeed in addressing the growing health needs of our state, our nation, and our world,” Azziz said. “Only through collaboration will we generate the cutting edge discoveries that will transform the way we care for our people.”

“It has taken a lot of people coming together to make this possible,” Adams said. “The development of a health sciences campus and the admission of the first class of medical students have been among the most important developments, I believe, in my time here at the university.”

MCG/UGA Medical Partnership student Justin Brooten of Atlanta addressed the audience at the dedication ceremony on behalf of students and noted that members of the inaugural class have studied in numerous fields, including biology, languages, economics and psychology, and have wide-ranging medical interests as well. “One word which characterizes our shared pursuit,” he said, “is passion – a passion to learn, a passion to care, and a passion to contribute.”

He added that the partnership will increase opportunities for students to engage in interdisciplinary studies and that the smaller class sizes in Athens will facilitate student/faculty interaction.

The partnership is part of an overall plan to increase the MCG School of Medicine's class size from 190 to 300 students by 2020 to help meet the need for physicians in a state that ranks in the top 10 in both population and population growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

“There are counties in Georgia that don’t have any physicians at all, and those shortages need to be addressed,” said Dr. Douglas Miller, dean of the MCG School of Medicine and MCG senior vice president for health affairs. “A public university and a partnership such as this is ideally positioned to lead a response to health care disparities.”

The students will be educated in the Interim Medical Partnership Building, a historic building that was originally constructed in 1857 as the Athens Cotton and Wool Factory and has since been renovated to provide a state-of-the-art learning environment. In 2012, the partnership is scheduled to move to a 58-acre campus in Athens currently occupied by the Navy Supply Corps School. The new campus will be known as the UGA Health Sciences Campus and will house the UGA College of Public Health and other health-related programs.

“UGA will become a much stronger research university with the inclusion of medical education,” said UGA Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Jere Morehead, “and today’s dedication of the Interim Medical Partnership Building is a precursor of greater things that will come in improving health care for the people of Georgia.”

The first graduates of the partnership will graduate in 2014 and can begin practicing, depending on the chosen specialty, in 2017 after completion of postgraduate education. By 2020, the partnership is expected to educate 60 students per year in Athens, for a total of 240 students for the four-year program. In addition to helping educate more physicians, the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership opens up new possibilities for collaborative research into diseases that disproportionately affect Georgians, such as diabetes, obesity and stroke.

“We have been given the opportunity to influence the health of the state of Georgia,” Campus Dean Dr. Barbara Schuster said. “May we have the strength and presence of mind to seize this unique opportunity.”

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Athens and Albany medical campuses on target for 2010, accrediting body says

Resources are adequate for Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine to proceed with a four-year campus in Athens in partnership with the University of Georgia and a two-year residential clinical campus in Southwest Georgia, the accrediting body for U.S. medical schools has confirmed.

"This is continued good news about steady progress at both campuses," School of Medicine Dean Doug Miller said about the Liaison Committee on Medical Education announcement. "We believe the LCME has pronounced both projects on track according to the timeline we have laid out."

The first class of 40 freshman students will start classes at the Interim Medical Partnership Building on Williams Street in Athens, one block from the main UGA Campus, in August 2010, says Dr. Barbara Schuster, campus dean of the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership. The LCME will receive a follow-up report at that time. The MCG School of Medicine has already accepted 60 students out of a class of 230 for next fall semester; 190 will be in Augusta. Inaugural students for the Athens campus will be assigned shortly.

MCG's first clinical campus, based at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany, opened in 2005 and is on target to become a residential clinical campus in July 2010, housing students during their clinical- intensive third and fourth years of medical school. An LCME visit Dec. 2-3 will assess faculty and facilities to pave the way for its residential status. "Some of our most popular teaching sites in the state are in the Southwest region. The buzz is very positive from the students," said Dr. Linda Boyd, associate dean for regional campus coordination. The initial enrollment of eight to 10 students likely will grow to 40 in coming years.

Last year over 200 MCG medical students completed one or more clinical rotations in Southwest Georgia, working with physicians for four to six weeks per rotation in specialties including family medicine, pediatrics, surgery and obstetrics-gynecology. Residential campus status will enable students to spend a lot more time in a medically underserved area of the state, said Dr. Iqbal Khan, assistant dean of the campus which opened in 2005. "The medical community on our campus enjoys participating in student education and does an outstanding job educating future doctors. As Dr. Boyd says, there is a lot of enthusiasm here among the medical community and students alike. "

"Phoebe is committed to walking lockstep with MCG to provide the support necessary to ensure a first-class training environment that will attract the best and brightest MCG students," added Dr. Doug Patten, senior vice president of medical affairs at Phoebe. "We see this as a key component of our strategy to ensure the supply of physicians for the future needs of Southwest Georgia." A total of 12 hospitals from cities including Tifton, Moultrie and Columbus have signed on as clinical facilities for that part of the state.

In Athens, where 19 faculty are on board and more recruitment is underway, the focus is on fine-tuning the curriculum and generating enthusiasm to participate in medical education among area physicians and hospitals in Northeast Georgia. A recent open house at the new medical school building enabled Athens Regional Hospital and St. Mary's Hospital to spread the word to about 150 community physicians and hospital leaders; a few days later about 100 primary care physicians and colleagues toured the campus facility. On a recent visit to nearby Gainesville, Northeast Georgia Health System leadership also was updated on the medical campus developments. "You can definitely feel people getting much more excited," Dr. Schuster said

The campuses are part of an overall plan to increase the MCG School of Medicine's class size from 190 to 300 students by 2020 to help meet Georgia's need for physicians, according to Dean Miller, who also serves as MCG's senior vice president for health affairs. Georgia ranks ninth in the nation in both population and population growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and ninth as well for physicians retained in the state after public undergraduate medical education. The state currently ranks 40th in the number of physicians per capita, according to the American Medical Association.

The statewide plan includes a second clinical campus, Southeast Georgia Clinical Campus based at St. Joseph's/Candler Health System in Savannah, which is slated for residential campus designation in coming years, Dr. Boyd said. The medical school class size will grow from 190 to 240 in Augusta and 40 to 60 in Athens. Facilities to accommodate the larger class in Augusta are under design.

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MCG breaks ground on new School of Dentistry

The state's only dental school broke ground today on its new building, with an ultimate goal of improving access to care for underserved Georgians by increasing the state's dental workforce.

Hundreds of state and local officials, members of the dental community and Medical College of Georgia students, alumni, faculty and staff gathered on the site of the new MCG School of Dentistry building for the ceremony.

"It looks like even in this economic downturn we could wind up with two decades in a row of almost 25 percent growth in Georgia," Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue said. "How can a state with only one dental school keep up if we don't grow? The very fact is that we need more dentists in all aspects."

Georgia has 41.4 dentists per 100,000 citizens—considerably fewer than the nationwide ratio of 54.3 per 100,000, according to the American Dental Association.

"In order to produce more dentists, we have to have the appropriate facilities, both in terms of size and in terms of technology," University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. said. "This new facility will be as good an example of 'build it and they will come' as we can possibly do. But, more than just showing up, this building will result in 'build it and they will come – and they will stay to practice' in the state."

Now, approximately 80-85 percent of MCG School of Dentistry graduates practice in Georgia.

"While this facility has a very specific purpose related to oral health – it is, after all, the epicenter of dental education in Georgia – it will also stand as a monument to the collective effort of Georgians who believe in, work for and support a shared goal," MCG President Daniel W. Rahn said.

He thanked MCG's partners for their collaboration and support, the MCG community for living the institution's mission of better health and the former residents of Gilbert Manor, the community located on the site for nearly 70 years.

"The story we are all a part of is really about better health – not just better oral health – for the people we serve," School of Dentistry Dean Connie Drisko said. "Thank you for recognizing this important oral health and systemic health connection and for supporting the training of an expanded dental workforce to meet the needs of the state."

The five-story facility will occupy a portion of the site of the former Gilbert Manor housing project. Demolition of the Gilbert Manor property is complete and construction will begin immediately and last approximately two years. The building should be occupied by fall 2011.

The 268,788-square-foot building will be more than 100,000 square feet larger than the existing building, which opened in 1970 on Laney Walker Boulevard. The expanded space will allow the school to increase its class size incrementally from 63 to 100 by 2016, and its residency positions from 44 to 72. The increase will make the MCG School of Dentistry among the largest in the nation; only 13 of the country's 58 dental schools have a class size of 100 or more, according to the American Dental Association.

The facility will house the dental school's nine specialty clinics, two large student clinics, simulation labs, the School of Allied Health Sciences' dental hygiene program, an administration area, an expanded faculty practice and a new Center for Esthetic and Implant Dentistry. Patient visits are projected to increase significantly.

Financing for the facility's construction includes $5 million appropriated by the state in the 2008 budget, $97 million in bonds approved by the Georgia Legislature in the 2009 and 2010 budgets and nearly $7.5 million in private gifts and pledges. The Augusta Commission provided $10 million in 2008 for University System of Georgia acquisition of the Augusta Housing Authority’s Gilbert Manor property for MCG expansion. MCG is continuing to seek additional private support for the project.

Planning also is under way for the Commons, a new building that will be adjacent to the new School of Dentistry. The Commons will include classrooms, computer rooms and conference rooms for dental and medical students. Other School of Medicine facilities also are proposed for the Gilbert Manor site.


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MCG and UGA move ahead with August 2010 opening of Athens campus

The Medical College of Georgia and the University of Georgia have received confirmation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accrediting body for the country's medical schools, that their resource development is on track to matriculate 40 medical students at the Athens campus in August 2010.

A letter from the LCME reaffirmed MCG School of Medicine’s accreditation through the 2015-16 cycle when the LCME is scheduled to make its next accreditation visit. The letter also confirmed that resources for the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership are adequate in some areas and, as expected, requested updates in others as progress continues, school officials say.

Areas of LCME interest include sustained financial support for the expansion as well as faculty recruitment, facilities planning and academic advisement for students. School officials will provide the LCME with another update in August 2009.

The LCME’s letter follows a limited site visit to Athens and Augusta in April and the accrediting body’s June 2-4 meeting in Washington, D.C

“This confirmation by the LCME is the result we have been working so diligently these past months to obtain, and it is a testament to all involved that just 18 months after the Board of Regents approved a plan to expand medical education in Georgia, we have received this positive news,” says University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. “This strategic plan to increase the number of physicians in Georgia is of critical importance to our state and its citizens. We could not be at this point if not for the critical and strong support we have received from Governor Sonny Perdue and the members of the General Assembly. This support, expressed through funding in both Fiscal Year 2009 and Fiscal Year 2010, has been and continues to be essential, and we are appreciative of this support.”

“We are pleased with the report and look forward to updating the LCME about the continued progress of this exciting initiative that will have a lasting impact on the health of Georgians,” says Dr. Dan Rahn, MCG president and senior vice chancellor for health and medical programs for the University System of Georgia. “Countless hours, talent and support—particularly from Governor Perdue and our legislators—have gotten us to this point, but the work has just begun. Now we move forward with recruiting more students and educating more physicians for Georgia.”

“This action affirms the work currently underway to build the faculty, prepare the facilities, and shape the academic program for future medical students,” says UGA President Michael F. Adams. “We will be providing appropriate updates to the LCME as we move forward in our preparations. The MCG/UGA Medical Partnership builds on the strengths of two great Georgia institutions to address the critical need for more physicians in our state, and it positions both institutions to better do the kind of research that should lead to a healthier and more prosperous Georgia. We greatly appreciate the support of the Governor and Legislature which led us to this point.”

Later this month, the MCG School of Medicine will begin accepting applications for the first class of 40 students at the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership for the 2010 fall semester. The additional students will boost the medical school's class size to 230 students. UGA’s renovation of the Interim Medical Partnership Building, which sits on the banks of the North Oconee River in Athens, is scheduled to be completed this month.

The Athens campus, slated to grow to 60 students per class, is part of an overall plan to increase the MCG School of Medicine’s class size from 190 to 300 students by 2020 to help meet Georgia’s need for physicians. Georgia ranks ninth in the nation in both population and population growth, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and 44th in the number of physicians per capita, according to the American Medical Association.

The statewide plan also includes increasing the medical school class size in Augusta to 240, growth that will require larger facilities as the school’s home base. Simultaneous growth also is occurring at two clinical campuses for third- and fourth-year students: the Southwest Georgia Clinical Campus based at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany and the Southeast Georgia Clinical Campus based at St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System in Savannah.

Dr. Barbara Schuster, dean for the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership, said about 30 new faculty members are being recruited and about a dozen have been hired to date for the Athens campus. The majority of the initial hires will have a primary appointment at MCG and an adjunct appointment at UGA; faculty members with a primary appointment at UGA will have an adjunct appointment at MCG. Existing faculty at both institutions will help with teaching as well, Dr. Schuster says. Educators will be fine tuning the curriculum for the Athens campus during the next year.

The MCG School of Medicine Admissions Committee has increased from 18 to 25 members in the past two years to accommodate a larger class size and include representation from Athens, Savannah and Albany, says Dr. Geoffrey Young, associate dean for admissions. School officials anticipate applicant numbers will increase as well; applicants to the MCG School of Medicine have already increased steadily during the last few years, from 1,612 for the 180 slots available in fall 2004, to 2,102 for 190 slots in fall 2008.

Interviewed applicants will be asked their preference for the Augusta or Athens campus. Once applicants are accepted, a subcommittee of the Admissions Committee will make campus assignments with an eye toward a heterogeneous student body at both campuses, Dr. Young says.

The Medical College of Georgia is the state’s health sciences university and includes the Schools of Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Studies, Medicine and Nursing. MCG is a unit of the University System of Georgia and an equal opportunity institution. http://www.mcg.edu/

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MCG offers nursing doctorate at Macon State College

Nurses who want to advance their leadership and clinical roles can earn a Medical College of Georgia Doctor of Nursing Practice degree at Macon State College.

The University System of Georgia Board of Regents recently approved the doctoral-level degree option as an external program at Macon State. The program will enroll its inaugural class of four students this summer.

"The program is an excellent opportunity for nurses who want a terminal or doctoral degree in nursing with a clinical practice focus as opposed to the research focus that a Ph.D. in nursing provides," says Dr. Marguerite Murphy, director of MCG's Doctor of Nursing Practice program. "DNP-prepared nurses can be instrumental in improving health care outcomes in our ever-changing, complex health care environment."

"The critical need for registered nurses is well known, but the need for leaders in the nursing field also is vital," says Dr. Barbara Frizzell, Macon State’s vice president for academic affairs. "The doctoral program offered by MCG on our campus not only enriches our own academic environment, but establishes a conduit to produce talented leaders and instructors in nursing for central Georgia and beyond."

The doctorate of nursing practice focuses on clinical and management expertise necessary to improve outcomes in health care practice, leadership and education. The program also will help alleviate the national nursing shortage by producing more qualified nursing professors, allowing nursing schools to enroll more students.

"Extending our program to Macon State is really providing critical gains for our nursing profession in central Georgia to improve patient safety and advance quality outcomes for nurses who are working with patients, families, health systems and communities," says Dr. Janie Heath, School of Nursing associate dean for academic affairs.

The curriculum includes 40 graduate semester hours over four semesters, covering trends in effective care, methods of care delivery and concepts in evidence-based care.

Requirements for the program include a master’s degree in nursing or associated program of study related to a specialty area, such as public health, a graduate school admissions test, current professional nurse licensure and appropriate specialty certification.

For more information about the program, visit www.mcg.edu/son/index.htm or call Karen Sturgill, program coordinator, at 706-721-3676. To see current students, faculty, alumni, clinical and academic partners, including Dr. Rebecca Corvey, dean of Macon State's School of Nursing, talk about the program, visit www.mcg.edu/son/video/feature.html?v=20090324corvey and www.mcg.edu/son/video/index.html.

Amy Connell
Medical College of Georgia
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University of Arkansas Board Selects MCG President

The University of Arkansas Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Dr. Daniel W. Rahn, currently president of the Medical College of Georgia (MCG), as the next chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, Ark.

University of Arkansas officials stated that following a national search, Rahn emerged as the leading candidate from among four finalists who visited UAMS during the past few weeks, said Alan Sugg, president of the University of Arkansas System.

"As I noted when the news first broke concerning the possibility of Dr. Rahn's selection, his appointment is a testament to both his national stature and the Medical College of Georgia's rising national reputation," said University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. "Dr. Rahn has provided stellar leadership in the health sciences, not just for MCG, but for the state as well. As a result, today the health of Georgians is on track for significant improvement. Dr. Rahn's departure will be a tremendous loss for the people of Georgia and for MCG."

Rahn has served as president of MCG since June 1, 2001. Since July 2006, Rahn also has served as senior vice chancellor for health and medical programs for the University System of Georgia.
Rahn has been instrumental over the past several years in the development of plans to increase the numbers of physicians trained in Georgia. The medical expansion effort has involved both MCG and the University of Georgia, with the first class of physicians to be trained on a new partnership campus in Athens slated for admission in fall 2010. The plan also will increase the number of medical students educated in Augusta as well as the number of third- and fourth-year medical students who receive a portion of their clinical education in southwest and southeast Georgia through clinical campuses based in Albany and Savannah. It also includes expanding graduate medical education so that more physicians can complete their specialty training in Georgia.

Rahn came to MCG from Yale University School of Medicine in 1991. Before assuming the presidency of MCG, he served as vice dean for clinical affairs for the MCG School of Medicine as well as senior vice president for medical affairs and chief medical officer for MCG Health, which manages MCG's clinical facilities. He also is a full-time faculty member at MCG's School of Medicine.

Davis said no timeline has been set for the search for MCG's next president.

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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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MCG Camp Gives College Students Head Start for Nursing School

College freshmen and sophomores interested in nursing can get a head start on their careers at the Medical College of Georgia School of Nursing this summer.

The second annual Nursing Career Summer Camp is a five-week program designed to prepare undergraduates for the challenges of nursing school, while also increasing diversity in the school's applicant pool.

"We've found that students over the years are surprised when they begin nursing school," said Dr. Deborah Smith, project director of the school's Nursing Workforce Diversity Project, which encompasses the camp. "They still think they can memorize information and make it through, but nursing students must understand and apply information, and that's a shocker to some."

Jan. 30 is the application deadline for the camp, which begins May 16.

The Nursing Workforce Diversity Project, funded by a three-year, $742,000 Health Resources and Services Administration grant, also provides scholarships, loaner laptops and peer tutoring for MCG nursing students. The grant covers all expenses for camp participants, including housing, tuition and a $250 monthly stipend.

The camp includes an introductory pathophysiology course and enrichment courses on reading comprehension, writing and general mathematics.

"Pathophysiology, which looks at how disease processes affect the different body systems, seems to be one of the more difficult courses for nursing students, so we wanted to give camp participants an introduction to the course," said Dr. Smith, assistant chair of the Department of Health Environments and Systems.

Participants also will spend time in the MCG Interdisciplinary Simulation Center and shadow MCGHealth Inc. nurses.

This summer's camp is expanding to accept 15 participants from across Georgia. Last year, there were six local participants. Special consideration is given to applicants who are under-represented in nursing, which includes minorities, males and students from educationally or economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

"The community we serve is very diverse, and traditionally we haven't had a large number of diverse students from under-represented backgrounds entering any of the health professions," said Dr. Smith. "When you have health care professionals from various perspectives and backgrounds, you have better outreach to everyone in the community."

"Two students from last year's program are now enrolled and successfully advancing in our nursing program," said Dr. Shirley Quarles, co-director of the Nursing Workforce Diversity Project and interim chair of the Department of Physiological and Technological Nursing. "We look forward to continued successful matriculation of students from diverse backgrounds."

For more information or to apply, visit www.mcg.edu/son/initiatives/diversity.htm.

By Paula Hinely
MCG

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Two-part Gift Expands Clinical Nurse Leader Program and Creates Endowment

The Medical College of Georgia has received a $1.27 million two-part gift from the Helene Fuld Health Trust to expand nursing education in Georgia.

An approximately $1 million component of the gift, given over three years, allows MCG's School of Nursing to partner with the nursing schools of Macon State University and Georgia Southwestern University to expand the clinical nurse leader program.

MCG's master's-level, 16-month clinical nurse leader program is the first its kind in Georgia and fourth in the Southeast. It aims to reduce the nursing shortage by offering advanced degrees to those with non-nursing backgrounds, so students with a baccalaureate or higher degree in a non-nursing field can obtain a master's degree in nursing at an accelerated pace.

"We anticipate admitting eight clinical nurse leader students to each of these campuses as early as fall 2009," said School of Nursing Dean Lucy N. Marion. "This gift is clearly testimony to the strength of our clinical nurse leader program leadership, our entire enterprise and the quality of our employees and students."

Quoting from President Daniel W. Rahn’s 2008 State of the University Address, she noted, “We must be 'brave enough to clear paths through unfamiliar terrain to achieve greater efficiencies and shared success in unconventional ways.' With this gift, we are clearing those paths and achieving those successes."

The second award is a $250,000 endowment gift to provide scholarships for baccalaureate students in the MCG School of Nursing.

"This endowment gives us an unprecedented opportunity in the School of Nursing," said Dean Marion. "It is the largest undergraduate scholarship amount we have ever received and will undoubtedly aid in recruitment and support of exceptional students, ultimately helping alleviate the nation’s nursing shortage."

The Helene Fuld Health Trust is the nation's largest private foundation devoted exclusively to nursing students and nursing education. For more information, visit www.fuldtrust.org.

By Amy Connell
Medical College of Georgia

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MCG Dental School Offers Good Value, Great Education, Dean Says

The Medical College of Georgia School of Dentistry is one of the nation's best values in dental education, which is important in this tough economy, said Dean Connie Drisko.

The American Dental Education Association recently ranked the school 10th out of 56 public and private dental schools in terms of cost of education, she announced during her annual State of the School Address Oct. 31.

"The economy is a little scary right now. It's spooky to have the state budget cuts that we've faced, but the School of Dentistry is committed to maintaining its excellence in teaching, research and clinical services," Dr. Drisko said.

She emphasized that the students are the lifeblood of the school and praised the accomplishments of the increasingly diverse student body. Last year, 100 percent of students passed the National Board Exams on their first attempt. MCG consistently ranks among the top 25 dental schools on exam scores, she said.

Students also are assuming leadership roles in campus, state and national organizations, learning to advocate for their profession and the health of Georgia residents.

"We are truly helping to nurture and develop the next leaders in Georgia and the country," said Dr. Drisko. "I think we will have MCG graduates who one day will be the presidents of the American Dental Association, the American Dental Education Association and other regional and global groups."

In the past four years, students have pledged or given $50,000 to the school, she said. "Many schools get gifts from students once they graduate, but I could probably count on one hand schools that have had students step up to the plate for a building fund or scholarships while enrolled," Dr. Drisko added.

She noted many school highlights of the past year, including:

Increased student research – 12 students presented research at national conferences.
Expanded pediatric and oral surgery residency programs through rotations in Atlanta.
Enhanced faculty development through outlets such as American Dental Education Association Leadership Institutes, continuing education and faculty retreats.
A 29.7 percent increase in overall clinical revenue, or about $1.9 million.
A 47 percent increase in external funding and an 83 percent increase in National Institutes of Health funding.
A Georgia Dental Task Force report that validated the school's commitment to increasing class and residency sizes, improving access to care and combating the faculty shortage.
Expanded clinical outreach across Georgia.
Increased fundraising and alumni membership and support.
"We have a great school with great students, a great staff and great faculty, but we can always do more," Dr. Drisko said.

She outlined several initiatives for 2008-09, including:

Completing the design and development phase of the new dental school facility. The new school will allow the class size to increase from 66 to 100 by 2016.
Working with a consortium of schools in Atlanta to plan a seven-year curriculum that includes training in public and community health. The initiative is funded by the Josiah Macy Foundation.
Expanding partnerships locally and globally. Local partnerships include the Boys & Girls Clubs of Augusta, the Augusta Partnership for Children and outreach clinics statewide. Global partnerships include student exchanges with dental schools in China and France.
Dr. Drisko emphasized the need to stay focused on the school's mission of educating dentists to improve overall health and reduce society's burden of illness.

"Even though it's a tough time economically now, if we continue to be good stewards of our resources, we can look forward to achieving all the goals that we've put forward today," she said.

By Paula Hinely

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MCG Nursing School to Host Fall Information Session

Individuals interested in advanced nursing education at the Medical College of Georgia can learn more about the graduate programs at the School of Nursing's annual Fall Information Session, Oct. 25.

The free session, held from 8:30-11 a.m. in room 1222 of the Health Sciences Building, 987 St. Sebastian Way, will feature presentations from graduate program directors representing each of the eight programs.

"We are very excited about the opportunities for nurses and non-nurses to continue their education and help maximize the contributions they can make to improve health care delivery through practice, education and research," says Dr. Janie Heath, associate dean of academic affairs.

Breakfast will be served. For more information, or to R.S.V.P., contact Nashona Thompson, office specialist, at 706-721-3237 or www.mcg.edu/son/GraduateInformationSession.

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MCG School of Allied Health Sciences Video Receives Telly Award

A video celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Medical College of Georgia School of Allied Health Sciences has earned MCG videographer Tim Johnson a Bronze Telly Award.

Mr. Johnson directed, edited, co-produced and served as videographer of Remembering 40 Years of Excellence, which debuted during MCG Homecoming in April. Dean Shelley C. Mishoe was executive producer, Dr. W. Kent Guion, associate dean for student, faculty and community affairs, producer and Grace Miller, the school's director of advancement, co-producer.

The video features historical footage and photographs and interviews with the school's founding dean, the late Raymond Bard, via archival footage, Dean Emeritus Biagio Vericella and Dean Mishoe. MCG President Daniel W. Rahn and Provost Barry D. Goldstein also are featured.

The Telly Awards honor video and film productions and local, regional and cable commercials and programs and are considered premier awards for the industry. This year's 29th annual competition received 13,500 entries from all 50 states and across the world. Entries don't compete against each other, but against a high standard of excellence, with only 18 to 25 percent of entrants receiving a Bronze Telly Award for outstanding achievement.

Mr. Johnson earned a bachelor's degree in communications from Augusta College (now Augusta State University). He has worked for production houses in California, Augusta and Aiken, S.C., and spent 10 years in cable television as a video producer and freelancer before coming to MCG's Department of Visual and Instructional Design in 2004.

He has garnered five national awards at MCG, including two Telly Awards for other School of Allied Health Sciences videos: a 2005 Silver Telly, the highest honor, for To Teach, Discover and Care, and a 2007 Bronze Telly for If Given the Opportunity. He received the Health and Science Communications Association’s Silver Award and the Admissions Advertising Award for his video, A Closer Look: MCG Admissions. In Augusta's Southern Fried Flicks Film Festival, he received the 2005 award for Best Short Feature and the 2006 award for Best Local Feature.

Finalists Named for MCG-UGA Medical Partnership

Four finalists have been identified for the new position of dean of the Medical College of Georgia-University of Georgia Medical Partnership. They will visit the UGA campus in July and each will present a seminar open to the public.

The dean will oversee a partnership in which MCG and UGA will jointly conduct medical education programs in Athens. The programs are tentatively scheduled to begin in 2009.

Following are the finalists and the dates of their seminars, all of which will be at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education Conference Center and Hotel at 9:15 a.m.

–Barbara L. Schuster, professor of medicine, professor of geriatrics, Boonshoft School of Medicine, Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Schuster’s seminar will be July 9.

–Bruce M. Koeppen, dean for academic affairs, University of Connecticut School of Medicine. Koeppen’s seminar is July 11.

–Stephen J. Spann, professor and chair of the department of family and community medicine, Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX. Spann’s seminar is July 17.

–Thomas P. Malan Jr., vice dean for academic affairs, University of Arizona College of Medicine. Malan’s seminar is July 25.