Expansion Project Update – March 14, 2008

 

Printable Version

The overarching intent of the Medical College of Georgia’s Physician Education Expansion Project is to contribute to a healthier Georgia by assuring that Georgians have access to high quality health care—the right care provided by the right provider in the right location at the right time. Activities of note over the latest reporting period include the following:

 

ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

1. On March 4, President Rahn, President Adams, and Chancellor Davis met to ensure continuing alignment of the Medical College of Georgia and the University of Georgia with the University System of Georgia Board of Regents resolution and to ensure that all efforts are supportive of the system’s overarching goals for this project.

 

2. On March 6, Paul Umbach, the President/CEO of Tripp Umbach, met with President Rahn and Dean Miller in follow up to his recent testimony to the Georgia General Assembly and to discuss issues associated with execution of the plan outlined in the Tripp Umbach report.

 

CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

1. The associate dean for curriculum in the MCG School of Medicine is currently exploring clinical educational opportunities in Gainesville.

 

2. Discussions regarding curriculum development are progressing. Dr. Leslie Petch (UGA) has been appointed to the Curriculum Oversight Committee; and, Dr. Mark Ebell (also from UGA) will participate in COC meetings.

 

3. On March 13, the vice dean for academic affairs in the MCG School of Medicine charged the COC to begin the next phase of curriculum development in the context of a) anticipated Liaison Committee on Medical Education recommendations, b) expansion in Athens and clinical campus development in southeast and southwest Georgia, and c) a likely change from 3‐step to 2-gateway USMLE licensing process.

 

ADMISSIONS

1. A subcommittee of the MCG School of Medicine Admissions Committee continues to meet weekly to assess current procedures and to explore changes that might be required due to the Athens expansion and the development of clinical campuses in other regions of the state. The subcommittee has made steady progress by identifying structural and procedural changes that will facilitate an admissions process that will accommodate different geographical campuses. The subcommittee expects to make recommendations to the Dean of the School of Medicine and to the Admissions Committee in April.

 

2. As reported in the previous update, the MCG School of Medicine is exploring an electronic admissions management platform that will be needed to facilitate an expanded multi‐campus admissions process. A meeting to discuss how such a platform could interface with the existing MCG information technology system has been scheduled.

 

FACILITIES

1. On March 4 President Rahn met with Chancellor Davis to review options regarding the School of Dentistry facility and School of Medicine expansion in Augusta and efficiencies that could be realized through a consolidated, sequential approach.

 

2. On March 12, key UGA and MCG team members met with the RW Allen and Sizemore group leadership in Athens to begin discussions regarding the development of the initial facility and the timeline for its completion. The working group was presented a schedule which calls for the programming to be completed by May 15 with renovation to begin on July 14 and final building completion on June 1, 2009. In addition, the team of MCG leaders visited the initial facility to review the space being developed by UGA to support the MCG/UGA partnership.

 

3. Those present at the aforementioned meeting agreed to hold weekly meetings of a working group comprising core academic and facilities personnel from UGA and the MCG School of Medicine to further develop and refine plans in order to meet a completion deadline of July 2009. An executive committee, comprising senior leadership from both institutions, also will meet regularly to oversee and guide progress.

 

REGIONAL CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT

1. The search committee for the assistant dean for the southeast clinical campus completed their first round of interviews on March 14. The team has identified an excellent field of candidates and anticipates filling the position with a highly qualified administrator who will accelerate MCG’s development of additional teaching sites to support the training needs of medical students at the clinical campus.

 

FINANCIAL

1. In response to a projected revenue shortfall of $65 million, Governor Perdue has announced a budget reduction for FY09, which impacts many state agencies, including the University System of Georgia. Passage of a state budget that includes the full $7.2 million to support medical education expansion remains a priority for this legislative session.

 

2. The chief finance officers for MCG and UGA, along with the chief operations officer for the MCG School of Medicine are continuing to meet to work out financial arrangements for the initial facility and move forward on other expenditures necessary to fulfill expansion goals.

 

LEGISLATIVE/COMMUNITY RELATIONS

1. On March 11, President Rahn provided an update on the expansion planning process to the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus. The invitation was extended by Representative Quincy Murphy.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

As noted in the first update, MCG’s ongoing expansion efforts are guided by a comprehensive operational plan that outlines short- and long-term critical tasks and target dates. The first report outlined major pushes over the coming months and specific expected outcomes through April 2008.

 

Key Near-term Events

1. On March 19, Presidents Rahn and Adams, Dean Miller, and Provost Mace will meet in Atlanta to discuss budgetary, accreditation, and other administrative issues associated with the execution of the MCG/UGA medical initiative.

 

2. On March 19, Dean Miller and Provost Mace will co‐chair the first monthly meeting of the MCG Athens campus dean search committee in Washington, Georgia. Members of the MCG and UGA faculty, as well as a member of the Athens medical community, form the search committee. This national search will be coordinated by Korn‐Ferry International of Philadelphia.

 

Submitted by …
Daniel W. Rahn, MD
President, Medical College of Georgia
and Senior Vice Chancellor for Health and Medical Programs, University System of Georgia