UPDATE TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS – August 2008
Daniel W. Rahn, MDPrintable Version
The overarching intent of the University System 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:
ADMINISTRATION
1. During the month of August, the Medical College of Georgia and the University of Georgia hosted third visits for two candidates for the new position of dean of the MCG‐UGA partnership campus.
2. Recruitment for the department chairs for basic and clinical sciences, assistant dean for curriculum, assistant dean for student and multicultural affairs, and for an initial cohort of basic science faculty is underway.
3. On August 20, the newly formed Medical Education Expansion Committee of the Board of Regents, chaired by Regent Bishop, met for the first time.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
1. A curriculum construct for Phase 1 has been agreed upon by faculty at the MCG and UGA campuses; the content of the first module (Fundamentals) and of the Essentials of Clinical Medicine 1 module for the partnership campus is nearing completion.
2. Clinical sites are being developed in the Athens and Gainesville area, most recently in the area of
obstetrics and gynecology.
ADMISSIONS
1. The School of Medicine admissions office implemented process and procedural changes that reflect current expansion efforts. Adjustments will be made as needed.
2. Elements of the electronic admissions program went live late July; additional elements are being phased into production. The admissions office expects the paperless admissions process to be fully operational by October 2008 for the Regular Decision Program. This implementation will streamline the administrative process, as well as enable committee member participation from both campuses.
FACILITIES
1. The Board of Regents voted this month to authorize the purchase of Gilbert Manor, an Augusta Housing Authority public housing complex adjacent to the MCG campus. The property will be the future site for MCG’s new School of Dentistry facility. Planning also is underway for expansion of School of Medicine facilities on this site and an education commons to be shared by the medical and dental schools.
2. The interior demolition phase of the initial facility in Athens remains on schedule. Site work should begin in approximately two weeks.
REGIONAL CAMPUS DEVELOPMENT
1. On August 11, MCG School of Medicine leaders visited Columbus to explore educational possibilities and possible collaborations through MCG’s southwest clinical campus.
FINANCIAL
1. On August 20, the Board of Regents approved the joint MCG-UGA request for an additional $8 million in FY 2010 to continue the medical school expansion. The additional funding, which would bring the total budget for the expansion effort to $18 million, provides for the hiring of additional faculty in Athens for the second year of the program and creation of infrastructure resources in Augusta to expand the class size from 190 students to 200 students. The new funds also would allow MCG to develop affiliation agreements for residency programs with hospitals in the Athens-Gainesville area and in the southwest and southeast regions of the state.
LEGISLATIVE/COMMUNITY RELATIONS
1. MCG hosted Chairman Ben Harbin and House Budget Director John Brown on campus August 13 and provided updates on various aspects of medical education expansion in Augusta, Athens, Albany, and Savannah.
2. MCG officials continue to discuss medical education expansion efforts with legislators and other elected officials as opportunities present.
UPCOMING EVENTS
As noted in the first update, ongoing expansion efforts are guided by a comprehensive operational plan that outlines short‐ and long‐term critical tasks and target dates.
Key Near-term Events
1. The MCG/UGA memorandum of understanding has been drafted and currently is being vetted. Pending
final endorsement by the presidents, the document will be jointly submitted to the Board of Regents by
President Rahn and President Adams.
2. The MCG School of Medicine is coordinating a graduate medical education leadership summit that will launch formal planning for GME by engaging a select group of Georgia stakeholders and opinion leaders to consider GME challenges in Georgia and to focus on potential collaborative statewide solutions. The summit will be held October 15 and 16 in Atlanta.
3. In that the University System’s FY2010 budget is being submitted to the Office of Planning and Budget, the communications/legislative teams from MCG and UGA in addition to regional campus representatives will convene in September to discuss pre‐session legislative outreach.
Submitted by …
Daniel W. Rahn, MD
President, Medical College of Georgia
and Senior Vice Chancellor for Health and Medical Programs, University System of Georgia
