UPDATE TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS – September 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. On September 11, President Rahn gave the keynote address at a meeting of the Gwinnett Healthcare Council. Dr. Rahn addressed the economic benefits of an expanded physician workforce.
2. Review of the MCG/UGA memorandum of understanding continues. Pending final endorsement by the presidents, the document will be jointly submitted to the Board of Regents by President Rahn and President Adams.
3. Candidate negotiations for recruitment of the Athens campus dean have progressed; it is anticipated that this process will be concluded mid‐October.
4. The Association of American Medical Colleges requested that one of its three AAMC Council of Deans Fellows study the Physician Education Expansion Project as a national model; to this end, AAMC has assigned Dean Miller as mentor to Fellow J. Gregory Rosencrance, MD, FACP, Dr. Rosencrance will be on site in October to meet with principals in Augusta, Athens, and Atlanta, and will participate in the GME Summit as a Fellow. Dr. Rosencrance is chair, Department of Medicine, West Virginia University School of Medicine.
5. Recruitment activities continue for 14 positions, including searches for department chairs of basic and clinical sciences; assistant deans for curriculum and student and multicultural affairs; and an initial cohort of basic science faculty. Search committees comprised of MCG and UGA faculty have been charged, and nearly 100 curricula vitae and letters of interest have been received. Formal committee review processes will commence in October.
The School of Medicine continues implementation of a formal faculty communications plan to ensure timely transmission of accurate information, and faculty engagement. Two town hall meetings were held in September to update faculty on progress, as well as a presentation to the MCG Faculty Senate, to describe teaching opportunities at the Athens campus.
CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
1. MCG and UGA are working on organ system‐based Phase I curriculum content. A final draft of this material will be presented to the Curriculum Oversight Committee at a called meeting on October 23 and, if approved, forwarded to Drs. Miller and Mace before the November 1 deadline.
2. Dr. Dale Sickles, professor of cellular biology and anatomy in MCG’s School of Medicine, has been appointed Phase I curriculum coordinator for the Augusta campus.
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 electronic admissions program will enable committee member participation from both campuses. Feedback from Admissions Committee members has been very positive.
FACILITIES
1. On September 16, the Augusta Commission voted to provide the Board of Regents with $10 million to purchase the Gilbert Manor property from the Augusta Housing Authority. We anticipate closing on this property before the end of September.
2. Site work on the initial facility in Athens commenced this month.
FINANCIAL
1. On September 15, the CFOs for the Medical College of Georgia and the University of Georgia met with representatives from the state’s Office of Planning and Budget to review the FY10 budget for this initiative and the planned funding strategy for residency programs.
LEGISLATIVE/COMMUNITY RELATIONS
1. Following the Commission’s unanimous vote (see item #1 under Facilities), President Rahn and Augusta Mayor Deke Copenhaver co-authored an op‐ed about “The Power of Partnership,” which appeared in the September 21 edition of the Augusta Chronicle.
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 School of Medicine is coordinating a graduate medical education leadership summit on October 15 and 16 in Atlanta; the Summit 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. Registration to date includes Georgia medical school deans, hospital CEOs and physician leaders, key policy leaders, and members of the Georgia business community.
Submitted by …
Daniel W. Rahn, MD
President, Medical College of Georgia
and Senior Vice Chancellor for Health and Medical Programs, University System of Georgia
