“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”
-Mahatma Ghandi
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
You are Amazing Leaders …
We talked just a bit ago about how he has been a big part of our medical school for 40 years now. Those of you who know him, know that Dr. Joseph Hobbs also is a huge player outside the confines of our amazing medical school (and his alma mater). He has held ongoing leadership roles in most of his chosen specialty’s major groups, such as serving as President of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the American Board of Family Medicine – including chairing the board’s Examination Committee. Dr. Hobbs, already in his second term on the Board of Directors of the Association of Departments of Family Medicine, late last week was elected President-Elect of this prestigious group. One-year terms follow as President then as Chairman of its Board. We absolutely know that this frontline specialty is in the best hands.
Compassionate Students…
Our future alums – our students – are making national noise once again as well. Please join in congratulating our students along with their terrific colleagues in the physician assistant program who are receiving the American Medical Student Association/Gay and Lesbian Medical Association’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Achievement Award in Washington, D.C., as we speak for their founding of the Equality Clinic last year. These students had a tremendous vision and worked extremely hard to establish the clinic, which provides a valuable resource to LGBT populations here in Augusta and beyond. Our nursing colleagues are now a part of this initiative, which is doing so many things well that they are attracting patients from as far away as Charleston.
Who Absolutely Look Out For Others…
The award-winning lineup includes second-year medical students Lauren Titus, Kyle Friez, Michelle Cohen, Kevin Robertson, Charlotte Ball, and Caleb King; fourth-year medical student, Justin Neisler; and Nicole Mayberry, a first-year physician assistant student in the College of Allied Health Sciences. No doubt they have some great support including Dr. David Kriegel, Associate Professor of Family Medicine who serves as the clinic’s Medical Director; Dr. Bruce LeClair, Associate Professor of Family Medicine; Dr. Lara Stepleman, Professor of Psychiatry and Health Behavior, who is in charge of the mental health services provided in the clinic; and Alexis L. Rossi, Director of Diversity, Training, and Evaluation, who serves as the clinic’s adviser. Again, you just have to succeed with a lineup like this.
You Have Ability…. And Desire …
To help ensure that a career in medicine is more than a dream, this weekend more than 200 high school and college students from across our great state will converge on our Augusta campus for the Igniting the Dream of Medicine conference. This gives participants an excellent glimpse into the medical school admissions process and life as an MCG student. Participants will even get “hands-on” experience in our high tech simulation lab, physical exam instruction, and suture clinic. Our heartfelt thanks to the Student National Medical Association and Office of Student and Multicultural Affairs, particularly Ms. Linda James, who has been leading this important charge.
To Inspire… and To Help
Speaking of inspiration, we also wanted to share this terrific story about our second-year students doing a song and soon to be released video to raise dollars for children with cancer receiving care at our Children’s Hospital of Georgia. Talk about talent and commitment on so many fronts. And did we mention rhythm?! This will definitely get your feet tapping and pride pounding. Check out their story here http://bit.ly/1AsAwyt. If you want to help, you can purchase the 12 Bands of Christmas CD at bookstores at our campus and at the Summerville Campus. We will let you know when/where the full video is available. We particularly thank our rock/rap stars, students Ravi Patel, Taylor Phelps, and David Deng, for their amazing moves for children.
By Giving of Yourselves…
There weren’t as many smooth moves, but there was definitely a lot of heart at our breakfast fundraiser this week for the American Heart Association in the beautiful J. Harold Harrison M.D. Education Commons. Participants got a great breakfast served up by some of our super faculty and staff, with better than $400 and a lot of goodwill raised. It’s not too late for you to help with the AHA. You can check out Team MCG here http://bit.ly/1BdWjuz and join us for the Heartwalk next Saturday, March 7.
By Staying Committed… To Each Other and to Our Medical School
Speaking of lots of heart, there was a great regional alumni meeting this week in marvelous Macon. Our gracious host was Dr. Billy Jarrard, who helped bring together a terrific group of supportive alums from throughout middle Georgia for fun and fellowship. We also had an Alumni Association Board meeting down that way, where our stellar strategic plan got yet another showing and more rave reviews.
By Helping Shape the Future…
Did you know we have a gerontologist/epidemiologist among us? We absolutely do in our Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology. Our Dr. Frances Yang studied at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and completed epidemiology research fellowships at Harvard’s Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Institute for Aging Research, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Dr. Yang came to us from the Harvard faculty in 2013. You can learn more about her here http://bit.ly/18mOqb7, and hear some of the great insight she recently provided Jennie Montgomery at WJBF-TV about the “new 60,” here http://bit.ly/1ALWiMv.
As You Embrace the Present…
Just one more short video to send your way as we wrap things up this week, one that we also hope will make you proud. This piece on our university, https://vimeo.com/120381106, got deservedly great play during CBS Sports Network’s broadcast of the homecoming basketball game last Saturday. To make great even better, the team wore military-themed jerseys that were to be auctioned off to raise dollars for the new Veteran Military Hardship Completion Scholarship, to support veteran and active duty military students at our university. Kudos to the players and (again) to video-making stars Tim Johnson and Jared Bell who worked with the university’s marketing staff to make this 30 seconds of magic happen.
Upcoming Events
Feb. 28 – Igniting the Dream of Medicine Conference, all-day event for local high school students on campus, sponsored by the Office of Student and Multicultural Affairs
March 5 – MCG Alumni Association Regional Reception, 6 p.m., Northeast History Museum, Gainesville.
March 12 – MCG Faculty Senate, noon, Lee Auditorium.
March 16-20 – Educational Innovation Institute 2015 Health Sciences Education Week, http://www.gru.edu/mcg/academic-affairs/edi/educationday.php.
March 16 – EII presents a Teaching Roundtable: International Medicine in Education, with Dr. Chad Ray and a panel of MCG students and Residents, 4-5:30 p.m., EC 1211.
March 17 – EII presents a Teaching Roundtable: Struggling Learners, with Alexis Rossi, Shannon Nix, and Dr. Ralph Gillies, 4:15-5:45 p.m., GB 1238.
March 18 – EII presents a panel discussion on Best Practices in Education at GRU Health Sciences Colleges, Session 1, Teaching Student Learners: From the Classroom to the Community, with Janet Tankersley, Carol Hunter, Carol Hanes, Eric Ollila, and Charmaine Robinson and moderated by Dr. Kate Ciarrocca.
March 19 – EII Electronic Poster Session, moderated by Dr. Kelli Braun. 3-4 p.m., GB1120.
March 19 – EII Awards Ceremony, moderated by Dr. Ralph Gillies, 4-5 p.m., GB 1120.
March 19 – EII Best Practices in Education at GRU Health Sciences Colleges, Session II, Technology, with Lori Bolgla, Amber McCall, Kevin Plummer and Matt Lyon, moderated by Dr. Kelli Braun, 5-6 p.m., GB 1120.
March 20 – EII Education Grand Rounds, co-sponsored by the Department of Pediatrics, No More Burnout: Physician Wellness through Acceptance and Commitment Training, led by Dr. Amy House, 8-9 a.m., BT 1810.
March 20 – Match Day, noon, J. Harold Harrison M.D. Education Commons, Room GB 1220 (New location!). This year’s theme is “Welcome to the Jungle.”
April 17 – MCG Faculty Senate, noon, Lee Auditorium
April 17 – Raft Debate, sponsored by the MCG Alumni Association, 6 p.m., Lee Auditorium.
April 23-26 – Alumni Weekend.
April 28 – Town Hall meeting with students, noon-1 p.m., Harrison Commons, GB 1220A.
May 1 – State of the Medical College of Georgia address, noon, Lee Auditorium, lunch provided.
May 4 – MCG Graduation Dinner, 6:30 p.m., location to be determined.
May 7 – Hooding Ceremony, 2-4 p.m., The Augusta Convention Center, 901 Reynolds St., (New location!), Dr. James L. Olds, Assistant Director for the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO), the National Science Foundation.
May 8 – Graduation, 2 p.m., James Brown Arena.
May 14 – MCG Faculty Senate Awards Ceremony, 5 p.m., location to be determined.
June 25 – MCG Investiture Ceremony, 5:30 p.m., location to be determined.
July 14 – Town Hall meeting with students, noon-1 p.m., Harrison Commons, GB 1220A.
Oct. 27 – Town Hall meeting with students, noon-1 p.m., Harrison Commons, GB 1220A.
Jan. 12 – Town Hall meeting with students, noon-1 p.m., Harrison Commons, GB 1220A.
Enjoy your weekend.