“Be at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.”  -Benjamin Franklin

As we prepare to say goodbye to 2014, I wanted to take just one more moment to thank each of you for your contributions and commitment to our medical school. Certainly, it has been a stellar year by most accounts.

We opened our new academic home, the J. Harold Harrison M.D. Education Commons; our first six Harrison Scholars started in the fall; and our first group of students completed their education at the Georgia Regents University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership campus in Athens.

Together, we have continued to strengthen our  academic offerings, with our beautiful new space, of course, but also with additional refinements such as also creating virtual academic houses so that our very large class reaps the benefit of both a large and smaller class size.

We have moved knowledge forward, with scientific discovery and an exciting line up of new grants that hold more promise.The continued success of so many of you in securing grants, in serving on national study sections and societies, and your presence as MCG ambassadors at national meetings and beyond is most impressive.

The greater access to care and the quality of care you provide is a remakable asset for Georgians. Your compassion in providing that care has been well documented in our our patient satisfaction surveys and other comments from so many.

Our students continue to do not just amazing academic work, but also community work, such as making fresh vegetables available to our Augusta community, children’s books available to Ferguson, Mo.; and  providing physicals for schoolchildren in Athens to help ensure they can safely play sports.

Thank you for sharing your time and your talent here. You simply are the Medical College of Georgia and I could not be more proud.

I hope you and your family have a terrific and safe holiday season.

Until next year!