-Andrew Mock, MCG Class of 2018
Dear Colleagues and Friends,
Priceless Gifts…
We’ve talked about how the human body is a priceless textbook for educating the next generation. But this week, per their usual, our students put us to shame with their descriptions of the impact of their very first and likely most forgiving patient at the Class of 2018’s Spring Body Donor Memorial. “Miss Daisy was my first patient as a future physician. Not only did I learn so much anatomy from her, I also learned more about humility, and respect, and responsibility from her than I ever thought that I would,” Nina Paletta shares. No doubt Nina. These kinds of sentiments make us want to note, yet again, the amazingly multi-talented, committed individuals that are the students, faculty, staff, and residents of the state’s public medical school. You all truly are the Medical College of Georgia.
Of Commitment… And Passion
Your efforts are rightly lauded in so many fields across our vast state and nation, and sometimes at home as well. Our Faculty Senate Awards Ceremony is a terrific annual example of celebrating our amazing faculty. Each award given shows the respect our faculty have for each other and our students have for them. Please check all of this year’s winners out here http://greport.gru.edu/archives/16451. This year, our Outstanding Faculty Award Recipient is the venerable Dr. Walt Moore. Dr. Moore, our Senior Associate Dean for GME, who, like so many of you, is a giver of himself on so many fronts, epitomizes this award, our Medicine Chair Mike Madaio wrote in nominating him. We could not have said it better. Congratulations all.
Service with a Smile…
One more kudo this week for Dr. Moore! Just a handful of days ago, he assumed leadership of the Georgia Chapter of the American College of Physicians. You might correctly guess that this is the largest medical specialty organization in our very large nation. Well, as the new Governor of the Georgia Chapter, Dr. Moore will not only be representing members in our state, but also will be serving on the Board of Governors of the ACP. This is a super cool, albeit not surprising, appointment. Go Dr. Moore.
Doing Whatever It Takes… To Help Others
No doubt all of our faculty honored this week, have knowledge to share and stories to tell. How about this one. Dr. Howard Cohen is a 1977 graduate who already had a near 30-year infectious disease practice under his belt when he joined our faculty in 2012. His clear love of medical education earned him an Educator of the Year Award that next year and again this year from our students at the Partnership campus where he teaches. He and five students spent last month volunteering at the Baptist Medical Centre, in the rural northern part of Ghana.
Teaching… And Always Learning
The trip was an eye opener for our students who saw cases of typhoid fever, malaria, malnutrition and more in a setting of oppressive heat and frequent power outages. Joanna Eldredge shares how one day a congregation of people stood, waiting to be seen, hours before their clinic opened and how two of them were dead before rounds that evening. Please learn more about the work of Dr. Cohen and our stellar seniors – as of last week, graduates – Joanna, Brett Magner, Jeffrey Donahue, and Teddie Brandon along with awesome junior Brandon Bringuel here http://bit.ly/1A10x9Z. Little doubt these days of learning in Ghana, much like lessons learned in the anatomy lab, will stay with our students in the days and years to come. We thank Dr. Cohen for being such a consummate educator, mentor and physician.
Finding and Implementing Solutions…
How about we venture back to GME and leadership for a few more amazing moments. Our Dr. Shelley Nuss, Campus Associate Dean for GME at our Partnership campus in Athens, was among the experts at a congressional briefing last week about what all of us can do to address the physician shortage in rural and underserved communities. The discussion on this important and complex topic was sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges with support from the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus. Dr. Nuss shared experiences with the University System of Georgia-driven initiative to help more hospitals in our great state get involved in graduate medical education, or teaching residents. From what we can tell, she did a great job highlighting the success and considerable work and commitment by many that it has taken to get this important ball rolling that we have discussed many times here. Check out last week’s session and much more here http://bit.ly/1G7syxL.
Accomplishing Amazing Things…
No doubt great graduate medical education equals great doctors and we are super proud to also share with you today that our Resident of the Year Award this year goes to Dr. Ray King. Dr. King is a general surgery resident who will soon be Chief Resident and then head off to a colorectal fellowship in Minnesota. He already has a PhD from Boston University School of Medicine, is a Harvard-Macy Fellow in Leaders in Medical Education, a Fellow in Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital’s Center for Molecular Imaging Research, and has taught anatomy here, at Ross University School of Medicine, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School. He has helped the American Board of Surgery design and implement an online curriculum for general surgery residencies, and on and on. Whew! Seriously amazing stuff, never mind this early in his career. Dr. King sounds like a great choice for this great award and we absolutely congratulate and thank him for his remarkable efforts. Even more great things are bound to be ahead.
While Staying True to Our Medical School…
Finally today, we want to welcome our Dr. Sam Richwine Jr., who happens to be a classmate of Dr. Cohen’s, as the new Chairman of the MCG Foundation Board of Directors. Dr. Richwine is just an absolutely terrific individual with a true love for his medical school. Did we mention he also did his residency training with us?! He is an accomplished plastic surgeon who lives has practiced in Braselton and Gainesville for 30 years! In fact, he’s a native of beautiful north Georgia and he’s already led our awesome Alumni Association. Thank you hardly seems adequate but we truly thank you and so appreciate you, Dr. Richwine. Did we also mention he is an Associate Clinical Professor at our/his marvelous medical college?! Truly terrific. Speaking of terrific, we want to thank our Dr. Sandra N. Freedman, from the Class of 1968, for her two years of service as Chairman. What amazing leadership and commitment.
Upcoming Events
May 28 – The Georgia Regents Medical Associates Membership meeting, 5:30 p.m. in the Alumni Center on the Health Sciences Campus. Refreshments will be served beginning at 5:00 p.m. RSVP by Friday, May 22 to PPGRSVP@gru.edu.
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.
Nov. 13 – Body Donation Memorial Service, 1 p.m., Lee Auditorium.
Jan. 12 – Town Hall meeting with students, noon-1 p.m., Harrison Commons, GB 1220A.
May 12 – Hooding 2016, location and time TBD.
Have a great weekend!