“Be a Yardstick of Quality. Some People Aren’t Used to an Environment Where Excellence is Expected.” ~ Steve Jobs
January 11, 2013
Our New University Gets Board of Regents Final Approval …
On Tuesday the USG Board of Regents approved our new university through the consolidation of Georgia Health Sciences University and Augusta State University. We want to express our appreciation to Dr. Azziz, Dr. Caughman, and all our leadership, especially the teams that have been tirelessly working on the consolidation efforts and to the Regents for their support of our vision and leadership. We are the Medical College of Georgia at Georgia Regents University and we are excited about the future of our college and our new university. This is a great opportunity for all … let’s make it so.
Board of Regents Approve GME Regents Evaluations and Assessment Team (GREAT) Recommendation for New Residency Positions Statewide …
The BOR also approved funding for new residency positions across the state. In an effort to reduce the physician shortage that will affect our hospital across the state, GREAT has been reviewing proposed new GME programs. Through the major and sustained efforts of hospital CEOs and physician leadership at Gwinnett Medical Center, Athens Regional Medical Center, St. Mary’s Hospital and the South Georgia Medical Education and Research Consortium (Colquitt Regional, Archbold Medical Center, Phoebe Putney, South Georgia Medical Center, and Tift Regional), we anticipate a minimum of 235 new residency positions have been ‘earmarked’ with 45 slots in Family Medicine; 120 slots in Internal Medicine; 32 slots in OBGYN; 30 in General Surgery and 8 others. GREAT is continuing to solicit and provide consultation and is in contact with Northeast Georgia Healthcare System, Redmond Regional and others across the State.
Boyer Report Recommendations … Meeting of All Deans Emphasizing Our Leadership …
Recently Dr. Shirley Kenny met with deans and GRU leadership and gave a wonderful ‘pep’ talk for our new university, also summarizing the Boyer Commission Report – a ‘blueprint for America’s research universities’. Take-away points of the report are: 1. Make research-based learning the standard; 2. Construct an inquiry-based freshman year; 3. Build on our freshman foundation; 4. Remove barriers to interdisciplinary education; 5. Link communication skills and course work; 6. Use information technology creatively; 7. Culminate with a capstone experience; 8. Educate graduate students as apprentice teachers; 9. Change faculty reward systems; 10. Cultivate a sense of community. Our sincere thanks to Dr. Kenny for her leadership, guidance and support during the consolidation of ASU and GHSU to our new university, Georgia Regents University.
Hello and Welcome … A New Face in the Center of Operational Medicine, Emergency Medicine …
Please join me as we give a warm welcome to Mr. Rob Mulry as the new Director, Center of Operational Medicine in Emergency Medicine. Please take a moment and stop by and introduce yourself. We look forward to getting to know Rob and his family.
Join me also as we welcome Dr. Arni S. RaPlease o, a mathematical epidemiologist, to the Biostatistics and Epidemiology department whom we recruited from the world-renowned Indian Statistical Institute. We look forward to getting to know Dr. Rao and his family.
Congratulations … Student and Faculty International Success in Cancer Research …
Please join me as we congratulate Dr. Muthusamy Thangaraju, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology on the successful presentation of his breast cancer research at the 3rd International Conference on Stem Cells and Cancer, New Delhi, India. We also want to congratulate Rajneesh Pathania, a graduate student, on being awarded (one of seven for the entire conference) best oral presentation.
Congratulations … National Recognition for Telestroke Program and Grant Award …
Congratulations also to Dr. Jeffrey Switzer on his resent publication in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes (http://circoutcomes.ahajournals.org/content/early/2012/12/04/CIRCOUTCOMES.112.967125.abstract) on the cost effectiveness of our and Mayo clinic’s hub and spoke telestroke network. We also want to congratulate Dr. Switzer on receiving an American Heart Association grant for a clinical trial of minocycline in intracerebral hemorrhage. These achievements are timely for next week’s comprehensive stroke center accreditation visit.
Top Ten “Up and Coming” Technologies … Cleveland Clinic …
Recently the top ten “up and coming” technologies were announced at the Cleveland Clinic’s 2012 Medical Innovation Summit. These are technologies that are posed to have the biggest impact on healthcare in 2013 (http://www.clevelandclinic.org/innovations/summit/topten/2013.html). Number 10 on the list was Healthcare Programs with Monetary Incentives with number 1 being Bariatric Surgery for Control of Diabetes. Please check out the entire list … it’s quite interesting.
Upcoming Events …
TODAY – MCG Faculty Senate Meeting, Noon, Lee Auditorium
January 13th – Jaguar Basketball “Whiteout”, Christenberry Fieldhouse, Women’s basketball at 1:30 and men’s at 3:30, http://report.gru.edu/archives/13297 GO JAGS!
January 14th -15th – New Year, New You – A Healthy Approach to Living and Learning, Student Health Initiative kick-off, 3-5:30 pm, Student Wellness Center gym. Contact Kaelan for more info kwoodall@georgiahealth.edu
January 16th – Town Hall Meetings with Dr. Gretchen Caughman and Mr. David Hefner, 8 am and 2 pm, Lee Auditorium
January 17th – Town Hall Meetings with Dr. Gretchen Caughman and Mr. David Hefner, 11 am and 3 pm, Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre.
January 18th – Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre, Noon – Dr. Lewis V. Baldwin, historian and author, specializing in the history of black churches, will be the guest speaker.
January 21st – Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
January 24th – Education Grand Rounds, a monthly series to inform teaching faculty of current methods, findings, and trends in health sciences education and education‐related research, 11:30 am, AB 108, Psychiatry Empathy: Assessment, Teaching Methods and Simulation Pilot Data by Adriana Foster, MD, Associate Professor, Psychiatry and Health Behavior
February 5th – Medical Student Advocacy Day in Atlanta
February 18th – Education Grand Rounds, a monthly series to inform teaching faculty of current methods, findings, and trends in health sciences education and education‐related research, 7:00 am, BC 1810, Anesthesiology, The Student as a Consumer: Addressing the Expectations of Today’s Students, Rick Callan, DDS, Professor, General Dentistry
February 24th – GRU Augusta Half Marathon and 10 K, Enterprise Mill, www.augustahalf.org.
“Physiology Sweet Hearts” have 13 members and are raising money for the endowment that supports the Lois T. Ellison Lectureship. Please contact Dr. Anne-Cecile Huby if you are interested in donating or participating (ahuby@gru.edu)
Welcome to our new university … Enjoy … and let’s ‘seize the moment’ together.