Accepted time

“Now is the accepted time, not tomorrow, not some more convenient season. It is today that our best work can be done and not some future day or future year. It is today that we fit ourselves for the greater usefulness of tomorrow. Today is the seed time, now are the hours of work, and tomorrow comes the harvest and the playtime.” ~ W.E.B. Du Bois
August 17, 2012

Freshman Brunch … Welcome to Our Freshman and Their Families … Thanks to Our Alumni Too …
We recently held our annual Freshman Brunch, hosted by our Alumni Association, where we welcomed our 230 talented, new medical students and their families to the MCG family. It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to meet our distinguished alumni and community physicians as well as hear from them the importance of getting involved now in the Alumni Association and the Community. We are excited to have our Freshman on board and hope they are settled into their routines and learning.

 

Annual Savannah Twelve Dinner … Thanks Again to Our Alumni …
Our Alumni Association recently held its annual “Savannah Twelve” dinner in, yes, Savannah. This year’s dinner was hosted by Dr. Buffi Boyd, Alumni Association Board of Trustees Leader and Class of 1999. The goal of the dinner is to invite twelve strangers from our first year medical student class and Alumni Association to come together in a mentoring program. Past Presidents of the Alumni Association, Drs. Dan DeLoach and Scott Bohlke as well as Dr. Kathryn Martin, Associate Dean, SE Georgia Campus attended this year’s dinner. We appreciate this opportunity for our students.

 

Congratulations to Mr. Nikhil Kadle … Scholarship Recipient … One of Ten Awarded Nationally …
Congratulations to Mr. Nikhil Kadle on being one of ten awardees to receive the 2012 American Heart Association Stroke Council Student Scholarship in Cerebrovascular Disease and Stroke. Mr. Kadle received the Dean’s Summer Research Scholarship in 2011 to begin his work on projects involving new methods of detecting cerebral thrombosis. We are also pleased to announce that Mr. Kadle is the second MCG student in three years to receive the scholarship award.

 

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Agreement Reached … ‘True Grit’ Leadership Serves Well Our Patients and Our Community …
We are pleased to report that Georgia Health Sciences and Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia reached an agreement today for a new multi-year contract. This is great news for all our BCBS of Georgia patients. We very much appreciate Mr. David Hefner, Mr. Frank Smith, Mr. Greg Damron and their team in solidifying the agreement that allows us to continue with the exceptional healthcare our patients deserve. This agreement not only continues the healthcare coverage for our patients, but also allows for quality improvements. We also very much appreciate the patience of our BCBS of Georgia community as well as our clinicians and entire healthcare team. Thanks all around here!

 

Governance and Financing of Graduate Medical Education … Continuing the Momentum Nationally …
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recently announced the appointment of a committee for the study “Governance and Financing of Graduate Medical Education” to assess the financing, regulation, organization, governance, and content of the Graduate Medical Education program in the U.S. The committee will make recommendations on how to improve the GME program to meet the needs of the healthcare population. This work will complement our initiatives’ at a State level to develop new GME residencies.

 

GREAT Update … Maximize Our Statewide Efforts to Impact Ongoing GME Expansion Efforts …
The GREAT work group recently gave an update to the BOR. With the able leadership of Regent Tommy Hopkins, Mr. Ben Robinson, and Dr. Shelley Nuss, our target is to build 400 additional GME positions across the state, including building programs in new teaching hospitals, drawing down on new Medicare dollars, and advancing primary care and general surgery specialties, with a match by the hospitals alongside state dollars. Each proposed program is being reviewed independently by a team of USG and GME experts. This is a tremendous opportunity for Georgia.

 

Augusta State University’s 19th Fall Convocation … Meeting the Newest Leaders, Including Interim President Kenny …
It was a privilege and pleasure to be invited to attend the 19th Annual Fall Convocation this week at ASU. There is ample community admiration for the many achievements of the students and alumni of ASU. Interim President Shirley Kenny gave inspiring, opening remarks and a standing ovation was held for Dr. Bill Bloodworth.

 

President’s Lecture Series Continues …
As the President’s Lecture Series continues, please make plans to join us at Noon, Thursday September 13, Lee Auditorium, as Dr. Waded Cruzado, President of Montana State University discusses The People’s University: The Transformational Power of Public Higher Education. Dr. Cruzado received the 2011 Michael P. Malone Educator of the Year Award from the Montana Ambassadors for accomplishment, excellence and leadership in education.

 

Congratulations … Community Involvement … We’ve Got Talent
Congratulations to Mr. David Hefner and Ms. Deb Barshafsky on recently being featured in the Augusta Magazine. The article reflects Mr. Hefner’s engagement in our community as well as his interest in the arts. Did you know that Ms. Barshafsky is quite ‘the cook’ and author? Check out her ‘wine and dine’ article. Talented indeed!

 

White Coat Ceremony … A Medical College of Georgia Tradition … Be A Part of It …
This is a long standing tradition at MCG to present to our First Year Students their ‘first’ white coats. This inspiring event (for us all) will be held on September 8th beginning at 2:30 pm at Warren Baptist Church. We encourage you to attend and be a part of this longstanding and note-worthy event. Please support and honor our students and their families with your presence.

 

Upcoming Dates and Events …

August 20th, 21st & 24th – Town Hall Meetings with Dr. Gretchen Caughman and Mr. David Hefner http://www.georgiahealth.edu/about/leadership/townhall/ for dates/locations/times. A timely opportunity to catch all the latest GHSU news and plans

August 22nd – UGA Health Sciences Open House, 10 am (includes the new space for the GHSU/UGA Medical Partnership Campus).

August 24th – Augusta Chamber of Commerce Economic Lunch – Dr. Azziz is guest speaker, 11:30 am, Augusta Marriott (http://memberservices.membee.com/gaaugcoc/irmevents.aspx?id=440&event=Y)

September 3rd – Labor Day

September 4th – Breakfast honoring employees with 5, 10, 15, or 20 years of services, Kroc Center, Registration begins at 7:30 and program at 8:30.

September 7th – University Faculty/Spouse Club New Faculty Reception, Twin Gables, 6-8:00 pm

September 8th – GHSU Family Day/MCG White Coat Ceremony and Alumni Reception. Family Day, 11:30 am, Lee Auditorium and White Coat Ceremony, 2:30 pm, Warran Baptist Church. Please join us!

September 12th – Environmental Services Appreciation Day.

September 13th – President’s Lecture Series, Noon, Lee Auditorium, Dr. Waded Cruzado, President of Montana State University discusses The People’s University: The Transformational Power of Public Higher Education.

September 13th – MCG Faculty Senate and Richmond County Medical Society New Faculty Reception, 7:30 pm, Old Medical College. Please come along to this fun evening event honoring our newest MCG Colleagues.

September 14th – MCG Faculty Senate Meeting, 12 Noon, Lee Auditorium

September 14th – Diversity Summit – GHSU – Soledad O’Brien key note speaker – Kroc Center www.georgiahealth.edu/Diversity. This will be a spectacular conference building on the success of last year.

September 20th – Career Development 101 (CD-101), 8:30-3:00, Alumni Center (charper@georgiahealth.edu)

September 22nd – Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s “Light the Night Walk” http://connection.georgiahealth.edu/2012/07/17/leukemia-lymphoma-societys-light-the-night-walk/

October 20th – MAG 158th House of Delegates Meeting, Savannah Georgia

Many thanks for your leadership.

Warm Regards,