Giving health

“In Nothing Do Men More Nearly Approach the gods Than in Giving Health to Men.” ~Cicero

 

March 30, 2012

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

Happy Doctors Day!

Did you know that the first observance of Doctor’s Day was March 30, 1933 in Winder, Georgia? Doctors Day marks the date that Crawford W. Long, MD, of Jefferson, GA, administered the first ether anesthetic for surgery on March 30, 1842. Dr. Long administered anesthesia then operated to remove a tumor from the man’s neck. Later, the patient would swear that he felt nothing during surgery and wasn’t aware surgery was over until he awoke! … Pretty cool history … and today and everyday our stellar doctors strive to provide our community with quality and compassionate care … Thank YOU and to ALL of Augusta’s doctors for all your physician leadership.

GHSU Student Government Association Leadership Banquet … Our Best Leaders Recognized …

Our thanks go to Dr. Kevin Frazier and all his colleagues for leadership, support and guidance to our student government association. Our congratulations also go to Mr. George Lazari and Mr. Josh Bell as well as other College students for recognition of their leadership achievements … Dr. Gretchen Caughman so aptly summed it up “I am in awe of the accomplishments achieved … our student leaders are ROCKSTARS.”

HEAL … Out Front and Going Strong …

Another update on our HEAL students and the exciting collaborative effort they have with Belle Terrace. Check out the story in the Augusta Chronicle http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/education/2012-03-26/ghsu-students-valuing-diversity-raise-1000-clinic?v=1332796902. Very impressive and inspiring community work … we are proud of you.

 

Boundaries Disappearing … Coming Together …

 

Recently, the Office of Diversity Affairs (ODA), in conjunction with GHSU Equality and American Medical Student Association (AMSA) co-sponsored a very well-attended panel on LGBTQ health issues. Dr. Kim Halbur and Ms. Alexis Rossi presented didactic information and moderated a panel of community members related to LGBTQ health issues. Many thanks to all who participated and supported this outreach session.

U.S. Medical School Applicants and Matriculants … Diversifying Our Workforce …

The AAMC recently released a report (https://www.aamc.org/download/277026/data/aibvol12_no1.pdf) about the changing gender composition of U.S. medical school applicants and matriculants. Not only has the trend of female applicants on the rise shifted but also the number of female matriculants is declining. Should this trend continue across all racial and ethnic groups, impacts upon educational diversity as well as physician workforce would be felt. We are committed to supporting efforts and pathways more conducive to diversity and gender balance in academic medicine. It is also most gratifying that we have experienced a surge in recruitment of female and underrepresented minority new faculty recently … a great trend.

 

Links to Check Out … Scholarship, Research and Other Newsworthy Items …

Our thanks to Dr. Turner Rentz, Jr. and his family for establishing a scholarship fund in memory of his late father, alumni Dr. Turner Rentz, Sr. Donations to add to the scholarship can be made through MCG Foundation. With medical school becoming increasingly more expensive, this needs based scholarship will hopefully offset some financial stress of medical school. http://www.albanyherald.com/news/2012/mar/24/doctors-pledge-generates-scholarship/.

Also check out http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/parents-and-kids/everyday-life/disordered-eating-behaviors.html in Family Link eNews for more of Dr. Deborah Young-Hyman’s research on treatment and weight concerns in teens with type 1 diabetes.

 

Congratulations Are On the Menu …

 

Congratulations to Dr. Leonard Reeves on being named chair Subcommittee of the Assembly Scientific Program (SASP) for the Commission on Continue Professional Development (COCPD) of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). Dr. Reeves will be an integral part in planning the 2013 Annual Scientific Assembly for the AAFP meeting.

We also want to congratulate our Radiology faculty, residents and staff that presented and served as course directors at the recent Association of University Radiologist (AUR) meeting. Many compliments were heard regarding our innovative teaching methods. In addition we learned many of our educational practices which we discussed are now being used in residencies across the country.

Congratulations also to Drs. Barbara Schuster, Rhee Fincher, Linda Boyd and Chris White on receiving formal approval from the AMA Council on Medical Education regarding the Learning from Teaching in UME and GME pilot program. We are looking forward to hearing more on this exciting proposal.

Community News … Looking Ahead …

Masters Week is here! Augusta Regional Airport will be busy, but for those of you traveling to Washington, DC, beginning in July, US Airways will offer daily non-stop service to the nation’s capital.

 

Also on the CSRA horizon is the new Starbucks plant scheduled to open in January 2014 with about 140 new job opportunities at this facility.

 

Have you heard? The Georgia Assembly voted to transfer the former Georgia Golf Hall of Fame property to the University System of Georgia. More to come as this exciting development continues to unfold.

 

Recently 40 local leaders and businesses from the CSRA visited the capitol for “Greater Augusta Day”, an event designed to get local citizens and decision makers in front of the state legislators. Our thanks to President Azziz for taking GHSU’s voice to Atlanta.

 

Upcoming Dates and Events …

April 1-8 – Masters’ Week! Lots of Community Events in Town – http://www.augustaga.org/Masters-Week-Activities

April 10th – Art Council Noon Music Program, Large Auditorium

April 11th – Documentary Showing, Noon, EC 1222 – hosted by Office of Diversity and Inclusion. Local film maker, Hodges Usry, will be showing his film, “The Steering Committee”, about racial tensions in Augusta in the 60s and 70s. The film is approximately 20 minutes long and Q&A will follow. Refreshments will be provided.

April 11th – MCG Faculty Senate Meeting and Awards Ceremony, 5 pm, Large Auditorium

April 20th – Earth Day Fair, 10 am – 2 pm, Student Center Courtyard

April 20th – Raft Debate, 6 p.m. MCG Wellness Center – Calling all MCG Students, Sponsored by MCG Alumni Association with Dr. Peter Buckley, Moderator; Dr. William D. Hill, II, Devil’s Advocate; Dr. Paul Weinberger, Surgery Rep; Dr. Adam Berman, Medicine Rep; and Dr. Christopher Edwards, Pediatrics Rep.

April 24th – President’s Lecture Series Continues – Guest Speaker – Dr. Linda Burns Bolton

April 24th – Richmond County Medical Society Meeting, 7 pm, Old Medical College

April 26-29th – GHSU Homecoming, Various campus and community locations http://www.georgiahealth.edu/alumni/homecoming/

SAVE THE DATE …

May 3rd – UFS Spring Faculty Assembly and GHSURI Research Awards Ceremony, 4 pm

May 4th – MCG Dean’s State of the College Address, 12 Noon, Large Auditorium – Great opportunity for faculty, staff, residents, students, alumni, community colleagues, local administrative and civic leaders to learn of the exciting “state” of MCG … where we’ve been and where we’re going.

May 10th – Hooding, 2 pm, Bell Auditorium – Keynote Speaker – Vice Admiral Matthew L. Nathan, Navy Surgeon General

May 11th – GHSU Graduation, 2 pm – James Brown Arena

May 14th – National Peace Officers Day

May 15th – MCG Town Hall, 5 pm, Large Auditorium – Question and Answer forum with Dr. Buckley

May 18th – GME Leadership Retreat, 8 am – 4 pm, Alumni Center – Agenda to include ACGME changes in the accreditation process

Many thanks to our physicians … Past, present, and future … and to ALL our colleagues … for your leadership.