Unity is strength…

“Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.”   -Mattie Stepanek

 

Powerful Partnerships… Multiply Our Impact

Our long-term partnership with Royal Philips is yielding terrific new imaging technology and support that is absolutely in sync with our clinical priorities of growth, quality, and throughput. It’s bolstering education as well because it enables our students and residents to experience patient care augmented by the latest technology available. The Philips partnership is even aiding classroom learning by making available to our students hand-held ultrasound machines, not yet available in this country, as a dynamic aid to learning anatomy and optimally preparing for 21st century medicine. We were so pleased that Brent Shafer, CEO of Philips North America, was our recent guest, visiting our adult and children’s hospital and seeing this exciting relationship play out. We also are pleased to share that he was impressed with the progress and passion. We are as well.

The Area’s Only Paramedic Program… Started Here This Week

We took another stand to strengthen the frontline of health care this week by initiating a paramedic program. This 13-month course, offered by our Department of Emergency Medicine’s EMS Academy, see http://bit.ly/1xy6yp8, now educates this advanced-care provider who can make a significant contribution at an accident scene or in an ICU. Ours is the area’s only paramedic program and we congratulate our Emergency Medicine Department for once again taking a leadership role in ensuring that we are optimally prepared when emergencies happen. In fact, our entire nation and beyond needs more of these professionals. U.S. News & World Report ranks paramedics and EMTs among the best jobs in health care and overall, http://bit.ly/1smnQqa.

Handheld Devices… Lend a Hand to Education

Speaking of handheld devices, our colleagues in Athens recently published an insightful look at how our third-year students are using mobile technology in patient care and learning. Their year-long study showed our students primarily use it to get the latest patient info from the electronic health record so the best care can be provided, see http://bit.ly/1oXIM0y.  As with all of us, the more they used the technology, the more comfortable they became.  Certainly these devices will have an ever-increasing role in caring for patients and educating health care providers as well as conducting research. We thank Dr. Shelley Nuss; Dr. Janette Hill in the UGA College of Education; UGA Associate Vice President for Instruction, Dr. Ronald Cervero; Julie Gaines, Head of the Athens campus library; and St. Mary’s Hospital CMO Dr. Bruce Middendorf, for their efforts.

Amazing Math…

Math, as we have discussed recently, is a tough subject for many of us, but our own Dr. Arni Rao recently and quickly figured out the complicated math behind a fascinating observation of Dr. James R. Carey, entomologist at the University of California- Davis. Dr. Carey observed that you can determine the age distribution of pretty much any population – human and non-human – by looking at how long they still have to live from a certain moment onward. Fascinating stuff that is far too complex to cover here but it suffices to say the collaboration of Drs. Rao and Carey can yield important information so we can better determine what maladies are here and coming and way more. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/1D0VbZP.

Time for… Celebration 

Speaking of a great team, we were honored to participate this week in the Staff and Faculty Recognition Breakfast for 569 folks celebrating five, 10, or 15 years of service at our university and health system; 93 of the honorees work at our medical school.  It was great to acknowledge employees such as the always helpful and pleasant Judy Sanders from our Department of Medicine, celebrating her 10th year, and our Dr. Larry Layman, Chief of Reproductive Medicine, a gifted clinician, researcher and educator.  Great teams truly are made of great individuals, who like Ms. Sanders and Dr. Layman, do their best each day, all day to make this medical school better and this world healthier.

Introspection…

As summer was waning, we talked about our upcoming LCME site visit Jan. 24-27, 2016 and the important self-study proceeding it. That self-study is off to a great start and we wanted you to be aware of this terrific website that can give you more information about this important process as it unfolds, see http://bit.ly/1nfM2sB. Our thanks to Academic Affairs for taking the leadership of this essential effort.

And Sharing… What We’ve Found

Finally today, we will definitely be making a statement at the American Society of Anesthesiologists Oct. 11-15 in beautiful New Orleans with 32 posters from our Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine. Talk about a team effort. This fine group is taking on tough issues such as finding a way to stop the rapid, disorganized heart rhythm, called atrial fibrillation, that can follow cardiac surgery. We applaud their tremendous effort.

Upcoming Events

Oct. 10 – GRU Alumni Barbecue. 5:30-8:30 p.m. (food services stops at 8 p.m.), D. Douglas Barnard, Jr. Amphitheatre at the Summerville Campus, catered by Sconyers BBQ, Live entertainment by the Joe Stevenson Band, entertainment for kids, fireworks at dark. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at https://grualumni.com/bbq.

Oct. 11 – White Coat Ceremony, 2 p.m., Bell Auditorium.

Oct. 12 – The Lyceum Series presents the comedy, The Second City, 7:30 p.m., Maxwell Theatre, Summerville Campus. For tickets and more info visit: http://bit.ly/1vRbgOm.

Oct. 13 – Health Sciences Education Grand Rounds, cosponsored this month by the Educational Innovation Institute and the Department of Family Medicine, noon-1 p.m., Faculty Office Building, Room 4010. Dr. Leonard Reeves, Northwest Campus Assistant Dean, will discuss, “DNA of a New Clinical Campus: Implementation of a Longitudinal Curriculum.”

Oct. 16 – Opening celebration of the J. Harold Harrison MD Education Commons, 11 a.m., 1301 R.A. Dent Blvd. Afterward, please join us for an Open House of our new academic home, from 5:30-7 p.m. with the program starting at 6 p.m., a wine and cheese reception, and continuous tours by medical students.

Nov. 14 – Body Donation Memorial Service, 1-2 p.m., Lee Auditorium

Feb. 24 – MCG Alumni Association Planning Committee, Nominating Committee, Board Meeting and Regional Event, starting at 2:30 p.m., Idle Hour Country Club, Macon.

March 5 – MCG Alumni Association Regional Reception, 6 p.m., Northeast History Museum, Gainesville.

April 17 – Raft Debate, sponsored by the MCG Alumni Association, 6 p.m., Lee Auditorium.

April 23-26 – Alumni Weekend.

May 1 – State of the Medical College of Georgia address, noon, Lee Auditorium, lunch provided.

May 4 – MCG Graduation Dinner, 6:30 p.m., location to be determined.

May 7 – Hooding Ceremony, 2 p.m., location to be determined.

May 8 – Graduation, 2 p.m., James Brown Arena.

It should be a great weekend to enjoy all the great festivals happening in our town!

 

 

 

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Augusta University Staff is a collection of talented writers, photographers, students and professionals; all working together to promote and support the amazing impacts and every day wins of Augusta University and the people that make up JagNation.