'There's a lot to do': Medical College of Georgia dean reveals ambitious future for school
An eventful past year for the Medical College of Georgia sets the stage for the state's only public medical school to help create more physicians in Georgia and for Georgia.
In delivering his annual State of the College address Friday before the school's Faculty Senate, MCG Dean Dr. David Hess underscored the importance of the school's most recent milestones.
Last August, MCG and its parent Augusta University finalized a deal with Marietta-based Wellstar Health System. Under the new name Wellstar MCG Health, Wellstar assumed control of the 478-bed Augusta University Medical Center and the 154-bed Children’s Hospital of Georgia. It was not a sale, but a management agreement.
The agreement extends financial stability to AU by Wellstar assuming about $300 million in debt. The school can now increase residency slots for MCG physicians in the Atlanta area with a new regional clinical campus at Wellstar Kennestone.
Overall, Wellstar's investment over 10 years will be an estimated $1.1 billion.
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"Some of that is in capital. Some's going to be building a Columbia County hospital, then moving the surgery center of Columbia County to another place," Hess said. "Every dime they make, a portion of it is coming back to MCG to support the academic and education mission."
That mission includes producing newly-educated physicians in record class sizes.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp often emphasizes annual rankings in which the state is touted as the "No. 1" state in America to conduct business. "But in health, we're near the bottom," Hess said. "Just say 40th or below and you're probably right."
On average, just one-third of Georgia’s medical school graduates stay in-state to complete their residencies, according to the Georgia Board for Physician Workforce.
According to the 2021 Georgia Physician Workforce Profile, Georgia ranks 40th nationwide in the number of active physicians. Of Georgia’s 159 counties, 141 are considered "medically underserved areas." The 141 include many affluent Georgia counties, including Columbia. Richmond County's population also is considered underserved, despite being home to robust medical activity.
Georgia is the largest U.S. state with just one public medical school. On Tuesday, the University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved a proposal to establish the University of Georgia School of Medicine in Athens.
Until the new school is accredited, MCG will still matriculate 60 students per year in Athens as part of a medical partnership at UGA whose first class of med students started in 2012.
"There's a lot to do," Hess said. "Having another medical school, you can understand why the state of Georgia wants to do that."
Plans are underway to increase capacity at other MCG campuses to retain an entering class size of 304.
This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: MCG continues push to educate more doctors – and keep them in Georgia
