‘Good’ to ‘great’ is the name of the game for the School of Medicine

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EDICINEGeorgia

MS C H O O L O F M E D I C I N E

MEDICAL COLLEGE OF

Strategic Moves

2 News at a Glance

26 Looking Back

30 Student Spotlight

32 Faculty Focus

36 Viewpoints

APublicationoftheMedicalCollegeofGeorgiaSchoolofMedicine

EDICINEGeorgia

MMEDICAL COLLEGE OF

F A L L 2 0 0 9 V O L . 2 N O . 2

Medical College of Georgia Medicineis produced bi-annually by the MCG Division of Strategic Support with financial support by the School of Medicine.

Interim MCG PresidentJames N. Thompson, M.D.

School of Medicine DeanD. Douglas Miller, M.D., C.M.

Vice President for Strategic SupportDeb Barshafsky

Director of University CommunicationsJack Evans

EditorDamon Cline

Art Direction/LayoutP.J. Hayes Design

PhotographerPhil Jones

WritersToni BakerDamon ClineChristine DerisoJennifer Hilliard

©2009 The Medical College of Georgia

is the heath sciences university for the

University System of Georgia.

Medical College of Georgia Medicine welcomes submissions to the Viewpoints column. Typed essays (approximately 750 words) on health care issues should be submitted to:Damon Cline, EditorMedical College of Georgia, FI-1044Augusta, GA 30912dcline@mcg.edu706-721-4706 phone800-328-6057 fax

Dr.BernardMaria

Strategic MovesTake a closer look at the path

the School of Medicine is following to excellence

on the COVER

m c g . e d u / s o m / g e o r g i a m e d i c i n e

DEPARTMENTS

7

Drs.LindaBoyd,Ruth-MarieFincher,LeeMerchen,AnaMurphyandJenniferPollock

The Ellisons

The Ultimate TeacherBody donors make the ultimate gift to medicine

14

TheMedicosA brief history of the little-known MCG football team

40 Pillars

43 Generations of Giving

44 Class Notes

Dr.WileyS.Black

From the Dean

DuringarecentMCGPresidentialSearchCommitteeforum,afacultymemberchallengedcommitteememberstofindapersonwhocantakeMCGtothe“nextlevel”ofaccomplishmentandnationalreputation.

Thisgoal—takingMCGfrom“goodtogreat”—hasbeenanongoingpursuitintheSchoolofMedicine,oneyouwillreadaboutextensivelyinthiseditionofGeorgia Medicine.Thearticlesreflectourschool’schallengesandhowwearerespondingtothem.Mostofnation’sother130publicandprivatemedicalschoolsfacesimilarchallenges,thoughtwo-thirdshavealargerfacultyand85percentteachfewermedicalstudents.The“great”solutionswearecraftingareuniquelyours,becauseoftwoimportantfactors. Ourfirstcompetitiveadvantageisthatourfacultyandstudentsembodyourorganizationaladvancement.Itistheircuriositythatleadsustoinnovate.Itistheircollectiveclinicalacumenthat,whenharnessed,caresforourpatients.Itistheirdiversitythatconnectsustothousandsoflifeexperiencesthatenrichourdailyprofessionalinteractionsacrossthestateandaroundtheworld.Ourpeople,notourmanagement,reflectsour“greatness.” Oursecondcompetitiveedgecutsbothways.Asthestate’sonlypublichealthsciencesuniversity,wemustliveuptothemaxim,“Forofthosetowhommuchisgiven,muchisrequired.”Thewelcomestatefundingwereceiverequiresthatwefirstandforemostservetheneedsofthestate—wearepublicservants.WewelcomethisrolewhileacknowledgingthattheenergyandattentionitrequirescansubtlydivertMCGfromextramuralpursuitsthatpowereven“greater”medicalschools. So,“goodtogreat”islargelyasemantictransition.Ournextinstitutionalleadersmayaspiretoinfluencecomplexsocietalissuessuchashealthcarereform,thenationalbiomedicalresearchagendaorthetrajectoryofthehealthprofessionsworkforce.That’sfine!Buttheyshouldberemindedthatitisourpeople—thosewhoprovidecareatthebedside,performethicalresearchinthelaboratoryandtransferknowledgeintheclassroom—whoconvertmuchofwhatwearegivenintomuchofwhatisrequired.Theydeliverdaily!Thisisameasureof“greatness”wecanallbeproudof.n

The Next Level

Eminently QualifiedLearn more about the School’s GRA Eminent Scholars

20

D. Douglas Miller, M.D., C.M.

Last RespectsStudents remember and honor donors before cremation

19

News at a Glance

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The MCG School of Medicine’s Athens staff has moved into the Medical College of Georgia/University of Georgia Medical Partnership’s interim building, a recently renovated 37,000-square-foot structure originally built in 1857 as the Athens Cotton and Wool Factory.

The building, one block from the main UGA campus at 279 Williams St., will house the MCG/UGA staff until a permanent medical partnership campus is established at the 58-acre Navy Supply Corps School site in 2012.

The four-story brick building been renovated to include small-group classrooms, lecture halls, a medical library, student lounge, gross anatomy lab and faculty office space. Extensive landscaping has created a terraced green space with shade trees at the entrance and a deck at the rear of the building that overlooks the North Oconee River.

Campus Dean Barbara Schuster and her staff moved into their new offices in August, and the first students are expected to enroll in August 2010.

“This building will provide an exceptional learning environment for our students,” Dr. Schuster said. “The small-group classrooms in particular will facilitate interaction between students and faculty.”

The UGA Real Estate Foundation purchased the building in 2008. It previously housed a mill, a nightclub, a fitness center and, most recently, a call center.

“The building affords a uniquely high-tech yet intimate setting for medical education complete with historical roots and an eco-friendly future,” said MCG School of Medicine Dean Doug Miller. “It’s a great first home for the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership students.”

By 2014, the School of Medicine hopes to have 900 students in Augusta, 240 in Athens and 30 each at its clinical campuses in Albany and Savannah. l

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Federation of State Medical Boards, was appointed interim president of the Medical College of Georgia in September. He joined the MCG staff on Oct. 5.

University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. said Dr. Thompson will serve until a permanent president is found to succeed Dr. Daniel W. Rahn, who has accepted the position of chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences.

A search committee has been formed and a national search consultant has been hired to assist in the process.

Dr. Thompson led the FSMB, which represents state medical licensing and regulatory boards, from 2002-08. Prior to that, he was on the faculty of Wake Forest University, serving as both vice president and School of Medicine dean.

“Dr. Thompson’s career encompasses both work at a medical school and on a national level overseeing medical licensing and regulatory boards,” Chancellor Davis said. “He has an excellent understanding of and extensive experience with the rigors and skills of leading a medical research university.” l

Dr. James N. Thompson

Dr. Thompson named interim MCG president

Athens staff moves into interim facility

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Dr. Scott Richardson, an internist and nationally recognized expert in evidence-based medicine, has been named campus associate dean for curriculum for the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership in Athens.

He was previously at Wright State University in Dayton Ohio, where he was a professor of medicine and

director of the medical school’s internal medicine clerkship and Principles of Evidence Based Clinical Decision Making course. His research focuses on integrating research evidence to improve clinical practice, identifying clinicians’ medical knowledge needs, medical education and continuing professional development.

“Dr. Richardson’s working knowledge of evidence-based practice and medical school curriculum will be invaluable as we work through this important time of transition,” said Dr. Barbara Schuster, campus dean.

Dr. Richardson co-authored Evidence-Based Medicine: How to Practice and Teach EBM, a book widely used by academic physicians nationwide. He is a member of the Evidence-Based Medicine Working Group and the Society of General Internal Medicine. He is associate editor of the American College of Physicians Journal Club and has served as deputy editor of the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

“I see the Athens and Augusta campuses as two seeds from the same tree – they share the same heritage even if they grow differently,” Dr. Richardson said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of figuring out how to take Augusta’s successes in medical education and adapt them for Athens.”

For example, he said, smaller class sizes could lead to more small-group learning and fewer traditional lectures. l

Dr. Terrence E. Steyer, associate professor of family medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina and a national leader in medical education, has been named founding chair of the Department of Clinical Sciences at the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership in Athens.

“I look forward to working with the medical community, both in northeast

Georgia and Augusta, and to developing collaborative relationships that will allow us to educate the next generation of physicians for the state,” he said.

Dr. Steyer is president of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine, and chair of the society’s Leadership Development Special Workgroup. He served on the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services’ Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care and Dentistry and the Advisory Committee to the Promoting, Reinforcing and Improving Medical Education Project.

At MUSC, he was founding director of the transitional-year residency, a joint program with Charleston’s Trident Medical Center, and director of continuing medical education for the Department of Family Medicine.

Dr. Steyer, a 1994 graduate of Case Western University School of Medicine, completed advanced training at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center and the University of Michigan School of Medicine. l

Dr. Richardson named associate Athens deanDr. Steyer named clinical sciences chair for MCG/UGA campus

Dr. Scott Richardson

Dr. Terrence E. Steyer

MCG/UGA Medical Partnership campus interim building

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The MCG School of Medicine’s clinical campuses in Savannah and Albany continue to grow, filling key administrative positions

and progressing toward their 10-year goal of providing clinical rotations for 60 students. The campuses not only

expand clinical training opportunities for third- and fourth-year students, but address workforce shortages by increasing the likelihood that graduates will practice in the areas after their training.

At the Southwest Georgia Clinical Campus, headquartered at Albany’s Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Dr. William A. Guest has been named assistant dean of curriculum. Dr. Guest, a pulmonologist and internist, will

Clinical campuses continue to growcontinue his role as chief medical officer of the intensive care unit at Tift Regional Medical Center in Tifton, Ga..

Dr. Guest will work with Dr. Iqbal Khan, assistant dean and campus director, to secure accreditation from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education to transform the campus into a residential clinical campus, enabling its students to complete all third-year and most fourth-year clinical training onsite.

He also will work to expand the number of students who rotate at the campus and the number of preceptors who train students.

“Right now, 26 percent of Georgians live in a rural area, but only 11 percent of the doctors are there. That’s a huge problem,” Dr. Guest said. “It’s important that students want to rotate at the Southwest campus, and I’m hopeful once they experience the great learning opportunities here, they’ll want to return to practice.”

The school’s Southeast Georgia Clinical Campus, based at St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System in Savannah, is recruiting an assistant dean of curriculum to oversee its rapidly expanding rotations, said Dr. Kathryn Martin, assistant dean and campus director.

Support of the local medical community, represented by many MCG alumni, has enabled the campus to lock in six of its seven core third-year rotations and all three fourth-year electives.

“Things are coming along swimmingly,” Dr. Martin said. “We’ve had a number of our MCG alums step up and become champions for us.” l

Dr. William A. Guest

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital–Albany

St. Joseph’s/Candler Health System–Savannah

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Dr. Geoffrey H. Young, associate dean for admissions for the MCG School of Medicine, has been elected an at-large member of the Southern Group

on Student Affairs of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

The Southern Group is one of four regional groups in the country that facilitate communication between the AAMC and medical school faculty who work in student affairs. Dr. Young will serve a two-year term as an officer of the Southern Group and a member of its Steering Committee.

The group’s areas of focus include admissions, financial aid, minority affairs and student records. Dr. Young has served on the AAMC’s Medical Student Performance Evaluation Advisory Committee and Careers in Medicine Advisory Committee and was the Northeast representative to its Committee on Student Affairs while on the faculty of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

Dr. Young, a clinical psychologist, came to MCG in 2007 from Virginia Commonwealth University where he was associate dean for student affairs of the Medical College of Virginia campus. Other previous appointments include assistant dean for student affairs and assistant dean for multicultural and student affairs at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. l

Dr. Geoffrey H. Young

Dr. Young elected to AAMC regional group

MCG has taken charge of clinical services at East Central Georgia Regional Hospital under a new agreement with the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.

The partnership brings to the hospital additional staff and the benefit of academic-caliber forensic and mental health services. East Central, one of seven state facilities that serve persons with developmental disabilities, had been considered a candidate for closure or privatization. With the new partnership in place, the hospital will instead be a centerpiece of the state’s efforts to improve the quality of care in its facilities statewide.

“Our partnership with MCG will provide stability to our clinical workforce and a new level of accountability, quality and consistency,” said Dr. Frank Shelp, the department’s commissioner.

Nan Lewis has been named the new hospital administrator. She brings experience as a CEO of psychiatric hospitals and has a reputation for turning around struggling institutions. Dr. Don Manning, MCG director of public psychiatry, will oversee treatment at East Central as medical director.

Additional academic psychiatrists, forensic psychiatrists and psychologists will be brought to the hospital by MCG. The agreement will also allow psychiatric residents, nurses and students to practice and learn at East Central.

“We are delighted that Dr. Shelp, who has prior experience with successful state-university collaborations, has asked us to assist,” said Dr. Peter Buckley, chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior and associate dean for leadership development in the MCG School of Medicine. “With his support, we will leverage the resources of MCG toward ‘turning around’ East Central Georgia Regional Hospital.”

The initial agreement between MCG and DBHDD is expected to last three to five years, with monthly progress reports and annual reviews to determine whether it will continue. Ninety-percent of the agreement’s first year cost of approximately $2 million will be covered by redirecting existing hospital resources. l

MCG to run clinical services at state hospital

Dr. Peter Buckley (from left) and state Representative Quincy Murphy look on as Dr. Frank Shelp makes the announcement at a local news conference.

Medical education building under way

An architectural firm has been selected to design the 187,000-square-foot building that will house MCG School of Medicine classrooms and administration.

Atlanta-based HOK Group Inc. earlier this year was awarded the contract to design the $105 million Commons building, a three- to four-story facility to be constructed next to the 220,000-square-foot School of Dentistry building at the former Gilbert Manor property.

A walkway will connect the two buildings, which have been authorized by the University System of Georgia Board of Regents. The commons building will feature high-tech classrooms, group study rooms, a food court and academic support space to be shared with the School of Dentistry.

HOK has built similar buildings nationwide, most recently at Florida State University College of Medicine. “They bring a wealth of knowledge to this process,” said Michael A. Herbert, School of Medicine executive associate dean for administration.

The project cost includes a 21,000-square-foot renovation of the Sanders Research and Education Building’s anatomy labs, enabling the school to accommodate the anticipated class size of 240 students in Augusta by 2020.

The building will also offer continuing medical education and feature distance-learning technology to link it with MCG’s satellite campuses. “This will be a lifelong learning resource for the entire state,” Mr. Herbert said. l

Dr. Ellison receives USG alumni award

Dr. Lois Ellison, a clinician, researcher, educator and administrator who has a 65-plus-year affiliation with the Medical College of Georgia, has been recognized as an outstanding alumna of the University System of Georgia. The award was presented at this

year’s Board of Regents’ Awards for Excellence in Education Celebration in Atlanta.

During her career at MCG, Dr. Ellison directed the cardiopulmonary laboratory, served as associate dean for curriculum in the School of Medicine and served as provost, second in line to then-President William Moretz and the highest-ranking female in U.S. medical schools.

Her honors include an MCG School of Medicine Distinguished Alumnus Award, an MCG School of Medicine Lifetime Achievement Award and the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation Stewardship.

She and her late husband, Dr. Robert G. Ellison, were awarded the Vessel of Life Award, MCG’s highest honor, in 2005. Dr. Ellison was included in the 2003 National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine exhibition, “Changing the Face of Medicine – Celebrating America’s Women Physicians.”

She enrolled in the MCG School of Medicine in 1943, one of four women in a class of 78. After completing a cardiopulmonary physiology fellowship, she joined the MCG faculty in 1951. She published 73 journal articles and made numerous presentations on preoperative and postoperative studies, open-heart surgery, alveolar surfactant and cardiovascular and pulmonary physiology.

Dr. Ellison retired as Professor Emeritus and Provost Emeritus in 2000, but remains MCG’s medical historian in residence. l

Dr. Lois Ellison

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Scientist ranks MCG among ‘best places’ to work

The Medical College of Georgia has been ranked in the top 15 of The Scientist’s 2009 Best Places to Work in Academia survey, which appears in the magazine’s November issue.

The seventh annual survey was based on responses from tenured and tenure-track scientists working in U.S. research universities. Respondents were asked to assess their working environment according to 41 criteria in eight categories, such as peer support, infrastructure, pay and mentoring opportunities.

MCG generated a record $83.7 million in total research awards during fiscal year 2009, a 14 percent increase from 2008. The bulk of those awards, $76.2 million, went to School of Medicine-affiliated researchers.

Strategic Moves School of Medicine advances mission through partnerships, integration

BY DAMON CLINE

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Its students exceed the national average for pass rates on medical license exams. Its scientists rank second among peer institutions in per-capita research funding. Physicians in its faculty medical practice (Georgia’s second largest) routinely make the nation’s “top doctors” lists. By these measures and most others, the Medical College of Georgia’s School of Medicine is a very good medical school. The transformation to a great medical school has been the mission of Dr. D. Douglas Miller since he took over as school dean in July 2006.

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This “good-to-great” mission is not only a nod to the best-selling book by author and researcher Jim Collins, it is also rooted in one of the author’s key tenets: Greatness is largely a matter of conscious choice and discipline. To that end, Dr. Miller and several key administrators have spent most of the

past two years implementing changes to strengthen the school’s alignment with state partners and national policy-making organizations, including the University System of Georgia and the Association of American Medical Colleges. That functional integration is the foundation of the School of Medicine’s multi-year strategic plan to enhance organizational capability across all school missions—education, research and clinical care. It is also a departure from how

MCG and some other academic health centers have historically operated; as clusters of loosely coupled, semi-autonomous units. Dr. Miller says medical schools must become more integrated with the other elements of an academic health center to successfully carry out their complex missions amid escalating financial pressures.

“We can’t do business as usual anymore,” he said. “Improving organizational capacity through effective partnering and functional integration is paramount to success—or greatness.”

“In my experience, even the perception

that colleagues are leaving is unsettling

to faculty. If viewed as indicating an

underlying instability, it also may

harm morale and eventually damage

an institution’s cultural fabric.”

–DR. DARRELL G. KIRCHPresident and CEO, Association of

American Medical Colleges;Former Dean, MCG School of Medicine

People,notpolicy,facilitiesorfunding,aretheheartoftheschool’sambitiousinitiatives,andforgoodreason. Medicalschoolfacultyareincreasinglypressuredto

balancetheirclinicalandacademicroles,andsomearedecidingtodropoutofteaching.Ananalysisof15yearsofdatabytheAssociationofAmericanMedicalCollegesshowedthatwhileonly8percentoffacultyswitchinstitutionsinanygivenyear,40percentquitfull-timeacademicmedicineentirely. Suchfacultyturnovercarriesnotonlyahighpricetag–inexcessof$3millionayearatanindividualmedicalschoolbysomestudies—butcandamageaninstitution’sculture.Dr.DarrellG.Kirch,presidentandCEOoftheAAMCandformerMCGSchoolofMedicinedean,spotlightedthetopicinarecent“TheStateoftheFaculty”address. “Inmyexperience,eventheperceptionthatcolleaguesareleavingisunsettlingtofaculty,”hewrote.“Ifviewedasindicatinganunderlyinginstability,italsomayharmmoraleandeventuallydamageaninstitution’sculturalfabric.” MCG’sSchoolofMedicineisamong23of130U.S.medicalschoolsparticipatingintheAAMC’sfacultyjobsatisfactioninitiative,FacultyForward:AllianceforAdvancingtheAcademicMedicineWorkplace.Thepeer-reviewedsurveyinstrumentanddiagnosticbenchmarkingtoolwasgiventofacultyinearly2009.Theresultswillprovideanactionplanto

HUMAN CAPITAL

ExpandingmedicaleducationhasbeenaSchoolofMedicineprioritysincea2005nationalCouncilonGraduateMedicalEducationstudypredicted

ashortageof125,000physiciansby2020.Whilemedicalschoolsnationwidedotheirparttoaddresstheloomingshortage,thechallengeisparticularlydauntinginGeorgia,afast-growingstatewhosephysician-per-capitarateisinthelowestquintile. TwoyearsagotheUniversitySystemofGeorgiacalledonMCG,asthestate’shealthsciencesuniversity,toassumetheleadershiproleofexpandingmedicaleducationinGeorgia.Shortlyafterward,theAAMCselectedtheMCGSchoolofMedicineandeightothersfromapoolof126U.S.medicalschoolstoparticipateinitsFifthMillenniumConferenceontheClinicalEducationofMedicalStudentsatHarvardUniversity. AnationalhealthcareconsultancyrecommendedlastyeartothestateBoardofRegentsthatMCGexpandmedical

educationandresearchinAugusta,continuedevelopingregionalcampusesinAlbanyandSavannah,andpartnerwiththeUniversityofGeorgiatodevelopafour-yearcampusinAthens.TheresultofthelatterinitiativeistheMCG/UGAMedicalPartnership,thenation’ssingle-largestlargestmedicalschoolexpansionproject. TheLiaisonCommitteeonMedicalEducation,theaccreditingbodyforthecountry’smedicalschools,hasdeterminedthattheAthenscampusisontracktoenrollitsfirst40studentsinAugust2010,boostingoverallSchoolofMedicineenrollmentto230. MCG/UGACampusDeanBarbaraSchustersaidadministrators,facultyandadministrativestafffrombothuniversitieshavedevoted“countlesshours”todeveloptheeducationalandadministrativeinfrastructureinpreparationforstudentsontheAthenscampus. “Workingcollaborativelyinashorttimeframe,theachievementsofthepartnershiparereflectedinthe

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improvetheworklifeoffaculty.Dr.MichaelMadaio,chairoftheDepartmentofMedicine,andDr.AnaMurphy,chairoftheDepartmentofObstetricsandGynecology,areleadingthisinitiative,whichisexpectedtohelpthemedicalschoolattractandretaintopfaculty. Dr.PeterBuckley,associatedeanforleadershipdevelopmentandchairoftheDepartmentofPsychiatry&HealthBehavior,overseesfacultyretentionanddevelopmentintheSchoolofMedicine.Hehasbeenchargedwithcreatingandimplementingbestpracticestoattractandkeepnational-caliberfaculty. “Whatmakesagreatinstitutionaregreatpeople,”Dr.Buckleysaid.“Excellentrecruitmentandretentionenablestheschooltocarryoutthetenetsoutlinedinitsstrategicplan.” HeandothertopschooladministratorshavemodeledtheirprogramontheMayoClinic’srenownedleadershipprogramtoidentifyfacultyworthyofdevelopment,investmentandfutureresponsibilities. Dr.Buckley,asamemberoftheAAMCLeadershipSearchandSelectionNationalAdvisoryCommittee,hasbroughtnationalattentiontotheschool’sCoreOperationsAdministrativeTeamforSearches,asearchandselectioncommitteeknownasCOATS.Hepresentedtheinitiativetomorethan100medicalschooldeansattheAAMCCouncilofDeansnationalmeetinginApril2009. “Ourschoolisbuildinganationalreputationasagreatplacetobe,”Dr.Buckleysaid.

Asanexample,hecitedthemajorsearchfortheschool’snewlycreatedpositionofassociatedeanofdiversityaffairs,ledbyAssociateDeanforAdmissionGeoffreyYoung.Sofar,“therehasbeenfantasticresponse,”Dr.Buckleysaid,addingthatmorethan75candidatesnationwidehaveappliedforthepost,whichwillleadtheschool’scomprehensiveoutreachprogramtostudentsunder-representedinmedicine. Thosewhohaverisentodepartmentalleadershippositionswithintheschoolduringthepastthreeyearsadvancetheschool’svisionundertheguidanceofTheDean’sChairChartercompact,aformalaccountabilityagreementestablishingperformancetargetsrangingfromclinicalproductivityandpatientsatisfactiontoclassroomevaluationsandsponsoredresearchfunding. Dr.Millerisalsocultivatingleadershipthroughstrategicretreats.Hehasbroughtinseveralnationalthought-leaderstobroadenfacultyperspectivesonnumeroustopics.Alectureseriesonleadershipintheworksfor2010willfeatureguestspeakersfromacrossthestateandnation. “SupportingourfacultyandtheircareerdevelopmentiskeytothecontinuedsuccessoftheSchoolofMedicine,”Dr.Millersaid. Additionally,allschooldepartmentsandprogramsnowundergoafive-yearpeerreviewbyoutsidescientistsandphysicians. “Wecan’tgaugeoursuccesswithoutmeasuringourresults,”Dr.Millersaid.

continued

enthusiasmofnewlyrecruitedstaffandabeautifullyrenovated,technologicallystate-of-the-artbuilding,”Dr.Schustersaid,referringtothepartnership’sinterimfacility,ahistoric37,000-square-foothistoricstructureonthebanksoftheNorthOconeeRiver. Thefour-storybrickbuildinghasbeenrenovatedtoincludesmall-groupclassrooms,lecturehalls,amedicallibrary,studentlounge,grossanatomylabandfacultyofficespace.TheAthensoperationsarescheduledforrelocationin2012tothesoon-to-be-decommissionedU.S.NavalSupplySchool,a58-acresitenorthoftheUGAcampus. Meanwhile,MCG’sSouthwestregionclinicalcampus,headquarteredatPhoebePutneyMemorialHospitalinAlbany,anditsSoutheastclinicalcampusbasedatSt.Joseph’s/CandlerHealthSysteminSavannahcontinuetogrowwhileprovidingmuch-neededservicestothestate’sruralareas. TheSouthwestclinicalcampusexpectstohostitsfirstresidentialstudentsinJuly2010.StudentsassignedtotheSouthwestcampuswillliveinAlbanyanddomostoftheirthird-andfourth-yearrotationsatthatcampus. “Itisreallyimportantthatstudentshaveanopportunitytoworkinplacesthataretraditionallyunderservedbydoctors,”saidDr.LindaBoyd,theSchoolofMedicineassociatedeanforregionalmedicalcampuscoordination.“Itgivesthemachancetoseehigh-qualitymedicalcaredeliveredinruralareas,receiveone-on-oneteachingfromexperiencedphysicians,andgettoknowthecommunityofpracticethatyoucannotexperienceinanacademichealthcenter.” WorkisunderwayattheAugustacampustodevelopmuch-neededfacilitiestoaccommodatetheSchoolofMedicine’splantoincreaseenrollment60percentby2020.Theexpansionplan’scenterpieceistheCommons—a186,000-square-footeducationalfacilitythatrepresentsthesingle-largestcapitalinitiativeinschoolhistory.Designworkon

the$105millionprojecthasalreadybegunwithagenerouscontributionoflandbythecityofAugustaandplanningfundsbythestateofGeorgia. “TheexpansionofourhomecampuswillensurethatwecontinuetobethemedicaleducationinstitutionofchoiceforGeorgia’sbestandbrighteststudents,”Dr.Millersaid.

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Medical students William Thomas and Jessica Millsap at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital on MCG’s Southwest regional campus in Albany.

“It is really important that students have an opportunity

to work in places that are traditionally underserved

by doctors. It gives them a chance to see high-quality

medical care delivered in rural areas, receive one-on-one

teaching from experienced physicians, and get to know

the community of practice that you cannot experience

in an academic health center.”

–DR. LINDA BOYDAssociate Dean,

Regional Medical Campus CoordinationMCG School of Medicine

WhentheSchoolofMedicineturnedastrategiceyetoitsresearchenterprisetwoyearsago,theDiscoveryInstitutesemergedasamultidisciplinary,

collaborativeconcepttaskedtospeedthetranslationoflaboratorydiscoveriesintopatientcareapplications. TheDiscoveryInstitutes—Brain&Behavior,Cardiovascular,Diabetes&Obesity,ImmunotherapyandVision—areorganizedaroundMCG’sexistingscientificandclinicalstrengths(anddiseasesthatareprevalentinGeorgia)andoperateunderateam-orientedresearchmodelfavoredbytheNationalInstituteofHealth’sRoadmapforMedicalResearchplan. Asixthinstitute,theEducationalDiscoveryInstitute,focusesondevelopingbestpracticesformedicaleducation.TheMCGCancerCenter,organizedundertheNIH’sNationalCancerInstitutesmodel,actsasade-factoCancerDiscoveryInstitute.AnadditionalDiscoveryInstitutefocusedonchildhealth(seeDr.BernardMariafeature,Page32)hasbeenproposedthisyear. Thecommonthreadbehindeachinstituteisabridgebetweenthebenchandbedside;eachisco-directedbyabasicscientistandaphysician.Eachinstituteisdesignedtoworkacrossallcenter,instituteanddepartmentalboundariestoeliminatethe“silo”effectthathashistoricallycharacterizedacademicscience. Asidefromdevelopingpracticalapplicationsforresearchdiscoveries,thepurposefulPh.D-M.D.pairingsaimtoboostsponsoredresearchamongtheschool’sclinicalfaculty,which

lagsbehindtheschool’snation-leadingbasicsciencefaculty. TheDiscoveryInstituteswereseededinfiscalyear2008with$5.9millioninstrategicfundingfromtheUniversitySystemofGeorgia.Whileitisstilltooearlytogaugetheinstitutes’ultimatesuccess,theincreasedinterdisciplinarycollaborationscontributedtotheSchoolofMedicine’sstriking29percentincreaseinresearchfundingin2009overthepreviousfiscalyear. Dr.AnnBonham,chiefscientificofficerfortheAAMC,saidthestrategiceyetheschooliscastingonitsresearchoperationsshowsgreatinitiative.Suchfocuswillbecomeincreasinglyvitaltocontinuedfundinggrowthinthecomingyearsascompetitionforsponsoredresearchincreases. “Youhavetofocusonwhatyoudobestandstickwiththat,”shesaidduringtheschool’sannualresearchretreatinAugust,addingthatinstitutionsmayhavetoconsidereliminatingweakprograms,aprocessshecalled“strategicabandonment.” “Thatisthehardestthingtodo,butthetimeisright,”shesaid.

School of Medicine Sponsored Research FundingAll Funding Agencies in Millions of Dollars (FY01-09)

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$20M

FY01 FY02 FY03 FY04 FY05 FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09

$33.30M $40.91M $50.64M $58.47M $59.40M $62.34M $63.41M $65.64M $76.25M

REALIGNING RESEARCH

“You have to focus on what you do best

and stick with that.”

–DR. ANN BONHAMChief Scientific Officer, Association of American Medical Colleges

continued

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 11

12 Fa l l 0 9

Integratingtheschool’sclinicaloperationsasanacademichealthcenter,thethirdlegoftheuniversity’stripartitemission,iscrucialtolong-termefficiencyandsuccess.

Historically,theSchoolofMedicine’sfacultypracticeplan,PhysiciansPracticeGroup,hasbeena“cooperativeorganization”ofMCG,withlimitedstructuralintegrationandnodirectoversightbytheSchoolofMedicinedean.Thistypeoflooseaffiliation,whichthenationaljournalAcademic Medicinecitedasoneoftheless-integratedacademichealthcentermodels,isusedbyonlyabout25percentofU.S.medicalschoolsthathaveafacultypracticeplan. Tobetteremulatethebestpracticesofpeers,Dr.MillerandPPGtrusteesbeganaprocesstoreorganizepracticegovernancefollowingtheresignationofPPG’sCEO,Dr.CurtSteinhart,whoacceptedapositionaschiefmedicalofficeratOklahomaUniversityMedicalCenterinOklahomaCityinMarch. Thenewplan,approvedinMaybyMCGadministration,PPGmembershipandtheSchoolofMedicineFacultySenate,alignedthepracticewiththeschool’smissionsandchangedthebylawstohavethemedicalschooldeanchairthePPGBoardofTrustees.TherealignmentcomplementsDr.Miller’sroleasseniorvicepresidentforhealthaffairs,atitlehewasgivenduringapriorMCGrestructuring. Betterintegrationoftheschool’sfacultyphysicianswiththeMCGHealth,Inc.-operatedhospitalsandclinicscouldlowerhealthcarecostsandimprovepatientoutcomesandotherpatientcareefficiencies.ThiswouldenabletheclinicaloperationstoremaincompetitivewhilemaintainingMCG’sacademicmedicalcentermissionfocus. Dr.MichaelM.E.Johns,chancellorandexecutivevicepresidentforhealthaffairsemeritusforEmoryUniversity,helpedoverseehisinstitution’sjourneyfromloosetotightintegration.HewasinvitedtospeakattheMCGSchoolofMedicine’sclinicalretreatinSeptember,wherehecommentedthatthenation’smostsuccessfulacademichealthcentersarethosewhosetripartitemissionsareequallyvaluedandjointlymanaged.

“Thetop25academichealthcentersaremoreintegratedthanthenext75,”hesaid.“Anacademichealthcenterthatdoesn’tembracethatithasco-equal(academicandclinical)missionsisgoingtohaveaproblem.It’slikehavingacompanywithtwoCEOs,andIdon’tknowofanysuccessfulcompanieswithtwoCEOs.” Hiscommentsattheretreatwereechoedbyanotherguestspeaker,LillyMarks,seniorassociatedeanforadministrationandfinanceattheUniversityofColoradoDenverSchoolofMedicine,anotherschoolthatfollowsthehighlyintegratedmodel. “Atanacademichealthcenter,nobodyisgoingtobesuccessfulifeveryoneisn’tsuccessful,”shesaid.“Unlessyoureachparity,youaregoingtogoaroundincircles.”

CLINICAL EXCELLENCE

“The top 25 academic health centers are more

integrated than the next 75. An academic health

center that doesn’t embrace that it has co-equal

missions is going to have a problem. It’s like having

a company with two CEOs, and I don’t know of any

successful companies with two CEOs.”

–DR. MICHAEL M.E. JOHNSChancellor and Executive Vice President

for Health Affairs Emeritus,Emory University

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 13

TheSchoolofMedicine’sfocusonleadershipdevelopment,expansion,researchandorganizationalintegrationhasputitsquarelyon

thepathtogreatness.Thatroad,however,islongandmuchworkremainstobedone. Forexample,buildingthemedicaleducationfacilitytoaccommodateexpandedclasssizeswillrequireamassivestatewidefundraisingcampaign,andrigorousplanningwillbeneededtoincreasethestate’sgraduatemedicaleducationopportunities. “Wehaveevolvedoverthepastthreeyearsinresponsetonumerousopportunitiesandchallenges,andtheevolutionwillcontinueasweexpandtoourfootprintthroughoutthestatetoaddressitscriticalphysicianshortage,”Dr.Millersaid. Evenwiththesechallengesandothers,theschoolwillcontinueusingadisciplinedapproachtocreateafuturethatlooksmore“great”than“good.” WhenwilltheSchoolofMedicineachievegreatness?Thereisnotimelineand,eveniftherewas,Dr.Millerwouldbehesitanttodeclarevictorybecausedoingsowouldbeananathematogreatness.HesaidMr.Collins,thebest-sellingauthor,putsitbest: “Nomatterhowmuchyouhaveachieved,youwillalwaysbemerelygoodrelativetowhatyoucanbecome.Greatnessisaninherentlydynamicprocess,notanendpoint.Themomentyouthinkofyourselfasgreat,yourslidetowardmediocritywillhavealreadybegun.” n

FUTURE MOVES

Academic Health Centers Integration Models

LEAST INTEGRATED

Teaching Hospital

MedicalSchool

PracticePlan

MOST INTEGRATED

n Northwestern University Memorial Hospitaln University of Arizona

n University of Virginian University of Washington

n Medical College of Georgian University of Chicago

n Massachusetts General / Harvardn Case Western

n Emory (universityowned)n Mayo Clinic (hospitalowned)

Examples:

NoCo

ordin

ation

So

meC

oord

inatio

n

Tota

lCoo

rdina

tion

OV

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LA

P O

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OA

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/VIS

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AG E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 15

Andeachfall,theyjointhehundredsthathavecomebeforetheminbecomingthefirstpatientsof190futurephysiciansatMCG’sgrossanatomydissectionlab. “Theseareyourvisitingprofessorsforthissemester,”DavidAdams,directorofMCG’sAnatomicalDonationProgramtellsfreshmanmedicalstudentsontheirfirstday.“Whattheywillteachyouisbetterthananytextbook,anylecture,anyvideoyoucanwatch.Thisisyourfirstpatient.Takecareofthem.” There’sanoticeablebuzzinthelabonthefirstday.Thesearestudentswho,untilnow,havelearnedabouthumananatomyonlyfromtheirclassrooms.Theirfacesarefilledwithexcitedcuriosityastheygettheirfirstlookattheroomwherethey’llspendthegoodmajorityoftheirwakinghoursduringthefirstsemesterofmedicalschool.

UltimateThe

BY JENNIFER HILLIARD

Donor bodies teach future doctors their first real lessons

A doctor. A homemaker. A merchant marine. At first glance, they seem to have nothing in common. All these people chose different professions – different life paths. But it is their final profession that binds them. As body donors to the Medical College of Georgia, they have all become teachers.

TeacherStudents Jedidiah Lifsey (from left), Joe Livingston, Austin Lewis and Krista Lim-Hing work over a cadaver on the first day of anatomy lab.

Kristen Chicola and Michael Carter perform a dissection. continued

Astheygatheringroupsofthreeandfouraroundeachbody,there’sanoticeableapprehension.Thefirstcut,whatstartsasadeepdissectionofthetissuesandmusclesoftheback,istentative. “Iwasnervousaboutusingthescalpelforthefirsttime,”saysEvanGarner,afreshmanfromDublin,Ga.“Thisexperiencemakeseverythingseemmorepractical.ItisthefirsttimeI’vebeenabletoseethemedicinebehindthelectures—toseehowthisisgoingtoaffectmycareer.Iwanttogointosurgery,sothishaspracticalimplicationsforme.” Thisriteofpassage,thefirsttimemostmedicalstudentstouchscalpeltoskin,isaninvaluablepartoftheirmedicaleducation,saysDr.CarolNichols,associateprofessorofanatomyandcellularbiology. “Formanyofthem,thisisanopportunitytoactuallyseethediseaseprocess,”shesays.“Therearearound25cadaversforeveryclass.That’s25variations—25vastlydifferentanatomies.Whatisshownintextbooksisusuallyasnapshotofthedissectionoftheperfectsample,theBradPittofcadavers.Inthiscourse,studentscanseethewaysdiseasesaffectthebody.” Anenlargedheart,forexample,couldpointtocardiovasculardiseaseoraheartattack.Spottedlungscouldmeancancer—orsomethingentirelydifferent.Thedonors,whiledead,tellthestudentsstoriesofhowtheylivedthroughtheiranatomy. “Itisonethingtoseethemuscles,nerves,tissueandbonesonslidesduringlecturesandintextbooks,”Dr.Nicholssays.“It’sanotherthingentirelytotouchthem.” Whiletheprocesscanseemclinicalattimes,itisfarfromit,Mr.Adamssays.Althoughdonorsremainanonymous—identifiedtostudentsonlybyage,professionandcauseofdeath—abondisstillformed.

“Youwillalwaysrememberthisperson,”hetellseachgroup.“Iremembermyfirstdissection.ShewasalittleoldladywiththewhitesthairI’deverseen.Shehadredfingernailpolishon.”Suchreverenceisechoedbythestudents.“Thisisaperson.Youdon’tforgetthat,”saysAliciaRoberts,afreshmanfromFayetteville,Ga.“Lectureislecture.Ourprofessorsdoagreatjobofmaking

n 112 bodies were donated during 2008.

n To operate at the optimal level, the donor program would require 175 cadavers each year.

n The 190 students in the current first-year medical class are using 27 cadavers. The lab is also used by students in all five schools, as well as residents, faculty and continuing education.

n When the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership in Athens opens in fall 2010, an additional six cadavers per year will be needed for medical education.

n Educators are the top-represented profession of donors.

n Bodies are accepted from Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina.

n There are currently 10,000 people on the donor registry. An average of 50 new donors register each month, however, most of those people are young.

n Bodies are used for one semester, then cremated individually and returned to the donor’s family or buried in the campus cinerarium per the donor’s wishes. l

Facts about the Anatomical Donation Program:

David Adams, director of the Anatomical Donation program, addresses Sepedeh Nabavi during the students’ first day in the lab.

16 Fa l l 0 9

itinteresting,butthisisaninteractiveprocessandself-directedandmuchmorehands-on.” Itis,however,aprocessthatwasn’talwayslegal. Duringthe1800s,Georgialawprohibitedthedissectionofhumanbodies.BecauseMCGwasfoundedin1828,enablingstudentstheopportunitytolearnfrom“real”humananatomypresentedaproblem.Toprovidestudentswithatop-notcheducation,theschoolresortedtohiringa“resurrectionman.” Resurrectionmenweretaskedwithdiggingupgravesbymoonlightandbringingthebodiestotheschoolfordissection.Illegalityaside,theprocesswascommonthroughoutthecountryandwasquietlytoleratedmostofthetime.Thereare,however,somestoriesofcemeteriesemployingtechniquessuchas“torpedocoffins”—coffinsriggedwithexplosives—tokeepwould-begraverobbersaway. Thatisn’tnecessarytoday. “Wegetsomewherebetween115to150bodieseachyear,”Mr.Adamssays.“Buttooperateattheoptimallevel,I’dneed175.” Mr.Adamssayshehasabout10,000peopleonthedonorregistryrightnowandanaverageof50peopleregistertodonateeachmonth,butthatnumberisn’tenough.AndwithclasssizeincreasinginAugustaand

theMedicalCollegeofGeorgia-UniversityofGeorgiaMedicalPartnershipcampus,whichwillacceptitsfirst40studentsinfall2010,theneedforbodydonationswillgrowtoo. CadaversarealsoneededforclassesinMCG’sfourotherschools—AlliedHealthSciences,Dentistry,GraduateStudiesandNursing—andforresidencytrainingandcontinuingeducation. Mr.Adamssaysthebodydonationprocess,whichcanbelargelybearrangedonline,issimple.Theproblemisthatalargenumberofdonorsareyoungandtheirbodieswon’tbeinthelabforquitesometime. Surprisingly,hesays,professionalswhohavebenefitedthemostfromthebodydonorprogram—physicians,nurses,dentistsandotherhealthcareprofessionals—arethemostunderrepresentedwhenitcomestobeingdonorsthemselves. Thatcouldchangewithfuturegenerationsofphysicians,hehopes. “Thefactthatapersondonatedtheirbody,sothatIcouldlearn,sothatIcouldbecomeadoctor,isanamazinggift,”saysfreshmanAngelaHaskinsofCairo,Ga.“Iplantodonatemybody.”n

Ashley Dickinson (from left), Ashley Dodd, Itoro Edet and Emily DeGolian assist each other in dissecting a cadaver’s back.

Costs: The Medical College of Georgia does not pay for anatomical donations; this policy is standard throughout the United States. In most cases, transportation, embalming and cremation are provided by the university.

Memorial Services:Because the donor’s body must be delivered to the university as soon as possible after death, traditional services are not possible. Many donors and donors’ families prefer to have a memorial service without the body, eulogizing the donor’s spirit. This kind of service can be arranged by the donor or donor’s family with clergy or a funeral director.

Burial:Ashes are disposed of according to the wishes of the donor. Some choose to have the ashes placed at the campus cinerarium, during a non-denominational interment service held each spring to honor the donors and express appreciation for their contribution. The service is organized by students and conducted by the schools’ chaplains and faculty and may be attended by the donor’s family and friends.

Donors or donor families who want other arrangements must incur the expense. A letter accompanying the donation form is required.

Cremation:The Department of Cellular Biology and Anatomy requires the donor’s body be cremated when it is no longer useful for study, which is approximately a year. Cremation is permitted in Christian and Reform Jewish faiths.

Donations Not Accepted:MCG cannot accept an autopsied body or one unsuitable for education and research. Also, body donations cannot be accepted if MCG cannot meet the donor requests for special conditions. Donor bodies must be 18 or older.

How to Donate:MCG recommends that you discuss your wishes to donate with your next of kin or individual who will be legally responsible for your body at the time of death. It is important that they understand and will abide by your wishes. Donation by Last Will and Testament is not recommended as burial often precedes its reading.

Anatomical Gift

Making an

Individuals must be pre-registered with the Anatomical Donation Program. Download the information booklet at www.mcg.edu/som/cba/BodyDonation/index.htm or contact David Adams, director or the Anatomical Donation Program at 706-721-4772. l

Drs. Sally Atherton and Doug Miller unveil a portrait of Grandison Harris Sr. during a tribute to body donors last spring. Mr. Harris worked as a “resurrection man” for MCG in the 1880s.

Students organize pre-cremation service for donor bodies

Last Respects

T Thinking back on his first experience in the MCG Gross Anatomy Lab, one word comes to mind for second-year medical student Michael Vaughan. “Before then, I had never been in a lab setting before, so that first day was sort of…surreal,” he says. He and his classmates tried to prepare themselves, but still didn’t know exactly what to expect. The environment alone can be overwhelming and somewhat sterile, with bodies lying in bags on cold, steel tables. But the feeling of apprehension—of actually dissecting a human body—is one that quickly fades out of necessity. “It’s funny how quickly you get used to being in the lab,” Michael says. “You become desensitized because you have to. It’s impossible to learn anatomy without cadavers. In lecture, everything is two-dimensional. Until you can physically move those structures in different directions, touch them, feel them, you can’t really learn. At the same time, you also can’t forget that, at one time, these were living, breathing people.” Something as simple as a marking on an arm can serve as a quick reminder. “I remember seeing a navy tattoo on one man’s arm,” he says. “It’s easy at that point, even though we’re all so caught up in our education, to sit and wonder what someone’s life was like – to be re-sensitized.” That feeling is what led Michael and some of his classmates to initiate a pre-cremation service last year. The volunteer effort, which restores the bodies to their pre-dissection state as much as possible, began as a way to restore dignity to the body donors, he says. So on a Friday morning last fall, after their final exam, nearly half of the students and several faculty members returned to the anatomy lab to pay their final respects. Each body was wrapped in a cloth shroud after cremation

preparation. Some students wrote personal notes to show their gratitude. Others gathered to pray over the bodies before they were sent for cremation. “We always expect and demand respect from our students when it comes to dealing with cadavers,” says David Adams, director of MCG’s Anatomical Donation Program. “And we never have a problem getting that. But this was an extraordinary example of the admiration and appreciation our students have for people who donate their bodies.” The effort was so successful and inspiring to department faculty that there are plans to repeat it this year and for years to come. “I think of this is a way to remember that that’s not just a body on the table,” Michael says. “That was somebody. That person had a life.” n

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 19

SBY DAMON CLINE

SomeoftheMedicalCollegeofGeorgia’smostcutting-edgeresearchismadepossiblebythesupportoftheGeorgiaResearchAlliance.TheAtlanta-basednonprofitentityhasbeenhelpingMCGandotherstateresearchinstitutionsattractscoresofworld-renownedscientistssinceitsformationin1990. TheGRA,whichisgovernedbyleadersfromindustryandacademia,strategicallyinvestsstatefundsintoGeorgia’sresearchuniversitiestocreatecentersofexcellenceandbolsterthestate’sscience-andtechnology-basedeconomy. Itsflagshipinitiative,theGRAEminentScholarsprogram,helpssupporttheworkofsomeofthestate’stopscientists.

Eminently QualifiedGeorgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholars help MCG attract world-renowned scientists

Take a closer look at MCG’s GRA Eminent Scholars:

Dr. Lin MeiDr. Andrew L. MellorDr. Max E. StachuraDr. Kapil N. BhallaDr. William S. DynanDr. Jin-Xiong SheDr. Joseph Z. TsienDr. Robert K. Yu

NOTE: GRA matches MCG endowed chairs for eminent scholars (see Page 43).

“GRA Eminent Scholars are the core of our strategy

for growing a technology-driven economy for the state.

They bring both scientific vision and entrepreneurial energy

to our universities, leading to research breakthroughs

and creating world-class centers of excellence. MCG has been

very successful in recruiting enormously talented scholars

and supporting their creativity and their ability to develop

innovative approaches to improving human health.”

–C. MICHAEL CASSIDYPresident and CEO,Georgia Research Alliance

20 Fa l l 0 9

Title: Director of MCG’s Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics

Education: l Postdoctoral, Johns Hopkins University l Ph.D., University of Arizona l M.S., Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Beijing l M.D., Jiangxi Medical College, Nanchang

At a Glance: Dr. Mei’s research interests include the underlying molecular mechanisms of nerve cell communication. His goal is to understand the underlying mechanism of synapse formation and plasticity and how the processes are changed in patients with schizophrenia, epilepsy, autism, muscular dystrophy and ALS. Dr. Mei’s team has identified new targets for therapeutic and diagnostic strategies for some of these disorders.

Recent developments: Dr. Mei, who was recently named director of the Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics, was part of a team that identified the protein erbin as being critical to insulating the “wiring” in the peripheral nervous system. The discovery could lead to treatment targets for a variety of neurological and psychiatric diseases that involve disruptions in the nervous system, including schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis and Charcot-Marie-Tooth neuropathy, a genetic, progressive disease that weakens muscles. There may also be applications for targeted cancer therapy because erbin regulates a receptor that helps cancer cells grow and spread.

Chair history: The chair was made possible with funding from the George C. Weiss Research Account, the University System of Georgia and the Georgia Research Alliance.

In his words: “GRA’s support enables me to acquire state-of-art techniques that are absolutely needed for our research. It also gives us an opportunity to explore uncharted areas that are usually deemed of high risk and not fundable.” n

Dr. Lin Mei

Eminent Scholar Chair in Neuroscience

Eminently Qualified

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 21

Title: Director of MCG’s Center for Telehealth

Education: l M.D.; Harvard Medical School l B.A.; Hamilton College

At a Glance: Dr. Stachura focuses on developing statewide, regional, national and international telemedicine initiatives that overcome distance and geography to bring health care to distant and underserved areas. He has lectured internationally on telemedicine and collaborated on a white paper regarding the role of telemedicine in U.S. health care reform. His research interests include developing and evaluating practical telecommunication and information technologies to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of existing health care services, education and research, as well as novel health care approaches through use of this technology, frequently in collaboration with other GRA scholars.

Recent developments: He has developed a technology for delivering diagnostic-quality video in low bandwidth to rural areas through collaboration with Nikil S. Jayant, a professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology and GRA scholar. With support from the Verizon Foundation, he has also validated the ability of rural cardiologists to read and diagnose 12-lead electrocardiograms using wireless smart phones. Dr. Stachura is conducting studies to facilitate the deployment of insulin pumps to rural areas through support by the InHealth Foundation for Health Technology Research.

Chair history: The Georgia Research Alliance in 1983 appropriated state funds to establish the chair with matching contributions from institutional support funds. Dr. Stachura, appointed in 1997, is the second scholar to hold the chair.

In his words: “As a GRA scholar, I work for the state of Georgia and its citizens. The GRA has created a diverse academy of scholars with a tremendous breadth and depth of knowledge and expertise. Working in areas of access to health care services, remote monitoring of chronic medical conditions, and reducing health care costs requires that I have access to and collaborate with many disciplines statewide. GRA supports, facilitates and encourages that collaboration.” n

Title: Professor in MCG’s Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics

Education: l Postdoctoral, National Institute for Medical Research, London; Biogen Research Corp., Boston l Ph.D., Kings College, University of London l M.A., Churchill College, University of Cambridge

At a Glance: Dr. Mellor directs the MCG Immunotherapy Center and researches the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase enzyme, known as IDO, which has immunosuppressive properties that may help clinicians reduce miscarriage, improve organ transplants, develop new cancer therapies and control infectious and autoimmune diseases. An Iowa-based company, NewLink Genetics, is licensing Dr. Mellor’s IDO research to develop an IDO inhibitor with anti-tumor effects. His long-term goal is to develop new methods to treat cancer, infectious and autoimmune diseases, and to prevent transplant rejection by manipulating IDO activity

Recent developments: The IDO inhibitor is being tested as a cancer vaccine adjuvant in cancer patients in Phase 1 experimental clinical trials supported by the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute. Dr. Mellor expects Phase 2 oncology trials will begin in 2010, contingent on the success of Phase I trials. His laboratory research continues investigating the role of IDO in regulating host responses to infections, as recent reports suggest IDO inhibits responses to vaccines.

Chair history: The Georgia Research Alliance in 1996 appropriated state funds to establish the chair with matching funds from the Bradley-Turner Foundation.

In his words: “GRA support has been a key factor allowing Georgia universities to attract top scientists from around the world, and this focused recruitment process has resulted in the creation of large, highly productive centers of research excellence across the state of Georgia. In my case, consistent GRA support has enabled us to build new immunotherapy research programs that are poised to lead the way to innovative medical treatments.” n

Dr. Andrew L. Mellor

Dr. Max E. Stachura

Eminent Scholar Chair in Molecular Immunogenetics

Eminent Scholar Chair in Telemedicine

22 Fa l l 0 9

Title: Director of the MCG Cancer Center

Education: M.D., Maulana Azad Medical College, University of Delhi

At a Glance: Dr. Bhalla was named director of the MCG Cancer Center in 2006. The oncologist oversees the development and support of MCG’s research, educational and clinical cancer initiatives. His research interests include epigenetic mechanisms that cause cancer and the dependence of aberrant cancer cell signaling on molecular chaperones that are critical for cancer transformation and survival. The goal is to develop novel cancer-targeted treatments for pre-clinical testing and subsequent implementation at the Cancer Center.

Recent developments: The two newest discoveries at his laboratory involve novel strategies to target cancer cells. The first relates to simultaneously targeting two de-regulated epigenetic mechanisms involving histone methyltransferase, EZH2 and histone deacetylases to treat acute leukemia. The second involves a treatment targeting the dependency of cancer cells on heat shock response to inhibit the cancer cells’ growth and survival.

Chair History: The chair is named for Cecil F. Whitaker Jr., M.D (’63), who retired after 35 years of practicing obstetrics/gynecology. Funding originated from a judgment in a class-action law suit involving auto insurance companies in Columbus, Ga. The Georgia Research Alliance provided matching funds.

In his words: “GRA adds value to every level of my research, starting from the bench to the clinical and finally to the community. It also adds greatest value in creating support for me to scientifically interact with other Eminent Scholars and cross-fertilize my research. Finally, GRA is the guiding partner for me in providing help to showcase my team’s research accomplishments to attract revenue streams of support from corporate and other private and public enterprise.” n

Dr. Kapil N. Bhalla

Cecil F. Whitaker Jr., M.D., Eminent Scholar Chair in Cancer

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 23

Title: Chief of the MCG Nanomedicine and Gene Regulation Program

Education: l Postdoctoral, University of California, Berkeley l Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison l B.S.; Massachusetts Institute of Technology

At a Glance: Dr. Dynan studies DNA repair and radiobiology. His laboratory studies how human cells respond to high-energy radiation such as X-rays and gamma rays, with a focus on how cells repair radiation-induced damage to their genetic material. His work has applications to cancer radiation therapy. The work has also led to a multi-institutional Nanomedicine Development Center, which aims to redirect the cell’s DNA repair systems to provide genetic cures for common diseases. His Department of Energy and NASA-sponsored work with medaka fish has created in vivo models for testing his hypotheses on DNA damage and aging, while his clinical proteomics program hopes to identify molecular markers enabling early detection of cervical and other cancers.

Recent developments: Dr. Dynan traveled to Los Alamos, N.M., to collaborate with NASA scientists on the effects of high-energy neutrons on the brain. High-altitude air and space travelers are exposed to this type of radiation as the result of encounters with cosmic rays. The work will appear in the summer edition of the journal Radiation Research.

Chair history: The Georgia Research Alliance in 1996 appropriated state funds to establish the chair with matching contributions from institutional support funds.

In his words: “GRA’s support enables me to continually innovate. My laboratory can perform high-risk, cutting-edge research that would be difficult to support via more conventionally minded agencies.” n

Title: Director of the MCG Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine

Education: l Postdoctoral, University of Florida l Ph.D., University of Montpellier, France l M.S., National School of Agriculture, France l B.S., HuaZhong University of Agriculture, China

At a Glance: Dr. She was recruited to MCG to help build a strong translational research program in genomic medicine. His research focuses on the genetic and immunological mechanisms of human diseases, particularly type 1 diabetes and cancer. The experimental approaches include genetic mapping and cloning of disease genes, functional genomics and proteomics, the creation of animal models for human diseases, pharmacogenetics and drug discovery. His goal is to understand the pathogenesis of diseases and develop better prediction, prevention and intervention strategies.

Recent developments: Dr. She’s group has recently discovered a number of genes implicated in type 1 diabetes and cancer. Novel diagnostic tests and therapies are being developed based on these findings.

Chair history: Dr. She’s chair was established in 2000 by contributions from the Columbus, Ga.-based Bradley-Turner Foundation—supported by the Bradley, Turner and Corn families to fund educational, cultural, health and social service organizations—the Georgia Research Alliance and institutional support funds.

In his words: “GRA’s support enables me to gain access to the state-of-the-art technologies required for high throughput studies in genomic medicine and drug discovery. The GRA also provides an excellent forum for scientific discussion and collaboration among scientists from all Georgia Research Universities.” n

Dr. William S. Dynan

Dr. Jin-Xiong She

Eminent Scholar Chair in Molecular Biology

Bradley-Turner Eminent Scholar Chair in Genomic Medicine

24 Fa l l 0 9

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 25

Title: Co-Director of the MCG Brain & Behavior Discovery Institute

Education: l Ph.D., 1990, University of Minnesota l B.S., 1984, East China Normal University, Shanghai

At a Glance: The world-renowned neuroscientist in memory and behaviors garnered international attention more than a decade ago with his genetically engineered “smart mouse” Doogie while on faculty at Princeton. Dr. Tsien works to understand how memories are formed and stored, and what defects are created in memory signaling in the early phases of Alzheimer’s disease. His research at the BBDI aims at the understanding of memory code.

Recent developments: Building on his previous research on smart mice, Dr. Tsien has identified a new molecular pathway that can be manipulated to rapidly and selectively erase a traumatic memory in the mouse without damaging its brain. Though the

process is many years from being tested in humans, researchers say the discovery raises the possibility of novel treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder and other conditions.

Chair history: The Georgia Research Alliance in 1993 appropriated state funds to establish the Eminent Scholar Chair in Molecular Medicine and Genetics with help from matching contributions from institutional support funds. The name was changed in 2007 to reflect the research interests of the current recipient.

In his words: “To me, GRA is a superb example of ‘imagination and creativity at work’ in the state of Georgia. Many other states have been copying this model; it says very much about GRA’s success and economic value. With the creation of the new Brain and Behavior Discovery Institute at MCG and the strong support from GRA, we are expanding our cutting-edge technology platforms that will move us to the next level in decoding the brain.” n

Dr. Joseph Z. Tsien

Title: Professor in MCG’s Institute of Molecular Medicine and Genetics

Education: l MedScD, University of Tokyo l Ph.D., University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana l B.S. Tunghai University, Taiwan

At a Glance: Dr. Yu studies the role of complex compounds called glycoconjugates, particularly glycosphingolipids, which are involved in cell-cell interactions, cell signaling and other processes in the nervous system. He also researches the underlying mechanisms of a variety of neurodegenerative disorders, including autoimmune demyelinating neuropathies, multiple sclerosis, mucopolysaccharidoses and sensorineural hearing loss, with a goal of developing novel strategies in disease diagnosis and therapy.

Recent developments: Dr. Yu, who has developed the first statewide Umbilical Cord Blood Stem Cell Bank for research and clinical use, recently defined the molecular markers of neural stem cell surface, particularly glycolipids, and elucidated their functional roles and signaling pathways in cellular proliferation, differentiation and fate determination. He has also initiated a cell-based transplantation strategy for neurological disorders, in particular, Huntington’s disease and mucopolysaccharidoses, elucidated the pathogenic mechanisms of peripheral neuropathies and developed novel and effective therapeutic strategies for disease treatment.

Chair history: The chair was made possible with contributions from institutional support funds, the University System of Georgia and the Georgia Research Alliance.

In his words: “GRA has provided strong financial support as well as an environment that is most conducive for basic and clinical research. This opportunity is not found elsewhere.” n

Dr. Robert K. Yu

Eminent Scholar Chair in Cognitive and Systems Neurobiology

Eminent Scholar in Molecular Cellular Neurobiology

Looking Back

MCG football team had brief, colorful history

BY DAMON CLINE

Playingthe

Above photo from the 1922 student yearbook, The Pandora, shows third-year medical students and Medicos team members John H. Sherman (standing second from left) and Irvine Phinizy (standing second from right). Both men went on to become prominent Augusta-area physicians.

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ATT,

M.D

. LIB

RARY

The earliest photo of MCG’s football team, the Medicos, is found in the 1912 student yearbook, The Pandora.

26 Fa l l 0 9

the fieldMedical College of Georgia alum Dr. Harry C. Sherman (’58) says his late father,

Dr. John H. Sherman rarely spoke about playing for MCG’s football team, the Medicos. Perhaps the elder Sherman (’23) never considered his days as team quarterback a noteworthy achievement.

“Therewereonly12peopleinmyfather’sclass,somaybetheyallplayedfootball,”Dr.Shermansaid. ComparedtootheraspectsofMCG’shistory,relativelylittleisknownabouttheathleticprogramthatoperatedsporadicallyfrom1907to1923.Asidefromahandfulofnewspaperclippings,yearbookphotosandsectionsofS.JosephLewis’unpublishedhistoryofMCG,mostoftheMedicosgridironstorieswereknownonlytothemendonningtheleatherhelmets.

ArchivesindicatefacultyandAugusta-areabusinessesunderwrotetheteam’sexpenses,includingtrainridestoawaygames.Butcomparedtomoderncollegiateathleticprograms,theMedicoswouldbeconsideredarag-tagoutfit. “Therewassomesupportandorganizationtoit,butIthinkitwasjustsandlotfootball,”saidDr.Sherman,whosharedapracticeinAugustawithhisfather,whoservedaschairoftheMCGDepartmentofSurgery,untilhisdeathin1969.

PlayingMedicos

continued

TheMedicos’firstgame,againsttheUniversityofSouthCarolinainColumbiaonNov.21,1907,endedprematurelywhentheMCGteamwalkedoffthefieldafterdisagreeingwithareferee’scall,whichtherefereelaterreversed.Theteamlostitssecondgametothesemi-proSavannahAthleticAssociation15-0butwonitsthirdmatchwiththeMedicalCollegeofSouthCarolina23-0. The Augusta ChroniclereportedonDec.3,1909thattheMedicos“wouldcomparefavorablywith(theUniversityof )Georgia,Clemsonand(Georgia)Tech,”butpointedoutteammemberswere“disgusted”withhavingto“takemoneyfromtheirpocketstomeettheexpenses.”Theteameventuallydisbandedin1912asthegamewasevolvingfromEnglish-stylerugbytothesportwenowknowtoday. In1920,MCGstudentsreorganizedtheMedicoswithalessformalpracticeandgameschedule.ThatyeartheteambeatClemson6-0inanexhibitionmatchattheEdgefieldCountyFair.ThestorywasrelayedtoDr.Shermaninthe

1960sbyoneofhispatients,aprominentEdgefieldCountyjudgewhowitnessedthegame. “HesaidtheClemsonpeopleintownweresoenragedbythisthattheystartedchasingthemedicalstudentstothetrain,”hesaid.“Theyhadtobeatahastyretreatandgotoutoftownjustbeforethemobshowedup.” InadditiontoDr.Sherman’sfather,whoseportraithangsintheRareBooksRoomattheGreenblattLibrary,otherprominentAugustaphysicians,suchasDr.IrvinePhinizy(’23),playedfortheteam.Inaninterestingtwist,theMedicos’Oct.9,1920matchwiththeAcademyofRichmondCounty—inwhichtheMedicoslost20-0—pittedthemagainsttwoplayerswhowouldbecomeMCGgradsandaccomplishedphysiciansintheirownright:Dr.HerveyM.CleckleyandDr.WilliamK.Philpot. Dr.Cleckley(’29),whoplayedforUGA’svarsityfootballteamasanundergrad,wentontochairtheMCGDepartmentofPsychiatryandNeurologyandgainedfame

28 Fa l l 0 9

The Medicos practice in this photo from the 1912 student yearbook, The Pandora.

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 29

asco-authorofThe Three Faces of Eve.Dr.Philpot(’29)becameaprominentAugustaphysician. Severalothermedicalcolleges,includingRushMedicalCollegeinChicagoandtheUniversityofNebraskaCollegeofMedicineinOmaha,hadfootballteamsbutmostdisbandedaroundthesametimeasMCG’s. Dr.KennethLudmerer,aprofessoratWashingtonUniversityMedicalSchoolofMedicineinSt.LouisandauthorofLearning to Heal: The Development of American Medical Education,isanexpertinmedicaleducationhistory.Heattributesthedemiseofmedicalschoolathleticstotheincreasingcomplexityofacademiccurriculum—whichleftstudentslesstimeforoutsidepursuits—andtheriseofheavilyfinanced,ultra-competitivecollegiatefootballprograms. “Competitiveathleticprogramswereforcollegesandslightlyyoungerindividuals,notformedicalschools,lawschools,businessschoolsandgraduateprograms,”Dr.Ludmerersays. Indeed,today’smedicalstudentsandfacultyprobablyhavetroublecomprehendinganerawhenaspiringdoctorsnotonlysuitedupafterclasstopracticefootball,butactuallysquaredoffagainstmajorstateuniversityteams.Butthoseweredifferenttimes,saysDr.Sherman,notingthattheMedicospredatedMCG’sHonorCourt,theself-governingstudentorganizationforethicalbehavior. “It’sstrange,”hesaid.“Theyhadafootballteambeforetheyhadanhonorsystem.” n Hervey M. Cleckley played against the

Medicos while he was a student at the Academy of Richmond County. He would later go on to play for the University of Georgia football team, graduate from MCG, chair its Department of Psychiatry and Neurology and gain fame as the co-author of The Three Faces of Eve.

The Augusta Chronicle reported on Dec. 3, 1909 that the Medicos “would compare favorably with (the University of ) Georgia, Clemson and (Georgia) Tech,” but pointed out team members were “disgusted” with having to “take money from their pockets to meet the expenses.”

HUGH CHEEK – AT A GLANCE

Year: Second

Hometown: Columbus, Ga.

Undergraduate: University of Georgia; biology major

Family: Parents Ben and Kathryn; twin sister Holly, younger brother A.J.

Extracurricular: Last year Hugh served as a class of 2012 representative to the MCG Student Government Association; participates in Medical Campus Outreach, a student-led interdenominational Christian ministry affiliated with First Presbyterian Church of Augusta; volunteers as assistant coach of Westminster Schools of Augusta’s junior varsity football team.

Student Spotlight

30 Fa l l 0 9

BY DAMON CLINE

ENew Blood Meets Old GuardStudents to participate in statewide alumni visits

Every year, the Medical College of Georgia School of Medicine Alumni Association hosts several alumni receptions throughout the state to apprise former students of campus news and address any questions or concerns they may have about their alma mater. In addition to alumni of all ages, attendees include school administrators, faculty, staff and other stakeholders except one: students. But that will soon change.

School of Medicine Dean D. Douglas Miller recently created a student position to represent the school at Alumni Association events as part of an ongoing initiative to include students in strategic planning and advisory decisions. “In our travels to visit alumni across Georgia, South Carolina and Tennessee, I am always impressed at the high level of interest in student life at MCG School of Medicine,” Dr. Miller said. “There is no better way to respond to that alumni interest than by having students relate their personal stories of campus life. They provide a genuine, direct connection for alumni to fond memories of days past.” The first student to hold the seat, Hugh Cheek of Columbus, Ga., said he looks forward to meeting School of Medicine alumni throughout Georgia. “Giving people information from a student perspective is good, because people always want to know what’s going on,” the second-year student said. “Students feel a sense of loyalty to MCG just like the alumni do, and this is one way for me to show my loyalty.”

In a way, the second-year student is already well-prepared for his “alumni affairs” role—both his parents are School of Medicine alums: father Ben and mother Kathryn (both class of ’82). Additionally, his father is this year’s Alumni Association president. Scott Henson, director of alumni affairs, said for the first time invitations will be sent to students completing clinical rotations at hospitals and clinics near scheduled alumni events. Also, certificates of appreciation will be issued to the student’s clinical faculty and preceptors, most of whom are MCG alumni. “This is our way of acknowledging them and thanking them for agreeing to take in our students,” Mr. Henson said. Hugh, a Georgia native, said one of his goals as student representative is to encourage his fellow classmates to remain in the Peach State as a way to reverse the statewide physician shortage. “I think getting students involved at a statewide level will help them get a sense of pride in Georgia and show them that

this is a good place to be when they go into practice,” he said. Dr. Geoffrey H. Young, associate dean for admissions, said the school has always sought student input—students occupy three seats on the Admissions Committee, for example—but he added that student involvement in alumni affairs events raises the bar to a new level. “Having students who are committed to the institution and value their education can help spread the good word,” Dr. Young said. “I’m a firm believer that students can be your best advocates.” n

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 31

OCT. 29

Regional ReceptionCoosa Country ClubRome, Ga., 6 p.m.

The School of Medicine Alumni Association was formed nearly four decades ago and was incorporated as a non-profit entity in 1980 to optimize the relationship between alumni and the School of Medicine. The association also promotes excellence in learning by providing scholarship grants to deserving students. For more information on association membership and benefits, call 800-869-1113 or 706-721-3430 or visit www.mcg.edu/ua/alumni/join_som.html.

MARCH 25

Regional Alumni Reception Home of Dr. and Mrs. Mark EllisonAthens, Ga., 6 p.m.

FEB. 25

Planning Committee MeetingIdle Hour Golf & Country ClubMacon, Ga., 2 p.m.

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE ALUMNI EVENTS

ABOUT the ASSOCIATION

Faculty Focus

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Big PlansSmall Patients

BY TONI BAKER

GEORGIA Medicine 33

ItwasaninsightfulquestionthatDr.BernardMariacouldn’tanswer,buthewenttohisattendingphysicianwithasolution. “Itoccurredtomeweweredoingeverythingsequentially,”saidDr.Maria,whoearlierthisyearwasnamedchairoftheMedicalCollegeofGeorgiaSchoolofMedicine’sDepartmentofPediatrics.“Thepatientswouldseeaneurosurgeon,aradiationoncologist,thenanoncologistandsoon.” Alenabecamethefirstcaseforthenewlyorganizedmultispecialtysit-down.Heroutlookwasgrimbecausehersurgeryandradiationtherapywerenotworking.ButwhenDr.Maria’scolleague,apediatriconcologist,noticedthatimagesofthechild’sbraintumormorecloselyresembledkidneycancer,theyoungresidenthadasimplequestion:“Well,whatdoyoudoforkidneycancer?”UsingchemotherapythathadneverbeenusedonthistypeofbraincancercuredAlenaaftertwotreatments.Thetherapyquicklybecamethetreatmentforchildrenwithherspecificbrain

tumortype.Alenalived25moreyears,even

startingherownbusiness,beforeshediedofbrainatrophy,probably

resultingfromtheradiationand/orchemotherapy

thatcuredher.ForDr.Maria,itwasanotherpoignantexampleofwhydoctorsmustworktogethertofindbettercancertreatments.Today,suchprofessionalhuddlingiscommonpracticeforalltypesofpatients. Dr.Maria,whoalsoservesasmedicaldirectoroftheMCGHealthChildren’sMedicalCenter,saysherealizedhehadapassionforhelpingsortoutmedicalcomplexitiesforpatientsandtheirfamilies,andholdingothercaregiversintheteamaccountable. “Ilikedbeinginapositiontoquarterbackdiscussionsthatleadtospecialthings.Iwashooked,”hesays. Dr.Maria’sfocusoncancer,theleadingcauseofchildhooddeathafteraccidents,beganwithapediatricneuro-oncologyfellowshipattheUniversityofTexasM.D.AndersonCancerCenterinHouston.Aseriesofsuccessivelyhigheracademicappointmentsfollowed,includingservingasfoundingdirectoroftheMedicalUniversityofSouthCarolina’sCharlesP.DarbyChildren’sResearchInstitute,beforehewastappedbyMCG. HesaysMCG’spediatricsdepartmentanditsChildren’sMedicalCenter,innovatorsofachild-andfamily-centeredfocus,seemedlikeagoodfit.

Big Plans New pediatrics chair to build on legacy of children’s research, education and treatment

S She was an 8-year-old with a brain tumor. He was a pediatric neurology

resident at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

“She looked at me and said, ‘Dr. Maria, you just told me and my mom that

I am probably going to die yet I have to go to six different clinics to see six

different doctors that are going to ask me the same questions and give me

and my mom different answers. Why can’t y’all get your act together?’”

Dr. Bernard Maria continued

A

34 Fa l l 0 9

“It’sastrongdepartmentwithcollegialpeopleandabeautifulhome,”saysDr.Maria,whotakesthereinsofaclinicaloperationthatwasrecentlyrankedNo.1inpediatricqualityandsafetybytheUniversityHealthSystemConsortium,anallianceof103academicmedicalcentersand219affiliatedhospitals.Hispredecessor,Dr.WilliamP.KantoJr.,whoheldbothpositionssince1994,hasbeennamedseniorassociatedeanforclinicalaffairsintheSchoolofMedicine.

At the Helm Dr.Maria,thoughjustafewmonthsintohistenure,isalreadydecentralizingthedepartment’soperationstooptimizeeachdivision.Abelieverinparticipatorymanagement,hewantscollaborativediscussionsaboutthedepartmentandhospital,similartotheteamapproachtakenwithAlenayearsago. “Thisisthedepartment’sopportunitytofigureoutitselfandwhereitwantstogo,”hesays.“Wearegoingtospendtimedoingthat,reflectingonwhatwewanttoaccomplish.” Thatmeansbuildingonsolidstrengthsinpediatriceducation,clinicalcareandresearchprogramssuchastheGeorgiaPreventionInstitute,whichexaminesgeneticandlifestylefactorsinchildobesity,andtheStrokePreventionTrialinSickleCellAnemia(STOP)studiestoreducethestrokeriskofchildrenwithsicklecelldisease. Dr.Mariawantsmoreteamworkbetweenpediatricspecialistsandbasicscientiststobetteridentifyandtreatchildren’shealthproblems. “Therearescientistswhohavenotfoundpeoplelikemewhowanttodothis,”Dr.Mariasays.“Weliveintwoveryseparateworldswithahugedivide,andcrossingthatdivideisessentialintermsofnewtherapy.” Thefocusontranslationalresearchwillincludeatwo-bedclinicaltrialsunitandaliaison(or“concierge”asDr.Mariacallsit)betweencliniciansinthehospitalandbasicscientistsinthelaboratory. “Thiswillbeanovelwaytoensurethatresearchmoredirectlymeetstheneedsof

thefamiliesweserve,”hesaid.“Achildandafamilywantyoutoleavenostoneunturned.Thatmeansyouarenotjustprovidingthebestcareavailablenow,youarelookingaheadfornewwaystodothings.” ThesepursuitsandothersmaycoalesceintotheChildHealthDiscoveryInstitute,Dr.Maria’sproposedtranslationalscienceinitiativebasedonthediscoveryinstitutesconceptinitiatedin2008bySchoolofMedicineDeanD.DouglasMiller. “Itwillbelikeabigtentforchildren’sresearch,”Dr.Mariasays. Hisproposedinstitutealsoaimstocultivatefuturepediatricphysician-scientists.Dr.Mariasaysheplanstorecruitseveralseniorandjuniorphysician-scientistsduringthenextfiveyears.Alsoincludedisa“compoundsforkids”initiativetospurdevelopmentofchild-specificdrugs. “Alotoftimes,kidsaretrickle-downrecipientsofadultproducts,”Dr.Mariasays,echoingasentimentheardatchildren’shospitalsaroundtheworld:childrenarenotsmalladults. “Theyarephysiologicallyverydifferent,theirdiseasesaredifferent,theircomplicationsaredifferent,”hesays.

In the Laboratory Dr.Maria’sownpediatriccancerresearchwilldefinitelybeapartoftheequation.He’ssettlingintolaboratoriesintheMCGCancerResearchCenterwherehe’llcontinue,alongwithMUSCresearchpartnerDr.BryanToole,todevelopanoveltreatmentinvolvinghyaluronan,agooey,extra-cellularmaterialthatlubricatesthejointsandskinandcanbeusedasaprotectiveblanketbycancercells. “Incancerhyaluronanincreasesthenasties,increasingsignaling,invasiveness,anddrugandradiationresistance,”Dr.Mariasays.

Tumorsproducehyaluronaninprolificamounts,andtheresearchershavefoundhyaluronanatworkineverycancertheyhavestudied.Dr.Toolehasapatentonanoligomerthatsnatchesofftheblanket,stoppingthedivision,theinvasiveness,eventhelittlepumpsthatforceoutchemotherapydrugs. “It’sabeautifulmechanismforreversingdrugresistance,”saysDr.Mariawhobelievestheoligomerwillonedaybeanadjuncttherapyforawidevarietyofcancersinchildrenandadults.TheresearchersareworkingwithCalifornia-basedHalozyneTherapeuticsInc.todevelopthetherapy,whichtheyhopewillreadyforhumantestswithin24months. “Tobeabletolooka7-year-oldintheeyeandknowthatbehindthescenesyouareworkingonsomethingverycoolthatmaynotservehimbutmayservethenextone,thathelpsmekeepittogetherbecausewestillloseabouthalfthekids,”hesays. ThatfigurewouldbemuchmoredismalifnotforacademicmedicalcenterssuchasMCG.In2010—thecentennialyearofchildren’scareatMCG—1in200Americanswillbelong-termsurvivorsofchildhoodcancer. “Howdidthathappen?”Dr.Mariamuses.“Ithappenedbecause95percentofchildrenwithcancerhavebeensystematicallytreatedthroughenrollmentinclinicalstudiesofferedbynationalconsortia.”

Meeting Future Needs Caringforchildren,healthyandotherwise,requiresamplepediatriciansandpediatricsubspecialists.Accordingtoa2005AcademyofPediatricsworkforcereport,thenationhasachronicshortageofcertainpediatricsubspecialtists,amaldistributionofpediatriciansandinsufficientracialandethnicdiversitytoreflectthepopulationstheyserve.

“A child and a family want you to leave no stone unturned. That means you are not just providing the best care available now, you are looking ahead for new ways to do things.”

–DR. BERNARD MARIA

Dr. Bernard Maria at a GlanceCitizenship: Native Canadian and naturalized U.S. citizen.

Family: Wife Barbara, son Alex, 15

Scientific leadership roles:lDirector, annual National Institutes of Health Neurobiology of Disease in Children conferences since 2001lChair, NIH-sponsored international scientific symposiums on: –Tuberous Sclerosis Complex, 2003 –Rett Syndrome, 2004 –Tourette Syndrome, 2005 –Spinal Muscular Atrophy, 2006 –CNS Tumors, 2007

Editorial work: lSenior associate editor for child neurology for MedlinkNeurologylEditorial board member for the JournalofChildNeurologyandPediatricNeurologylCo-editor of the MenkesTextbookofChildNeurologylSole editor of CurrentManagementinChildNeurology

Education: lMedical degree from the Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, CanadalPediatric training at The Montreal Children's Hospital, McGill UniversitylPediatric neurology training, including a year as chief resident, at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in BaltimorelNeuro-oncology fellowship at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in HoustonlMaster’s degree in business administration from the University of Florida

Administrative appointments:lChairman, Department of Child Health, Pediatrician-in-Chief of Children's Hospital and chief, Division of Child Development and Neurology, Department of Child Health University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri, USA, 2001-03lFounding executive director of the Charles P. Darby Children’s Research Institute and associate director of the Neuroscience Institute, Medical University of South

Carolina, Charleston, S.C. 2003-09lChair, Department of Pediatrics and medical director, MCGHealth Children’s Medical Center,

Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Ga., 2009-

Fortunately,oneofthelegaciesofMCG’sDepartmentofPediatricsisthatmanySchoolofMedicinestudentsgointopediatrics—abouttwicethenumberoftheaveragemedicalschool. Drs.ValeraHudsonandLisaLeggioheadupacommitteethatwilladdressgraduatemedicaleducationopportunitiesinpediatrics.InJuly,twofirst-yearresidentslotswereaddedtotheexisting12,butthatstillaccommodatesfewerthathalfoftheschool’sowngraduatesinfirst-yearslots. Dr.Marianotesthat75percentofmedicalstudentsremaininthestatewheretheycompletetheirresidency.Hisdepartmentisexaminingissuessuchashowtoexpanditstrainingprograms,includingfellowshipsinsubspecialtyareassuchasneonatologyandpediatriccriticalcare.Afellowshipinpediatricgastroenterologyandasecondfellowshippositioninneonatologyhavealreadybeencreated. ThedepartmentisdevelopingaprogramwithDr.Ruth-MarieFincher,vicedeanofacademicaffairsfortheSchoolofMedicine,toresearchbetterwaystoeducatethenextgenerationofpediatriceducators.Dr.Maria,despitehisincreasingadministrative,clinicalandresearchduties,remainsascommittedtopediatricmedicaleducationashewasthreedecadesafterhisownlearningexperiencewithAlena. “WhatItellstudentsisthattakingcareofkidsteachesyoumoreaboutyourselfthananythingelse,”Dr.Mariasays.“That’sagreatprivilege.”n

Caroline Hsu (left), Dr. Bernard Maria and Robert Adams

Gender Diversity in Medicine

While women are entering science and health professions in record numbers, the percentage achieving positions of leadership lags far behind their male counterparts. For example, the Association of American Medical Colleges reported in 2008 that of all faculty positions, only 4 percent of women were full professors compared to 20 percent for men. Diversity, including gender diversity, has come to be recognized as an essential component in developing and maintaining strong, creative and competitive organizations. Georgia Medicine Editor Damon Cline recently sat down with Drs. Linda Boyd, Ruth-Marie Fincher, Lee Merchen, Ana Murphy and Jennifer Pollock to discuss women’s leadership issues at MCG.

Viewpoints

Drs. Linda Boyd, Ruth-Marie Fincher, Lee Merchen, Ana Murphy and Jennifer Pollock

36 Fa l l 0 9

GM: What’s the current level of women’s programs at MCG?

Fincher: Three years ago, (Dr.) Teresa Coleman, (associate professor) and (Dr.) Amanda May, (assistant professor) developed the Women in Medicine group with the encouragement of (Dr.) Laura Mulloy, (chief of nephrology and then-interim chair of the Department of Medicine). The group was formed to provide a forum for informal mentoring, networking and an opportunity to meet colleagues and establish collaborative relationships. The success of the group is illustrated by its 167 participants, quarterly meetings and featured topics, which are selected based on member needs and individual testimonials. The group has great potential for spawning mentoring relationships across generations and disciplines because the participants range from first-year residents to our senior faculty representing many departments.

In addition to seminars and mentoring on topics such as career development, time management and contract negotiations, the main benefits are the intangibles like building a sense of camaraderie. The group is still developing, but I’m confident it will continue to thrive because of the important need it is beginning to fill and the ongoing support of its many talented members.

Dr. Jennifer Pollock, biochemist and professor in MCG’s Vascular Biology Center, has served on several national committees for the American Heart Association and the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Linda Boyd, professor of family medicine and associate dean for regional campus coordination, is a graduate of Drexel University’s Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) program.

Dr. Ruth-Marie Fincher, professor of medicine and vice dean for academic affairs, is a national leader in medical education and is an at-large member of the Executive Board of the National Board of Medical Examiners.

Dr. Lee Merchen, assistant professor of medicine, is the General Internal Medicine section chief and the university’s women liaison officer to the AAMC.

Dr. Ana Murphy, professor and chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is a graduate of the ELAM program and Emory University’s Woodruff Leadership Academy.

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 37

GM: So would you characterize MCG as behind or ahead of the curve or on par compared to our peer institutions?

Merchen: What I’m impressed with is the number of females in tremendous positions, whether they were cultivated here or not. I think that’s outstanding. I have never seen this many women with that kind of power in one institution. I wonder if MCG doesn’t have more women in leadership positions than other similar universities.

Fincher: Four of the five deans currently are women; we have two women chairs—one basic science and one clinical.

GM: What will it take to increase the involvement of women in upper-level management positions?

Merchen: I think it takes about 15 to 20 years to build that cadre of women. All these women VPs and deans will help build a critical mass.

Fincher: When there’s critical mass, there are more role models and it’s easier to attract the kind of people you would like to have at an institution. When you reach critical mass, it’s easier to build on that, whether it’s for women in leadership positions, minorities or whatever.

GM: So women leaders attract other women leaders?

Fincher: Women are now more likely to be on a search committee than they were 20 years ago. I think there is more attention on ensuring that we’re looking at a diverse, broad candidate base. You all might disagree with this, but I think, traditionally, men leaders are more likely to think of men who are coming along the pipeline as being the heir apparents to the positions they were mentored into.

Merchen: I’m struck by the data that show women are not doing as many demanding specialties. We’ve managed to bring up to 50 percent female membership in medical schools, but we’re not seeing them go on to do the longer training.

Fincher: The surgical subspecialties have been harder to break into. Again, I think it’s a critical-mass issue. If there are 200 of something in the country and four are women, are women less likely to pursue that avenue than if it were 10 percent women or 20 percent women?

Pollock: I’m chairing a national committee (the American Heart Association Bioengineering and Biotechnology Study Section) and I’m the only woman in the group, which I think is kind of appalling from a diversity standpoint. My objective is to find some more women to serve on the committee so I’m not the only one.

GM: Balancing a home life and work life is a challenge for people in all types of careers. How does that impact opportunities for women to move into leadership roles?

Boyd: Part of the problem is that women, perhaps more than men, are balancing family obligations. To take on a developmental program on the evenings or weekends can be a real struggle, especially for junior faculty whose children tend to be younger. I know that I always struggled at my former institution. I wanted to belong to a women-in-medicine group, but meetings were always held at 5 o’ clock. So it was a choice between, ‘Do I get home to my kids, or do I try to devote myself and network with these wonderful women?’ My kids always won out.

Fincher: Although men and women say we share equally in the family responsibilities, I think that’s rarely the case. The husband and the wife might give a slightly different view of those activities.

Merchen: You’re probably not going to change the family dynamic of who’s doing most of the running of the home. It will probably always be mommy who is doing that. You see many more female med students pursuing residencies or fellowships that don’t require so many years of training; they tend to drop out at the, three-year residency level. And that usually coincides with children, sort of the mommy trajectory. What we have to do is make sure that women have the skill sets as they are growing up.

Pollock: I had three kids in four years, so there was a time where it was really hard. My number-one objective was: How am I going to get through this and still remain a scientist? At one point I was going to quit because I just couldn’t do it. It was my husband (Dr. David Pollock, professor in the Vascular Biology Center) who said, “You’re a scientist. You’ve got to stay with it and if you drop out now, you’re not getting back to doing this kind of science.” I’ve had a lot of women

continued

38 Fa l l 0 9

trainees and I think I attract them because of my own situation. I’ve made it a priority that I’m going to keep these women in science and not let them drop out.

Boyd: Part of the challenge is to empower women starting from the time they are med students to be advocates for what they need. Something I always try to advocate for when I’m mentoring younger faculty is the need to speak up. They need to decide what it is they need for their professional life and their personal life.

GM: But doesn’t taking time off or working part time disrupt you career trajectory?

Fincher: What we need to work to change is the academic cultural environment so it’s not so hard just because you’re trying to raise a family. One concrete example we have is the tenure clock. It makes sense to me that if we’re going to have one, it should be extended during the period of time a person had children. The issue is being able to step off and step back on a tenure track. Some med schools give faculty more latitude to be less productive academically for a couple of years if there’s a legitimate reason.

Merchen: I was in training when we had our first child. Then when I finished my training, I chose a part-time position and I felt OK about it, but honestly, I was working a lot to be paid what I was getting paid. There was a lot of bleed-over. I felt people deserved to have a full-time physician taking care of them, so when I was at home I would be online checking electronic medical records and other things. The model sounded good at the outset, but it didn’t pan out for me. It became more work than I had committed to or was being paid for.

GM: The next generation seems to be more committed to work/life balance issues, and part of that includes working fewer hours.

Murphy: I do think there is a generational movement going on. At Emory, I had four fellows, and I was in the office later than any of them. It is a different mindset, for both males and females.

Merchen: I’ve heard faculty say, “You know, this is not as much fun as it used to be. These kids are entitled.”

Pollock: We deal with that on the basic-science side too.

Boyd: I think the generational changes are going to actually help women because the men of the

newer generations are also advocating for more balance and more time off and things that women have needed.

Pollock: Because they’re our sons, sons of the women’s liberation movement, if you will. It’s not a big deal to them that their mom worked, whereas when I was growing up, it was a big deal whose mom worked and whose mom didn’t.

GM: Do you think there are times when women faculty members, particularly those with children, get left out of the loop?

Fincher: When people think about nominating someone for a local committee or a national committee, they might fail to nominate someone because they think they are too busy, or that they need to be at home with the children. So they may not be nominated based on a desire to be respectful of their home life. I feel strongly that we should give people the opportunity independent of other commitments. It can be done in such a way that the person can gracefully say, “I can’t do that, I have other responsibilities.”

GM: What are the challenges for women in academic medical leadership positions when it comes to working with their male counterparts?

Murphy: At Emory we had an all-women section and we were called “The Hens.” However, we were much more productive, and the fact is we were able to make changes so that when you needed to do something, somebody could cover for you. It was a very collegial environment. When we got male fellows, it didn’t hamper the environment at all.

Boyd: I started in an academic family medicine department that was extraordinarily supportive. I had a male chair whose belief was that you had to support everybody for whatever their needs were. We were about 50-50 women and men. If anything, my male partners were more supportive than some of the women partners because a couple of the women in particular were kind of full-speed-ahead career people. I think they were a little resentful because I was working part time for a while.

Pollock: At one point in my life, I was in an industry where I was in an area of 100 scientists and I was the only woman. It was a very interesting situation. I went through some really, really tough…I don’t want to say persecution, but it was blatant sexism. That was one of the reasons I actually moved to academics.

Drs. Ruth-Marie Fincher (from left), Lee Merchen, Linda Boyd, Jennifer Pollock and Ana Murphy spent more than an hour recently discussing women’s leadership topics in academic medicine for Georgia Medicine.

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 39

GM: Have you ever found yourself needing to put up a façade in the workplace because of your gender?

Pollock: With some men, if you appear vulnerable, all of a sudden you’re not the material they thought you were. So you put up this wall and then you try to appear not vulnerable or you try not to have this persona or become more male-like in a way.

Murphy: I think you can be assertive in ways that are more feminine, if you want to call it that. But that kind of thing exists and that means we have to put up a different façade.

Pollock: I certainly find myself in situations where I’m being aggressive, but I don’t think I’m being any more aggressive than any men in the same situation as I’m in with as many people in their labs as I have and as many projects as I have. I’m doing the same things everyone else is doing, but people will say, “Oh, don’t go to Jennifer with that, she’ll bite your head off.” I don’t know if that type of thing will ever go away for women.

GM: What’s the best career advice you ever received and what advice would you give to women you mentor?

Fincher: I think it’s really important to identify a career trajectory about which you feel passionate. Then talk with people who have had a career pathway similar to what you think you would like to have and then ask them about their story: How did you get there? What did you do?

GM: What about your mentors?

Fincher: I didn’t have any mentors early on. There were people I admired, but I was pretty mid-career before I was taken under the wing by one of my bosses. One reason I try very hard to develop a relationship with at least some of our more junior women faculty is because I felt a void when I was coming along.

Merchen: It’s interesting to hear you say that you didn’t have a mentor early on, because you’ve been a tremendous mentor to me. It’s meant a world of difference for me and it’s made me want to reach out to my residents, especially the women, maybe a little more.

Murphy: I was the third woman in the Johns Hopkins program and it was exceedingly difficult to navigate those areas. John Rock, who is now the chancellor at FIU (Florida International University), was that person who gave me a hand and said, “Let’s talk, you and I.” He is still one of my mentors. We have a relationship that has endured.

Boyd: I can’t think of specific advice, but I had a couple of very good mentors early in my career who told me to do this training, do this course and meet these people. It was mentorship, but more than anything, I think it was creating a belief in myself that I could do this.

Murphy: It’s empowering when someone takes an interest in you.

Pollock: A lot of time when it empowers you is when it’s not your direct boss because you always consider that to be “their job.” So if I take an interest in somebody who is not my direct trainee, that empowers them so much more. n

Editor’s Note: Dr. Teresa Coleman was invited to the forum but was unable to attend due to prior commitments. Her efforts have since led to her appointment as the school’s Women Liaison Officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges’ Group on Women in Medicine and Science committee.

WileyBlackjokinglysayshisdecisiontobecomeadoctorwasmadewhiletendingcropsandraisinglivestockonhisfamilyfarminruralCleveland,Ga. “WhenIwasaboy,peoplewouldcomeby

wherewelivedandthey’daskmewhatIwantedtodowhenIgrewup,”Dr.Blacksaid.“Iwouldsay,‘Idon’tknow,butit’snotgoingtobethis.’”

Today,theretiredvascularsurgeon(’62)hasreconnectedwithhisagrarianrootsandcansometimesbefoundtoolingaroundonatractorathisfamily’sland25milesfromhislakefronthomeinGainesville,Ga.,thetownwherehelaunchedhiscareerfourdecadesago.“IthinkeveryoneinnorthGeorgiaknowsWiley,”saidDr.J.TimothyFulenwider(’74),seniorpartneratGainesville’sNortheastGeorgiaSurgicalAssociates,thepracticethatDr.Blackco-foundedin1980.“He’soneheckofasurgeon.”BythetimeDr.Blackretiredin1996,hehadperformedtensofthousandsofsurgicalproceduresonpatientswhohadtraveledfromasfarawayasTennesseeandNorthCarolinatothepracticehestartedwithfellowMCGalumDr.JohnDarden(’71).

Thetwohadknowneachothersince1976whenDr.DardenjoinedthephysiciansgroupthatDr.Blackwaspreviouslyassociatedwith.Thetwobecameclosefriends,sharingaloveofgolfandsimilarphilosophiesonpatientcare.“Hemadehisdecisionsregardingwhatwasbestforthepatient,andthatwashowitwashandled,”Dr.Dardensaid.“Hisresponsibilitywasalwaystotheneedsofthepatient.”Inthepre-managedcareera,whenphysiciansrarelyconcernedthemselveswithadministrativeandfinancialconcerns,Dr.Blackhada“noquestionsasked”policyregardingapatient’sabilitytopay.“Ineverasked;I’dlettheofficepersonnelworkthatout,”Dr.Blacksaid.“Myfeelingwas,ifsomebodycameinandIfeltliketheyneededanoperation,Itriedtoputmyselfintheirshoes,sotospeak.Iaskedmyself,‘IfIhadthatcondition,wouldIhavetheoperation?’That’showwejudgedeachcase.”

P I L L A R SClose to HomeWiley Black remains rooted in North Georgia

Dr. Wiley Black

COUR

TESY

OF

THE

GAIN

ESVI

LLE

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ES

BY DAMON CLINE

Dr. Wiley Black talks with patient Laura Gonzalez at the Good News Clinic in Gainesville, Ga. Dr. Black volunteers monthly at the clinic, which is the largest free clinic in the state.

Dr. Wiley S. Black

Age: 71

MCG Class: 1962

Home: Gainesville, Ga.

Family: Wife, Judy; daughters Michelle and Deanna

Specialty: Vascular surgery

Practice: Northeast Georgia Surgical Associates (retired)

40 Fa l l 0 9

Hospital officials presented Dr. Black with a commemorative shadowbox that included a pacemaker similar to the ones he first began implanting in patients during the 1960s.

ThatDr.BlackcouldbecomeadoctorandmakesuchimportantdecisionsisimpressiveconsideringhishumbleupbringingsinruralWhiteCounty,whereheandhisfivesiblingslivedinahomethathadnoelectricityforthefirst10yearsofhislife.Hisfather,aschoolteacher,waslowonmoneybutadamantthathischildrenbecomeeducated. Dr.BlackattendedNorthGeorgiaCollegeinnearbyDahlonegafortwoyearsbeforetransferringtotheUniversityofGeorgiatomajorinbiology,afieldhehadexcelledinsincechildhood.Hehelpedpayforhisschoolingbyworkingparttimeasalabinstructorinthephysiologydepartment. Hereferredtohimselfasa“pre-med”studenteventhoughhischanceofaffordingmedicalschoolwasdubious. “Ididn’thaveagoodplanB,”Dr.Blackrecalls.“MycollegeadvisortriedtogetmetoapplytoallthesemedicalschoolsliketheUniversityofChicagoandalltheseIvyLeagueschools.IthoughtthatwasoutofthequestionformebecauseIdidn’thavethefinancialresources.SowhenIappliedformedicalschool,IonlyappliedtoMCG.” Dr.Blackwasinaquandary:Hehadexcellentgradesandagoodshotatbeingaccepted,butifhedidgetin,thehighcostoftuitionwouldsurelymeanhisbrothersandsisterswouldhavetosacrificetheirowncollegeplans. “Iknewmyfamilywoulddoeverythingtheycouldtoprovideforme,butatthesametime,Ididn’twanttodeprivemyothersiblingsfromgettinganeducation,”hesaid.“SoIdidn’treallyknowhowIwasgoingtomanage.” ItturnedoutDr.Blackneverhadtomakethatdifficultdecision—hereceivedastatescholarshipshortlyafterreceivinghisMCGacceptanceletter.Heremainedgratefulthroughouthisentirecareerfortheopportunitiesthescholarshipprovided,andlastyearhebecameoneofthefirstMCGalumnitomakeamajorscholarshipgifttoMCGviatheGeorgiaHealthSciencesUniversityFoundation. Dr.Black,anactivememberoftheMCGSchoolofMedicineAlumniAssociation,saidhecouldhaveleftthegiftinhiswill,butthathewantedtohelpstudentssoonerratherthanlater. “Iwantittobeused,andI’djustassoonitbeusedwhileI’mstillaround,”saidDr.Black,whoserecent$100,000contributionisjustpartofalargercommitmenthehasmadetosupportstudentscholarshipsinMCG’sSchoolsofMedicineandNursinginthecomingyears. “ItwouldhavebeenahugelossfornorthGeorgia’smedicalcommunityhadDr.BlacknotbeenabletoattendMCG,”saidTonyDuva,associatevicepresidentforplannedgivingandseniordirectorofdevelopmentfortheSchoolofMedicine.“Hisgenerositywillhelpensurethatthestate’sbestandbrightest

DAM

ON C

LINE

Trivian Dr. Black’s first visit to Athens was when he decided to apply for admission to the University of Georgia. He and a friend drove there from Cleveland, Ga., and walked in to what they thought was the campus administration building. Workers in the office informed the young men they were actually at the U.S. Naval Supply School and gave them directions to the university. The supply school will soon become the permanent location of the MCG/UGA Medical Partnership, “so I guess we were just a little ahead of our time,” he said.

n He planned to specialize in gastroenterology until nurses commented on how well he performed during his surgical rotation. “They told me I had good hands for surgery,” he said. “I thought the last thing I would be interested in was surgery. When I was in school, I just had distaste for the surgery residents we were associated with. I thought they were mean.”

n Dr. Black developed the neighborhood he lives in along the shoreline of Lake Lanier. He initially acquired the tract solely to build his own home. He decided to subdivide the property when people began inquiring if he would sell some of the land. There are now more than a dozen homes on the street. He’s also had success with other real estate holdings. “He was a wizard when it came to real estate,” Dr. Fulenwider said. “He has the midas touch.”

n Most of the artwork in Dr. Black’s home was created by his wife Judy, an avid painter, and daughter Deanna, who is a self-employed artist in south Georgia. His other daughter, Michelle, is a human resources professional in suburban Atlanta.

Dr. Black met his wife Judy, a retired nurse, while serving in the U.S. Air Force in Texas after graduating MCG.

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 41

continued

studentshavethefinancialwherewithaltopursuetheirdreamsofacareerinmedicine.Bymakinganinvestmentinourstudents,he’smakinganinvestmentinthefutureofhealthcareinthestateofGeorgia.”

TheescalationoftheVietnamWarcoincidedwithDr.Black’sgraduationin1962.Afterhisinternship,heenlistedintheU.S.AirForceandspenttwoyearsasaflightsurgeonstationedinSanAntonio,wherehemedicallycertified

pilotsforflyingstatusandperformedpreventivemedicine.Itwastherehemethisfuturewife,Judy,whowastrainingtobeaflightnursewiththeAirNationalGuard.Thecouplemarriedin1968duringhisgeneralsurgeryresidencyatEmoryUniversityHospital. Whenitcametimetogointoprivatepractice,hechosetheNorthGeorgiatownheknewbest. “WhenIwasgrowingup,peopleaskedmewhattheclosestlargetownwasandIalwayssaidGainesville,”hesaidwithalaugh.“Ididn’trealizeGainesvillewasconsideredasmalltown,too.” Itwasn’tlong,however,beforeDr.Blackwashoninghisskillsevenfurther.HisdecisiontoacceptavascularsurgeryfellowshipatNewYorkUniversity’sBellevueHospitalin1972turnedouttobeanexcellenteducationalopportunityaswellasatasteofcultureshockfortheyoungfamily(hisdaughtersMichelleandDeannawerebothtoddlersatthetime). “Ababysitterwas$20anhour,”Judyrecalls.“Andtheirminimumwasfourhours.” Thefamilysoonlearnedtoadapttothehigh-costtownbybarteringforservicesandfindingwaystoscorecheaptheatertickets.Butbythetimethefellowshipwasover,Dr.BlackwasreadytoleavetheManhattanapartmenton34thStreetforthegreengrassofGainesville.

TheNortheastGeorgiaSurgicalAssociatespracticeheco-foundedwithDr.Darden,ageneralsurgeon,wasbusyfromitsinception,asDr.Blackwastheonlyvascularsurgeonintownforseveralyears.Hewasparticularlyadeptatcarotidendarterectomies(theremovalofplaquefromthecarotidarteries),butitwaspacemakerimplantsthatkepthimthebusiest. HeperformedthefirstpacemakerimplantinGainesvilleandestimatesheperformedthesurgeryanaverageof100timesperyearuntilhisretirement.Asatestamenttohisskill,whentheregionalrepresentativeforMedtronicInc.–thecreatoroftheimplantablepacemaker–neededoneimplantedonhisownheart,itwasDr.Blackhecalledontoperformthesurgery. UponDr.Black’sretirementin1996,staffattheNortheastGeorgiaMedicalCenterpresentedhimwithacommemorativeshadowboxthatincludedamodernand1960s-erapacemakeraswellasaDeBakeyclamp—Dr.Black’s“favorite”clamp. “There’salotofhistoryinthatlittlecase,”Dr.Blacksaid. Thesedays,whenhe’snotonthegolfcourse,heisusuallyhunting,fishingortendingtohisgarden.HekeepshismedicalskillssharpbyvolunteeringonceamonthatTheGoodNewsClinic,anindigenthealthcareservicecoordinatedbyareachurchesandnonprofitorganizations.Heconsultswiththeinternistandprimarycarephysiciansaswellasperformsminorsurgicalprocedures. Thefreeclinic,whichaverages18,000patientvisitsannually,isthelargestofitskindinthestate. “WhenDr.Blackwasinprivatepractice,everyonewantedtoseehim,”ClinicDirectorCherylChristiansaid.“Now,thepeoplemostinneedhavethatopportunity.He’sbeenabigassetforus.” Dr.Blacklooksbackfondlyonhiscareerand,althoughhedecidedtobuildhispracticenotfarfromhisruralrootsinthehillsofnorthGeorgia,therewasneveramomentwherehefelthisskillsweren’tonparwithanybig-cityphysician.Forthat,hecreditshiseducationatMCG. “I’verubbedelbowswithsurgeonsalloverthecountryandIneverhadtoapologizetoanybodyformyeducation,”hesaid.“Icouldhangintherewithanyofthem.”n

42 Fa l l 0 9

Medical students Mark Snoddy (from left), Felicia Fountain and Lucien Marts are the inaugural recipients of the Dr. Wiley Black Scholarship Fund.(Viren Vasudeva not pictured)

PHIL

JONE

S

With a long-term plan and steady perseverance, an endowment is something you can build during—and even after— your lifetime. The minimum to fully fund an endowed chair is $500,000, but the account can be started with as little as $10,000. Chairs can be funded with cash, appreciated securities, assets, or a combination of the three. Though a minimum is needed to create an endowment, you may choose to make a small gift now and pledge to fulfill the minimum over a designated period of time. Gifts to create an endowed chair may offer significant tax benefits to you. The beauty of an endowed chair is that the corpus of the endowment stays intact; investment income generated from the corpus is made available to the faculty member appointed to the chair in support of teaching and research, in accordance with university regulations. If desired, a chair may be named in honor of the donor or an honoree proposed by the donor.

Level Funding Amount

Endowed Chair $500,000

Distinguished Chair $1,000,000

University Distinguished $2,000,000

Gifts to create endowed chairs provide much-needed support to our valued faculty. If you are interested in making a gift to support an existing endowed chair or would like to create a new chair fund, please contact me in the Office of Development. n

Endowments are philanthropic vehicles that meet a variety of needs for both the donor and the Medical College

of Georgia. An endowed chair is an award funded by a donor that is designated by MCG to a current professor or

researcher. Endowed chairs are a great way to honor a faculty members’ clinical, academic and research excellence

while helping support his or her faculty responsibilities.

Tony Duva,Associate Vice President for Gift Planning, Senior Director of Development

For more information

on making a gift to the

MCG School of Medicine,

contact Mr. Duva at

1-800-869-1113,

706-721-1939 or

aduva@mcg.edu

Thank you for your continued support of the MCG School of Medicine.

Generations of Giving

Endowed Chairs Benefit MCG and Donors

IT’S A FACT: Though MCG is Georgia’s Health

Sciences University, only a quarter of the university’s

operating budget is funded by state government

appropriations. The rest must come from other

sources, including philanthropic gifts.

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 43

1940sDr. Leander K. Powers 40 recently served as grand marshal for the Guyton, Ga., Christmas parade. Dr. Powers, 95, has lived in Savannah, Ga., since the mid-’40s but visits his beloved hometown of Guyton weekly. His father, Dr. Bruce P. Powers (class of 1898), was an Effingham County physician for 36 years, taking his son along when he made house calls in the county’s first car. His father carried two bags, one with surgical supplies (including pliers to pull teeth) and the other with medicine he made himself. Leander, or Lee, won the Savannah Junior Boys Doubles tournament in 1930 with the late Waldo Sowell of Guyton. Lee earned a pharmacy degree from the University of Georgia and ran Powers Drugs in Guyton for a year before enrolling in medical school. After graduating and serving in World War II, he established a solo family practice in Savannah and still mans his office four days a week.

Awards? Professional Honors? Special Activities? We would love to hear what’s new with you. Contact Damon Cline, editor, at 706-721-4706 or e-mail dcline@mcg.edu.

Class Notes

1920sDr. Leila Daughtry Denmark 28 was recently honored with a Georgia Senate resolution recognizing and commending a medical career that spanned almost 80 years, ending with her retirement in 2004 at age 104.

1950sDr. J. Randall Kennedy 57 practices pediatrics in Bradenton, Fla., and recently discussed sickle cell disease and its relationship to malaria at the 2009 International Hematology Conference in Havana, Cuba.

Dr. Don Thomas 59was the honoree at the 2009 Toast of the Town in Rocky Face, Ga. The Whitfield County native has practiced family medicine in Dalton for 45 years at Whitfield Medical Professional Associates. He also served as president of the local hospital board staff. Dr. Thomas is serving his seventh term in the Georgia State Senate representing the 54th District. He and his wife, Emma Jean, have eight children, 19 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Dr. Patton Smith 62has retired after 43 years of practice in Monroe County, Ga. Dr. Smith began working at Monroe County Hospital in 1966 following an internship and resident at the former Macon Hospital (now The Medical Center of Central Georgia) and two years in the Army working at a hospital in Mexico.

Dr. Lamar Fleming 65received the MCG School of Medicine’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for Professional Achievement. Dr. Fleming is a professor of orthopaedic surgery at Emory University in Atlanta, chief of Hand Service at Grady Memorial Hospital and chief of the Hand Section at Atlanta’s Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He completed a junior residency in medicine at Parkland Memorial Hospital before serving in the U.S. Navy as a flight surgeon from 1967-70. He returned to Augusta to complete a junior residency in surgery at then-Talmadge Memorial Hospital, then completed a residency in orthopaedic surgery at Duke University Medical Center. He is a past president of the Eastern Orthopaedic Association and the Southern Orthopaedic Society. He has served as the director of the Robert P. Kelly Orthopaedic Society at Emory University since 1978.

Dr. Talmadge A. “Joe” Bowden 66received the School of Medicine’s Distinguished Alumnus Award for Loyalty. Dr. Bowden is professor emeritus of surgery and former chief of the Section of Gastrointestinal Surgery and Surgical Endoscopy at MCG. He completed a surgical residency at MCG in 1971, including a year as chief resident from 1970-71. He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1971-73, earning the rank of major and serving as chief of the Division of General Surgery at the U.S. Air Force Regional Hospital at Shaw Air Force Base. He has served as editor-in-chief of The American Surgeon since 1990. Dr. Bowden completed the University of the South’s School of Theology Advanced Degree Program in 2001 and was ordained as a priest in 2002. Since then he has served as a chaplain at MCGHealth and part-time assisting priest at the Church of the Holy Comforter.

Dr. William P. Brooks 67a family physician in Macon, Ga., and board member of the Georgia Health Sciences University Foundation, received the Bibb County Medical Society’s 2008 Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Brooks has served as chief of staff at the Medical Center of Central Georgia, president of the Bibb County Medical Society, second and first vice president of the Medical Association of Georgia and president of the MCG School of Medicine Alumni Association. He serves on the local Boy Scouts of America Executive Board and has chaired Friends of Scouting. An Eagle Scout himself, he has helped many young men develop leadership skills. Dr. Brooks and wife Veronica have a son, William (also an Eagle Scout), a daughter, Courtney, son-in-law Jamie and grandson Brooks Garner, 2.

1960s

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Dr. James Pilcher Jr. 75a fourth-generation doctor, recently returned to his hometown of Louisville, Ga., to practice at Jefferson Hospital, which his parents started in 1947. His father, the late Dr. James Pilcher Sr., was a general surgeon and his mother, Mary Frances, handled day-to-day operations and worked as a night nurse. He practiced in Dalton, Ga., for many years before moving back home, where he enjoys spending time with his 87-year-old mother. He is married to Dr. Grace Gilgenast.

Dr. Larry Van Carson 76has joined Carolina Neurosurgical Services at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, N.C. Dr. Carson, board certified in both neurosurgery and plastic and reconstructive surgery, specializes in complex spine and craniofacial surgery. He was previously with the Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center at West Virginia University, where he was an associate professor of neurosurgery and plastic surgery.

Dr. Lex A. Simpson 78practices orthopaedic medicine at the Reno Orthopaedic Clinic in Reno, Nev. He is a past chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics at Cleveland Clinic in Florida and head team physician for the National Hockey League Florida Panthers. He completed fellowships in adult reconstructive and sports medicine at Kantonsspital St. Gallen and the University of Toronto. He is certified by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

Dr. Howard M. Maziar 72was named the 2009 Psychiatrist of the Year by the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association. The award honors exceptional contributions to patients, the profession and the community. Dr. Maziar is vice president of the association and treasurer of the Georgia Psychiatry Political Action Committee. He was recently appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue to serve on the Georgia Physicians Partnership, charged with offering the perspective of health care providers to the Georgia Department of Community Health on developing state health care programs. He is also a member of the Physicians Institute for Excellence in Medicine Board of Directors.

Dr. John A. Mitas II 73West Chester, Pa., is in his seventh year as deputy executive vice president and chief operating officer of the American College of Physicians. After graduating from MCG, he trained in internal medicine and nephrology. He taught at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center from 1982-84 as a nephrologist and head of dialysis, then served active duty in the U.S. Navy. After retiring in 2000, he worked for a vaccine company designing clinical trials for smallpox and anthrax vaccines. He left to work for the American College of Physicians. He still hopes to do some writing and “fun” traveling. He and wife Rosalind have been married for 31 years and have three grown children, “all doing well in their own right,” he says.

Dr. E. Daniel DeLoach 74a plastic surgeon with Savannah Plastic Surgery and a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, has been appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue to the Georgia Board for Physician Workforce. Dr. DeLoach is certified by the American Board of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and is a clinical professor in the MCG Department of Surgery. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the International College of Surgeons. He and wife Cameron Elizabeth have three children.

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 45

1970s

Dr. Inchol Yun 91has joined the Northeast Georgia Physicians Group in Gainesville, Ga. Dr. Yun completed his residency in family medicine at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in Spartanburg, S.C. He is board certified in family medicine and is a member of the American Academy of Family Practice, the American Medical Association and the Southern Medical Society. Dr. Yun spent the last 10 years practicing at Lawrenceville Family Practice in Lawrenceville, Ga. He and his wife, Lesley, have two children, Megan, 15, and Preston, 13.

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Dr. Christopher Cates 82an interventional cardiologist at Emory University School of Medicine and director of vascular intervention at Emory University Hospital, has been named one of America’s Top Doctors by Castle Connolly Medical, Ltd., a New York-based health care research firm. Dr. Cates specializes in angioplasty, cardiac catheterization and peripheral vascular disease. Dr. Cates, who for the past 20 years has held a heart clinic in the rural Georgia towns of Hiawassee and Blairsville, is one of a select few doctors in Georgia with honorary membership in the International Andreas Gruntzig Society, honoring the inventor of coronary angioplasty.

Dr. James D. Fortenberry 84is pediatrician-in-chief of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. The not-for-profit system emphasizes excellence in research, teaching and wellness. Dr. Fortenberry formerly served as director of critical care medicine at Children’s at Egleston. He is an associate professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Fortenberry completed a pediatrics residency at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, N.C., and a fellowship in pediatric critical care at Texas Children’s Hospital at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. A father of three, he and his wife live in Tucker, Ga.

Dr. Don Griffin 84co-presented the program, “Sleep Your Way to Better Health,” at Piedmont Newnan Hospital in Newnan, Ga., as part of Better Sleep Month in May. Approximately 70 million people in the United States are affected by a sleep disorder. Dr. Griffin completed his residency in family practice from the Tallahassee Regional Medical Center in Tallahassee, Fla.

Dr. W. Morris Brown 85has joined Piedmont Heart Institute Atlanta. The cardiovascular surgeon joined the Piedmont Hospital medical staff in 2001 and completed his internship, residency and research and clinical fellowships through Emory University-affiliated hospitals.

Dr. Robert Kelly 86has joined the staff at Northeast Georgia Physicians Group’s Oakwood, Ga., office. He completed his residency at the University of Alabama in Huntsville’s School of Primary Care Medicine and is certified by the American Board of Family Practice. Dr. Kelly most recently practiced at Duluth Family Medicine PC in Duluth, Ga. He and his wife, Theresa, have four children: Elizabeth, Madeline, Christopher and Patrick.

1980sDr. Mark Harvey 88who practices general internal medicine in Sandersville, Ga., has been appointed by Gov. Sonny Perdue to the State Medical Education Board. He and wife Lisa have two children.

Dr. Rick Myhand 88has joined the oncology staff at Adena Cancer Center in Chillicothe, Ohio. A colonel in the U.S. Medical Corps, Dr. Myhand has a held a number of positions at military hospitals across the nation, most recently as chief of Hematology/Oncology Services at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Dr. Myhand is board certified in internal medicine and has subspecialty certifications in hematology and oncology. He completed his residency at Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, and his fellowship in hematology/oncology at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Clayton Pulliam 88practices family medicine at Habersham Medical Center in Demorest, Ga. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and completed a family medicine residency at Anderson Memorial Hospital in Anderson, S.C.

1990sDr. Gary Klein 92chief medical officer of Vangent Inc., a global consulting and information management firm, has been selected to the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society’s Physicians’ Community Steering Committee. Dr. Klein also currently serves as the President of the American Academy of Disaster Medicine, and was the former Chairman of the Board of Directors for the American Academy of Urgent Care Medicine.

Dr. Marc H. Leblanc 97has joined the medical staff at Genesis HealthCare System in Zanesville, Ohio. The board-certified hospitalist completed his residency at the William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Mich.

Dr. Brian M. DeLoach 00Statesboro, Ga., completed a family medicine residency at MCG, worked for five years at Bohler Family Practice in Statesboro, then became chief of medical staff and medical director for Health Services at Georgia Southern University. He and his staff serve nearly 18,000 students. He also is the medical director for GSU’s Athletic Training Education Program. He teaches students in that department and precepts for the School of Nursing Nurse Practitioner Program. He and wife Holly have a 2-year-old son, Mixon.

Dr. John Joseph Desmond 00has joined the Floyd Family Medicine residency program as a faculty member. He will see patients at Floyd Medical Center and the Floyd Family Medicine Residency Clinic in Rome, Ga., as well as teach residents and medical students there. Dr. Desmond was previously with Affinity Health Group LLC. in Tifton. The board-certified family medicine physician completed his residency at Halifax Health Medical Center, Daytona Beach, Fla. He and his wife, Penny, reside in Rome with children, Quinn and Sam.

Dr. Benjamin McCurdy 03recently completed a pain management fellowship in Augusta and joined Dr. William Megdal at the Athens Spine Center in Athens, Ga. He served as chief resident during an anesthesiology residency at MCG. His interests include minimally invasive treatment of discogenic, mechanical and neuropathic conditions of the spine and extremities.

Dr. Paul Weinberger 05has been selected to serve on the American Association for Cancer Research’s Associate Member Council. The fourth-year otolaryngology resident in the MCG School of Medicine, will be one of four members serving three-year terms to advise association leaders on research issues. The council also develops programs addressing the needs of early-career scientists and works to increase the number of physician-scientists. Dr. Weinberger is pursuing a laryngology fellowship in England in 2010 to study speech and swallowing disorders.

Dr. Angela Davis 06has joined the Family Health Care Center practice in Millen, Ga., as a family physician specializing in pediatrics and women’s health. The Jenkins County native recently completed her third year of family medicine training at Spartanburg Regional in South Carolina.

G E O R G I A M e d i c i n e 47

2000s

Class Reunions will be held for the School of Medicine Classes of :

1940, 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990,

1995, and 2000. Class of 1970 will be inducted into the Emeritus Club

Friday, April 23

School of Medicine Dean’s Reception5:30 p.m., Marriott Hotel and Suites

School of Medicine Alumni Association Banquet and Distinguished Alumnus Presentation6:30 p.m., Marriott Hotel and Suites

Saturday, April 24

President’s CookoutNoon, 920 Milledge Road

School of Medicine Reunions6:00 p.m., social hour, and 7:00 p.m., reunion dinner

Homecoming Dance9:45 p.m., Marriott Hotel and Suites, Oglethorpe Ballroom

Sunday, April 25

School of Medicine Alumni Association Memorial Service10:30 a.m., MCG Alumni Center

School of Medicine Alumni Association Emeritus Club Luncheon11:30 a.m., MCG Alumni Center

Look for registration materials to arrive in the mail in January.

M A R K Y O U R

C A L E N D A RHomecoming 2010Building and Strengthening Our LegacyApril 22 - 25, 2010

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48 Fa l l 0 9

Dr. F. Kathryn Edwards 50died Feb. 27 at age 86. The Atlanta native had a private pediatric practice in addition to starting the Pediatric Cardiology program at Emory University in 1960. She retired from Emory in 1993 as associate professor of pediatrics and radiology. She established the F. Kathryn Edwards, M.D. School of Medicine Scholarship Endowment fund at MCG. After retirement she moved to Huntsville, Ala., to be close to her brother and his family. She enjoyed many hobbies and traveling around the world during her retirement. Dr. Edwards is survived by her sister-in-law, three nieces and their husbands as well as grand- and great-grand nieces and nephews.

Dr. Darriel G. Kitchens Jr. 51 died June 13 at age 87. Born in Metter, Ga., he served in the 11th Armored Division during World War II and in the Seventh (Bayonet Division) Infantry in the Korean War. He practiced in Marion, Ga., from 1957 until his retirement in 1993. Survivors include two sons and a sister.

Dr. William Cottles Shirley 51died June 21 at age 87. Dr. Shirley, an obstetrician/gynecologist in Macon, Ga., was on the clinical faculty of MCG and Mercer University. He was a past president of the MCG School of Medicine Alumni Association and served on the MCG Foundation. He received the Bibb County Medical Society’s 1999 Physician of the Year Award and was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. Survivors include wife Bess Baxter Shirley, three children and four grandchildren.

Dr. Zeb L. Burrell Jr. 52died June 2 at age 80. Dr. Burrell, proclaimed the Father of Emergency Medical Services in Georgia by the state legislature, practiced in the Georgia cities of Milledgeville, Athens and Elberton, eventually serving as medical director for Elbert County Emergency Medical Services. He received a Charles B. Gillespie, M.D. Distinguished Georgia Emergency Medical Service Director of the Year Award shortly before his death, marking only the second time the award was presented. He helped develop the Northeast Georgia Region 10 EMS System, heralded by the federal government as a national model. He and his wife, Lenette Owens Burrell, a founding faculty member of MCG’s School of Nursing in Athens, in 1969 wrote a textbook, Intensive Nursing Care, that he used in teaching EMS standards. Survivors in addition to his wife of 59 years include four children, 11 grandchildrena nd two great-grandchildren.

Dr. Bob C. Wade 52died March 17 at age 91. The Byron, Ga., native practiced general medicine, including making house calls, in DeKalb County for two decades. He served in England during World War II and lived briefly in New York before settling in Lilburn, Ga. Dr. Wade spent his retirement years working at his 300-acre farm in Bucks County with his late wife, Sue. He is survived by a son, two daughters, a sister and six grandchildren.

Dr. Philip Bartholomew 63of Sandy Springs, Ga., died Aug. 17 at age 78. The Atlanta native, known as “Dr. B.,” retired in 1996 after 30 years in the private practice of obstetrics/gynecology. Dr. Bartholomew earned his bachelor’s degree from Emory in 1954 and served in the U.S. Navy for four years. In addition to his wife Margaret and son Philip Bartholomew Jr., survivors include a daughter, Lauren Luik of Whitehouse Station, N..J.; a son, J. Christian Bartholomew of Dunedin, Fla.; a sister, Gale B. Hill of Durham, N.C.; and six grandchildren.

In Memor y

EDICINE762 Students

753 Students who are Georgia residents

335 Female students

427 Male students

Dean D. Douglas Miller

Vice Dean for Academic Affairs Ruth-Marie Fincher

Senior Associate Deans John D. Catravas

Joseph HobbsWilliam Kanto

Walter J. Moore Anthony L. Mulloy

Associate Deans Andrew T. Albritton

Linda Boyd Peter F. Buckley

William A. GuestKathleen M. McKie

Andria Thomas Christopher White Geoffrey H. Young

Assistant DeansIqbal M. Khan

Kathryn MartinWilma Sykes-Brown

Executive Associate Dean for Administration Michael A. Herbert

Director of Operations Joel Covar

Chief of Staff Donna Dauphinais

MCG-UGA Medical Partnership

Campus DeanBarbara Schuster

Associate DeanScott Richardson

Sources: MCG Division of Strategic Support and the School of Medicine

By the Numbers Fall 2009

Administration

SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Residents

New Enrollees

Degrees Conferred

Applicants

484 Full-time instructional faculty

10.4% Under-represented minority students

1,432 School of Medicine Alumni Association members

54.9% Alumni residing in Georgia

425

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

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