Communications

External Affairs Division

Board of Regents Adopts Plan to Boost Medical School Enrollment to Meet Doctor Shortage

Atlanta — February 13, 2008

The University System of Georgia (USG) Board of Regents approved a resolution today that commits the System to a 60 percent expansion of physician education through the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) School of Medicine. The board’s action follows its earlier acceptance of a report calling for medical education expansion in Georgia.

Through the resolution, the Board of Regents charged the System chancellor and the presidents of both the MCG and the University of Georgia (UGA) to develop detailed implementations strategies relating to a proposal to boost MCG’s physician enrollment statewide to 1,200 students by 2020, from 745 students currently.

The proposed expansion would entail significant expansion in Augusta, which will continue to serve as the foundation for a single state-operated medical school. MCG’s School of Medicine will also develop and operate a new four-year campus in Athens in partnership with UGA as well as two clinical campuses anchored in Albany and Savannah.

“Georgia is in critical need of more physicians,” said USG Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. “As the state’s public higher education system, we must do more to address this issue. We can do more – by utilizing the tremendous resources we have throughout the state.”

On behalf of the Board of Regents, MCG retained the Pittsburgh-based consultancy Tripp Umbach in September 2007 to complete a statewide medical education expansion study. As a result of that study, a plan was presented to the Board of Regents on January 15, calling for significant medical education expansion in Augusta, development of an MCG campus in Athens, and continued partnerships of regional campuses in Savannah and Albany.

The resolution passed today calls for realistic time lines for implementation of the Board’s goals as well as clear lines of reporting and accountability consistent with accreditation requirements. The regents included funding for statewide medical education expansion in the University System’s fiscal year 2009 budget proposal.

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