Medical College of Georgia at GRU

MEDICALMCG COLLEGE of GEORGIA FALL 2013 Humble Beginnings Rural Roots Sowed Seeds for Bountiful Future FALL 2013 MCG Medicine is produced biannually by the MCG Georgia Regents University Office of Communications and Marketing with financial M D support from the Medical College of Georgia at GRU. e icine at Georgia Regents University Medical College of Georgia Dean THE COVER: Peter F. Buckley, M.D. Humble Beginnings Chief of Staff 12 Jeanette Balotin Rural Roots Sowed Seeds for Bountiful Future GRU Senior Vice President, Office of Communications and Marketing David Brond > RUN! ....................................................................................20 Alumni, Faculty Share Stories of Horror Executive Editor Toni Baker at Boston Marathon Editor > Speaking for the Deceased ....................................28 Christine Hurley Deriso Deadly Twisters Test Mettle of Oklahoma Design and Production Chief Medical Examiner P.J. Hayes Design > Blending In ......................................................................32 Photographer Craniofacial Team Aims for Phil Jones ‘State of Anonymity’ ©2013 Georgia > Magnificent Seven ............................................ 39 Regents Inaugural Class Begins Studies University at Northwest Campus DEPARTMENTS 3 Appointments 4 News at a Glance 6 Newsmakers 9 Research Roundup 34 Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Cargill H. Alleyne Jr. 42 Viewpoints 44 Alumni Affairs Update 46 Advancement Update 47 Classnotes GEORGIA A SUPER DAY of Patients at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia got a visit from some real superheroes on Aug. 21, thanks to Sightline, an Atlanta-based window MEDICAL COLLEGE cleaning company. PETER F. BUCKLEY, M.D. From the Dean 706-721-2231 < [email protected] “Wow”probably best describes the last few months at the Medical College of Georgia. We’ve matriculated one of the brightest, most diverse He would become a pioneer in vascular surgery and an classes ever. And, in nearly the blink of an eye, we will be incredibly successful cattle farmer to boot. graduating our first class of 230 students. Through it all, Dr. Harrison never forgot his farming This fall, in cooperation with the James M. Hull College roots or his love for his medical school. In this issue of of Business, our new colleagues at Georgia Regents his alma mater’s magazine, you will learn how early on University, we are offering an M.D./M.B.A to our junior he shared with Dr. Jim Osborne, now CEO of the MCG students. Also this fall, GRU is offering a new B.S./M.D. Foundation, his desire to help MCG help students just degree that optimally prepares undergraduates who like himself. Incredibly, this 1948 alum would lend his want to be physicians. These are terrific dual-degree distinguished name and significant financial support to additions to our longstanding M.D./Ph.D. program in the Education Commons that, beginning next year, will cooperation with our sister research institutions across be an academic home for our medical school. Georgia. These programs, of course, provide us an even I don’t have the words to best describe how in late stronger opportunity to optimally prepare our students April, we learned that Dr. Harrison and his wife, Sue, also for whatever are giving MCG a $66 million endowment for student career path they scholarships and endowed chairs for faculty. To this day, choose as well I am amazed by their generosity and commitment and as the twists and inspired to make Dr. Harrison even more proud. There’s FALL 2013 turns of their little doubt that his fellow alums, Dr. J. Allan Panter and chosen profession. Dr. Eric Pfeifer, would. (See page 5.) This magazine also shares their stories of Certainly, as accomplishment and commitment. Dr. Panter (see page we turn 185 years 20), an emergency medicine physician from Sylva, old, we celebrate a N.C., was standing on the sidelines waiting for his wife, icine proud history and Teresa, to finish the Boston Marathon. When the bombs D promising future exploded, so did Dr. Panter’s innate passion for helping e of educational others. While Dr. Pfeifer, Chief Medical Examiner of M excellence. Oklahoma, may not typically work within the same life- Please take Dr. J. and-death time constraints as Dr. Panter, he immediately Harold Harrison understood the urgency and tragedy for the families of (see page 12) as 48 individuals killed by tornadoes in rapid succession in one outstanding May. All victims were identified and their bodies released MCG example. The late to their families within 48 hours. (See page 28.) Dr. Harrison was It is a distinct honor to be associated with so many the son of a farmer fine colleagues and a distinct privilege to educate those from Kite, Ga., who who come next. made his way to So I finish where I started: Wow. I hope you feel the the state’s only same. u public medical school at age 18. From the President RICARDO AZZIZ, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. One hundred and eighty-five years ago, the Georgia state legislature passed the charter that established the Medical Academy of Georgia. Thus began the legacy of today’s MCG, and ultimately Georgia Regents University. Professor, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Imagine if those legislators were alive today to witness the results of what must have seemed a routine piece of Medicine and Medical Humanities; legislation. President, Georgia Regents University; In 1829, seven students and three faculty members began our institution’s very first academic year together, with CEO, Georgia Regents Health System courses offered in nine subjects related to the healing arts of the time. Today, GRU offers about 110 programs in nine colleges and schools, employs more than 12,000 faculty and staff, and enrolls over 9,500 students. MCG’s first dedicated “campus” consisted of one structure: the Old Medical College building on Telfair Street, completed in 1836 for a grand total of $14,567. Today, GRU comprises 650 acres of campus and nearly 150 buildings, and is a $1 billion-plus enterprise with statewide and national reach. The Medical College of Georgia includes a partnership campus in Athens, Ga., and satellite campuses We’re in Albany, Savannah, and—as you will read in this issue—our newest one in Rome, Ga. (See page 39.) glad you The first graduating class in 1833 numbered four; each was awarded a doctorate of medicine. This spring, our historic first consolidated GRU graduating class earned remain degrees in dozens of disciplines and numbered more than one thousand—a diverse and accomplished group of whom partners we are very proud. Over the years much has changed; yet much remains on our constant. For example, as you will read in several stories in this issue, our alumni—past and present—are generous and journey. GEORGIA caring. There are the selfless MCG alumni whose skillful and compassionate care no doubt saved lives and limbs, of and managed the chaotic aftermath of recent national disasters—both natural and manmade. Read also about Dr. J. Harold Harrison, whose historic multimillion-dollar bequest to MCG capped a lifetime of giving, both to this university and to the community. (See page 12.) In this, our 185th year of existence, we pause to remember our past and honor our history. But our focus continues to MEDICAL COLLEGE be on collaborating together to create our best future. u Appointments Kong Named Inaugural Chairwoman of Radiation Oncology Dr. Feng-Ming (Spring) Kong has joined better care for patients, and that we help educate the next MCG as the inaugural Chairwoman of the generation of cancer caregivers.” Department of Radiation Oncology. Noted MCG Dean Peter F. Buckley, “Radiation oncology Kong also co-leads the Lung Cancer is a cornerstone of any cancer program and Dr. Khleif, who Multidisciplinary Clinic and co-directs joined us in early 2012, quickly noted that we needed to build Lung and Esophageal Cancer Programs ours. Dr. Kong is a remarkably accomplished colleague, and at the GRU Cancer Center. her recruitment is a true homerun. We are pleased to work Kong, who reports jointly to the MCG Dean and GRU with the Cancer Center on this important initiative.” Cancer Center Director, served as Associate Professor Early goals include establishing a radiation oncology and Lead of Thoracic Radiation Oncology Research at the residency program, augmenting research infrastructure to University of Michigan before joining GRU. enable expansion of basic science and clinical studies, and An expert in radiation therapy for lung, esophageal, and bringing new treatment paradigms onboard. “This is a place other thoracic cancers, Kong is helping develop personalized with great potential, a growing Cancer Center with a large treatment approaches that improve patient outcomes while population to serve,” Kong said. reducing side effects. Kong is Principal Investigator of a She is Vice President of the American Association of national multi-center trial, co-sponsored by the Radiation Women Radiologists and is a member of the association’s Therapy Oncology Group and the American College of Executive and Strategic Plan Committees. She is the first Radiology Imaging Network, which is the first to use during- President and Chairwoman of the Board of the Sino-American treatment Positron Emission Tomography/Computerized Network for Therapeutic Radiation Oncology. She also chairs Tomography imaging for adaptive radiotherapy for lung the Field Advisory Committee of the National Veterans Affairs cancer. She is also the U.S. Principal Investigator for an Radiation Oncology Program and serves as the American international multi-center trial comparing the stereotactic College of Radiology Commission of Radiation Oncology’s body radiotherapy with surgery for early-stage non-small- liaison to the American Pathology Association. She is a cell lung cancers. She also has a National Cancer Institute- member of the Committee for Oral and Written Board funded study assessing whether functional imaging and other Examinations of the American Board of Radiology and has modern technology can enhance survival for patients with served as a surveyor for the American College of Radiology non-small cell lung cancer.

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