RANDSt LI6.RA* (J B E AB-216 E.R 8, Number 18 Thursday, September 10, 1998 MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA Volume Robert Wood Johnson Employees Canvass the Country Funding Continued to Grab Some R&R TONI BAKER CHRISTINE HURLEY DERISO enjoy hiking, and I've The Medical College of Georgia has received a $666,000 con­ It may not sound very restful or relaxing to tor of special gifts. "I just so much of the state. The tinuation grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to sup­ most people, but Jim Milliard spent his seen prettiest scenery was when we port the university's initiatives to educate more primary care summer vacation pedaling hundreds through the mountains about physicians for Georgia and to help prepare future physicians for of miles in the hot Georgia sun. rode years ago." managed care. Every summer, Jim dons his three he said, are welcome. "The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funding has been an hiking shorts, snaps on his helmet Novices, "That's the beauty of it. Some important catalyst for change in our educational programs for and joins about 2,000 other haven't ridden a bike in a medical students and primary care residents," said Dr. Daniel W. Georgians for a weeklong bike ride people long time and some are very Rahn, vice dean for Clinical Affairs of the MCG School of throughout the state. long, There are lots of families. Medicine. "The foundation's continued support has allowed us to This year's Bicycle Ride Across serious. a 9-year-old girl rode make significant curricular changes which are now integrated into Georgia, an annual trek that maps out This year, with her grandfather, and she made our educational program at all levels." different 400-mile routes each June, \ way. I was impressed." MCG is one of 14 U.S. medical schools receiving funding snaked along the Atlanta perimeter, it the whole doesn't mind cycling through from the foundation, the country's largest health care philan­ hitting towns such as Covington, Jim humidity; most of the hiking thropy. The foundation's Generalist Physician Initiative targets the Newnan and Commerce. The bikers, heat and in the early morning and the nation's need for more family medicine physicians, general representing all age groups and levels is done stop for water every 10 miles internists and general pediatricians. MCG has received nearly $2 of cycling proficiency, covered about cyclists so. And cycling in hot weather, he million from the foundation to support its Generalist Physician 65 miles a day. They slept in tents or or sure beats cycling in bitter cold. Initiative beginning with a planning grant in 1992. donated school and college buildings. noted, many people prefer to "The Generalist Physician Initiative has four major areas in Vans followed the cyclists with supplies Of course, during vacations. Nancy which we have developed programs: admissions, undergraduate and emergency medical assistance, if avoid exertion a senior accounting assistant, curriculum, residency training and practice entry and support," needed. Pearce, vacation in Hilton said Dr. Max Miller, professor of medicine and director of MCG's "This is the sixth year I've done the BRAG spent her summer on the beach and shopping. Office of Generalist Education. trip," said Jim, Medical College of Georgia direc- Head Island, sunning in south­ The programs reach into high schools and colleges ]im Milliard, above See "Vacations," page 4 west Georgia, one of the state's most medically underserved regions, by enabling students to shadow practicing physicians. "Many of these students never even considered medicine as a career, never mind becoming a primary care physician," Dr. Miller Emergency Services Has Unprecedented Growth have two of those said. "But as a result of this program we now SALLY SIMKINS students in medical school at MCG." The idea behind reaching out to students from these areas is that many health care profes­ The Medical College of ical practice incorporating mul­ ume has increased 20 percent. sionals return to their hometowns to practice, he said. Georgia Department of tiple service lines. A new name, "Importantly, this growth has As soon as students begin medical school, they get a taste of a Emergency Medicine has had Emergency and Express Care taken place in a growing man­ primary care by shadowing practitioners in a generalist specialty. unprecedented growth and Services, was selected to better aged care market with no dra­ expansion since its creation in define the department's expand­ matic growth in area popula­ See "Funding," page 4 September 1996. ed rule. tion." "From its inception, the pro­ Existing or imminent service In the fiscal year ending to lines in addition to the tradition­ Jue 30, the Emergency U.S. Postage gram's intent has been al emergency department PAID expand beyond the traditional pediatric emergency See "Emergency Division of Institutional Relations Permit No. 210 practice of emergency medi­ include express care, Medicine," page 7 Medical College of Georgia Augusta, GA cine," said Dr. Larry B. Mellick, medicine, pediatric adult express care (urgent care), Augusta, Georgia 30912 Non-Profit Org. director of Emergency Services. "It has become obvious to many occupational medicine, an that the practice of emergency observation unit and an associ­ medicine must [make a] transi­ ated chest pain program, tion to match the health care telemedicine and the pediatric changes occurring as a conse­ and adult trauma services. quence of managed care." "Already our best marker for The intent of the two-year success, patient volumes, has STUDENT old Department of Emergency provided strong indications that PULSE Medicine has been to create a the premises on which the pro­ national model for emergency gram has been built are valid," medicine that includes a more Dr. Mellick said. Since the pro­ PAGE 5 comprehensive outpatient med­ gram began in 1996, patient vol­ Thursday, September 10, 1998 MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA Page 10 SCCC Under Way; $180,000 Goal Set The State Charitable Contributions Campaign state and national charities. "All MCG faculty Two general types of charities are approved for partici­ is under way at MCG and this year's on-campus and staff will be receiving through the mail pation in this year's charitable contributions program: indepen­ goal is $180,000. pledge cards and a campaign brochure listing dent charitable organizations and federated charitable organiza­ "We have an excellent volunteer group all organizations that are approved to receive tions. The 34 independent charitable organizations conduct a wide working on this worthy project and we're confi­ funds through the State Charitable range of health, welfare and educational programs and provide dent that our goal will be met,"said Dr. James B. Contributions Campaign," said Dr. Puryear. services to individuals on a statewide basis. Forty-two charitable Puryear, vice president for student affairs and Created in 1982 by the Georgia federations include 38 local United Ways and four independent chairman of the 1998 campaign. "MCG employ­ General Assembly, the SCCC is authorized as a federations. ees have always been generous in helping others once a year, statewide opportunity for employ­ The federations coordinate fund raising and allocations through the State Charitable Contributions ees to make charitable contributions to eligible for over 900 local charitable organizations that provide services Campaign and we hope this will be a record organizations through payroll deduction. Cash, throughout Georgia. Contributions designated for member agen­ year." checks and money orders also are accepted. cies of a federated charitable organization are directed to the fed­ The campaign is an annual effort which While helping these charities in their eration for distribution to their member agencies. reaches out to all state employees. Contributions, work to better our communities, the campaign To learn more about the charities that are approved for which exceeded $165,000 in last year's campus also spares MCG employees from receiving participation in this year's charitable contributions program, visit campaign, are used to support over 1,000 local, multiple solicitations from throughout the year. the Georgia Merit System's web page at www.gms.state.ga.us. Employee Services and Benefits. 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