Medical College of Ga. students look to serve rural areas in SWGA
ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The physician shortage in Georgia is critical, especially in rural areas. That is why programs like the Medical College of Georgia are giving more students a chance to develop their clinical skills.
Students here at the Medical College of Georgia Southwest Campus get a chance to get hands-on training serving patients in underserved areas.
“I actually started my training in Albany. I was a Southwest Georgia student. I did my rotations on this campus at Phoebe, and I went back to Augusta for my internal medicine training. They called me back to take over the curriculum for this campus and for the students and really help develop this program,” said Dr. Koosh Desai, assistant dean of the Medical College of Georgia Southwest Campus.
The branch campuses allow more room for medical students to learn about different clinical specialties.
“What I mean by our branch campuses is really a place for our medical students where they do their clinical rotations to have access to other hospitals throughout the state. And allows us to spread those medical students across the entire state. The city of Augusta, itself, there is a medical school center- we have is just not large enough to provide that kind of training,” said Dr. Brooks Keel, president of Augusta University.
One benefit that a current third-year medical student appreciates is the support throughout their journey.
“Really, just had the chance to see that at this campus. We would get a lot of one-on-one support. In addition to that when it really came down to learning what we actually need as a medical student and a physician,” said Michael Bowler, a medical student at the Medical College of Georgia Southwest Campus.
“It’s great in the sense that it has offered me insight into a community that I had no experience working in. I had never been around a rural community, but I think seeing the need here really has opened my eyes to seeing there are a lot of people that are in need of healthcare,” said Daniel E. Herrera, a medical student at the Medical College of Georgia Southwest Campus.
“Programs like this that MCG has to offer where they are intentionally sending students out to where physicians are. You know, really concentrated, will really help open up the door and open up some people’s minds even my own,” Herrera said.
750 graduates of Augusta University are now working in the Albany-Columbus region. Many are learning to take care of patients, but they’re also helping the community outside of the classroom.
One benefit of working in a rural area is not being limited to the different opportunities you have access to.
“You get to do a little bit of everything, and so you get to be a really solid well-rounded physician. You’re not just limited to one specific specialty being in an area that has physician shortages. So, you are going to be doing a lot more things when you come to an area like this,” said Desai.
The future of healthcare is moving towards more advanced technology. That is why the Medical College of Georgia is making sure students can keep up with the changes in healthcare.
“I think they are moving towards technological advances so things like AI, but also things like remote healthcare, so telehealth care. And so we have things like Advanced Imaging Modality, like ultrasound. So, we actually for all our students provide training for ultrasound so that they are ready which is ahead of most institutions,” said Desai.
More exposure to other areas will help close the gap of the physician shortage.
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