FEATURE
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Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Pediatric Scholars, Marriage and Family Therapy Scholars Announced
| Left to right: 2024 Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Pediatric Scholars; Larry Greenbaum, M.D., Ph.D., Division Chief, Nephrology, Children’s; Jim Fortenberry, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, Children’s; School of Medicine Dean Jean Sumner, M.D., FACP; Marc Welsh, Vice President of Child Advocacy and Chief Diversity Officer, Children’s; Linda Matzigkeit, Chief Administrative Officer, Children’s; Mercer University President William D. Underwood; and 2024 Children's Rural Family Therapy Scholars. Photo by John Knight | |
Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) recently announced the first cohort of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Marriage and Family Therapy Scholars and the second cohort of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Rural Pediatric Scholars for the 2024 academic year.
These scholars will receive full tuition for up to four academic years and have made a commitment to serve children of rural Georgia after completing their education. The scholars will also receive specialized training at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta’s (Children’s) facilities, including autism training for the Master of Family Therapy students.
MUSM selected scholars based on their commitment to become pediatricians or family therapists, strong ties to rural Georgia, character, leadership qualities, community involvement, and their commitment to serving in rural, underserved Georgia after their scholarship obligations are met. They must maintain good academic standing.
“These scholars are filling a critical need in our rural communities,” said Jim Fortenberry, M.D., chief medical officer, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “The pediatric expertise they develop through their training will have a tremendous impact on the areas where they serve, and we are grateful for their commitment to the kids and families of Georgia.”
MUSM Dean Jean Sumner, M.D., FACP said, “Physical health includes mental health, yet rural Georgia has few mental health providers. There is no pediatrician in over half of Georgia’s rural counties. The presence of family therapists with additional training in autism will bring profound improvement in mental health to rural areas.”
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Alicia Williams, fourth-year Mercer University School of Medicine student, is pictured with her inaugural Maternal Health Observership cohort, left, and at Match Day 2024, right. | |
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Inaugural Maternal Health Observership Alum Reflects on Program Experience, Matches with OB/GYN Residency
by Kayla Stroud, Communications and Events Specialist
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The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC) is preparing to usher in its fourth cohort of second-year medical students for a summer of the Maternal Health Observership program.
Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) fourth-year student Alicia Williams inspired the idea for the observership program in 2020 as a way to offer a summer internship with an obstetrics and gynecology focus.
"I started surveying people, surveying the climate — just asking to see if this was something Mercer could do. I ultimately did get a meeting set up with Dean Sumner, and I prepared a PowerPoint showing her all these great things that bring more awareness to maternal health challenges in rural Georgia," said Williams.
Williams credits GRHIC and Jean Sumner, M.D., FACP, dean of MUSM, for the quick response and for listening to her interests in maternal health in rural communities. “The whole process felt like a whirlwind because two months later, GRHIC announced that it was launching a Maternal Health Observership and taking applications for the first cohort.”
"I think the effort from the GRHIC staff, along with Dean Sumner, speaks to Mercer's character as an institution,” said Williams. “To do something that grand in such a short amount of time speaks to the people who support Mercer and want the best for their medical students."
The observership offers medical students interested in obstetrics and gynecology an expanded learning experience in rural, medically underserved communities. For six weeks, students shadow physicians in rural Georgia and participate in a specialized curriculum in their field.
Williams said participating in the program was a beneficial learning experience, citing the chance to shadow the attending physicians, spend time in their private practice, meet their patients, and build relationships with them. Williams’ favorite memories from the experience were the opportunities to interact with patients, the experience as a whole, and the family that she gained throughout the process.
"Learning and getting hands-on experience in the field of OB/GYN early in my medical education sealed the deal about doing this as a career. Even after I left the program, the physicians who taught me that summer always followed up," said Williams. "They'd always ask: 'Hey, how did your test go?', 'How are rotations going?' or 'Are you still interested in OB/GYN?' Even when it came time for the match: 'What letters do you need?', 'How can we help you be successful?' It was constant support and reassurance. It felt like I had a family who wanted me to accomplish my goals and be who I wanted to be."
Kedrick Williams, DHA, MPH, senior rural health project manager and observership coordinator, noted the significant growth the program has experienced over the last four years and recognizes Alicia Williams' vital role in the program's development.
"The summer program has grown in student outreach regarding the number of students recruited to participate and the number of schools represented," said Dr. Williams. "In addition to the clinical areas that students have the opportunity to be exposed to across rural Georgia, we have more sites and a greater variety of clinical sites."
The program will welcome students from MUSM and Morehouse School of Medicine on June 17 for the six-week program. Among the activities, participants will shadow maternal health care providers in rural areas, complete problem-analysis research projects, view documentaries highlighting maternal health disparities and more.
Williams matched with Wellstar Kennestone Regional Medical Center's OB/GYN residency program in Marietta. She leaves this advice for the incoming cohort: "Be extremely open to learning, have a great attitude, be ready to ask all the questions that you can, really show your interest and find your passion, find what you're curious about, and try to relate to all of your experience that you gain over your six weeks. And be ready for anything."
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Farmers Mentor Farmers
by John McElveen, Ed.D., Director of the Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance (GAWA)
GAWA is powered by Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center at Mercer University School of Medicine
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One evening, multigenerational farmer Will Groover, of Bulloch County, finished his day’s work and began driving his tractor out of the field when he received a call. Idling his tractor down, he paused, took the call and listened to the voice on the other end.
That voice belonged to Heath Lynn, a farmer 13 years younger, who operates a 650-acre row crop and a 100-head cattle operation in nearby Tattnall County; this operation is based on a farm originally owned by his grandfather. He also operates a small trucking business specializing in transporting agricultural products to market for fellow farmers. Lynn reached out to Groover to get guidance on GPS-guided spraying operations and the potential impacts on peanut production. That conversation would help Lynn work through stress he was experiencing, stress that was rooted in various “what-if” scenarios running through his mind.
Such conversations occur regularly as Lynn works through the multi-faceted challenges farmers face that seem to grow in complexity each year. Groover offers his perspective and thoughts based on his own experience gained over the years.
While Groover and his brother, Clark, had the benefit of growing into farming with their father’s guidance, Lynn’s path into farming was quite different. His father had passed away when Lynn was very young, and by the time he reached sufficient age to pursue his dream of farming, his grandfather was no longer working. Lynn is a first-generation farmer for practical purposes.
Farmers without the built-in support and resources inherent in a generational farm often experience more stress. As Groover puts it, “Clark and I were blessed to have our daddy’s guidance and experience to lean on. So, I really admire someone like Heath who has the desire and passion to overcome the challenges of not just farming, but farming without family support. Because of that, I’m happy to help Heath in talking through things whenever needed.”
Read More
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Do You Need Volunteers for Your Rural Project? | |
MUSM and GRHIC Expand KidsABC to Newly Selected Hospitals | |
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Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) and its Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center (GRHIC) are expanding their rural pediatric health initiative to additional rural counties across Georgia with the selection of six hospitals, totaling 14.
In February 2023, the School of Medicine and GRHIC, with the support of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (Children’s), launched a major initiative to strengthen access to pediatric health care in rural communities across the state of Georgia. This effort established the Kids Alliance for Better Care (KidsABC) and initially involved hospitals, pediatricians and school systems in 12 rural Georgia counties.
Georgia rural hospitals currently face many challenges regarding their ability to treat and keep pediatric patients in their communities. To better equip rural hospitals to respond to pediatric patients in the emergency departments, KidsABC assists rural hospitals with meeting milestones to significantly enhance the care they already provide for their youngest patients. The goal is to keep care for kids close to home. For year two of the initiative, MUSM and GRHIC have selected six additional hospitals:
- Bleckley Memorial Hospital, Bleckley County
- Colquitt Regional Medical Center, Colquitt County
- Elbert Memorial Hospital, Elbert County
- Evans Memorial Hospital, Evans County
- Monroe County Hospital, Monroe County
- Wayne Memorial Hospital, Wayne County
“Growing the KidsABC program is essential to continue expanding and strengthening the care pediatric patients receive at home, in their hospitals and in their pediatrician’s office,” said MUSM Dean Jean R. Sumner, M.D., FACP. “The plan is to build on the success of the first year of KidsABC. We believe the relationships and the work done will be transformative for rural Georgia. The commitment from Children’s is significant and will expand the local and regional health care landscape now and for years to come. The School of Medicine and its Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center are honored to work with rural physicians and health care professionals to bring needed resources and training so they can provide the highest level of care to their community.”
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KidsABC Hospital ED Staff Complete Trainings at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Registered nurses and respiratory therapists from hospitals participating in the KidsABC Rural Hospital Emergency Department Collaborative attended an education day at the Children's Healthcare of Atlanta Support Center. Education sessions were based on the principles of pediatric patients, developmental milestones of children, and recommendations on addressing pediatric patients and their families.
Attendees participated in activities related to pediatric assessment, caring for the deteriorating patient, and identifying the needs for different pediatric supplies and equipment. The Children's Child Advocacy Team closed out the day with a session on non-accidental trauma and the different signs of domestic abuse commonly seen in pediatric patients, as well as resources for hospital staff.
These free training days give KidsABC rural hospitals the training, resources and tools they need to strengthen the care they already provide to children. Trainings will continue throughout the year.
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Rural Hospital Emergency Department Collaborative
In addition to Cohort 1 staff ED training education days at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, dates will soon be released for Cohort 2 leadership trainings. Telehealth assessments have been completed at all Cohort 2 hospitals. Monthly meetings continue with all hospitals to review progress with the Pediatric Readiness Checklist, and we are excited to see several hospitals from Cohort 1 approaching the finish line. We are proud of the progress that all hospitals continue to make, and we look forward to several summer celebrations. Planning continues for the 2025 implementation of a comprehensive pediatric simulation training network for KidsABC hospitals.
Rural Pediatrician Support Collaborative
The Rural Pediatric Continuing Education Conference will be held on May 17 on Mercer University's Macon campus. We will be offering 6 CNE and 5 CME credits to all attending professionals for free. We have a phenomenal list of professional subject matter experts to speak on topics including telehealth specialty care, hearing health care, pediatric endocrinology, and sleep medicine. The conference will also feature a panel of pediatric providers highlighting innovative ways to address patient challenges. The conference welcomes all pediatric providers including physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, office managers and staff. Register today.
Over the past couple of months, in-person visits have been made to all newly selected pediatricians, and the official announcement is coming soon. We are currently perfecting the rural telehealth workflow so that we can begin scheduling telehealth appointments with sub-specialists in the pediatric offices. We are excited to bring this option to rural children and their families.
Rural Pediatric Mental Health Collaborative
The 2024-2025 fall screening pilot will serve four counties, five school systems with 25 schools. Enhancements to be implemented include an opt-out consent method, attendance and outreach at back-to-school and fall school functions to inform parents about the screening. The original cohort from 2023-2024 will be offered the Raising Resiliency training by Children's Healthcare of Atlanta.
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Portfolio Projects
The portfolio website is up and running for the Mercer School of Medicine. Two projects are available to sign up for already: 1) Improving depression screener rates in teens during Well Child Visits, and 2) Increasing provision of asthma action plans for asthmatic people ages 2-18. These projects have predetermined aims and measures, and were both approved by the American Board of Pediatrics.
A crash course on quality improvement (QI) has been designed and is currently being reviewed for ease of comprehension. This crash course is designed to be taught to anyone interested in quality improvement in function of the American Board of Pediatrics’ Maintenance of Certification. The course contains a brief history of QI, what QI means in healthcare and why it is important, what the role is of the American Board of Pediatrics in QI, what the Model For Improvement entails, and it explains key concepts, such as PDSA cycles, Kaizen, etc. It also covers different ways to design, analyze, and visualize QI studies, such as root cause analysis, fishbone diagram, pareto analysis, failure mode and effects analysis, etc.
Anyone considering joining or starting a new or existing project, can reach out to Anne Montgomery, Ph.D., at Montgomery_a@mercer.edu for more information.
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Training and News for Rural Pediatric Health Care Providers
Rural Pediatric News is published bimonthly and highlights training and continuing medical education options, recommended reading, physician spotlights, seasonal health and wellness information to share with patients, and more.
The Pediatric Advanced Speakers Series is a free monthly training series for providers to earn CME credits, offered by Mercer University School of Medicine, through one-hour virtual training sessions with subject matter experts in a variety of topics. PASS includes peer-led rural pediatric patient case studies and an in-person continuing education conference.
If you are a rural pediatric provider, please click to register for trainings and subscribe to Rural Pediatric News.
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2024 Ongoing Center Initiatives | |
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Maternal Health Improvement
All Rural Counties
Kedrick Williams
Maternal Health Observership
All Rural Counties
Kedrick Williams
Maternal Health Symposium
All Rural Counties
Joan Anderson
Community Health Reporter
All Rural Counties
Kedrick Williams, Harvey Moody
Clinical Ethics ECHO
All Rural Counties
Chris Scoggins, Samantha Johnson
Opioid Misuse Prevention Project
Rural Hospitals
Glenda Grant
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ASIST Suicide Training
All Rural Counties
Travis Crafter
Community Resiliency
Model (CRM)
All Rural Counties
Joan Anderson, Travis Crafter
Mental Health First Aid
All Rural Counties
Kedrick Williams,
Glenda Grant
Pediatric Mental Health Initiative
Ben Hill, Jefferson, Washington
Joan Anderson
Barber/Beauty Shop Project
Randolph County
Harvey Moody
Rural Medicine Pathways Events
All Rural Counties
Glenda Grant
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QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) Gatekeeper Training for Suicide Prevention
All Rural Counties
Joan Anderson
Faith in Rural Health
Berrien, Putnam, Toombs/Montgomery
Paul Byrd
Health Fairs
Rural Partners
Amanda Livingston
Georgia Agricultural Wellness Alliance
All Counties
John McElveen
Continuing Medical Education and Continuing Nursing Education Training
Harvey Moody
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The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center works with rural partners to enhance health education through health fairs.
We encourage these community members to join us:
Washington County | April 27 | 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
Co-Hosts: Representative Mack Jackson, Washington County Regional Medical Center, Washington EMC
Location: Washington EMC building, 258 N Harris St, Sandersville, GA 31082
Harris County | July 13 | 9 a.m.–Noon
Co-Host: Harris County School District
Location: Harris County Community Center, 7509 GA-116, Hamilton, GA 31811
Are you a vendor wanting to participate in a health fair?
Submit the application below.
BECOME A VENDOR
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The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center is hosting the 2024 Maternal Health Symposium.
Join us on June 20, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. on Mercer University's Macon campus.
Topics & Discussions
– The Roles of the Maternal Health Care Team
– Maternal Mortality in Rural Georgia
– The Invitro Fertilization Journey
– Practicing Care: Compassion, Attitude, Resiliency, Empathy
– Maternal and Fetal Medicine
CME and CNE credits available.
REGISTER
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Are you a physician, health care professional, faith leader, or a student in health care, theology, or public health?
Join us for the Faith in Rural Health Summit as we explore how health care providers and faith leaders can collaborate to tackle their communities’ health challenges. The summit aims to encourage and facilitate deeper connections between these two vital sectors, leading to enhanced health care outcomes in rural Georgia counties.
Topics & Discussions
– One Physician’s Reflection on Medical/Faith Lessons Learned from COVID
– The Church’s Role in Rural Public Health Collaborations
– Successful Faith-Health Partnership in Rural Georgia
– Best Practices for Addressing the Spiritual Needs that Patients Bring to Medical Settings
Six CME credits will be offered.
LEARN MORE
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ABOUT THE CENTER
In 2018, Georgia lawmakers dedicated special funds to establish a new Rural Health Innovation Center tasked with confronting the complex health care challenges and wellness disparities facing rural communities. Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) was awarded the grant funds in 2019 and formally established the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center on its Macon campus. MUSM boasts a longstanding commitment to serving rural Georgia’s health needs, with a mission to educate physicians dedicated to tackling the health challenges in rural Georgia. The Rural Health Innovation Center serves as a critical resource to rural communities to improve access and effectiveness of health care by offering research, collaboration, and training opportunities.
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