The University of Georgia will get its own medical school, which could enroll students as early as 2026, funded as part of a $2 billion plan by Gov. Brian Kemp.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, $50 million of the proposal will go toward the medical school, which is intended to address Georgia’s need for more physicians. Kemp said the school would go a long way to help address the medical workforce gap that Georgia had struggled with, the AJC reported.
As of now, the Medical College of Georgia, which is part of Augusta University but has a campus in Athens, is the only public medical school in the state, according to the Georgia Board of Healthcare Workforce.The proposed plan considers transitioning the partnership to a standalone, independently accredited medical school. The current Athens campus opened in 2010, with a current class size of 60 students.
The medical school’s creation is supported by a feasibility study. Clinical training could be available through Northeast Georgia Health System, Piedmont Healthcare or St. Mary’s Health Care System, all of whom have been identified as interested partners, the report said.
Other areas that will be funded by the proposed $2 billion include infrastructure and a dental school at Georgia Southern University.
