SGMC Health Mercer University’s Newest Clinical Campus in Valdosta

SGMC Health is slated to become Mercer University’s (MUSM) newest clinical campus.

Beginning this summer, SGMC Health will welcome its first batch of third- and fourth-year medical students. According to Mercer, the goal of opening a clinical site in Valdosta is to expose medical students to the high-quality treatment provided by a tertiary medical facility that serves rural populations.

The MUSM Valdosta location will be located in a dedicated Medical Education Unit at 2501 N. Patterson St., and will include all required clerkships and electives for Year 3, as well as multiple rotations for Year 4 of the MD program, beginning in July 2024.

“The opportunity to partner with SGMC gives our students a chance to experience a comprehensive rural hospital environment with excellent physicians, other highly trained professionals and the latest equipment and technology,” said Dr. Jean Sumner, the dean of the School of Medicine at Stanford University. “Also, the level of dedication to the region and the people who use SGMC’s services is noteworthy. Our pupils are all from Georgia, with many coming from South Georgia. Our aim is that after this experience, they would decide to stay in the region and practice.”

Joseph Hayes, MD, a MUSM graduate, will lead the Valdosta campus as associate dean. He is currently the Designated Institutional Official at SGMC. Additionally, SGMC Health is building a medical simulation center in Valdosta to facilitate medical practice activities such as standardized patient contacts.

In addition, the center will offer interdisciplinary training sessions in partnership with VSU’s health professions programs. SGMC Health has set aside $250,000 for the acquisition of virtual reality and high-fidelity models for ultrasonography and procedural training.