Amanda Lumpkin – Patch Staff – Feb 16, 2024
ATHENS, GA — The University of Georgia will soon be home to the state’s newest medical school, university officials announced this week. The University System of Georgia Board of Regents approved Tuesday the opening of University of Georgia School of Medicine, which will independently operate, according to a UGA news release. An official opening date is unknown.
“This is a very important decision by the Board of Regents and a historic moment for our state and university. As a land-grant and sea-grant research university, our commitment to Georgia is unwavering, and the new University of Georgia School of Medicine will expand our positive impact on Georgians in many critical ways,” UGA President Jere W. Morehead said in the release.
“The School of Medicine will significantly expand the pool of medical professionals in Georgia, attract more top-tier scientists and researchers to the state, and produce more physicians to serve underserved and rural Georgia communities.”
Funding for the new school will come from the state government, as well as money from private and public support, university officials said. University officials said Georgia, with a population of about 11 million residents, currently has a shortage of medical professionals and an existing period of longer wait times at facilities.
“The UGA School of Medicine will help address the health care needs of Georgia while also serving as a springboard for economic development that advances our state,” said S. Jack Hu, UGA senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, in the release. “The school will attract additional researchers and scientists as well as biomedical companies and startups, fueling discovery and commercialization that create new opportunities for Georgians.”
The University of Georgia School of Medicine will join the following Georgia medical schools:
- Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, Augusta
- Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta
- Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta
- Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon
- Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine – Georgia Campus, Suwanee