Impacting Georgia and the World by Augusta University

Impacting Georgia and the World

The Next Great American University Find out how you can be a part: SVPAdvancement@gru.edu

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Great American University

Dear Readers,

Talk of transformation has abounded since Augusta State University and Georgia Health Sciences University consolidated in January, creating Georgia Regents University. And transformation is certainly required for us to fulfill our mission of providing leadership I’m often asked what has surprised me the most since beginning my presidency, and the same answer always springs to mind: The loyalty and and excellence in teaching, discovery, clinical dedication of GRU students, staff and faculty. I have been impressed and care and service as a student-centered humbled by the unwavering commitment of each and every member of comprehensive research the GRU community to advance our university, not for selfish reasons, but for the sake of those we serve: our patients, our community, our state, university and academic our world. health center. Members of the GRU community don’t just know our mission, they But some things live it. They seem to intuitively understand that a job at GRU isn’t just a job; it is a calling. It is an opportunity to serve others in a profoundly about our enterprise meaningful way. Whether we are educating future generations, finding shouldn’t change. new cures in a laboratory, treating patients at the bedside or serving in

Ricardo Azziz, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A. President, Georgia Regents University

many other crucial roles, each and every one of us is making the world a better place. How many “jobs” offer that kind of fulfillment? What makes me most proud is that our students, staff and faculty take their dedication a step further through volunteerism. Whether organizing literacy events, staffing health fairs, building homes for the needy, organizing Third World mission trips or participating in countless other initiatives, members of our university never hesitate to roll up their sleeves to serve others. It would be impossible to quantify the enormity of this commitment, but this report offers a snapshot of how they serve our state, both at work and in their spare time. I am privileged to witness their dedication day in and day out. I believe our greatest strength lies in those who give their all every day for the greater good. That’s one thing that will never change. n

The Governor’s vision for health professions education in Georgia is a hub-and-spoke model characterized by: GRU serving as a hub that serves spokes throughout the state Advanced and doctoral programs that leverage the high costs of faculty and resources Student exposure to a broad array of patient care situations Georgia Governor Nathan Deal

Clinical experiences for students in rural areas

Georgia’s commitment to medical education includes: Increasing enrollment to 1,050 by the year 2020, making MCG one of the largest medical schools in the country 90 training sites statewide Expanded training partnerships in Albany, Athens, Rome and Savannah

Our Colleges

Founded in 1828

College of Allied Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine College of Education College of Graduate Studies

The stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only dental school, training 1 in 4 Georgia dentists

College of Nursing College of Science and Mathematics

Medical College of Georgia

OUR MISSION

Katherine Reese Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

To provide leadership and

James M. Hull College of Business

excellence in teaching,

The nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 13th-oldest medical school, training 1 in 5 Georgia physicians

discovery, clinical care and service as a student-oriented

SATELLITE/PARTNER CAMPUSES

comprehensive research university and academic

GRU/University of Georgia Medical Partnership

health center with a wide

MCG Campus in Albany

range of programs from learning assistance through postdoctoral studies.

10,000 students 650 acres of campus 1,000 full-time faculty Nearly 150 buildings 5,000 staff members

MCG Campus in Rome MCG Campus in Savannah College of Nursing at Athens

Our Students

The glue holding the entire university together?

Alumni live in and practice health care in almost every Georgia county.

Jaguar Nation!

Our faculty and students provide healthRegents care at more than 800 sites. Georgia University

Dade

Clinical/Teaching Sites in Georgia: 2012 Through our direct and indirect economic impact, we >20 10-19 5-9 1-4 have created 50,000Number of sites additional jobs statewide. Towns

Fannin

Catoosa Whitfield Walker

Pickens

Dawson

Cherokee

Bartow

White

Cobb

Douglas

Barrow

Gwinnett

Madison

k da

Bibb

Chattahoochee

Marion

Macon

Stewart

Webster

Quitman

of science education, addressing

doctoral, postdoctoral and

statewide and national workforce

professional degrees in

Clay

needs. STEM projects receive funding

medicine, dentistry,

Early

and partnership opportunities from

nursing, biomedical

the nearby Savannah River Site and

research and

its affiliated entities, including the

allied health

Savannah River National Laboratory.

sciences.

Terrell

Randolph

Dodge Wilcox

Crisp

Ben Hill

Worth

Coffee

Tift Berrien

Mitchell

Georgia Regents University

Dade

Fannin

Catoosa

Whitfield Walker Chattooga

Murray Gordon

Towns Rabun Union 1/08/2013

Gilmer

Habersham Lumpkin

Pickens

Dawson

White

Stephens Banks

Franklin

Thomas

Bryan

Tattnall

Chatham

Brooks

>20

Lowndes

10-19

Lanier

Long

Bacon

Wayne

McIntosh

Pierce Ware

Cook

Seminole

Grady

Evans

Toombs

Atkinson

Colquitt

Other men’s and women’s sports includeClinical/Teaching Sites in Georgia: 2012 volleyball, cross country, baseball, tennis, outdoor Number of Sites track and field, softball and cheerleading. Decatur

Bulloch

Appling

Jeff Davis

Irwin

Baker Miller

Wheeler

Effingham

Candler

Liberty

Lee

Dougherty

Treutlen

Telfair

Turner

Calhoun

Laurens

Bleckley

Pulaski

Dooly

Sumter

Screven Emanuel

o m er y

of improving health and reducing the burden of illness on society.

Jenkins Johnson

Twiggs

Houston

Burke

Mo ntg

Schley

Jefferson

Wilkinson

Peach

Richmond

Glascock

Washington

Crawford Taylor

Hancock

Baldwin

Jones

Monroe

Talbot

satellite campuses throughout the state, learn the art and science

Putnam

Columbia

Lamar

Upson

(science, technology, engineering

Taliaferro

uffi

Pike Meriwether

Muscogee

Clinical Teaching Sites

Lincoln

Warren

Jasper

Butts

Spalding

Students on the Health Sciences Campus, as well as partner and

Greene

Henry

Fayette

The campus’s STEM initiative

Wilkes

Morgan

Newton

Coweta

Harris

Oconee

McD

Clayton

Heard

Elbert

Clarke Oglethorpe

Walton

DeKalb

Fulton

Carroll

Hart

Paulding

This campus offers master’s,

Franklin

Banks

Hall

Forsyth

Haralson

Troup

students pursuing these critical areas

Stephens

Jackson

Polk

Habersham

Lumpkin

Gordon

Floyd

Students on our Summerville Campus receive a second-to-none liberal arts education characterized by nationally renowned jewels including the highly respected Hull College of Business, the College of Education and the prestigious Sand Hills Writers Series housed in the Pamplin College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.

Gilmer

Murray

Chattooga

and math) offers distinction for

Rabun

Union

R oc

GRU’s growing intercollegiate athletics program includes the Jaguar Men’s Golf Team, which won the 2009-10 and 2010-11 NCAA Division I National Championship, and the Jaguar Men’s Basketball Team, which won the 2009-10 NCAA Division II Southeast Regional Championship.

We produce the largest number of primary-care clinicians in Georgia.

Brantley

Clinch Charlton

Glynn

Camden

Echols

5-9

1-4

Number of sites

Our Clinical Care

Centers of Excellence Women’s Health

As one of only two academic health centers in the state, Georgia Regents Medical Center offers more specialized care than any other area hospital. We are dedicated to helping patients in need and provide over $100 million in charitable and uncompensated care annually.

Cardiovascular Children’s Hospital of Georgia Neuroscience Orthopedics Gamma Knife Center

The Health System FY2012* Patient Care at a Glance

478-bed acute care adult hospital 154-bed Children’s Hospital of Georgia— second-largest in Georgia 400-plus physician multi-specialty groups 80-plus outpatient facilities Region’s only Level 1 Trauma Center

REACH Telestroke Network An innovative network of care providers that overcomes geographic

19,447

Inpatient Admissions:

Clinic Visits: 356,767

Uncompensated Inpatient Care: $28,993,097

$30,000,000

Uncompensated Outpatient Care: $13,971,092

$25,000,000

disparities in acute

stroke care and

Inpatient Charity Care: $11,806,020

Outpatient Charity Care: $6,594,908

extends state-of-the-art stroke therapies to

Uncompensated and Charity Care

patients in rural areas. *July 1, 2011-June 30, 2012

$35,255,158

$40,000,000 $35,000,000

$35,302,094 $29,262,647 $24,011,292

$20,000,000 $15,000,000 $10,000,000

$17,831,238 $14,612,447

FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012

Source: Office of Executive Vice President for Health Affairs

Our Impact on the Economy Georgia Regents University is a: $1 billion-plus enterprise with a direct economic impact of $2.5 billion on the local economy and an indirect impact of $12 billion. A Georgia Hospital Association study released recently reported that the Georgia Regents Medical Center pumped $1.04 billion into the local economy in fiscal year 2010, up $26 million from 2009.

Additionally, the academic and research

University will considerably increase the

an economic multiplier developed by the

initiatives of the former Georgia Health

university’s economic impact, particularly

U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of

Sciences University generated more than

when considering projected growth by 2030

Economic Analysis, the total economic impact

$832 million locally, according to a 2010

including a 20,000-strong student body,

of the Medical Center was $1.04 billion. This

University System of Georgia report, for a

an extensive portfolio of online educational

value takes into account the trickle-down

combined impact of $1.9 billion.

opportunities, at least eight regional

effect of hospital expenditures on other

“An academic health center is a powerful

campuses and one of the top 50 medical

sectors of the economy, such as medical

economic engine. As we fulfill our tripartite

centers in the nation.

suppliers, durable medical equipment and

mission of education, research and health

The 2010 Selig Center study showed

pharmaceuticals.

care delivery, Georgia Regents University

that, on average, for every dollar of initial

Using a household earnings multiplier,

makes a tremendous impact on Georgia’s

spending in a community by a University

the GHA report determined that the Medical

bottom line,” said GRU President Ricardo

System institution, an additional 38 cents

Center generated more than $417 million

Azziz.

was generated for the local economy.

in household earnings in the local and

Azziz also pointed out that the two

The total economic impact of hospitals

state economies. The household earnings

reports do not include the economic impact

to Georgia’s bottom line in 2010 was $38

formula measures the increased economic

of Georgia Regents Medical Associates,

billion, according to the GHA. Augusta-area

contributions from households employed

the faculty practice group aligned with

hospitals generated nearly $2.6 billion, with

directly or indirectly by the Medical Center.

the enterprise, which he estimates adds

the Medical Center’s contribution accounting

“These figures are a key indicator of the

another $100 million to $200 million in

for 41 percent of that total.

generous community benefit our enter-prise

economic impact annually. And of course,

The GHA report revealed direct

delivers,” Azziz said.

the recent consolidation of Augusta State

expenditures of $453 million for the Medical

University and Georgia Health Sciences

Center; however, when combined with

Our Research 1 of 4 public comprehensive research institutions in Georgia

GRUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s research initiative also is home to the

Life Sciences Business Development Center, a business incubator to expedite

$90-plus million in funding in fiscal 2011-12

biomedical laboratory findings

$63 million in National Institutes of Health funding in fiscal 2011-12

Current tenants in the center:

to the bedside and marketplace.

Areas of Focus:

Camellix, harnessing the

Cancer

power of green tea to develop natural treatments for illnesses both common and rare

Neuroscience and Behavioral Medicine Cardiovascular Biology Molecular Medicine Genomics

SISENE Oncology, developing therapies to treat the most aggressive forms of cancer

Luminomics, transforming cell regeneration into disease treatment

Jinfiniti, using technology to better diagnose and treat diabetes and cancer

Regenerative and Reparative Medicine Disease Prevention Pediatric Care

The GRU

Cancer Center is now the only cancer research center

in the state that can sequence the entire human genome in 24 hours for about $6,000â&#x20AC;&#x201D;thanks to an upgrade in technology that researchers believe will allow them to develop more targeted therapies for cancer.

Our Global Reach:

Anchored in Georgia, Serving the World Research collaboration in Paris, France

GRUâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home base is in Augusta, Georgia...

Educational partnership with Jianghan University in China

GEORGIA REGENTS UNIVERSITY

Tropical medicine courses in Thailand Maritime medicine courses in Honduras Mission work in Nigeria

...but our impact can be felt across the world. Just a small sample of our global service initiatives includes:

GRU-staffed dental and obstetrics clinics in Cusco, Peru

Helping Others The following is just a sample of the many volunteer efforts of our faculty, staff and students during 2012.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Autism Support Group

TH E A -TE AM

Davina Drakeley-Lever had been a pediatric nurse for 15 years, but when her son, Alwyn, started showing signs of autism, she was the last to realize it. She wasn’t prepared for the diagnosis that officially came shortly before his third birthday: severe autism. Drakeley-Lever sought support and found it at Camp Puzzlepalooza in Aiken, a church-sponsored camp for children and families with autism-spectrum disorders. As a nurse, she realized that she was in a unique position to bring those parents together at Children’s Hospital of Georgia (CHOG). She took her idea to Dr. Caroline DiBittisto, who specializes in developmental pediatrics, and together they formed the Autism Spectrum Disorder Support and Resource Group—the

A-Team for short. “The resources and information we share at monthly meetings is evidence-based,” said DiBattisto. “We want to give families educational information about what does work or what may be helpful for their family so they can make informed decisions,” she said. Alwyn, now 8, is in first grade and receives speech therapy at home, as well as speech and occupational therapy at school. “My husband and I have learned to appreciate the baby steps Alwyn makes as giant leaps forward. We hope the families who participate in the A-Team will be able to say that, too.” n

“The resources and information we share at monthly meetings is evidence-based.” DR . C AR OL I N E DI B I T T I S TO

The A-Team meets the first Tuesday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. in the CHOG Family Resource Library. 15

ON E- STO P SHO P P ING A seven-year initiative to enhance access to dental care grows more successful every year—and all because a faculty member thought outside the box. Dr. James Barenie, a retired College of Dental Medicine Professor, was contemplating how to serve local citizens who might otherwise lack access to dental care when he noticed the high traffic and customer diversity of a local flea market. What if the dental school set up shop there? He shared the thought with Dr. Carole Hanes, Associate Dean for Students, Admissions and Alumni, who heartily endorsed the idea and pitched it to Richard Stewart, owner of Augusta’s Barnyard Flea Market.

Flea Market Dental Clinic Stewart was a more enthusiastic audience than they anticipated; his wife is a former dental assistant. He provided free space to GRU, and Hanes began scheduling students and faculty to volunteer their services on Barenie weekends. Since its founding in August 2005, the flea market project has served approximately 3,000 patients, screening them for oral health needs and making referrals for follow-up care when needed. Nearly 40 volunteer hours a month are devoted to the effort.

“It is so rewarding,” said Associate Professor of Oral Rehabilitation Andrew Kious. “We see everything from retirees to young adults. The primary objective is to help the patients and answer their questions.” n

GRU College of Dental Medicine

“It is so rewarding. We see everything from retirees to young adults. The primary objective is to help the patients and answer their questions.”

“I think it’s important not only to be active in the community, but to positively represent our institution to the community.” Misato Yamaguchi, Assistant Professor, Teacher Education

DR . AN DR E W K I OUS

Women’s Clinic SOWING SEED S A recent GRU College of Nursing initiative sowed seeds of good health for local female farm workers. The college partnered with Costa Layman Farms to host a two-day women’s clinic last fall. The college’s faculty supervised nursing students—along with GRU medical and allied health sciences students—as they treated and screened approximately 75 farm workers. “Our partnership with has provided a tremendous opportunity for faculty-guided student training,” said Associate Professor of Nursing Pamela Cromer, who oversaw the clinic. The Women’s Clinic is the second community partnership between the GRU College of Nursing and Costa Layman, one of the nation’s largest perennial companies. The clinic is an extension of the annual health fair that Clinical Nurse Leader students organize at Costa Layman farms and illustrates the college’s involvement in addressing community health needs, Cromer said. n

“I hope my service will have a lasting effect on our community.” Erika De La Cruz, Physical Therapy Student

Hispanic Outreach

¡HOLA, AMIGOS!

Like countless other people, Dr. Jana Sandarg devoted a lot of time in December to buying children’s toys. But the gifts didn’t go under her tree; they went under trees of children she doesn’t even know. Her toy drive for needy Hispanic children is just one recent example of a life devoted to serving others. She didn’t see the children’s faces when they opened their toys, but she’s accustomed to casting stones of altruism in a pond and trusting that their ripples Sandarg will touch more lives than she will ever know. For instance, Sandarg co-founded the Asociacion Cultural Hispanoamericana and organized Augusta’s first Hispanic festival in 1985. She is the Spanish Club advisor, oversees festivals on campus, hosts Spanish-speaking students, runs the GRU International Friendship Program and directs a study-abroad program in Spain. She also serves on the Hispanic Council of the CSRA, a group of about 10 organizations that aid Hispanics. These initiatives and many more recently earned her an award from the local Hispanic newspaper, Hola Augusta. But she doesn’t do it for the accolades. “This is my life,” she said of her volunteerism. “I live and breathe everything related to languages and cultures.” And though her volunteer work isn’t limited to the Hispanic community, she believes that efforts on their behalf benefit the community at large. “One of my goals,” she said, “is to make our citizens aware of other languages and cultures, how they are an integral part of our American culture and how they enrich our lives.” n

Incarcerated Youth Ministry G R AN D EPIPHAN Y

Most people associate the phrase “TGIF” with the rest and relaxation of a lazy weekend. Dr. Saundra Reinke, Professor of Political Science, associates it with opportunities to roll up her sleeves and reach out to some of society’s neediest citizens. For over a decade, she has been an enthusiastic participant of Epiphany Ministry Inc., a not-for-profit, lay-led ministry for incarcerated youths. “Epiphany is an ecumenical ministry that seeks the broad participation of Christian denominations and ethnic groups,” reads its website at www. epipanyministry.org. That’s right up the alley of Reinke, whose love of

teaching is surpassed only by her devotion to spiritual enrichment. Combining those two passions, she feels, is her ultimate calling. “Once I did an Epiphany weekend,” she said, “I was hooked. The three-day Christian renewal weekends are intended to “jumpstart guys or gals into renewing their faith, making better choices, finishing their GED, etc.,” she said. The true beneficiaries of the program, of course, are the youths. But Reinke feels she gets more than she gives. “Personally, I feel fulfilled when I work to help others,” she said. “Besides, it’s fun!” n

P HO N I C S F U N

Literacy Center

Georgia Regents University takes a hands-on—or some would say a hands-in—approach to literacy. The university’s Literacy Center recently launched Mother Phonics and her Family Live in a Shoe: Reading with Puppets, a program that uses alphabet puppets to teach phonics to 4- to 6-year-olds. “Every Wednesday afternoon working with tutors, children in this program get the chance to play with puppets and use other learning materials to enhance their reading ability,” said Dr. Paulette Harris, Director of the center. The program was created several years ago by GRU alumna Linda Smith, whose phonemic approach to reading began as a class project when she was in college. Now, some 25 years later, Smith continues to use alphabet puppets in her class at God’s Little Angels pre-school at First Baptist Church in Edgefield, S.C. “As teachers, we are always looking for fun and creative ways to help children learn. So I took my idea of alphabet puppets to my students, and I have discovered that the children not only enjoy playing with the puppets, but

they are learning how to read,” said Smith. “I was very honored to know Dr. Harris wanted to begin offering the program at the center, and I believe it will be a great asset to the public.” Several graduate students in GRU’s special education program are monitoring the children’s progress as part of a diagnostic prescriptive reading study. Results are expected this summer. n

“Service starts at home.” Alexis Perry, Pre-Nursing Student

Inner-City Youth Outreach

D IGGING IN

On a breezy September night behind a small white church in the heart of Augusta, exuberant middle-schoolers outnumbered volunteers two to one. And they just kept coming. But there was no sign of stress on the faces of the volunteers—almost all of them students at Georgia Regents University, and all there to be positive role models. Instead, there was laughter. Balls bounced around. Kids and adults played tag. To any observer, it looked like innocent child’s play—and it was. For the children, many of whom come from unstable homes, it was a rare time of carefree fun. For the GRU students, it was a chance to be good neighbors. The kids and volunteers are part of Kids with a Future, an outreach program at St. Luke United Methodist Church aimed at giving inner-city children life training and exposure to positive role models. “Just by being here, we can hear stories, meet people, understand what the kids’ needs are,” said Brett Heimlich, a third-year GRU M.D./Ph.D. student. The youth program is just one way they are digging in. Dozens of GRU

students also volunteer for another St. Luke-affiliated program, the Harrisburg Family Medicine Clinic, providing health information and services such as flu vaccines. The clinic, named after a socioeconomically depressed section town, has been so gratifying that Heimlich and three of his classmates actually moved to the Harrisburg neighborhood. “We are looking to bridge the gap between Harrisburg and other inner-city communities,” Heimlich said. “We want other people to have this experience. We want them to realize that by digging in and serving, they can make this place feel like home.” n

“Just by being here, we can hear stories, meet people, understand what the kids’ needs are.” B R E T T HE I M L I C H

Our Statewide Footprint When considering Georgia Regents University’s impact on the state, most people invariably think of education, research and professional service—the bedrock of our mission. We are proud to be associated with stellar performance in all of these areas . . . but in reading this report, we ask you to broaden your perspective about how exactly our students, faculty and staff impact our community and state. True, the vast amount of their time is devoted to professional pursuits, such as preparing for future careers, nurturing students’ aspirations, researching lifesaving cures or providing cutting-edge treatment to patients with advanced and complex disease.

This report has highlighted the vast implications of that mission. It has also shone the spotlight on how members of the GRU community spend their spare time. Collectively, they spend tens of thousands of hours every year volunteering and making the community, state, nation and world a better place for us all. We hope you have enjoyed this report’s snapshot of GRU’s statewide significance, including its volunteerism—just a few examples of the initiatives

that unfold day in and day out to improve the state. These examples offer a glimpse of the heart of these endeavors—the compassion, altruism and dedication that drive our students, faculty and staff to roll up their sleeves in their spare time for the betterment of their fellow man. Thank you for taking the time to learn more about our statewide impact—both on the clock and off. n

Join us on the journey ahead.

w w w. g r u . e d u

For more information about GRU’s impact on the state, contact: Susan Barcus Senior Vice President for Advancement and Community Relations/Chief Development Officer sbarcus@gru.edu David Brond Senior Vice President for Communications and Marketing dbrond@gru.edu Michael Shaffer Vice President for Government Relations and Chief Advocacy Officer governmentrelations@gru.edu Cedric Johnson Director of Community Affairs cejohnson@gru.edu

Gretchen Caughman, Ph.D. Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs & Provost

David S. Hefner, M.P.A. Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Chief Executive Officer, Georgia Regents Medical Center and Medical Associates