Nathan Deal Scholarship Applications Closing Soon

Applications for the 2024 Nathan Deal Scholarship Program will close today, Monday, March 4, at 11:59 pm. We encourage all medical students with a strong commitment to practicing primary care in a rural medically underserved Georgia county to apply.

2024 Gold Humanism Honor Society Inductees

Congratulations to our students, alumni, and faculty selected for induction to the Gold Humanism Honor Society this year. This national organization is sponsored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation, whose overarching goal is to create the Gold Standard in healthcare.

View this year's newest Gold Humanism Honor Society members

Columbus Flag Ceremony

Last month, our Columbus campus observed a flag-raising ceremony for their new American flag. The color guard for the ceremony was led by class presidents Jordan Davis and Olivia Craig and included students from multiple classes who have served in the military: Isaiah Ware, Cody Waterman, and Cole Muzio. Thank you to all who supported this thoughtful, beautiful flag ceremony.

March is Women’s History Month

During Women's History Month, we are encouraged to celebrate and honor the contributions made by women throughout American history. Women's History Month was originally only celebrated for a week and started out as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California, hosted by The Education Task Force of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women. The event was held on the week of March 8, 1978, to correspond with International Women’s Day (March 8). After the success of the inital event, the movement spread across the country with other communities holding their own Women’s History Week celebrations the next year.

In February 1980, after successful lobbying by several women’s groups and historians, led by the National Women’s History Project (now the National Women's History Alliance), President Jimmy Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation declaring the Week of March 8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week.

Over the next several years, Presidents continued to issue a proclamation for the week. Until finally in 1987, Congress passed a law designating March as Women's History Month.

Learn more about Women's History Month

5K and Family Fun Day for Maternal Health Awareness

March 9 | 9 am - 1 pm | Savannah

The Second Annual 5K and Family Fun Day for Maternal Health Awareness event will take place at Lake Mayer Park in Savannah, GA. Registration for the race is only $25 for Mercer students and faculty who use the code FamilyFriend2024 when signing up.

You can also attend the free Family Fun Day event that starts at 10:00 am. The event will include raffles, giveaways, food, and more. The Department of Health will also be present to provide safety education and health screenings.

Learn more

For information on volunteering at the race, view the "Volunteers Needed" section of this newsletter.

2024 Maternal Health Observership Program

Program Dates: June 17 - July 26

Applications for the Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center's maternal health observership program are open to rising second-year medical students.



Applications close Wednesday, March 27

Learn more

AAMC Virtual Speciality Forum

March 28 | 1 - 4 pm 

AAMC invites all first- and second-year medical students to register for their free annual Careers in Medicine® program virtual specialty forum. The program works to provide equitable access to specialty exposure. Information and recordings will be archived and accessible to registrants who are unable to attend during the scheduled time. if you have any questions, contact CiM.

Learn more and register

March is National Nutrition Month

Created in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, National Nutrition Month focuses on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. By maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly, you can decrease the chance of developing chronic diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. View the Academy’s website for healthy eating tips, meal planning, recipes, and many other resources on nutrition and exercise.

5K and Family Fun Day for Maternal Health Awareness

March 9 | 9 am - 1 pm | Savannah

The Second Annual 5K and Family Fun Day for Maternal Health Awareness event is looking for volunteers to help with set-up, parking, and cleaning up. Volunteers will be able to add this event to their volunteer experience for their DISC application. Additionally, volunteers will receive a free T-shirt, subject to availability.



Sign-up

Upcoming Community Health Fairs

March 9 | 10 am - 1 pm | Washington County

July 13 | 9 am - 12 pm | Harris County

The Georgia Rural Health Innovation Center is looking for medical students to lead teddy bear clinics, conduct blood pressure checks, and perform other health demonstrations.

If you are interested in volunteering at any of these health fairs, sign up here.

Special Topics in Rural Health

The Rural Health Sciences PhD Program will be hosting several guest lecture events focused on rural health this semester. Each session will start at 9 am in the LRC Commons Room 201 on the Macon campus. The sessions will also be recorded to share later.

Upcoming Sessions

March 6 | Erin Lepp, PA | Agricultural Health

March 20 | Allen Tindol, MD; et. al. | Opioids in Rural Areas

March 27 | Chris Scoggins, MPH | Aging in Rural Health



Past Sessions

February 7 | Panelists  

Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response in Rural Areas

February 21 | Brian D. Wright, MD 

Mental Health in Rural Areas

Important Dates and Events

Mark your calendar for these upcoming events celebrating our graduating class of 2024!