Colquitt County Medical Society sponsors MAG memberships for PCOM students

From the left, PCOM South Georgia medical student DAndre Edwards speaks with MAG Speaker of the House Dr. Jim Barber and Chief Medical Officer of Colquitt Regional Medical Center Dr. Michael Brown.

MOULTRIE - Dr. Michael Brown, Chief Medical Officer of Colquitt Regional Medical Center and executive committee member of the Medical Association of Georgia, recently announced that the Colquitt County Medical Society will sponsor MAG memberships for all 122 first- and second-year medical students at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine South Georgia.   The announcement was made during a MAG-sponsored dinner at PCOM South Georgia that was attended by PCOM students, faculty, and staff, as well as, Colquitt Regional’s Family Medicine Chief Resident Dr. Bayan Suleiman, MAG Speaker of the House Dr. Jim Barber, MAG Chairman of the Board of Directors Dr. Travis Bailey, MAG CEO Jeremy Bonfini, and MAG's current president Dr. Charles Wilmer.   This sponsorship follows the 2022 establishment of the state's newest Medical Association of Georgia - Medical Student Section chapter by 29 PCOM South Georgia students in Moultrie. Statewide, the MAG-MSS serves as the policy-making body for MAG's medical student members. PCOM South Georgia, which offers Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and a Master of Science in biomedical sciences, is an accredited medical school whose D.O. students are eligible for MAG student membership.   Moultrie’s newest MAG-MSS members represent PCOM South Georgia's classes of 2027 and 2028. Dr. Brown explained the significance of the CCMS’s sponsorship: "MAG membership is a gateway to physician leadership in Georgia. It empowers these students to shape healthcare policy, advocate for patients, and contribute to the advancement of medicine. By investing in their MAG memberships, we're not just supporting their education—we're cultivating the next generation of healthcare leaders who will drive positive change in our communities."   The student chapter is entitled to select a non-voting delegate to represent their MSS at MAG’s House of Delegates in October. The chapter is also authorized to have a representative in one of the MAG-MSS Governing Council positions, currently occupied by PCOM South Georgia’s MAG-MSS President and the State Chair for the Medical Student Section, Destiny Scuiva.   Scuiva, a fourth year medical student, was instrumental in the establishment of the medical school’s MAG-MSS in 2022 and has continued to champion the importance of medical student advocacy.   “Thanks to the forward-thinking support of the CCMS and MAG, we are not just opening doors; we're expanding horizons for our local medical students,” said Sciuva. “This crucial support allows us to integrate emerging voices into the broader tapestry of health policy, impacting our community, region, and state. With this endorsement, we are not just participants in the transformation of medicine—we are the architects of its future.”   The student delegates will join four CCMS delegates, doubling Colquitt County’s pastrepresentation at MAG’s House of Delegates meeting, which will take place in Savannah.   For 2024, the CCMS MAG delegates will be CCMS President Dr. Cory Porteus, Dr. Woodwin Weeks, Dr. Dresden Soderstrom, and Dr. Bayan Suleiman.   The Colquitt County Medical Society (CCMS) represents physicians serving Colquitt County. CCMS supports physicians’ practices, expands their professional network, promotes their personal well-being, and sends delegates to MAG meetings to represent Colquitt County’s interests. MAG’s mission is to empower Georgia physicians to lead healthcare for the betterment of their communities. Representing over 8,000 members, MAG has a long-standing and well-earned reputation as the leading voice and advocate for physicians in Georgia.   Link to article