Casting The Anchor: A Partnership for Clinical Training in West Central Georgia

Casting The Anchor: A Partnership for Clinical Training in West

Central Georgia

Hannah Lydiate

Preceptor Coordinator

Three Rivers AHEC

Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine:

Georgia Campus• Located in Suwanee,

Georgia 27 miles north of downtown Atlanta

• Only branch of the more than 100 year old PCOM in Philadelphia

• 80 students per class

The Anchor 2009-2010

• 12 third year osteopathic medical students from PCOM-GA

• Live in Columbus to complete required rotations in the region

• Students use Columbus as their home base-handle their own housing

• Just finished their 3rd clinical year• Scheduled 154 total rotations for 2009-2010

Motivation

• Health manpower shortages

• Three Rivers AHEC and local hospitals

• Increased time in a region = increased likelihood of returning

• New medical school needing community clinical training sites

• Osteopathic Medicine

Why GA-PCOM?

• Osteopathic medicine’s emphasis on primary care

• Valuable partnerships in Columbus’ Residency Program

• Osteopathic model of community based training identified as model for all medical education

• Non-traditional students = 20-25% of class

Why Columbus/West Central Georgia?

• Columbus Family Medicine Residency Program, John Bucholtz, DO-Director

• Each student gets exposure to the program• Positive for student and program• BRAC-Fort Benning-Bringing 30,000+ to

west-central Georgia• Fort Benning Family Medicine Residency

Program, Martin Army Community Hospital

Starting Off

• Existing partnerships

• New relationships

• 12x12 schedule

• 7 core rotations

• 3 electives/selectives

• 2 required campus based rotations

Starting Off

• Students given the opportunity to choose the “Columbus track”

• Slots filled up the first day

• Schedule created, students lottery for their position on the schedule

Community Involvement

• Columbus Regional Healthcare System• Martin Army Community Hospital• St. Francis Hospital• West Georgia Health System• The Bradley Center of St. Francis• West Georgia Psychiatric Center• Students exposed to each hospital at least

once

“Our Twelve”

• Non-Traditional• Traditional• Diverse experiences lead them to medicine• “Country Doc” Scholar• Addictive medicine experience• Critical Care nurse• Home health nurse• Three born and raised in Georgia• Ten from the southeast

Welcoming ReceptionJune 2009

Welcoming ReceptionJune 2009

Immersing Students in the Community

• Where to live?• Volunteer opportunities• Students see changes that need to be

made• Fresh ideas• Students see the needs of our community• Third year shapes their view of medicine• Opportunity to participate in research

Recreation

• Suggesting salons and shopping centers

• Restaurants and events

• Recreational sports

• Fitness Centers

• Chamber welcoming packets

Data Collection• Questionnaires filled out by students in June 2009

• Level of interest in primary care in the region and in the state

• Impressions of healthcare facilities and sites

• What are students looking for in a community?

• Gauging our region’s attractiveness to new physicians

• Follow up completed in April 2010

Anchor 2010-20113rd year

• 12 new third year students• Class held a lottery for Anchor Placement• Competitive – slots filled immediately• Military students interested in MACH

residency

Anchor 2010-20114th year

• 9 of the 12 2009-2010 Anchor students staying

• Complete 4 core rotations in the area• Electives and selectives front-loaded in the

schedule• Allows students to complete audition

rotations prior to DO match in March 2011• One student hoping to Match Columbus or

Rome

Anchor 2009-2010

Necessary Improvements

• Better advocacy throughout the region• Improved networking and “venting”

opportunities for the students• System to track student/preceptor feedback • Make “The Anchor” a familiar name in all

regional healthcare facilities• Expansion to include larger student groups in

more rural sites. • Clinical site development to keep up with

program growth

Thank You!

Hannah LydiatePreceptor CoordinatorThree Rivers [email protected]