Colleges and Universities Work Together to Support the Medical Talent Pipeline in Columbus, GA

Mercer University/Rick Holliday

In the Columbus region, Columbus State University and the Mercer School of Medicine’s Columbus campus are leading the charge in developing those pathways and giving future health care professionals the opportunity to go from classroom to career without leaving home. 

Through its Competitive Pre-Medical Studies Program, Columbus State University exposes students to medicine early in their studies, so they have a realistic idea of what it means to be a physician. One of the unique advantages the Competitive Pre-Medical Studies Program offers students is a high level of attention and advice from faculty mentors and professionals around the region. 

“Physicians are great resources to talk to students about their life goals and how becoming a physician can fit within those goals,” says Daniel Holt, associate professor in the Department of Biology at Columbus State University. 

The university’s Bachelor’s of Science in kinesiology offers a robust curriculum with courses in areas, such as exercise physiology, exercise testing, and strength and conditioning. Students have multiple opportunities to participate in hands-on learning and engage with state-of-the-art lab equipment to develop real-world skills used in the field. Students are also required to complete an internship in their area of interest. 

Courtesy of Columbus State University

Holt says a collaborative relationship with Mercer School of Medicine also helps strengthen health care career pathways within the Competitive Pre-Medical Studies Program. 

“Due to Columbus State’s proximity to Mercer, we enjoy a good relationship. Our students regularly meet with Mercer medical students throughout the semester, and our Columbus State students participate in events like suture clinics and campus tours on the Mercer campus during the school year,” he says. 

For its part, Mercer School of Medicine helps shore up the local workforce by only accepting Georgia residents, with a high percentage of students coming from rural counties. The school employs a case-based, problem-based learning approach using small group settings rather than traditional large lecture halls, allowing students to immediately apply their knowledge and clinical skills. 

“Right now, Muscogee County and Columbus have the highest percentage of medical students across all Mercer campuses – and that is meaningful. We have just added the Ph.D. in biomedical sciences in Columbus and hope to expand marriage and family therapy to the community soon,” says Jean Sumner, dean of the Mercer University School of Medicine. “We are intensely focused on our mission, which is to serve Georgia by educating outstanding, highly qualified students who share that same commitment.”