What Gov. Kemp's budget proposals for new medical and dental schools could mean

The new legislative session in Georgia has begun, with million-dollar proposals leading the way. (photo courtesy of Mick Haupt on www.unsplash.com)

By Rakiyah Lenon | Editor in chief

When the 2024 legislative session began earlier this month, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced budget proposals for the 2024-2025 fiscal year that could give more than $200 million in funding for new health schools in the state.

Kemp proposed that $50 million dollars should be allotted to the University of Georgia to build a stand-alone medical school. He proposed $178 million dollars toward a dental school at Georgia Southern University.

“With these new assets on the way, we will further address the growing need for health care professionals in our state and ensure that we are doing everything we can to address challenges across the healthcare spectrum—from workforce to cost to access to quality," Kemp said in a speech to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce on Jan. 10.

Currently, the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University is the state’s only public medical school. UGA. has a medical school, but it is in partnership with MCG. If created, the proposed stand-alone UGA medical school would operate independently, if approved from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the University System of Georgia Board of Regents.

David Hess, dean of the Medical College of Georgia, said in a “Dean’s Diary” statement on Jan. 12 that Kemp’s announcement of a second public medical school means that the current partnership UGA has with MCG will be outgrown.

“This will not affect our current or future plans for growth, including our newest four-year campus in Savannah, in partnership with Georgia Southern University, which will enroll its first class of 40 students in July,” Hess said. “Our commitment to our existing regional clinical campuses remains steadfast. We also look forward to the eventual development of a new regional campus in Atlanta, which is possible because of our great partnership with Wellstar. Just as we have been for nearly 200 years, MCG will continue to be dedicated to educating exceptional physicians and physician-scientists for Georgia and beyond.”

In President Brooks Keel’s “Real Keel” newsletter published Jan. 12, Keel shared similar thoughts. saying, “Please be assured, our medical school remains strong.”

The Dental College of Georgia in Augusta is the state’s only dental school. If the dental school at GSU is built, it would be an extension of DCG.

“This new partnership campus would be a tremendous benefit for the state, providing us with the ability to add significantly to the nearly 2,500 students who have earned a Doctor of Dental Medicine degree from DCG since its founding in 1969,” Keel said. “A new school would also allow us to expand our commitment to improving overall health and reducing the burden of illness in the state through dental health and disease prevention.”

Keel added, “As the designated health sciences and medical research university for the state of Georgia, we look forward to working with Gov. Kemp, the General Assembly, Chancellor Perdue, the Board of Regents and our sister institutions on advancing health care in our state. As Chancellor Perdue stated, the governor’s proposals would build on the critical work already being done at MCG and DCG and would establish an even greater pipeline of health care professionals to help keep our communities healthy and strong.”

In February, Keel will travel to Georgia’s capitol building for the annual Augusta University day.

Contact Rakiyah Lenon at rlenon@augusta.edu.