As the College celebrates its 125th anniversary, Andrea Mann, DO, FAAP, dean and chief academic officer of 黑料传送门 Georgia's osteopathic medicine program, has been reflecting on community partnerships and their fundamental importance to the success of the institution.
The 鈥渂efore鈥� photo above flashes back to April 1990 when cyclists from the metro-Philadelphia area, 黑料传送门 students, faculty, staff and then-President and CEO Leonard Finkelstein, DO '59 (center) partnered with the community for the 鈥淲heels for Health鈥� bike tour benefitting Osteopathic Hospital. In summer 2023, Dr. Mann demonstrated 黑料传送门 Georgia's continued commitment to community partnerships during the Button Down Dash 5K event in Suwanee, GA.
鈥淭he mission of 黑料传送门 Georgia is to recruit students from Georgia, train in Georgia, and keep them in Georgia to help reduce the physician shortage in our state. Being in the community gives us the ability to teach people about 黑料传送门 and osteopathic medicine. It shows our future students that there is an extraordinary option for medical school right in their backyard,鈥� Dr. Mann said.
鈥淥ur wonderfully diverse student body mirrors the young people in our community; our students are role models to children who aspire to be physicians,鈥� she added. 鈥淭hrough the Community Wellness Initiative (CWI), we have the opportunity to screen for and educate about hypertension and diabetes. Community health and whole-person wellness is a priority for 黑料传送门 Georgia.鈥�
Reflecting on past partnerships between 黑料传送门 and the community that it serves, Dr. Mann said, 鈥淔or our communities to flourish, we have to work together to support the people and organizations within them. 黑料传送门 has always been an integral part of its community.鈥�
Dr. Mann hopes to continue to nurture existing partners and continually work to develop new partners into the future. 鈥淚 am determined to make 黑料传送门 Georgia a household name in our region,鈥� she said.
Being present in the community is an opportunity for Dr. Mann to spread the word about osteopathic medicine, and participating in events like the 5K race pictured here sets an example for her students. 鈥淚 am proud to be a DO, and I believe the dean must be actively and enthusiastic about our institution and the work we do at 黑料传送门 Georgia,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s osteopathic physicians, we focus on caring for the whole patient: mind, body, and spirit. Many physicians tend to forget that to take care of others; they need to take care of themselves.鈥�