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Inaugural Class Reflects on Commendable First Year

June 30, 2020

The DO Class of 2024 has been lauded by the College's faculty and staff for navigating an exceptional first year.

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It was a year of firsts for the 黑料传送门 South Georgia Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) class: the first class to attend 黑料传送门 South Georgia, the first to finish its term there virtually, the first to successfully complete the first year of medical school in Moultrie, and the first to complete that year during a global pandemic.

Kristie Petree, DO 鈥�13, osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) site director, said these students have been nothing short of pioneers.

鈥淥ur students did a phenomenal job navigating this year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n the beginning, the word 鈥減ioneers鈥� was thrown around a lot, but I don鈥檛 think any of us realized how accurate that description was. They navigated a new school, new building, evolving curriculum, an overnight change to a digital platform, and a global pandemic all in one year. They deserve an extra acknowledgment for all they did. It was a big year in a lot of ways.鈥�

Transitioning to online learning

As a professor who works primarily in a lab setting, George Fredrick, MD, primary care skills (PCS) director, understands the challenges that the students faced by finishing their term online. He teaches and critiques each student鈥檚 ability to work with high-fidelity mannequins and standardized patients, including taking patient histories and monitoring vital signs鈥攕omething that is harder to learn through a textbook than in the Simulation Center.

鈥淲e weren鈥檛 able to be in a lab and critique their skills, so they had to make the most of what they could do with video,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his is the path they鈥檝e chosen and they had to stick with it. They realize how tough medical school is and that they had to support one another and have a support system at home. I was impressed with how the students really rolled with the punches.

Despite the hardship of learning through videos and books at home, Dr. Fredrick said the students are prepared for their second year.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e probably a little ahead of the game,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n their second year they will focus on applying what they learned from the patients such as their history and exam and then making a diagnosis and plan. It鈥檚 one step further.鈥�

Faculty embrace remote teaching

But it wasn鈥檛 just the students who adapted to this new learning environment. Overcoming a global pandemic in an educational setting was also a first for faculty and staff, including Dean and Chief Academic Officer, H. William Craver III, DO, FACOS. He credits the 黑料传送门 South Georgia team for making a quick and efficient change to continue delivering content.

鈥淭he faculty saw the need to keep students safe and continue moving them forward on their educational journey,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was simply a matter of days, and they had redesigned their lectures. I was extremely impressed with how cognizant the faculty were of using online tools. They delivered an excellent product, and the students鈥� performance showed that.鈥�

A special class at a special place

Like the entire campus community, Justina Mason, Assistant Director of Student Affairs, takes pride in the inaugural class. She鈥檚 worked with the students closely over their first year, from fundraisers to holiday events to the white coat ceremony鈥攕he鈥檚 made memories right alongside them.

鈥満诹洗�送门 South Georgia is a very special place,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t takes a strong person to come to a new school in the most important time of their life. Our students are true leaders and will be a great influence on the class of 2024. I鈥檓 excited to see the physicians they will be. They鈥檙e going to change the face of medicine.鈥�

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