Alliance News & Events
Georgia Healthy Family Alliance Awards $4,800 in Grants
The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) recently awarded $4,800 in the first cycle of 2013 Community Health Grant Awards. This brings the total amount of funding awarded in 2012-13 to $27,000. The GHFA Board has selected Give Your Heart a Break as an area of focus for the 2013 grant cycle.
Grant awards are made to GAFP member-affiliated charitable organizations that support GHFA program priorities including underserved populations and outreach programs that promote healthy practices consistent with the principles of Family Medicine.
The first cycle 2013 grant recipient is:
The Hearts and Hands Clinic
Hearts, Hands and Hope Campaign
Statesboro, Ga.
Brian DeLoach, MD - $4,800 grant award
Currently the Hearts and Hands Clinic is the only provider of free healthcare services to the underinsured in Bulloch County. The project goal is to increase services to the underinsured adult population including purchase of diabetic supplies, women's examination supplies and emergency pharmaceuticals that are prescribed but not covered by Medbank. Funds will also be used to begin implementation of an electronic medical records system in order to improve patient health and safety and provide greater administrative accuracy and efficiency.
The application deadline for the second cycle 2013 Community Health Grant Awards is May 14. For more information visit the Alliance website http://www.gafp.org/grant_program or contact Kara Sinkule at ksinkule@gafp.org or 800.392.3841.
Please consider making a contribution to GHFA so that the Alliance can continue to support projects like this. Donations are tax deductible and can be made securely online at http://www.gafp.org/donation.asp.
The GHFA Receives $5,000 Grant from the GAFP Educational Foundation
The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) recently received a $5,000 grant from the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians (GAFP) Educational Foundation in support of the 2013 Community Health Grant Program and Tar Wars.
"On behalf of the GHFA Board of Trustees, I would like to thank the GAFP Educational Foundation for supporting our new mission and programming through this generous donation," said Dr. John R. Kludt, president of the Alliance. "This donation will fully fund a 2013 Community Health Grant which financially assists GAFP members working in their community," he added.
The GAFP Educational Foundation was established in 1975 as one the first medical education providers in the country to develop, prepare, and distribute the educational courses needed for certification by family physicians. For more than 25 years, the Educational Foundation was considered the premier educational source for family physicians to obtain required certification (CEU/CME). These courses were distributed to thousands of family physicians within the state of Georgia and throughout the nation.
In 2000, the Educational Foundation shifted its focus from providing educational courses to grant funding with a primary focus on:
- Educational initiatives
- Faculty development endowments within medical schools
- Scholarship funds for Family Medicine students
- Family Medicine residency programs
The Educational Foundation is currently funding endowments that honor family physicians with a long time of service to the Foundation's Board of Directors and to the specialty of family medicine.
For more information on the GAFP Educational Foundation, visit www.gafpedc.org
For more information on GHFA Community Health Grants eligibility and/or application submission deadlines for the 2013 grant program, contact Kara Sinkule at ksinkule@gafp.org or 800.392.3841.
Dr. George Shannon Inspires The 2012 Legacy Luncheon
The 2012 Georgia Healthy Family Alliance Legacy Club members were recognized for their support during the 6th Annual Legacy Club Luncheon held in conjunction with the GAFP Scientific Assembly November 8, 2012 at the Cobb Galleria and Convention Centre. Former Foundation of the GAFP President and AAFP Board Member Dr. George Shannon served as keynote speaker and eloquently inspired those in attendance with personal anecdotes illustrating how the practice of Family Medicine has enriched his life in many ways.
Dr. Shannon concluded his remarks by describing how Family Physicians are uniquely qualified to "help our patients die young at their oldest possible age."
Sixteen Legacy Club members were recognized with gifts from the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance for their ongoing support of Alliance programming including Tar Wars, a tobacco-education and smoking prevention program for 4th and 5th grade students throughout the state and the Community Health Grant Program which provides for five grants totaling up to $5,000 each for projects addressing health care needs in communities throughout Georgia.
2012 Legacy Club members are:
The Legacy Club Level ($1,000-2,499)Dr. Michael and Diane Busman
Dr. Mitch Cook
Dr. Lanny and Micah Copeland
Dr. Loy and Elizabeth Cowart
Dr. H. Gordon and Marion Davis
Dr. Fred and Norma Girton
Dr. Beulette Hooks
Dr. John and Denice Kludt
Dr. Bruce and Sheila LeClair
Dr. Rolf Meinhold and Caryn Bains
Dr. Adrienne Mims
Drs. Brian and Marnie Nadolne
Dr. Thad and Susan Riley
Dr. George and Barbara Shannon
Dr. Harry and Karen Strothers
Dr. Richard and Alice Wherry
Thank you all for your generosity and dedication to the Alliance!
Georgia Healthy Family Alliance Raises Nearly $10,000 with "Design Your Own Dream Vacation" Raffle
The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance announced its grand prize raffle winner at the GAFP Annual Meeting and Scientific Assembly November 11, 2012 in Atlanta. Dr. Harry S. Strothers III from Morehouse School of Medicine won the grand prize and will design a dream vacation for two valued at$4,000!
With just 300 tickets sold, the "Design Your Dream Vacation" raffle raised nearly $10,000 for Alliance programming including Tar Wars, a tobacco-education and smoking prevention program for 4th and 5th grade students throughout the state and the Community Health Grant Program which provides for five grants totaling up to $5,000 each for projects addressing health care needs in communities throughout Georgia.
The Alliance also conducted an onsite "Donor Challenge" at the GAFP Scientific Assembly entering those who made a donation to the Alliance in any amount into a drawing for a Kindle Fire donated by Affinity Bank. Dr. Michael Obiekwe was the lucky winner of the GHFA Donor Challenge raffle for the Kindle Fire.
Many thanks to all who bought tickets in support of the Alliance!
Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) 2012 Community Health Grant To The Center For Black Women's Wellness
GAFP Member Dr. Adrienne Mims (R) presents a GHFA Community Health grant check to The Center for Black Women's Wellness (CBWW) Chief Executive Officer Jemea Dorsey (L) in Atlanta, GA August, 2012.
The Center for Black Women's Wellness (CBWW) was recently awarded a $5,000 Community Health Grant to support its Chronic Disease Management Program, to offer office based testing for chronic disease to improve case finding and treatment for patients. The CBWW provides, through its Wellness Program, free and accessible primary healthcare and chronic disease management to the uninsured and underinsured men and women throughout Metro-Atlanta. The Safety Net clinic offers no-cost services to the community, and serves on yearly average 200 patients, many of which are patients with high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes issues.
This is just one of many great programs your colleagues are lending their talents and time to statewide. Please consider making a contribution so that the Alliance can continue to support valuable community projects like this. To make your Alliance contribution easily online visit http://www.gafp.org/donation.asp or contact Alliance staff at ksinkule@gafp.org or calling (800) 392-3841.
2013 Community Health Grant application deadlines and information can be found online at http://www.gafp.org/grant_program.asp or by calling (800) 392-3841.
The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance Launches "Project Birthday Card"!
Every year around our birthdays, we all start looking for mail from family and friends, hoping there's a little something special in the mailbox. As a way of recognizing GAFP members on that special day, the Alliance recently launched "Project Birthday Card."
Dr. George Shannon celebrated his August birthday by "giving back" with a donation to the Alliance during his birthday month. Thank you Dr. Shannon!
If you have a birthday coming up, don't forget to check your mailbox! To donate to the Alliance any day of the year simply visit http://www.gafp.org/alliance.asp or contact Alliance staff at ksinkule@gafp.org or call (800) 392-3841.
Augusta 5th Grader Makenzie Reeves Wins 2011-12 Tar Wars Statewide Poster Contest And Trip to Washington D.C.
The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance is pleased to congratulate South Columbia Elementary 5th grader Makenzie Reeves for receiving first place in the 2011-2012 statewide Georgia Tar Wars Poster competition. As Georgia's first place poster winner, Makenzie traveled to the National Tar Wars conference in Washington D.C. July 16-17, 2012 to compete in the national poster competition.
More than 100 posters from throughout Georgia were entered into the poster competition where students were asked to create positive "advertisements" for leading tobacco-free lives. Makenzie's poster entitled "Choose the Right Path" depicts a child choosing the path to a tobacco-free life.
Jayla Jones and Erin Scott, both of Augusta, received second and third place respectively in the statewide poster competition.
While in Washington D.C., Makenzie was recognized by Congressman Paul Broun, U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson and U.S. Senator Saxby Chambliss for representing the state of Georgia in the national Tar Wars poster competition.
This year marks the 24th anniversary of Tar Wars, a tobacco-free education program sponsored in Georgia by the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance (GHFA) and designed to increase awareness among 4th and 5th graders of the effects of tobacco on the body. Since it was established in 1988, Tar Wars has reached more than 8 million children in 17 countries with its tobacco-free message and is administered nationally by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
For more information on the Tar Wars program or to schedule a Tar Wars presentation for your school, please contact Kara Sinkule at (404) 321-7445 or ksinkule@gafp.org.
GHFA Pirate Bicycle Scavenger Hunt Brings Out Team Spirit Among GAFP Families
The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance Pirate Bicycle Scavenger Hunt held in conjunction with the GAFP Summer Meeting June 16, 2012 on Amelia Island brought out the team spirit in more than 50 GAFP members and their families.
Teams of all ages armed with maps, clues and copious amounts of water pedaled across the Omni Amelia Island Plantation Hotel property to test their skills at map reading, horseshoes, ping pong scrabble, trivia, memory puzzles and more.
Dr. Susan Schayes led the winning team and Dr. Mitzi Rubin captained the second place team.
Nearly 50 GAFP members from throughout Georgia and their families participated including Dr. Michelle Mason Woodard, Dr. Earl Martin, Dr. Marti Gibbs, Dr. Jaqueline Sequoia, and more.
The fun could not have been possible without the support of our generous corporate sponsors Amedisys, MAG Mutual and Jim Ellis Audi Marietta. Thank you all for making this event possible!
Corporate Trustee Spotlight: Jim Ellis Audi Marietta
The Alliance is fortunate to have Jim Ellis Audi of Marietta represented on the 2012 GHFA Board of Trustees by Director of Marketing Erikka Smith.
Jim Ellis Audi of Marietta is a full service new and pre-owned Audi dealer in Marietta, GA, providing an unmatched level of high quality professional Audi service for the entire metropolitan Atlanta area. The dealership carries the largest indoor inventory of new Audi, certified pre-owned Audi and used cars in Marietta, Georgia and East of Birmingham, Alabama. The dealership is just minutes from the GAFP November Scientific Assembly at the Cobb Galleria. For more information email Erikka Smith at erikka@jimellis.com or call (770)859-2834.
We welcome Jim Ellis Audi of Marietta to the GHFA Board.
Your Foundation is now the Georgia Healthy Family Alliance!
A Message from GHFA President John R. Kludt, MD
After more than a year of planning, I am pleased to share exciting news announced during the Georgia Academy's Summer Meeting in Amelia Island, FL. The Foundation of the GAFP has changed its name to The Georgia Healthy Family Alliance.
This name change is just one result of a year long strategic reorganization of the Alliance to allow us to provide expanded, more sustainable services to GAFP members, and the people of Georgia through educational and outreach programs that promote healthy practices consistent with the principles of family medicine.
In early 2012, the Alliance launched the Community Health Grant program and began accepting grant applications from GAFP members to support programs and activities throughout Georgia that enhance the well being of our communities. It is our core belief that one of the best ways to encourage Family Medicine is to involve medical students, residents and practicing physicians directly in the innovative care of our local communities.
The following five community grants have been funded this year:
Brian DeLoach, MD / Heart and Hands Clinic, Statesboro
Currently Heart and Hands Clinic is the only provider of free healthcare services to the underinsured in Bulloch County. With a $3,650 Alliance grant, the clinic will increase services to the underinsured adult population including launching a Women's Health Initiative to provide a women's clinic monthly and hosting diabetic education workshops for diabetic patients. Funds will also be used to purchase diabetic supplies, women's examination supplies and emergency pharmaceuticals that are prescribed but not covered.
Lynn Denny, MD / Macon Volunteer Clinic, Macon
With a $3,482 Alliance grant, the Macon Volunteer Clinic's Rethink Your Drink Campaign will teach patients to recognize the amount of sugar in sodas, sports drinks and other sweetened beverages and encourage them to make healthy drink choices. Macon Volunteer Clinic (MVC) volunteer physicians and medical staff will distribute water bottles and CDC brochures to all patients, explain how to read nutrition labels, and recommend drinks such as water, low- or non-fat milk, and limited amounts of 100 percent fruit juice.
Crystal Brown, MD /Feed Center Free Clinic, Fort Valley
With a $5,000 grant the Feed Center Clinic will educate women about screening services offered by county health departments and the Feed Center Free Clinic including Free Screening Days and increase the awareness of the prevalence of breast cancer in middle Georgia and provide uninsured and underinsured women timely access to breast cancer screening and diagnostic services.
Brian Nadolne, MD / Nadolne Family Practice, Marietta
The $5,000 grant will bring programming to 10 Georgia schools first to gather information on current eating habits and then to educate and empower the children to learn how to recognize the obesity epidemic, how it affects them personally, and understand what they can do to rectify the ensuing problem. Programming includes physician presentations and follow up visits in 4-6 months to gather data again on what habits they have changed with regard to eating. The children will be learning for themselves how changing a habit will change their health.
Adrienne Mims, MD / Chronic Disease Management Program, Atlanta
The Center for Black Women's Wellness (CBWW) was awarded $5,000 to support its Chronic Disease management program, to offer office based testing for chronic disease to improve case finding and treatment for patients. The CBWW provides, through its Wellness Program, free and accessible primary healthcare and chronic disease management to the uninsured and underinsured men and women throughout Metro-Atlanta. The Safety Net clinic offers no-cost services to the community, and serves on yearly average 200 patients, many of which are patients with high cholesterol, hypertension and diabetes issues.
These are only a few of the great programs your colleagues are lending their talents and time to statewide. In closing, I will ask you to please consider making a contribution so that the Alliance can continue to support projects like these. You can also support the Alliance by purchasing Dream Vacation Raffle tickets to Hawaii, Turks and Caicos, San Diego or the Grand Canyon. All donations are tax deductible.
Have a healthy summer and don't forget to contribute to your Foundation that's making a difference in your community. Make your Alliance contribution easily online at http://www.gafp.org/donation.asp or contact Alliance staff at ksinkule@gafp.org or calling (800) 392-3841.
The Alliance of the GAFP Raises Nearly $7,500 with "Days Off/Days On" Vacation Raffle
The Alliance of the GAFP announced its raffle winner at the Georgia Academy's Annual Meeting and Scientific Assembly November 13, 2011 in Atlanta. Dr. Andy F. Williamson from Dublin won the grand prize and chose the 5-days off option of exploring Costa Rica valued at $3,500!
With just 300 tickets to sell, the "Days Off/Days On" raffle raised $7,500 for the Alliance's programs including Tar Wars, a tobacco-education and smoking prevention program for 4th and 5th grade students throughout the state and more. Many thanks to all who bought tickets in support of the Alliance of the GAFP!
Alliance of the GAFP Annual Research Poster Competition Winners Announced at the GAFP Meeting November 11th in Atlanta
The Alliance of the GAFP Annual Research Poster Competition was held during the GAFP Annual Meeting and Scientific Assembly November 10-11, 2011 in Atlanta. Posters were displayed in the registration area of the Cobb Galleria for all members to view and were evaluated by Dr. John Kludt, Dr. Rolf Meinhold and Dr. Mitzi Rubin. Practicing Physician/Fellows, Residents, Medical Students and Pre- Med students from throughout the state participated in the competition. Results were as follows:
Pre-Med Category:
1st place: Community Assessment and Perceptions of Family Planning Services and Adolescent Pregnancy within Southwest Georgia – Allison Cauthen, Neal Trulock (Pathway to Medical School Students)
2nd place: Assessing the Need for a Health Coach in Rural Southwest Georgia - Samantha Jo Worthy, Clint Cawley (Pathway to Medical School Students)
3rd Place: Reported Physical Activity of Obese Patients in Southwest Georgia - Stephanie Botton and Le'Tombria Seay (Pathway to Medical School Students)
Medical Student Category:
1st place: The Effects of Endogenous and Exogenous Hormone Changes on Sickle Cell Patients: An Attempt to Access and Provide Better Patient Care by the PCP – Walkitria Alexander (Morehouse School of Medicine)
Resident Category:
1st place: Long term treatment with metformin in patients with type 2 diabetes and risk of vitamin B-12 deficiency - Viktoria Nurpeisov, MD Baurzhan Nurpeisov, MBA, G.E. Alan Dever, MD, Ph D, MPH ( Atlanta Medical Center)
2nd place: Overcoming Barriers to Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) screening in Primary Care - Isioma Okwumabua MD, Charles Sow MD, Kanyan Xiao MD, Folashade Omole MD (Morehouse School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program)
3rd place: A Rare Form of Melanoma Masquerading as a Diabetic Foot Ulcer: a Case Report - Susan Thomas, MD, Yuan-Xiang Meng, MD, PhD Vijay Kumar Patel, MBBS, FRCS, Gregory Strayhorn,MD, PhD (Morehouse School of Medicine Family Medicine Residency Program)
Physician /Fellow:
1st: The Benefits of Mental Health Case Management in a Primary Care Setting – Irshad Syed MD, Sarah Schwartz, Kristen Williams ( Grady Health System)
Congratulations to all our participants!
2011 Tar Wars Star: Kara Sinkule
Kara Sinkule, Alliance Associate Executive Director, has received the 2011 AAFP Star Award. This is a national award given for individuals who exhibit outstanding service as it related to AAFP Tar Wars activities. She was instrumental in instituting a relationship between the Alliance of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians with the Georgia School Nurses Association. This affiliation allowed our Georgia Tar Wars program to triple in size and grow in strength as we now have over 100 Tar Wars educators available to educate fourth and fifth graders on tobacco awareness and prevention.
The Alliance of the GAFP received a grant from the AAFP Alliance's Family Medicine Philanthropic Consortium to expand this program during the 2011-2012 school years. The focus with our strategic partnership with the Georgia School Nurses Association is allowing us access into rural and underserved communities where there was a paucity of Tar Wars presenters in the past.
According to the Georgia Association of School Nurses "there is a critical need in schools throughout Georgia for tobacco education and prevention programs like Tar Wars to counter the rising number of youth smoking in Georgia. The Tar Wars program along with the training and assistance the Alliance of the GAFP provides is an invaluable resource to our school nurses throughout the state. In the years ahead, we look forward to working together to keep Georgia's youth tobacco free and protect Georgia communities from the dangers of secondhand smoke. "
The 2011 Rural Georgia Tar Wars Project seeks to capitalize on the momentum we have gained from more than tripling our presentations statewide over the last three years to reach an additional 5,000 underserved fourth and fifth-grade students in 50 rural Georgia counties.
Kara will be recognized for her award at the AAFP Tar Wars Conference that will be held in late July in Washington, DC. Congratulations Kara and thank you for your tireless efforts.
The Alliance of the GAFP Disaster Relief Fund Offers A Helping Hand to GAFP Members Impacted By April's Deadly Tornadoes
The Georgia Academy of Family Physicians and the Alliance of the GAFP recently outreached to all GAFP members living or working in one of the counties affected by April's deadly tornadoes. FEMA has declared that twenty five counties were impacted and can receive disaster assistance for individuals, families, and businesses in the following counties: Bartow, Catoosa, Cherokee, Coweta, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Greene, Habersham, Harris, Heard, Lamar, Lumpkin, Meriwether, Monroe, Morgan, Newton, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Spalding, Troup, Upson, White and Walker.
Assistance for GAFP Members:
The Disaster Relief Fund, established in the wake of the 2007 tornadoes that devastated Americus, Georgia causing extensive damage to GAFP member offices, is available for GAFP members who have suffered from a natural disaster and need financial assistance.
If you were impacted by the recent tornadoes or know a GAFP member who was, please contact Kara Sinkule at ksinkule@gafp.org or call our toll free number 800-392-3841 for an application or more information. For those wishing to donate to GAFP's Disaster Relief Fund please call 800-392-381 or visit www.gafp.org/donation.asp
Other Resources:
Affected individuals and business owners in these counties can apply for assistance by calling FEMA's toll-free registration number, 800-621-FEMA (3362). An online application may be completed at www.DisasterAssistance.gov. Individual assistance for homeowners and renters can include grants to help pay for rental housing, home repairs, and other serious disaster-related expenses not met by insurance or other assistance programs.
Tritt Elementary 5th Grader Eleanor Weber Wins 2010-11 Tar Wars Statewide Poster Contest And Trip to Washington D.C.
Tritt Elementary 5th grader Eleanor Weber of Marietta received first place in the 2010-2011 statewide Georgia Tar Wars Poster competition. Posters from more than a dozen participating schools throughout Georgia were entered into the competition where students were asked to create positive "advertisements" for leading tobacco-free lives.
As Georgia's first place winner, Eleanor will receive a $150 cash prize, travel and lodging for the National Tar Wars Conference and Poster Competition in Washington D.C. in July. Her poster entitled "Dare To be Tobacco Free" depicts landscapes from two towns: one with blue skies and trees where people live tobacco-free and one with poor air quality where tobacco products are sold (poster pictured below).
Second place in the Tar Wars statewide poster contest was awarded to Natalie Campbell also from Tritt Elementary, who received a $100 cash prize. The third place prize, with a $50 cash award, was awarded to Kenzie Fenn who also attends Tritt Elementary in Marietta.
President of the Alliance of the Georgia Academy of Family Physicians, Dr. Brian Nadolne and Alliance Vice President, Dr. Rolf Meinhold presented the Tar Wars program to Tritt's 5th grade students in January 2011.
This year marks the 23rd anniversary of Tar Wars; a tobacco-free education program sponsored in Georgia by the Alliance of Georgia Academy of Family Physicians and designed to increase awareness among 4th and 5th graders of the effects of tobacco on the body. Since it was established in 1988, Tar Wars has reached more than 8 million children in 17 countries with its tobacco-free message and is administered nationally by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
For more information on the Tar Wars program or to schedule a Tar Wars presentation for your school please contact Kara Sinkule at (404) 321-7445 or ksinkule@gafp.org.
Georgia FMIG Educational Programming Bureau
The Alliance of the GAFP received a grant from the Family Medicine Philanthropic Consortium (FMPC) to create the Georgia FMIG Educational Programming Bureau for each of Georgia's seven medical school Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) clubs. The new Programming Bureau was designed and developed to educate medical students on vital student development components and modern clinical practice while fostering maximum interest in family medicine as a career choice.
Available programming topics for the 2011-12 school year include:
- Making Your Voice Heard: Advocacy for You, Your Practice and Your Patients
- What Healthcare Reform Means For Your Professional Future
- Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH): The Future is Now
- Let's Talk about Debt: School Loan Debt Management
- Family Physician Myth-Busters: Lifestyle & Income Myths Get Busted for Rural & Urban Family Physicians
- Skills Workshops (EKG, stress testing and colposcopy) (for 3rd and 4th years)
- Student Professional Development:
- Research Poster Presentation Workshop
- AAFP Strolling Through the Match
- Tar-Wars Training
To make the Educational Programming Bureau a success it will include leaders from the GAFP's various organizational levels, including the Board of Directors, Alliance Trustees and residency programs in a variety of academic and clinical positions. For those interested in being a speaker or presenter at a future FMIG meeting please contact Patricia McCants (meetings@gafp.org) or Kara Sinkule (ksinkule@gafp.org) at 404-321-7445.
The Alliance of the GAFP Recognizes Corporate Trustee
The Alliance of the GAFP is proud to have Amedisys Home Health Services returning as a Alliance Corporate Trustee for 2011. As a leading provider of home healthcare and hospice services, Amedisys is focused on providing professional and personalized care for each and every patient and has a proven record of community service and corporate philanthropy in Georgia. Mr. Mark Hall, Vice President of Business Development, will represent Amedisys on the 2011 Alliance Board.
Alliance of the GAFP Awarded Two Grants
The Alliance of the GAFP was awarded two grants to support new programs for Family Medical Interest Groups and the continued expansion of the Tar Wars program in rural areas.
The Alliance of the GAFP received a $5,000 grant from the Family Medicine Philanthropic Consortium (FMPC) to create the Georgia FMIG Educational Programming Bureau for each of Georgia's seven medical school Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) clubs. The new Programming Bureau was designed and developed to educate medical students on vital student development components and modern clinical practices, while fostering maximum interest in Family Medicine as a career choice.
The Educational Programming Bureau will include leaders from the GAFP's various organizational levels, including the Board of Directors, Alliance Trustees and residency programs in a variety of academic and clinical positions. These family medicine physician leaders will provide valuable educational programming to each of Georgia's medical school FMIG clubs and will serve as a resource for students to demonstrate the overall breadth and scope of Family Medicine.
The second award was a $5,000 grant also from the FMPCto support the Rural Georgia Tar Wars Project 2011-12. The Rural Georgia Tar Wars Project seeks to build upon the success of the Georgia Tar Wars program to reach an additional 5,000 underserved fourth and fifth-grade students in 50 rural Georgia counties where presenter recruitment has proven difficult.
Grant funds will be used to assemble Tar Wars kits for presenters to use as a "one stop" box of the items needed to present Tar Wars to 4th and 5th graders throughout rural Georgia. Additionally, the Alliance will work with the Georgia Association of School Nurses to train their members in underserved areas of the state as Tar Wars presenters. Participating school nurses will also be eligible for stipends to encourage maximum recruitment and attendance for Tar Wars training sessions.
To learn more about the FMIG Educational Programming Bureau, the Tar Wars program or to volunteer as a presenter in your community contact Kara Sinkule at 800-392-3841 or at ksinkule@gafp.org.