Articulation Agreements Fast Track Students to Med School

November 10, 2021

PCOM South Georgia has partnered with Georgia Southern University (GSU), Valdosta State University (VSU) and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College (ABAC) to provide students the opportunity to complete medical school a year early through new articulation agreements.

What is an articulation agreement?

Articulation agreements provide opportunities for qualified students to begin their professional education at an accelerated rate. Qualified students can attend their institution through their junior year, then transfer to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program at PCOM South Georgia and take medical school courses a year early. For each academic program and successful completion of four years of medical education at PCOM South Georgia, students receive their undergraduate degree as well as their DO degree. In a way, articulation agreements provide a fast track for medical school.

The agreement also provides the opportunity for students with a four-year degree in basic sciences to receive special consideration for the DO program after graduating from their institution. Up to three students per year from the undergraduate institutions will be considered for admission into PCOM South Georgia's osteopathic medical program.

Download Program Brochure (PDF)

Agreements help meet PCOM South Georgia's mission

H. William Craver III, DO '87, FACOS, Dean and Chief Academic Officer of PCOM South Georgia said, “We are proud to have accepted and educated ABAC and GSU students since opening our doors in 2019. This agreement creates the opportunity to increase the number of those students at PCOM South Georgia in the near future. It is through institutional agreements such as this that our common goal can be reached—to keep South Georgia students in the region to fill the need for rural healthcare professionals.”

Pierre-Richard Cornely, PhD, Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at VSU, said, “Preparing and training physicians to address growing needs in rural areas is a shared goal between our two universities. We are happy to develop this partnership for the good of our community, for our region, and to benefit our students' success in their professional achievements, becoming physicians and caring for people in our community. We look forward to this program beginning in Fall 2022.“

Delana Gajdosik-Nivens, PhD, Dean of the College of Science and Mathematics at GSU, shared Dr. Craver’s sentiment. She said, “Our partnership with PCOM, especially the new accelerated pathway, is the first of its kind at Georgia Southern. We take great pride in helping to address the shortage of primary care physicians in our rural communities.“

Matthew Anderson, PhD, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at ABAC, said, “This new agreement is excellent news for ABAC biology students with dreams of becoming doctors, and it’s great for the region. Keeping our students in South Georgia for their medical training will hopefully increase the likelihood that they stick around thereafter and serve our rural communities.”

About PCOM South Georgia's DO program

PCOM South Georgia's osteopathic medical program utilizes rigorous academics and experienced faculty members to train the next generation of doctors. Along with expert instruction, we incorporate hands-on learning exercises through high-tech patient simulators and standardized patient actors. Our student doctors learn at hospitals and healthcare facilities in the Southeast region in order develop clinical skills in all stages of patient care.

PCOM medical students are taught to practice a “whole person” approach to medicine—treating the entire person rather than just symptoms. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine focus on preventive health care to help patients develop lifestyles and attitudes that prevent and fight illness.

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