New program in place to help underserved counties in South Georgia with health

• Thirty-two percent of Georgians live in medically under served counties.
• Now, there's a new program in place to help.
• Watch the video above to see how local educators are working to keep the community healthy.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Thirty-two percent of Georgians live in medically under served counties. Many of them are here in South Georgia. Now, there's a new program in place to help.

I’m Malia Thomas, your neighborhood reporter in Valdosta. I'm tracking the local need and new resources in the works.

Amari Evans is a rising third-year medical student at Mercer University School of Medicine. She grew up right here in Valdosta. "My mom's here, family and friends here. It's exciting to be back."

She's transferring from the MUSM Columbus campus to complete her medical education at the new clinical campus back home. "It's actually a full circle moment. Like it's just surreal. I mean, my first job was right here at South Georgia Medical Center."

SGMC Health is aiming to bring other students like Amari to Valdosta thought their partnership with Mercer. Starting this month, 3rd and 4th-year medical students will train at the new Medical Education Unit right here on North Patterson Street.

With 3,500 patients for every provider in the area, fellow third-year student Rhett Parr tells me additional physicians at SGMC is needed.

"Outside of Mercer and a select few other schools, not many places talk about the small communities that maybe have one family physician trying to wear all the specialty hats."

SGMC also keeps growing; they're investing $150 million to enhance their facilities and healthcare services, which Amari tells me she wants to be apart of.

"I grew up in the healthcare system, a lot of family issues dealing with health, so I just wanted to give back to the community, give back to the under served."

MUSM only admits Georgia residents and favors students from rural areas.