ALBANY, Ga. (WJBF) — A check presentation ceremony took place in Albany at Augusta University’s Southwest Regional Campus of Medical College of Georgia.

Georgia District 2 Congressman Sanford Bishop presented the check to AU President Dr. Brooks Keel and MCG Dean Dr. David Hess. The check represents $2 million that the Congressman secured in federal funds for the campus.

The funds will be used to create a primary care workforce training hub at MCG’s Southwest Regional Campus in order to provide more physicians and medical professionals in rural and underserved areas.

“The Southwest Campus will become hub where medical students will be trained to address Georgia’s health care challenges and gain valuable experience in the communities in which they are needed to serve,” said Congressman Bishop. “One of my top priorities in Congress is to make sure our rural and underserved communities have the healthcare professionals, equipment, and facilities they need to ensure residents have all of their medical needs met at or as close to home as possible.”

“We are extremely grateful to Congressman Bishop and his team for their continued support of the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University and particularly our Southwest Campus,” said Augusta University President Dr. Brooks A. Keel. “As Georgia’s sole public academic medical center, MCG has a mission and a duty to serve the residents of this state. We want every Georgian, no matter where they live, to have access to high-quality health care provided by well-trained physicians.” 

MCG has supplied students and residents to Albany for years and, in 2005, created a physical campus. Now, there are more than 140 volunteer physicians who provide training to MCG Southwest students through that campus.