Scholarships Help Fulfill School of Medicine’s Mission
If Crystal Bailey Gary, M.D. ’05, could say anything to the donors who contributed to the scholarship she received, it would be “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Dr. Gary operates a family practice in her hometown of rural Blairsville with her husband, Thomas Gary, M.D. ’05. She received the Joseph A. Ray Scholarship — one of the first scholarship funds established at the Mercer School of Medicine (MUSM).
She said that though she has always been passionate about practicing medicine in her hometown, without the scholarships she received, achieving her goal would have been impossible. “Without financial assistance, I never could have attended medical school,” she said. “I am reminded of this everyday when I put on my white coat and head into a patient’s exam room.”
Scholarships often play a crucial role in a student’s decision to attend MUSM. The School’s mission is to provide a medical education for future physicians who will meet the health care needs of Georgia’s rural and underserved communities. For students without financial aid or scholarships, this goal can be impossible to meet.
In spring 2009, Doctor of Medicine graduates completed their degrees with an average debt of $180,000, while Master of Public Health graduates carried an average debt of $48,521. Annual tuition at the School is approximately $40,000.
“In today’s shaky economic and health care climate, it’s going to be difficult to convince future physicians to choose a primary care specialty and live in a region that is financially less beneficial than living in a city practicing as a specialist,” Dr. Gary said. “Most students will choose to go large cities where it’s easier to pay off their debt.”
Currently, 161 scholarships offered in the School of Medicine assist 31 medical students.
Dr. Maurice Clifton, associate dean of admissions in the School of Medicine, said the cost of a medical education often discourages prospective students from attending medical school. “Studies show that physicians tend to go back to the communities they came from, so we want to recruit from all over Georgia,” Dr. Clifton said. “I think students are intimidated by borrowing the full amount of loans — more than $240,000 — to go to medical school.”
Dr. Gary encourages current medical school students to consider practicing in a rural community. “There are few career choices that offer as much personal satisfaction as being a family physician in a small town,” she said. “Family physicians are a needed, vital entity of the community, and are treated as such. I feel very blessed to enjoy going to work each day.”
Dr. William F. Bina III, dean of the School of Medicine, said that scholarships and financial aid play a crucial role in a student’s decision to attend Mercer and eventually return to his or her hometown to practice medicine as a primary care physician. “These scholarships are very important to both the School and the students in reducing the cost of a medical education,” he said. “Any reduction in individual student debt we can offer, especially for those from rural areas, increases the probability that they can afford to return and practice medicine in rural and underserved areas.”
Aside from saying thank you to the donors of the scholarship she received, Dr. Gary said she hopes they realize what an impact their contributions had on her education and profession. “When patients walk through my door, the last thing on my mind is whether his insurance is going to reimburse well enough to help pay off my medical school debt,” Dr. Gary said. “Rather, I think about the kindness that was shown to me through the scholarship money, and I pass this kindness on to my patients.”
If you would like to establish a scholarship in the School of Medicine or contribute to an existing scholarship, contact Donavan Eason in the Office of University Advancement at (800) 837-2911 ext. 5648 or eason_dk@mercer.edu.