SR83: SR83 Morehouse School of Medicine; commend

25 LC 112 2767 Senate Resolution 83 By: Senators Brass of the 6th, Anderson of the 43rd, Tillery of the 19th, Dixon of the 45th, Kirkpatrick of the 32nd and others A RESOLUTION Commending Morehouse School of Medicine upon its 50th anniversa ry; and for other1 purposes.2 WHEREAS, Dr. Louis Brown, an internal medicine physician in Atlanta, proposed the idea3 for a new medical school to the presidents of the Atlanta University Center schools in 1969;4 and5 WHEREAS, the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation supported a feasibility study to investigate the6 idea for a new medical school, and then Morehouse College President Dr. Hugh M. Gloster7 expressed interest in establishing a medical school at the college; and8 WHEREAS, in 1975, Morehouse College recruited Dr. Louis W. Sull ivan, a Morehouse9 graduate, to serve as the first president and academic dean of the Medical Education Program10 at Morehouse College, with a vision to diversify the healthcare workforce and provide11 primary healthcare in underserved rural and urban communities; and12 WHEREAS, in 1977, the State of Georgia appropriated $1 million as a state operating grant13 to support the operations of the new program at Morehouse College; and14 S. R. 83 - 1 - 25 LC 112 2767 WHEREAS, Morehouse School of Medicine began in a single trailer on the campus of15 Morehouse College in the summer of 1978 with an inaugural class of 24 students in its16 two-year medical sciences program, allowing students to transfer to four-year institutions to17 complete their education; and18 WHEREAS, the medical school was incorporated in Georgia in 1980, officially became an19 independent institution in 1981, and established a four-year medical school in 1985 as the20 Morehouse School of Medicine; and21 WHEREAS, 3,283 students, including 1,867 physicians, have gradu ated from Morehouse22 School of Medicine, and approximately 60 percent of the MD graduates who have completed23 residency are practicing in Georgia; and24 WHEREAS, Morehouse School of Medicine has significantly expande d its physical25 footprint, academic programs, research initiatives, and physici an class size under the26 leadership of its first and only woman President and CEO, Dr. V alerie Montgomery Rice;27 and28 WHEREAS, it is abundantly proper and fitting that the accomplis hments of this29 distinguished Georgia institution be appropriately recognized o n the occasion of its 50th30 anniversary.31 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body32 commend Morehouse School of Medicine upon its 50th anniversary celebration in the State33 of Georgia, without which students would not have access to qua lity education, research34 would not have been conducted, and healthcare access would not have expanded as broadly35 across the state.36 S. R. 83 - 2 - 25 LC 112 2767 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed37 to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to Morehouse School38 of Medicine.39 S. R. 83 - 3 -