Mallory Donald presided over the meeting. Lucy Sanguinetti provided the opening prayer. Matt Rumph led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mallory led the club in the Four Way Test. The meeting was held at the Mugshots Bar and Grill in Hattiesburg.
Stew Deen then conducted the 50/50 raffle. There was no winner today so the pot will carry over next week. Thanks to all of the members who are participating in the raffle. Proceeds from it will be donated to a local charity.
Stew noted that our meeting location has moved to Mugshots. They will provide us more food options and the location is more centralized for our members.
Mark Killingsworth then introduced today’s guest speaker, Dr. Jim Weir. Dr. Weir is Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and Professor of Pathology, Histology, and Oral Health at William Carey University in the College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has been in this position for the past thirteen years.
Dr. Meir noted that A.T. Still founded the first Osteopathic Medicine school just after the Civil War. Patients undergoing surgery at the time were about as likely to die from the surgery as they were the disease that was being treated. His goal was to start a school that taught doctors how to treat the whole person. The training also teaches preventative medicine.
The College of Osteopathic Medicine at William Carey University was first accredited in 2009. The first year the College was operational, there were 1,064 applicants. Of those 100 were admitted to the first class. Today there are more than 6,000 applicants and 200 students in the program. The William Carey program is the largest medical school in the state.
The first two years of the College’s program focuses on classroom instruction. After that the students must complete 3 to 4 years of rotation. After that the students serve in residencies for 3 to 8 years. About 25% of the students go into family medicine. Another 25% work in primary care areas. Graduates must commit that they will work in underserved areas such as rural areas.
Dr. Weir says the College has a large economic impact on the Hattiesburg area community. Just tuition payments total $40 million annually. Each doctor adds another $1 million in economic impact.
There being no further business to come before the club, Mallory thanked Dr. Weir for his remarks and then adjourned the meeting with our motto: “Service Above Self.”