Equipping Tomorrow’s Emergency Providers for Georgia’s Underserved: The Evolution of MUSM Columbus’s EMIG
Maddison Montgomery, MS2
Mercer SOM - Columbus Campus
President, Emergency Medicine Interest Group
Grey Braybrooks, MS3
Mercer SOM - Columbus Campus
Former President, Emergency Medicine Interest Group
Founded four years ago with a clear vision but limited initial structure, our Emergency Medicine Interest Group (EMIG) has steadily evolved each year, remaining focused on preparing students to serve Georgia’s rural and underserved communities in alignment with Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM)’s mission. As a relatively new program, we are focused on continually improving and expanding our initiatives to inspire and equip future emergency physicians.
In its inaugural year, the EMIG leadership organized a series of hands-on clinical workshops in collaboration with faculty mentors to engage students and introduce them to the scope and practice of emergency medicine. These sessions provided valuable insight into the demands and rewards of the specialty. During its second and third years, MUSM’s EMIG leadership significantly expanded the scope and quality of our clinics, introducing advanced skills such as ultrasound-guided central line placement, advanced airway management with supraglottic and endotracheal intubation, suturing, interpretation of EKGs, and wound packing. These sessions, enhanced by innovative student- and faculty-created materials like 3D-printed silicone airways and foam-and-PVC “extremities” for wound packing, equipped students with techniques essential for emergency care. The progression from basic to advanced clinics marked substantial growth in our program’s ability to prepare students for the demands of emergency medicine. Additionally, the group offered a comprehensive overview of the field’s diverse career pathways by highlighting residency and attending physician lifestyles, salary expectations, recent match rate trends, and available subspecialty opportunities.
We are committed to further enhancing our hands-on opportunities to prepare students for the demands of emergency care. We are refining existing clinics based on student feedback to ensure they remain engaging and relevant, while also introducing new workshops, such as chest tube placement and START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment). These additions lay the groundwork for a future Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) program. We are also collaborating with local fire and EMS services to offer training on C-spine stabilization, backboarding, and pelvic binding. These partnerships strengthen students’ skills and build connections with first responders who serve our communities, fostering a collaborative approach to emergency care.
Located near Fort Benning, a U.S. Army base, the MUSM Columbus campus benefits from emergency medicine faculty and guest speakers whose military and field experience offer valuable perspectives on disaster and wilderness medicine. Dr. Charles Moore, a MUSM alumnus, U.S. Army Special Operations Veteran, wilderness medicine fellow, and current emergency medicine physician, is now serving his second year as the faculty advisor for the Emergency Medicine Interest Group. His expertise, shared during hands-on clinical sessions in his first year with the group, significantly enhanced our ability to perform and understand emergency care techniques. In addition to Dr. Moore, Randall Daughtry, Marine Corps Veteran with over a decade of experience as a paramedic, is entering his second year as the Emergency Medical Responders instructor at MUSM Columbus. Mr. Daughtry worked together with the EMIG in his first year, and his knowledge of prehospital EMS services and hands-on expertise proved invaluable throughout the group’s clinical lessons. In the years ahead, we aim to increase the level of collaboration with faculty mentors, as their experience and guidance are essential to the group’s advancement and growth.
Our commitment to MUSM’s mission reaches beyond the classroom to serve Columbus’s unhoused and underserved communities by improving access to healthcare. Many in these populations rely on emergency departments for primary care, often seeking treatment long after it would have been most effective. By partnering with our campus’ Street Medicine Group, MUSM’s EMIG is working to improve access to preventative care, offering blood pressure and blood glucose screenings, basic wound care, and wound care kits to vulnerable members of our community. We have created health education materials designed specifically for these communities, ensuring they are clear and accessible. Looking ahead, we plan to leverage these partnerships to join the EM Day of Service, expanding our impact across the city. Through these efforts, we’re addressing health disparities in Columbus and its surrounding areas, staying true to our dedication to improving community health.
To further enrich our program, we are also aiming to increase engagement from third- and fourth-year students, whose clinical experience offers valuable perspectives for first- and second-year students. We aim to establish a fourth-year panel dedicated to supporting students as they navigate away rotations, residency applications, and the transition to patient care responsibilities. We are connecting with MUSM graduates in emergency medicine residencies or attending physicians, many of whom serve across Georgia. Their insights into emergency practice inspire students to pursue careers in this field. Over the coming year, we plan to continue hosting guest speakers with the goal of increasing exposure to emergency medicine subspecialties such as toxicology, critical care, and pediatric emergency medicine, thereby enhancing both knowledge and the breadth of our educational offerings. As MUSM’s EMIG enters its fourth year, it is driven by a commitment to continuous improvement. By enhancing clinics, expanding community outreach, engaging upperclassmen, and fostering alumni connections, we are strengthening a young but thriving organization. The Columbus campus is still growing, and our EMIG is working to foster future emergency physicians dedicated to serving communities in need. We invite the EMRA community to follow our journey as we build on our progress, guided by MUSM’s mission to serve rural and underserved areas of Georgia, and our shared passion for emergency medicine.
