Expanding Access to Healthcare in Rural Georgia
Scholars from the inaugural class from MCG’s 3+ Program practice CPR techniques on a manikin.
The Centene Foundation and Centene’s Georgia health plan, Peach State Health Plan, are providing $2.2 million over two years to expand the Medical College of Georgia’s 3+ Program, which allows medical students to complete their medical training in three years and provides the opportunity to have their medical school loans be forgiven if they practice in rural Georgia after graduation.
The expansion would extend this program to the Augusta University’s Dental College of Georgia, offering loan forgiveness to dental students who practice in one of 127 Georgia counties with deficiencies in dental care for at least five years. The Centene Foundation and Peach State Health Plan’s investment would also allow the Peach State Scholars program to offer financial support to an additional three to five students at the Medical College of Georgia annually.
This investment builds on Peach State Health Plan’s previous $5.2 million grant and partnership with the Medical College of Georgia and Augusta University to launch the 3+ Program in 2020. The latest support will advance this existing public-private partnership dedicated to improving rural healthcare.