Peach State Health Plan, MCG announce 2024 Peach State Scholars

Leaders from Peach State Health Plan, the Centene Foundation and the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University officially announced the largest ever cohort of “Peach State Scholars” during a pinning ceremony at the Medical College of Georgia August 9.

Now in its fourth year, the scholars program was created to address critical physician shortages in rural and underserved areas across Georgia.

“Our partnership with Peach State Health Plan has been pivotal in the success of the MCG3+ Primary Care Pathway Program and putting more doctors in areas of the state where they are needed most,” said MCG Dean David Hess, MD. “We have graduated two cohorts of these students who are now completing their residency programs and soon will be in practice in some of our state’s most underserved areas. We are extremely grateful for the continued support we have received from Peach State Health Plan and Centene to help us continue this program in perpetuity.”

Peach State Health Plan is a care management organization serving Georgians through diverse health insurance solutions and a Centene Corporation (NYSE: CNC) company.

According to a recent Georgia Board of Health Care Workforce Report, nine counties in Georgia have no physicians, 18 counties have no family medicine physicians, 40 counties have no internists, 65 counties have no pediatricians, 82 counties have no OB/GYNs, 80 counties have no general surgeons, 90 counties have no psychiatrists, and 73 counties have no emergency medicine physicians. These ongoing shortages have resulted in serious gaps in access to quality health care in many areas of rural and underserved Georgia.

Man in glasses places pin on medical lab coat of a college girl. — James Richardson, MD, Peach State’s chief
medical officer, with one of the 12 students
committed to the MCG3+ Primary Care
Pathway Program.
[Michael Holahan/Augusta University]

The MCG3+ Primary Care Pathway Program allows students to finish their medical school training in three, rather than four years, before directly entering a primary care residency program in Georgia. Peach State Scholars are medical students enrolled in the program who will receive student loan forgiveness in exchange for their commitment to practice in a rural or medically underserved areas in Georgia after they complete their medical training.

“Peach State Health Plan is proud to support this critical program and witness the development of these doctors who will soon be on the front lines of medical care for Georgians living in rural and underserved areas,” said Chief Growth Officer, Centene Corporation and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Peach State Health Plan, Wade Rakes. “The partnership with MCG is a testament to our ongoing commitment to improving accessibility to health care across Georgia – no matter your zip code.”

The Peach State Scholars represent a diverse group of medical students dedicated to serving Georgia’s communities. This year’s 12 Peach State Scholars and their chosen specialties are:

Caleb Bazal, of Moultrie, Georgia, internal medicine
Hermela Beyene, of Johns Creek, Georgia, pediatrics
Silas Howerton, of Alpharetta, Georgia, general surgery
David Kotter, of Lilburn, Georgia, psychiatry
Michael McGrath, of Augusta, Georgia, internal medicine
Carrington Moore, of Suwanee, Georgia, family medicine
Sweta Munagapati, of Cumming, Georgia, general surgery
Kaley Reid, of Armuchee, Georgia, family medicine
Avni Sawant, of Marietta, Georgia, family medicine
Dhruti Trivedi, of McDonough, Georgia, internal medicine
Ayanna Turner, of Shiloh, Georgia, family medicine
Madison White, of Douglasville, Georgia, obstetrics and gynecology

The Peach State Scholars loan forgiveness program was launched in 2021 with a $5.2 million donation from Peach State Health Plan to kickstart the program.

people stand in front of backdrop with logos for Augusta University and the Medical College of Georgia printed on it. The four people in the middle are holding an oversized check. — Medical College of Georgia Dean David C. Hess, MD, and Dental College of Georgia Dean Nancy Young, DMD, are joined by representatives from Peach State Health Plan, as well as medical and dental students to celebrate Peach State commitment of an additional $2.2 million. [Michael Holahan/Augusta University]

In January 2024, Peach State announced an additional $2.2 million funding commitment to Augusta University to facilitate the further expansion of the MCG 3+ Primary Care Pathway Program as well as support the launch of a new loan forgiveness program for the Augusta University Dental College of Georgia students who commit to five years of practice in rural and underserved areas.

These investments are part of a larger commitment from the State which matched Peach State Health Plan’s initial $5.2 million in 2021 and 2022 for $5.2 million and $8.7 million, respectively.

About Peach State Health Plan

Peach State Health Plan is a Care Management Organization that serves the needs of Georgians through a range of health insurance solutions. Peach State Health Plan serves the Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids® population in partnership with Georgia Families. The organization also focuses on under-insured and uninsured individuals through its federal insurance marketplace plan, Ambetter, and its Medicare Advantage and Medicare Prescription Drug Plans through Wellcare. Peach State Health Plan is a wholly owned subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a leading healthcare enterprise committed to helping people live healthier lives.

For more information visit Peach State Health Plan’s website.