Medical College of Georgia to get four-year campus at Georgia Southern University

The Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University is establishing a new four-year medical campus at Georgia Southern University, according to a news release from Georgia House of Representatives Speaker Jon Burns.

On Tuesday, the Board of Regents voted to approve a $1.69 million bond to renovate 23,000 square feet of space at the Armstrong Center and Health Professions Building at Georgia Southern. The resolution says that this new space will be for MCG students, but does not mention that it will be a new four-year campus.

“Increasing opportunities within the University System of Georgia allows Augusta University’s Medical College of Georgia to educate and train more students and meets a clear need to make sure our communities receive better health care,” Burns was quoted as saying in the statement. “Georgia needs more doctors, and I’m proud we are making this investment in our future.”

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The announcement comes as MCG prepares to merge with Atlanta-based Wellstar Health System, forming Wellstar MCG Health. The agreement, which would obligate Wellstar to spend up to $800 million on capitol investments, is currently under routine legal review by the state Attorney General's office.

The USA Today Network has reached out for comment to GSU, the Medical College of Georgia, and Wellstar Health System, but did not receive an immediate reply on Tuesday afternoon.

According to prior reporting, after the merger with Wellstar MCG hopes to increase the number of students from 264 in each class to 304. The Medical College has its main campus in Augusta and another four-year campus in Athens, as well as a number of regional campuses where students in their final two years can work on clinical skills.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: New four year campus for Medical College of Georgia announced at GSU