Kathelen and Dan Amos pledged a $ 5 million gift to Emory University School of Medicine to help establish the Kathelen and Dan Amos Medical Student Loan Forgiveness Program: Improving Access to Primary Care in Georgia.
Not only will this program attract young talent and bring Emory School of Medicine graduates back to Georgia, but it will also address the issue of moving doctors in training to more lucrative areas rather than pursuing a hands-on primary care.
There has been a growing shortage of general practitioners across the country for decades. The situation in Georgia is worse as the per capita ratio is worse than the country’s average and has worsened due to the pandemic.
Data collected by the Emory School of Medicine found Georgia lacks more than 2,000 primary care physicians to meet the national average for the state’s population.
“Our family is increasingly concerned about the well-documented lack and access to general practitioners for Georgians of all ages,” said Kathelen Amos, trustee of the Daniel P. Amos Family Foundation. “By removing some of the financial barriers to choosing a primary care discipline, we are investing in the future for both Emory students and interns and our Georgian compatriots.”
The burden of student debt is an important factor in choosing medical specialties. Lower salaries and government reimbursements contribute to the shortage of doctors in basic care areas such as internal medicine, family medicine, pediatrics and geriatrics.
The goal of the new program is to empower young Emory-trained physicians to stay true to their passions by relieving the stress that comes with college loans and by encouraging them to practice primary care in the state of Georgia. Recipients undertake to practice a general practitioner in Georgia for two to five years, commensurate with the amount of help received.
“Student debt is a major contributor to anxiety, depression, and burnout in students and residents,” said Vikas P. Sukhatme, MD, ScD, dean of the Emory School of Medicine. “We are very grateful for the generosity and trust of the Amos family in the talented young medical professionals and students we train at Emory. Together we can have a profound impact on health care for families everywhere. “
The effects of student debt and the choices it creates are being felt by millions of people, especially in rural, underserved parts of the country. Studies have shown that states with higher proportions of primary care physicians have better health and lower mortality rates. In addition, patients who visit a family doctor regularly have lower health care costs than patients without one.
Kathelen Amos is President of The Aflac Foundation Inc. and retired after 20 years at Aflac as Executive Vice President. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Emory and her PhD in Law from the University of Georgia School of Law. She later earned a nursing degree from Columbus Tech. Kathelen has been a member of the Emory Board of Trustees since 2009 and serves on the Executive Committee, Governance, Trustee, and Nomination Committee, and as Vice Chair of the Robert W. Woodruff Health Sciences Center Committee.
Dan Amos is chairman and chief executive officer of Aflac Incorporated, a position he has held since 1990. He is a past chairman of the Japan America Society of Georgia and the University of Georgia Foundation, and a former trustee of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Dan earned his Bachelor of Arts in Insurance and Risk Management from the University of Georgia.
Learn more about Kathelen and Dan Amos’ medical student lending program.
