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OMESA Administrative Deans and Staff

Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Clinical Services

Stacy Higgins, MD

404-778-1622 office
404-310-0223 cell

  • Absences, including Leave of Absence request, during required clerkships
  • Oversight of clerkship experience (clerkship directors first contact)
  • Pre-residency application counseling
  • Approval of away electives
  • MSPE writing
  • Clinical rotation changes (Laura Hopkins and Mary Kaye Garcia first contact; Dr. Higgins to be copied)
  • Enrollment status (Mary Kaye Garcia first contact)
  • Financial Aid (Cortney Davis first contact)
  • Student Affairs Staff (Mary Kaye Garcia is first contact)
  • Career in academic internal medicine, medical education leadership, healthcare for the underserved
  • General questions, concerns, or suggestions

Director of Foundations

David Schulman, MD

678-471-9959 cell

  • Oversight of Foundations phase (content, policies, faculty, course directors)
  • Exam schedule changes in Foundations phase
  • Absences during Foundations phase (if Dr. Schwartz unavailable)
  • Career in academic internal medicine (Pulmonary/Sleep Medicine), medical education leadership


Director of Societies

Mary Jo Lechowicz, MD

404-778-3908 office
678-575-7677 cell

  • Oversight of Small Group Advisors
  • Oversight of the SGA faculty leadership council
  • Responsible for Application phase Tuesday evening schedules for small groups
  • Resource for Discussion and conflict management of Small Group experience for faculty and students
  • Course Director for Prologue I
  • Liaison to student support committee
  • Careers in Hematology/Oncology, medical education leadership
  • Mentorship/research in Hematology/Oncology for learners from all disciplines and status

Assistant Dean for Medical Education Research

Hugh Stoddard, MEd, PhD

404-727-8451 office
404-821-1883 cell

  • Curriculum/course development
  • Construction/administration of student assessments
  • Study design for medical education research
  • Management information systems for education data


Assistant Dean for Medical Education

Douglas Ander, MD

678-772-8162

  • Honor Council Liaison
  • Dean Liaison to the Health Professions Programs
  • Interprofessional Education Thread Leader
  • Career in academic emergency medicine, medical education scholarship

Assistant Dean for Medical Education and Student Affairs

Gordon Churchward, PhD

404-712-9943 office
678-612-7499 cell

  • Academic advising and support
  • Provision of tutors
  • Liaison with Ben Franklin for learning issues
  • Liaison with USMLE prep courses, including Wolfpacc
  • NBME registration (Mary Kaye Garcia first contact)
  • Accommodations (Sherice Allen- Henry first contact)


Associate Dean for Medical Education

Erica Brownfield, MD, MBA

404-727-3400 office
404-213-1642 cell

  • Curriculum Oversight
  • Curriculum Committee
  • LCME accreditation
  • Policies, procedures, MD Student Handbook
  • Weekly email updates
  • Oversight of Course and Clerkship Leadership (for Foundations, Dr. Schulman is first contact, for Application and Translation phase, Dr. Higgins first contact)
  • Medical Education Staff (Tyrese Hinkins Jones is first contact)
  • Research involving medical students as subjects
  • Career in academic internal medicine, medical education leadership, healthcare for the underserved
  • Any general questions, concerns, or suggestions

Associate Dean for Medical Education, UME, GME, CME and Health Professions

Marilane Bond, EdD, MEd, MBA

404-712-9979 office

  • Oversight of business, finance and administration for all SOM education programs
  • Collaborates with other education deans, SOM staff, department chairs and administrators


Associate Dean for Medical Education and Student Affairs

Ira Schwartz, MD

404-727-5660 office
404-274-0467 cell

  • Director of Admissions
  • Co-Chair of Admissions Committee
  • Oversight of Admissions applications and decisions
  • Absences during Foundations phase, including leave of absence
  • Assists students in finding personal health care
  • Aids Small Group Advisors and Course Directors with student counseling issues (both personal and academic)

Executive Associate Dean Office of Medical Education and Student Affairs Graduate Medical and Continuing Education

J. William Eley, MD, MPH

404-712-9979 office
404-310-6022 cell
For appointment

  • Oversight of all SOM education programs
  • Oversight of all SOM education and student affairs deans
  • Career in academic medicine, public health, medical education leadership
  • Career in Hematology/Oncology
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Last modified: 09/29/2022.