LUMBERTON — More than once Tuesday, the words “perfect match” were used to describe the new partnership between Campbell University and Southeastern Health.
The two institutions celebrated that partnership — which includes resident doctors and third-year medical students starting their rotations in Southeastern Regional Medical Center’s new 10,000-square-foot section for medical education — with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with more than 200 in attendance.
“This partnership has changed Southeastern Health forever,” the health system’s CEO and President Joann Anderson said. “Our footprint is no longer the same. Our peer group is no longer the same. Our goal has always been to be the best. We want to be the health care provider of choice to the people of our region. Working in a partnership like this, we can realize that.”
The 40 students make up a fourth of the inaugural class of the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine, entering its third year this fall. The group of nearly 160 students have been split up among five sites, including Southeastern — 44 students began their rotations at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville on Monday, and the other half of the class will be split among WakeMed, Harnett Health, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, Wayne Memorial Hospital and Sampson Regional Medical Center.
With the help of more than $1.6 million in grants, Southeastern renovated a 10,000-square-foot space at its existing hospital in Lumberton to include classrooms, study areas, staff offices and a conference room.
“Our ideal grants are for partnerships between high-quality educational institutions and high-quality health providers,” said Dan Gerlach, president of the Golden LEAF Foundation, which presented a $500,000 check to Southeastern on Tuesday. “[These grants] provide an education for students in a place where they can live and work and learn the benefits of working in a rural setting. If Campbell University and Southeastern aren’t the ideal partnership for this grant, I don’t know what is.”
Campbell was represented by Dr. Robert Hasty, associate dean for post-graduate affairs at the medical school and vice president of medical education at Southeastern, and founding medical school Dean Dr. John Kauffman on Tuesday. Also speaking were two presidents — current president J. Bradley Creed and former president Jerry Wallace.
“Too long have we sought health care in places like Lumberton and have been underserved,” said Wallace. “Too long have we attempted to recruit health care professionals to underserved areas, and they’ve gone somewhere else. It’s something we’ve all suffered from, and I believe today we’re taking a step in the right direction, serving the underserved in this region, state and nation. That’s at the very core of what Campbell is about.”
Creed likened Lumberton to his hometown of Jacksonville, Texas, and stressed the importance of institutions like schools, churches and hospitals in their communities.
“I’ve seen the effect an institution like this can have,” Creed said. “These medical students and these residents are the greatest opportunity for people in this region to receive compassionate, competent medical care. What you see today is a representation of what you can expect from Campbell in the future.”
Campbell, Southeastern Health cut ribbon on Medical Education center