PCOM South Georgia Takes Health Education on the Road with New MedRover

September 11, 2026

If you have driven by PCOM South Georgia recently, you may have noticed a large, RV-like vehicle parked in the lot. The 40-foot, fully equipped vehicle now serves as the College's Medical Rural Outreach Van, or MedROVer, designed to bring health education and wellness resources directly to communities throughout the region.

The MedROVer will serve as a mobile community resource through which faculty, staff and students will provide health screenings, education and wellness initiatives. Services will include blood pressure readings and education about hypertension, diabetes, mental health and nutrition. If a health concern is detected, faculty can also help community members connect with healthcare providers in their area.

“The majority of counties in Georgia do not have a physician, and in Southwest Georgia specifically, our region has a critical need. PCOM South Georgia was founded to meet that need,” said Dillon Presley, MBA, assistant director of campus operations. “Because transportation has been cited as another barrier to getting health care in our region, we’'e going to where the people are.”

Southwell in Tifton owns the mobile unit and has leased it to PCOM South Georgia for three years. The clinic previously provided healthcare services to underserved communities, COVID-19 vaccinations and other community health initiatives.

“Partnering with PCOM allows the unit to continue serving communities while supporting the education and training of tomorrow's physicians,” said Christopher Dorman, MA, MBA-HCM, FACHE, president and chief executive officer of Southwell. “We're excited that this mobile clinic will help expand their outreach, provide valuable hands-on learning opportunities for students, and connect more people with healthcare services.”

The mobile unit includes three patient rooms and a waiting area, allowing it to serve up to four patients at a time. With 8 to 10 student volunteers and one faculty member on staff, the MedRover will give students valuable experience working with rural populations.

“We have an opportunity to expose our students to populations of people that they may have never encountered before,” said Lissa P. Murphy, MD, MS, clinical sciences chair, director of healthcare services, and associate professor of emergency medicine. “More than 60% of our students are from Georgia, and more than half of them will go into primary care. This MedROVer gives them the opportunity to practice patient-focused care early.”

On September 1, 2026, nearly a dozen student volunteers boarded the MedROVer for a training session. They also had to complete a “Know Your Numbers” training.

“PCOM South Georgia HEARTS is a new student organization meant to increase health literacy and wellness through education, outreach initiatives and connection to available community resources,” said HEARTS president, Misha Ul-Islam (DO '29). “I have been volunteering at free health clinics for the past 7 years, and hope to bring my experience to this new organization. I would love to see it expand in the future so students can do more for the community.”

The MedROVer will be open to the public every Tuesday in September and October from 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the PCOM South Georgia parking lot.

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