Cutting the ribbon to the new PCOM South Georgia Rural Health Initiative Building dedicated by the 47th Sunbelt Ag Expo, on October 14, 2025.
PCOM South Georgia recently celebrated the official dedication of its new "PCOM South Georgia Rural Health Initiative Building" at the 47th Sunbelt Ag Expo, the region’s largest farm show. The facility was donated by the Ag Expo team in an effort to create a community health hub that supports the College’s ongoing efforts to improve and expand health education in rural South Georgia.
PCOM President and CEO Jay S. Feldstein, DO '81 was joined by Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp, First Lady of Georgia Marty Kemp and Sunbelt Ag Expo Executive Director Chip Blalock for a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony where together they emphasized the importance of community collaboration in advancing healthcare education.
“The Sunbelt Ag Expo is very proud of our partnership with PCOM, which started as a health screening idea and instantly expanded to a full-fledged Rural Health Initiative involving all of the medical groups of southwest Georgia. We are proud of the positive impact made so far and are looking forward to a bright future serving the farmers that attend the Sunbelt Ag Expo for years to come,” said Chip Blalock, Executive Director of Sunbelt Ag Expo.
Inside the new facility, PCOM South Georgia students offered blood pressure screenings to visitors and showcased the Simbulance, a mobile simulation lab designed to enhance emergency response training. Recognizing the increasing importance of mental health in agriculture, the College is dedicated to raising awareness of the often-unseen struggles faced by those working behind the barns and tractors—many of whom endure significant physical, emotional, and financial hardships.
“Farmers are the backbone of America, working long days of sweat and sacrifice while often quietly bearing physical, financial, and emotional burdens with little access to support,” said Dr. Feldstein. “The Sunbelt Ag Expo recognizes this challenge, and PCOM South Georgia shares this commitment. Together, we aim to raise awareness and provide resources for farmers, their families, and their communities.”
“The purpose of being at Ag Expo is to bring awareness that we’re here for our community,” said Dillon Presley, Community Outreach Coordinator at PCOM South Georgia. “A lot of people don’t understand the weight the farming profession carries, and that is why we are here.”
In 2019, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), a premier osteopathic medical school established in 1899, extended its commitment to the Southeast by establishing PCOM South Georgia. An additional teaching location in Moultrie, Georgia, PCOM South Georgia offers both a full, four-year medical program leading to the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences. PCOM is a private, not-for-profit institution that trains professionals in the health and behavioral sciences fields. Joining PCOM Georgia in Suwanee in helping to meet the healthcare needs of the state, PCOM South Georgia focuses on educating physicians for the region. For more information, visit pcom.edu or call 229-668-3110.
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Joy Williford
Assistant Director, News and Media Relations
Office of Marketing and Communications
Email: joyde@pcom.edu
Office: 470-572-7558
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