Mercer University School of Medicine, founded in 1982 and located in Macon, Georgia, is a private MD-granting institution with one of the most clearly defined missions in US medical education: training physicians to serve rural and medically underserved communities in Georgia. The school operates a distributed campus system across Macon, Savannah, and Columbus, embedding students in the communities they are being trained to serve. Mercer graduates enter primary care at exceptionally high rates and demonstrate strong retention in Georgia practice.
What makes it different
Mercer is a private medical school with an explicit and longstanding mission to train physicians for rural and medically underserved communities in Georgia. It operates a distributed campus model across Macon, Savannah, and Columbus — intentionally placing students in underserved Georgia communities from Year 3 onward. Mercer consistently produces one of the highest rates of graduates entering primary care and rural practice of any US medical school.
Course & teaching
PBL curriculum. 4-year MD using a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum with strong community health integration. Years 1–2 in Macon; Year 3–4 clinical rotations distributed across Macon, Savannah, Columbus, and rural Georgia partner sites. The curriculum explicitly integrates community medicine, social determinants of health, and rural healthcare delivery throughout all four years.
Research strengths
Mercer University School of Medicine (MD) has notable research strength in Rural health, Primary care workforce, Social determinants of health, Health disparities in Georgia, Community-based participatory research.
Interview
Mercer University School of Medicine (MD) interviews via Traditional one-on-one or panel interviews with faculty and community members. Mercer University School of Medicine uses a traditional interview format held in Macon (or at its Savannah or Columbus campuses). Applicants typically meet with two or three interviewers — faculty, community physicians, and sometimes community members — in sessions of 30–45 minutes each. Interviewers probe mission fit for rural and underserved Georgia medicine, personal background in medically underserved communities, and commitment to practicing in Georgia. The day includes a campus tour, interactions with current students, and an information session on Mercer's community-focused curriculum and distributed campus model.
Intake
Approximately 120 students per year (across the Macon, Savannah and Columbus campuses).
At a glance
Founded in 1982, based in Macon, GA. Programmes offered: Primary Care, Rural Medicine, Family Medicine, General Internal Medicine, Community Health.