Ideally, Georgia's planned expansion of its medical education program would take place in Augusta, at the Medical College of Georgia.

This newspaper has long advocated further investment in the state's health care education hub: Augusta.

But the numbers, and the need, have changed with the country's aging population. The ouput of health-care professionals must change, as well.

Simply put, Georgia must join the national effort to increase medical school enrollment to meet our voracious appetite for health care. The Association of American Medical Colleges has called on the country to increase medical school enrollment 30 percent by 2015.

Message received: Georgia last week announced a new medical education facility that would add 40 medical school students to the 180-190 now being educated at MCG in Augusta.

The facility will be in Athens, in partnership with the University of Georgia. But, importantly, it will be overseen and directed by top officials at MCG in Augusta. And that's great news.

For one thing, it only makes sense for officials at MCG - the only public medical school in the state - to control and direct the facility.

For another thing, although the facility will be in Athens, it will represent an opportunity for Augusta to expand its contributions to the state's health and well-being.

There's plenty of opportunity, too: Georgia has about 9,000 unfilled nursing positions; the state is a net importer of dentists, cranking out (at MCG) only 62 of the 200 new dentists licensed last year; and, not suprisingly, Georgia ranks 37th in the nation in the ratio of physicians to the population.

The need certainly is self-evident: In a broad range of indicators such as vaccination rates, obesity, cardiac mortality and more, one public health study ranked Georgia 43rd in the nation.

So, while the gravitational pull of Athens and the University of Georgia is considerable, and perhaps a bit intimidating, not to expand the Medical College of Georgia's output would be irresponsible.

Besides, we need to remember that MCG is a state and even national asset - its students are seventh in the nation in academic performance. What a testament to the superior teaching and management at the school - and another reason for MCG to run the satellite campus in Athens.

MCG's far-flung mission and impact are reflected in a growing number of clinics and programs across the state - and the fact that MCG President Daniel Rahn is also the senior vice chancellor of health and medical programs for the University System of Georgia.

Augusta needs to not shy away from - and, in fact, should embrace - expanding our partnerships with other similarly sized cities in Georgia; and a partnership between MCG and UGA could be huge for the public good.

It's essential that we cooperate interally, too: We Augustans must realize our contribution to this statewide and even national mission. Local leaders must work with President Rahn to ensure its continued growth right here in Augusta.

In the big picture of health care education in Georgia, Augusta is still front and center.

And always should be.

We need to make sure of it.