Welcome to Augusta and MCG!!!!!!
It might seem that James N. Thompson has no formal ties to the Medical College of Georgia, but the new interim president of MCG has a connection to Augusta: His son David is a former associate pastor of Curtis Baptist Church.
Dr. Thompson, a former medical school dean and former head of the group representing state medical boards, was appointed Thursday as interim president of MCG by University System of Georgia Chancellor Erroll B. Davis Jr. He is scheduled to start Oct. 1 and will fill the gap when Daniel W. Rahn leaves to become chancellor of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, a position he accepted in March.
Dr. Rahn has said he would like to leave by the end of October. A presidential search committee has been formed and will meet with MCG faculty, staff and the Augusta community Sept. 29. There is no timetable for naming a permanent successor.
Before Dr. Rahn took over as president in June 2001, former Paine College President Julius Scott served as interim president of MCG after Dr. Francis J. Tedesco retired in January 2001. Mr. Davis got suggestions from various sources, including Dr. Rahn and the firm hired to do the search for the next president, and got a list of about 25 names, which was culled down before deciding on Dr. Thompson, spokesman John Millsaps said.
Dr. Thompson, who lives near Dallas, is a dean emeritus of the School of Medicine at Wake Forest University, where he served as dean for seven years. He also served as CEO of the Federation of State Medical Boards from 2002 to 2008. He is an otolaryngologist -- an ear, nose and throat doctor -- and says he got to know MCG by training some of its graduates at Wake Forest.
"The graduates seemed to be very competent and compassionate physicians, and that was a real attraction" to MCG, Dr. Thompson said. And with his son at Curtis Baptist during the early part of the decade, "we would get down to Augusta occasionally," he said. "I've had some links there."
Dr. Thompson said it is his understanding that he is only to be an interim and is not under consideration for the permanent post. His job is to keep the schools going and "to make sure that the place is desirable for a permanent president," he said.
"Dr. Thompson's career encompasses both work at a medical school and on a national level overseeing medical licensing and regulatory boards. He has an excellent understanding of and extensive experience with the rigors and skills of leading a medical research university," Mr. Davis said in a statement. "We are fortunate that Dr. Thompson can fill this post at this critical juncture in MCG's history."
Dr. Thompson, who will turn 65 in October, said he is looking forward to getting back to Augusta.
"I'm excited and eager to get started," he said.
Reach Tom Corwin at (706) 823-3213 or tom.corwin@augustachronicle.com.
JAMES N. THOMPSON
AGE: 64
EDUCATION: Bachelor of arts from DePauw University in Greencastle, Ind.; M.D. from Ohio State University College of Medicine
PREVIOUS POSTS: Dean emeritus, Wake Forest University School of Medicine; CEO of Federation of State Medical Boards; clinical professor of otolaryngology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
FAMILY: Wife, Carol; four grown children
Comments
Welcome to Augusta and MCG!!!!!!
At long last an interim replacement for Dr Rahn has bee found, 6 months after he accepted the position in Little Rock. Presumably, the new interim will coexist with President Rahn for a period of time post OCT 1. The detailed job description for Dr Rahn's permanent successor will be very important. Also, will that person be living in Augusta (or Athens?)? One condition could be that the new leader would need to commit to Augusta for at least a decade, or until after Dr Adams departs Athens. The Board of Regents has been slow in this search; the current role/status of MCG is tenuous.
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