Phoebe Putney Health System (PPHS) and Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) are expanding their longstanding partnership through a strategic collaboration designed to address critical healthcare workforce needs.  Phoebe has pledged a transformational investment to significantly expand healthcare education and workforce development opportunities in southwest Georgia.

“This investment represents a shared commitment to the future of healthcare in southwest Georgia,” said GSW President Kerry J. Palmer, Ph.D.  “By investing in students and expanding access to high-demand healthcare programs, Phoebe is helping GSW prepare more highly skilled professionals who can build careers and serve the communities that need them most.  We are incredibly grateful for this partnership and the impact it will have for generations to come.”

The expanded agreement creates new and enhanced healthcare pathways for students, strengthening the region’s pipeline of locally educated and trained healthcare professionals. 

“We know the most effective way to address the shortage of healthcare professionals is to educate and train them here in southwest Georgia.  At Phoebe, we are constantly looking for innovative and effective ways to create or enhance partnerships with vital institutions like Georgia Southwestern to build the quality workforce needed to meet the current and future healthcare needs of our region,” said Scott Steiner, PPHS President & CEO.

The collaboration provides funding to establish the Phoebe Fellows Program, expand GSW’s Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) program, launch a new Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy and provide a loan forgiveness pathway for GSW graduates who pursue advanced degrees in physical therapy, occupational therapy or athletic training and return to work with Phoebe.

“Phoebe is fortunate to have had an outstanding partnership with Georgia Southwestern for many years.  We know GSW graduates are confident, competent and well-prepared to enter the workforce, and we are pleased to expand our alliance to provide opportunities for even more students to attend GSW to get the education and skills they need for a successful healthcare career,” said Tracy Suber, Ed.D., Phoebe Vice President for Education & Talent Acquisition.

The agreement also recognizes the partners’ shared commitment to educating, training and retaining healthcare professionals who are connected to southwest Georgia. 

“Students will benefit from greater access to our programs, as well as from a clearer pathway into rewarding careers right here in our region,” said Courtney Ross, D.H.A., Dean of GSW’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences.  “This investment gives us the opportunity to grow strategically in areas where the workforce need is significant while continuing to provide the high-quality education and hands-on preparation our students expect from GSW.”

Key elements of the expanded partnership include:

• Phoebe Fellows Program: Each year, 20 nursing students selected as Phoebe Fellows will receive $15,000 scholarships.  In exchange for financial support, participating students will commit to two years of employment with Phoebe following graduation, creating a direct pathway from the classroom to the healthcare workforce.  
• Expanded ASN Capacity: The investment will allow GSW to expand enrollment capacity in its Associate of Science in Nursing program by 25 students annually. The program currently serves approximately 40 to 50 students, meaning the additional capacity will substantially increase the number of students who can pursue nursing education at GSW each year. 
• Respiratory Therapy Program: The gift will provide seed funding to establish a new Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy program at GSW.  Funding will assist with faculty positions and other start-up costs necessary to develop and launch the program, further expanding the University’s portfolio of healthcare degrees in response to regional workforce needs.
• Exercise Science Graduate Pathway: Phoebe will establish a loan repayment incentive, valued at up to $45,000, for eligible GSW graduates who complete advanced degrees in physical therapy, occupational therapy or athletic training and accept qualifying employment with Phoebe.

“At Phoebe Sumter, we’ve had the opportunity to work closely with GSW for many years.  We see how they train and support their students, and we know the caliber and quality of the graduates they produce,” said Kelsey Reed, D.N.P., Phoebe Sumter Chief Nursing Officer & Chief Operating Officer.  “We appreciate the impact our GSW nursing partnership has had throughout our health system, and we look forward to helping create the new Respiratory Therapy program and seeing how it will benefit patients at each Phoebe hospital.”

The partnership builds on years of collaboration between Phoebe and Georgia Southwestern, including previous investments in nursing education and simulation-based learning. GSW’s Phoebe Simulation and Learning Center supports nursing students with hands-on training in simulated patient environments, and Phoebe has identified Georgia Southwestern as a vital regional education partner supporting healthcare workforce development.

The expanded strategic collaboration is designed to reduce reliance on external recruitment, increase access to healthcare education in southwest Georgia and create a more stable and sustainable healthcare workforce for the region.