From rural health doctor to dean of Mercer medicine

Image: Mercer Marketing and Communications
The new dean for the Mercer School of Medicine is Dr. Jean Sumner.
February 10, 2016
After graduating in 1986 from Mercer’s School of Medicine, Dr. Jean Sumner chose to stay in her home state and live out Mercer Medicine’s mission: to educate physicians to meet the primary care and health care needs of rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia.
In keeping with this mission, Sumner has loyally served two of Georgia’s most rural and impoverished counties for the past 28 years.
Sumner spent a successful career in Washington and Johnson counties before being asked to serve as the new dean of Mercer’s School of Medicine. Her predecessor, Dr. William Bina, announced in 2015 that he would be relocating to Mercer’s Savannah campus to serve as the Medical School’s dean.
Although the decision to commit full time to this new position was a difficult one to make, Sumner said she knew that taking the position would give her even greater opportunities to influence rural Georgia.
“It was a very hard decision,” Sumner said. “It was an honor, [and] I was humbled by the offer. But when you enjoy your work and you’ve worked in a community for a long time, you’re part of that community. And it’s hard to give up.”
Sumner said that practicing primary care in rural Georgia has made her more flexible and creative. She believes that these lessons will carry over into her new position.
“When you’re a physician in a rural area, every day is different,” Sumner said. “You have problems that you’ve never faced before, and you have to learn to be agile and be a team player in order to solve those problems. In the same way, academic medicine is a team sport. It takes everybody in the [Medical School] and in the community to contribute to the best possible educational experience for our students. My job is to be a leader, a coach and a player at the same time.”
Caitlin Collier, a Mercer Medicine graduate and former student of Sumner’s, took over the new dean’s practice in Washington County. Collier has high praise for her mentor and friend.
“I’ve always seen Dr. Sumner as the embodiment of Mercer’s mission to improve health in rural Georgia,” Collier said. “Everything she does is with the purpose of bringing well-trained doctors to small towns. [She] is also the hardest working physician I know. She never stops. She wakes up at night thinking of ways to improve the health of the community.”
Sumner’s dedication to improving rural health in Georgia has, indeed, been making a difference.
“Her patients absolutely idolize her and will miss her terribly,” Collier said. “We have had patients literally weeping in the office when they heard that she was going to stop seeing patients.”
Sumner said she hopes that Mercer’s School of Medicine will become a national leader of rural health during her time as Dean.
“We need to help produce physicians that are patient advocates,” Sumner said. Although she acknowledged that not every student and faculty member is meant to work in a rural area, she said she believes that “every student and every faculty member can contribute in some way to rural health; whether that be through research, technology advancements, or advocacy.
By pushing the Medical School’s focus on rural health back into the spotlight, Sumner said she hopes to repay Mercer for the opportunities it has provided her.
“Mercer gave me the opportunity to do something that I absolutely love—to return to a small town and practice medicine,” Sumner said. “It gave me the opportunity to serve my community and make a difference. I feel forever indebted to the University.”
Could not have happened to a more deserving person. She is Johnson Counties hero.
Dr. Sumner was truly an asset to the Washington County community. She genuinely cares about her patients and will go above and beyond to ensure they receive the best care. I will forever be grateful for the extraordinary care she gave my father in 2011. Congratulations on your new position. You are so deserving!
I’m gonna truly miss Dr. Summerlin, just to see her smile and da concern about your health what made you feel better! Congrats and WACO loves you. Hometown proud
Words cannot express what an amazing lady Dr. Jean Sumner is. You can’t label,her has just a doctor, because she is so many things to so many people. I was blessed to call on Dr Sumner while I was in pharmaceutical sales. I learned so much from her and I enjoyed her friendship. Mercer is a lucky school to have such a leader coming to lead them and guide them, you will never be the same after meeting Dr Sumner, she will impact your life in many ways.
Good luck to you Dr. Sumner. I wish you the absolute best
Love,
Elizabeth Plummer
While I am certain that Dr. Sumner is a wonderful person and means well, I was a patient at her clinic in Wrightsville for years and never got to see her. Not one single time. Was always stuck with the PA, despite my requests, protests and being misdiagnosed and over dosed on some medication causing a year’s worth of other issues. Obviously, I have switched doctor’s although I do not consider Dr. Sumner to have been my “doctor”.
Welcome to Macon Dr Sumner. I learned a lot from you too during my time in Washington County. Mercer University has gotten one of the best.
Proud to call this wonderful doctor my friend.
Congratulations Dr Jean Sumner. From a nurse to Dean of Medicine. Awesome!
Best doctor ever! I am happy about her new position but sad also for Washington county losing a very very good doctor!!!!! Best wishes Doctor Sumner and may God continue to bless you.
I remember when she was a resident at the Med. I loved her then because of her compassion for her patients and the nurses taking care of them. She will be an asset to Mercer but a loss for Washington County!
Dr. Sumner was my personal physician, she will be truly missed. She is one of the best doctors I have ever had the pleasure meeting. I am very proud of her, but I would prefer her back in Wrightsville treating others, and me. If you decide to return to private practice please let me know.
Dr. Sumner was my physician for many years. She was truly dedicated to providing me with the best care possible. She was more than a doctor. She was someone who truly had my best interest at heart. I remember the day I found out that she was leaving her practice in Wrightsville..I literally cried like a baby and tried to give her many reasons not to leave. It did not work. Although I am saddened by her leaving and miss her terribly bad, I will always cherish the years she spent taking care of me. I miss you, Dr. Jean Sumner and hope to hear from you soon. Much Love, Kim Bragg
Bottom line: Dr. Sumner is the Best! I took it very hard when she gave up her practice in Wrightsville. She really stood her ground when it came to my well being. She was always willing to fight for me, and to make sure I was well taken care of. I miss her so much and I am not ashamed to ketvanyine know that I cried like a 2 year old when I found out she would no longer be my doctor. ” I truly live you and miss you, Dr.Sumner.” Love, Kim Bragg