Jonesboro Resident Receives M.D. Degree, Top Honor at School of Medicine

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MACONHolly Anne Hoenes of Jonesboro, Ga., received more than her doctor of medicine degree at Mercer University School of Medicine’s 2007 commencement. The faculty selected her for the school’s top student honor, the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award.

The NBI Healthcare Foundation initiated the Humanism in Medicine Awards to recognize and honor graduating students and faculty members who have demonstrated the highest standard of compassion and sensitivity in their interaction with patients. Each year the Mercer faculty selects a student and a faculty member who embody empathic, sensitive and respective behavior in providing patient care. Dr. Hoenes was selected the student recipient and Dr. Anna Walker, associate professor of Pathology, the faculty recipient.

Prior to enrolling in the Mercer School of Medicine in 2003, the Clayton County resident graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology in August 2000.

Described by the faculty as a compassionate, enthusiastic and extremely hard-working individual, Dr. Hoenes always manifested a sincere ability and willingness to help others, including classmates and patients. With a strong commitment to improving the lives of those around her, she has leadership skills that were exemplified on a daily basis and her work ethic, in both her studies and in caring of assigned patients, was exemplary.

Dr. Hoenes embodies the volunteer spirit. She spent Saturday mornings at the Macon Volunteer Clinic, helped local citizens achieve their health goals by assisting with a local television station’s “It Starts with the Heart” program and regularly participated in organizing activities for patients at the Children’s Hospital in Macon.

Her commitment to the School of Medicine included serving on the Honor Council and being a student member of the Admissions and Assessment and Evaluations committees. As a first-year student, she helped found and organize Phase 14 (Infectious Behavior) to encourage faculty and student fellowship.  She worked on the School of Medicine yearbook committee for 2006 and was the committee chair for 2007.

With a strong commitment to a career in pediatrics and child neurology, she plans to eventually practice her specialty in a medically underserved area. In a few months, she will start her residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center at the University of Cincinnati.

About the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award:

A key component of medical education is the compassionate and humanistic care of patients. In support of that premise, the NBI Healthcare Foundation initiated the Humanism in Medicine awards to recognize and honor graduating students and faculty members who have demonstrated the highest standard of compassion and sensitivity in their interactions with patients. Mercer University School of Medicine graduating students and the faculty have, respectively, chosen a faculty member and student who embody empathic, sensitive and respective behavior in providing patient care.

About Mercer University and the School of Medicine:
Celebrating its 25th year, Mercer University’s School of Medicine was established in 1982 to educate physicians and health professionals to meet the primary care and health care needs of rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia. Mercer accepts only Georgia residents into its doctor of medicine program. Students entering Mercer University School of Medicine will be graduated from a school that utilizes a problem-based medical education program that provides early patient care experiences. Such an academic environment fosters the early development of clinical problem-solving and instills in each student an awareness of the place of the basic medical sciences in medical practice.  The medical school has two teaching hospitals: the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon and Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah.