Dr. Keisha Callins, former Albany OB/GYN, departs Southwest Georgia for Mercer

MACON — The Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon recently announced the appointment of Dr. Keisha R. Callins, formerly of Albany Area Primary Health Care, as chair and assistant professor in the MUSM Department of Community Medicine.

Callins assumed her role at MUSM on Jan. 16. Prior to her appointment at Mercer, the women’s health expert and public health professional was on staff at the Mirian Worthy Women’s Health Center while serving as assistant medical director for AAPHC.

“Dr. Callins brings to Mercer a wealth of knowledge and experience as we continue to strive for a healthier Georgia,” said MUSM Dean Dr. Jean R. Sumner. “She is well-known for her leadership in women’s health and health disparities. She is a legend in the area of Georgia where she has practiced and is recognized both for her excellent clinical care and service to the community and state.”

During her time in Albany, Callins was known not just for her passion about women’s health issues, but for her community engagement and commitment to teaching and mentoring students. She has developed a working relationship with Sumner in recent years, who has since become a mentor to her.

“We have similar interests in improving the health status of Georgia, and later the opportunity came to join an institution that is wholeheartedly committed to training physicians who serve in rural and underserved areas of Georgia,” Callins said. “It is important to note that Mercer is the only medical school in Georgia that only accepts Georgia residents.

“(In my department) we coordinate clinical training experiences that help students to develop clinical skills and practice strategies to meet the needs of the communities in which they serve, a concept now referred to as the community-responsive physician. I will continue to practice, pursue research opportunities, and teach medical students from the wealth of knowledge that I gained while practicing in Albany.”

She said her new position offers an opportunity to translate her interests into a more academic platform future doctors can learn from.

“I can share first-hand experiences and hopefully increase the number of students who consider the benefits of serving in our underserved and rural areas in Georgia,” said Callins. “I think I can still contribute to Southwest Georgia if I can mobilize some students to consider placements with Southwest Georgia physicians.”

Callins earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Virginia and a Masters in Public Health degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. After earning her master’s degree, Callins worked as a clinical research coordinator with the Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center at UAB. She was awarded a National Health Service Corps scholarship and earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Morehouse School of Medicine.

Callins completed her graduate medical training at the Morehouse OB/GYN Residency Program at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, where she served as chief resident.

Callins has served on several appointed committees, both with Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital and AAPHC. She has been involved with civic organizations such as the Dougherty County Rotary Club, Sertoma Club, Albany Junior League and the Board of Directors for Liberty House, a domestic violence shelter. She is the author of a monthly women’s health segment in The Albany Herald’s “SW Georgia Health Beat.”

Her recent awards include Southwest Georgia’s “40 Under 40,” iHeart Media’s “Shero” and the Dr. George A. Johnston Sr. Community Service Award.

She was nominated in 2014 by Gov. Nathan Deal to serve on the Georgia Composite Medical Board and is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Georgia as well as a member of several local, state and national organizations. Dr. Callins has presented a number of lectures, including a congressional briefing on maternal mortality in September.

While the opportunity in Macon is a good one for her, there are some things about her old home she said she will miss.

“I miss my patients, my colleagues, my neighbors and ‘friends now family,’ my garden, and my chickens. I will not miss the gnats,” Callins said. “Although I have changed location, in reality, my heart just got a little bigger so that I could include Macon. Albany will always have a special place in my heart.

“It has been an honor, a privilege, and an immeasurable blessing to serve in Albany, Georgia.”

Callins is married to Atlanta-based attorney Joel Callins, with whom she has a son and a daughter.