A firm will get $332,000 to research expanding the campuses of the Medical College of Georgia’s School of Medicine – especially in Athens.

Tripp Umbach, a Pittsburgh medical school expansion firm, was selected to develop a five-year plan to increase MCG School of Medicine’s class size from 190 to approximately 245 students, according to a news release.

Umbach is looking for growth potential mainly in Athens and Augusta, said Douglas Miller, dean of the Medical College of Georgia.

The MCG School of Nursing is located in Athens.

“Athens is a very realistic area for an increase of 40 students,” Miller said. “They’ll spend a lot of time at UGA to talk to people and see if this is a good place to go.”

MCG, a state-funded institution, is researching expansion opportunities, along with a national movement of medical colleges, trying to increase class sizes to fill the demand for more doctors.

“The Association of American Medical Colleges has recommended that [medical] schools need to increase by 30 percent by 2015 in order to accommodate the need for doctors,” Miller said.

According to a news release, the 10-student-per-year increase for 2009 will require about $3 million to expand clinical teaching facilities, such as small classrooms where students learn basic skills such as listening to the heart and working with standardized patients.

Miller added that before increasing the medical school class size, they need to make sure there are adequate facilities and faculty.

Umbach’s goal is to have the final report to the University Board of Regents for review by January 2008.

If a plan is approved and funded by the University BOR, the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which accredits medical school programs, will be next in the line for review before any expansion can begin.

“Accreditation for MCG requires increased class size,” Miller said.

The Regents have recommended a total of $10 million in expansion funding for MCG School of Medicine for fiscal year 2009.

Umbach will evaluate MCG’s curriculum, resources and facilities to figure out how much MCG should grow and how quickly as well as the economic impact of the state and community, Miller said.