Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta VAHCS Announce Nursing Academic Practice Partnership
The agreement, the first of its kind between a Historically Black Medical School and
the
Atlanta VA Health Care System, will focus on strengthening clinical education.
ATLANTA, GA – (March 25, 2026) – Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) and the Atlanta Veterans Affairs Health Care System (AVAHCS) today announced a new nursing academic practice partnership designed to enhance the clinical education of students in the medical school’s Graduate Education in Nursing (GENIE) program.
The historic announcement is the first nursing academic practice agreement between a Historically Black Medical School and the AVAHCS. The partnership will:
- Strengthen nursing education and aligning academic and clinical practice
- Advance care for veterans, including women veterans and underserved populations
- Expand opportunities for translational, clinical, and scholarly nursing research
- Build faculty and workforce pathways to support complex veteran care needs
- Improve care access across Atlanta VA’s 50-county service area, including rural and healthcare‑desert communities
“This unique and innovative partnership holds great promise to help advance nursing education, strengthen clinical practice and expand meaningful opportunities for our students and faculty,” said Morehouse School of Medicine Founding Dean and Professor of Nursing Renee McLeod-Sordjan, DNP, PhD, who joined Atlanta Veterans Affairs Associate Director of Nursing & Patient Care Services Dr. Connie Hampton in a signing ceremony at the medical school’s Calvin Smyre Education Conference Center.
“Nursing leadership extends beyond the bedside—it lives in the partnerships we build, the systems we improve, and the future nurses we prepare,” Dr. Hampton said. “Through academic practice partnerships like the Morehouse School of Medicine Graduate Nursing Program, we ensure the next generation of nurses are equipped to lead, innovate, and serve.”
Launched last fall as a 16-month Doctor of Nursing Practice program, GENIE focuses on preparing its students to address health disparities in maternal health and chronic disease in underserved communities. Graduates emerge ready to integrate evidence-based solutions into a variety of healthcare settings, advocate for health justice and foster inclusive, patient-centered environments that improve community well-being.
For more information about Morehouse School of Medicine, please visit MSM.edu.
About Morehouse School of Medicine
Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation's leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation's number one medical school in fulfilling a social mission — the creation and advancement of health equity. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master's degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit MSM.edu or call 404-752-1500.
About Atlanta VA Health Care System
The Atlanta VA Health Care System (AVAHCS) is one of the largest and most complex health care systems in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, providing comprehensive health care services to Veterans across a 50-county area in northeast Georgia. Headquartered in Decatur, the system includes three medical centers and a network of nineteen VA clinics throughout the region. Serving over 186,00 enrolled Veterans, AVAHCS is also home to the largest number of enrolled women Veterans – 29,4333 – within the VA enterprise.
AVAHCS delivers a full spectrum of Veteran-centered care including emergency medicine, primary care, tertiary care, in the areas of medicine, surgery, mental health, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, oncology, dentistry, geriatrics, and extended care. Among the top 20 in the nation for research, the system maintains 164 program-specific academic affiliations and leads over 400 projects supporting the training of future health professionals while advancing clinical research and innovation.
With a mission to serve Veterans who served with excellence and compassion, the Atlanta VA Health Care System is committed to delivering high-quality, accessible, and compassionate care.
Visit VA Atlanta Health Care for more information.
Contact
Jamille Bradfield
Director, External Communications and Media Relations
Morehouse School of Medicine
Tel: 404-756-8951
Email: jbradfield@msm.edu