TRMC Foundation awards two scholarships

TIFTON, Ga. – The Tift Regional Medical Center (TRMC) Foundation recently awarded scholarships to a licensed practical nurse (LPN) who has returned to college to become a registered nurse (RN) and another college student who is currently earning a degree to become a physician assistant.

Pictured L-R: Mandy Brooks, Director of the TRMC Foundation, Latasha Harden, Rusty Moorman, son of the late Renee Moorman, and Bailey Hawes Barber.

Latasha Harden, LPN, who works at Georgia Sports Medicine in Tifton, was presented with the Renee Moorman Scholarship.  This $1,500 nursing scholarship was established by Dr. Larry Moorman and his family in memory of the late Renee H. Moorman, due to her love of nursing.  This scholarship is awarded annually to an LPN who is pursuing an RN degree and is used for school expenses.

Harden is enrolled in the Bridge Program at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.  She has been with Southwell and Georgia Sports Medicine for four years.

“As a nurse, I have the privilege of being there for individuals during critical moments in their lives, offering not just medical assistance, but emotional support and empathy as well,” Harden said.

Mandy Brooks, Director of the TRMC Foundation, added: “Latasha builds trust and comfort with her patients and is known for being a patient advocate.”

The second scholarship presented by the TRMC Foundation was the first annual Terry Arthur Physician Assistant (PA) Scholarship. The recipient of this inaugural scholarship is Bailey Hawes Barber, who is originally from Colquitt County.

“Bailey was drawn to medicine at an early age,” said Brooks. “Her father, Dr. Robert Hawes, is a primary care physician at Southwell Medical Clinic in Tifton.  She grew up with an amazing example of what a great healthcare provider looks like and seeing medicine through her father’s eyes fostered her desire to work in medicine.”

Barber spent time during college shadowing PAs in internal medicine at Tift Regional Medical Center.

“She loves the ability to see patients on her own, diagnosing various illnesses/diseases and assisting in surgeries/procedures,” said Brooks.  “She also enjoys spending time with her patients’ answering questions and forming connections.”

Barber has also volunteered at Piedmont Regional Hospital in a variety of roles. She believes her compassion for others and desire to serve are her two greatest strengths when it comes to her career.

“The most important call I have had in my life was to serve others and show love as Christ did for us, and I can think of no better career for me to do this then being a PA,” she said.

Barber currently resides in Nashville, Tenn. and is earning her master’s degree in medicine, physician assistant studies, from Trevecca Nazarene University.

Brooks said the  award is made possible due to contributions from area physician assistants.

“The award was named after Tifton’s first PA and founding member of the Georgia Association of Physician Assistants, Terry Arthur,” said Brooks.  “He graduated from the University of Alabama-Birmingham in 1973 and joined Tifton Medical Clinic, now known as Southwell Medical Clinic. Terry currently works part-time in Tift Regional’s Heart and Vascular Center. He has been influential in training PA students and mentoring PA graduates.”

To learn more or to donate to the Terry Arthur Physician Assistant Scholarship, call (229) 391-3310. Visit www.TRMCF.com for more information on the TRMC Foundation.

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