On Oct. 28, Alice Aumann House, M.D., FAAFP, received the 2024 Sandra Dunagan Deal Rural Service Fellow award, established in September 2022 by Mercer University School of Medicine (MUSM) to honor former first lady of Georgia Sandra Deal and her commitment to education, volunteerism and community involvement. 

This award recognizes a faculty member, community partner or volunteer who has made significant contributions to mentoring, inspiring and encouraging Mercer medical students to care for Georgians in rural, underserved areas. Each year, Nathan Deal Scholars select the recipient who best exemplifies Sandra Deal’s selfless devotion, love for education and promotion of excellence. 

“Dr. Alice House is an outstanding physician, mentor and teacher. Her depth of concern for our students and support of our mission is legendary,” said Jean Sumner, M.D., FACP, dean of MUSM. “I can think of no more deserving person. She truly reflects the ideals Sandra Deal held dear.” 

Dr. House began her relationship with MUSM as a medical student over 30 years ago. Witnessing the difficulties her family faced growing up in rural Georgia inspired her to pursue medicine, so she could improve the lives of those in her community. As a family medicine physician, hospital chief of staff and assisted living medical director, she has always taken pride in serving patients “from the cradle to the grave,” developing a strong, personal bond with the people she serves and their families. In the spirit of Mrs. Deal, Dr. House joined the MUSM faculty in 2004 to support its mission of educating the next generation of rural physicians.  

As a professor in all four years of the curriculum and current problem-based learning tutor, Dr. House has exemplified what it means to be a teacher: guiding students to navigate the questions on their own without giving them the answer. As senior associate dean of admissions and student affairs, Dr. House counsels students who face challenges, whether in their academic or personal lives, and helps them get over these hurdles. She advocates for students and makes sure they are equipped with the tools they need to succeed in every step of their journey to medicine, including even before starting medical school.  

Dr. House received the award during the 2024 Nathan Deal Scholars Luncheon. It was presented by Dr. Keisha Callins, 2023 recipient of the award, and Dr. Jane Kirkpatrick, associate dean of student affairs and director of admissions on MUSM’s Savannah campus. 

“It is an honor to be recognized with this award,” said Dr. House. “Sandra Dunagan Deal and Keisha Callins are some of my role models for their dedication to teaching, to service, and for caring for the underserved populations of Georgia. I am proud to be a part of the Mercer University School of Medicine family and to support its mission to bring doctors to rural areas of the state.” 

Beyond Mercer, Dr. House has been active in the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Family Physicians, where she has served as president and chair of the board, as well as on multiple committees on the state and national levels. She was appointed by two governors, including Nathan Deal, to serve on the Georgia Composite Medical Board, where she was chair from 2015-2016. Through her service to Mercer, her community and the state, she has shown that the role of a physician goes beyond medical care to being an active member of the community as a compassionate and service-focused leader.  

Sandra Dunagan Deal taught language arts for over 15 years in Hall County. Her passion for quality education for all children was evidenced by incredible leadership throughout her life but especially during her tenure as Georgia’s first lady. She advocated for literacy and education throughout the state, personally visiting 159 counties and 181 school systems where she read to students. For her work, she was named “Georgian of the Year” in 2016. In 2017, the Sandra Dunagan Deal Center for Early Language and Literacy was founded at Georgia College & State University to promote universal literacy throughout the state, with a purpose of assuring every child could read proficiently.