The Department of Family and Community Medicine received Osteopathic Recognition from the ACGME in 2024, demonstrating our commitment to teaching osteopathic principles and practice in the learning environment.
Our 3-year osteopathic curriculum equips residents with the expertise to confidently perform Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy (OMT) and incorporate it into their daily practice.
Jump to: Key Highlights Residency Leadership Designated Osteopathic Resident Appointment Policy Photo Gallery
This curriculum ensures that every graduate, whether DO or MD, has the opportunity to experience osteopathic medicine and its value in enhancing patient care.
Shirley L. Sharp, DO, FACOFP, FAAFP
Director of Osteopathic Education
Associate Program Director DFCM Residency
Dr. Sharp earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from GA-PCOM (Suwanee Campus) in 2014 and completed a Family Practice/Emergency Medicine combined residency program at Jefferson Northeast in Philadelphia, PA. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she practiced Emergency Medicine before transitioning to family medicine in 2022, where her primary focus is now clinical education and patient care in the outpatient setting. She actively precepts family medicine residents in the clinic and teaches medical students at the Medical College of Georgia on Patient Centered Learning (PCL).
As a physician raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Dr. Sharp values diversity and inclusion in medicine. She volunteers as the Section Chair for Family Medicine for the Latino Medical Student Association and collaborates with Augusta University's Women in Medicine group to empower and mentor underrepresented groups in the medical field.
Dr. Sharp has extensive experience in Osteopathic Family Medicine education at national and regional levels. She has served on conference planning committees, presented at numerous national events, and participated as a table trainer at OMT bootcamps across the country. In recognition of her contributions, Dr. Sharp was named the 2024 Osteopathic Physician of the Year by ACOFP and received the Exemplary Teaching Award from the Medical College of Georgia for excellence in graduate medical education.
Her dedication to advancing osteopathic principles, mentoring future physicians, and promoting inclusivity makes her a vital leader in family medicine education.
Julie Dahl-Smith, DO
Vice Chair of Education
Dr. Julie Dahl-Smith, DO a Professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine (DFCM) at the Medical College of Georgia (MCG) at Augusta University. She is a graduate of West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine, a rural medical school with a focus on primary care, the American Board of Osteopathic Medicine (2004), the American Board of Medical Acupuncture and a fellow of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (September 2024). She has been actively involved in teaching students, residents, and fellows in a variety of clinical and educational settings for more than 23 years. She has held multiple academic positions at MCG the DFCM at AU in her career such as Osteopathic Program Director, Designated Osteopathic Institutional Officer, Residency Director and presently Vice Chair of Education. More recently she assumed the role of DFCM Primary Care Rule Health Fellowship Director with the mission to increase family physicians in rural areas of Georgia. Dr. Dahl-Smith believes primary care needs to be promoted at the state and national level, so she has belonged to the GAFP and AAFP since her residency. She is currently the Chair of the Residency and Student Committee and sits on the GAFP board.
Allie Doles, DO, MSMEd
Assistant Professor
Associate Medical Director
Nancy A. Doles, DO, MSMEd is an Associate Professor of Family and Community Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia, where she serves as the associate medical director for the Family Medicine Clinic at Wellstar MCG.
Dr. Doles earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) in 2020, her Master’s in Medical Education from LECOM in 2022, and completed a Family and Community Medicine residency program at Wellstar-MCG (formerly Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University) in 2024. Following the completion of residency, Dr. Doles joined the Department of Family and Community Medicine at MCG as core faculty and associate medical director. She actively precepts residents and students in both continuity clinic and OMT clinic, as well as teaches medical students at the Medical College of Georgia in Case Based Learning (CBL).
Dr. Doles values patient centered care, quality clinical educational experiences, and professional mentorship.
PDF Link of Designated Osteopathic Resident Appointment Policy
