On Friday, Aug. 25, students and staff will join together to host the second annual Medical College of Georgia’s Got Talent! Fundraiser, which will feature singing, dancing, musical instruments and art.
Held at Augusta University’s Maxwell Theatre, located on the university’s Summerville Campus at 2500 Walton Way, MCG’s Got Talent! will be a night of exciting entertainment from a multitude of cultural backgrounds.
“This serves as a reminder that during our medical journey, we also have the ability to engage in our passions as a creative outlet, which I think is so important, especially as the demands of this career continue to rise,” said Sruthi Dontu, a second-year medical student and executive director of MCG’s Got Talent! “Ultimately giving back to the community and the Georgia Cancer Center through the show is the most important element for our team.”
Dontu also said the fundraiser will not only highlight first and second year students, but will include dances and music from several inspirations, such as Bollywood and gospel choirs.
“It’s a super diverse genre of pieces, which I think is what’s so great about the show,” she said. “I think it’s a good way for [everyone] to be connected through that cultural display of art.”
From her own experience, Dontu said preparing for the event with classmates and teachers has encouraged them to prioritize their art – even if for a short while.
“It’s also about having fun. As med students, we have a lot of assignments and things to do, but having this show gives us a way to engage in other passions like singing and performing in a band,” she said. “At least for me, music has always been an emotional outlet … I just like being able to do something outside of studying, and I know a lot of my peers feel the same way, because it gives us a chance to breathe and center ourselves.”
With around 30 participants practicing since April, Dontu said the event will present various talents of MCG personnel, while giving the community an opportunity to view students and staff in a more meaningful light outside of their typical medical settings.
“I want people to see that there is a more humanistic side to physicians as well,” she said. “There is a fun side to people in medicine too.”
Since many students were in charge of different roles and varying focuses, Dontu said she is looking forward to seeing how all the “moving parts” will come together to create an “amazing” show.
Tickets are $10 and will be available at the door at Maxwell Theatre, or can be purchased online at https://augusta.universitytickets.com/.
