Since Loraine Sumner, M.D., graduated from Mercer University School of Medicine in 2003, she has been dedicated to living out the mission of improving access to health care in Georgia’s rural and medically underserved areas. Today, this commitment comes full circle as she takes on a new leadership role in service to these communities.
In July 2024, Dr. Sumner was named medical director of Mercer Medicine’s rural primary care clinics, a role that aligns with her passion and years of experience. Mercer Medicine, a subsidiary of Mercer University School of Medicine, is committed to improving access to care in the rural areas of Georgia that need it most. With six rural clinics across the state, Mercer Medicine is making a significant impact. As medical director, Dr. Sumner oversees the clinical operations of these rural clinics, ensuring that the high standard of care Mercer Medicine is known for continues as the network expands. Mercer Medicine currently has rural clinics in Clay County, Harris County, Jekyll Island, Plains, Putnam County and Taylor County.
“As a double bear, I am honored to return to my roots to help improve access to care in rural Georgia,” Dr. Sumner shares. “I spent 18 years serving my home community of Tifton, and now I hope to leverage that experience to benefit even more communities.”
Dr. Sumner joined Mercer Medicine as a primary care physician in the spring of 2024, where she currently provides care at Mercer Medicine in Plains.
“It is wonderful to have Dr. Loraine Sumner lead our rural clinic program. She is an outstanding, experienced, compassionate physician and a wonderful person,” said School of Medicine Dean Jean R. Sumner, M.D., (no relation). “She lived the mission of Mercer University School of Medicine, to bring medical care to rural communities while she practiced in Tifton, Georgia. Now she is helping expand medical care to other communities in need.”
Born and raised in Tifton, Dr. Loraine Sumner graduated from Tift County High School as valedictorian in 1994. She won a presidential scholarship to attend Mercer University College of Liberal Arts, graduating with honors in 1998. She continued her education at Mercer University School of Medicine, graduating with a Doctor of Medicine in 2003, followed by an internal medicine residency at the Medical Center of Middle Georgia (now Atrium Health Navicent). In 2006, she returned to Tifton to practice at Affinity Health Group (now Southwell Clinic).
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Sumner is involved in advancing medical education and health care in Georgia. She currently serves on the admissions committee and Georgia Board of Governors for the Mercer University School of Medicine and is an active member of the Mercer Athletic Foundation. Certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine, Dr. Sumner’s dedication to the profession is evident not only in her practice but also in her philanthropic efforts. She recently contributed to the opening of the Mercer Medicine Clinic in Jekyll Island and endowed the Margaret McCurdy Sumner Scholarship at the School of Medicine in honor of her mother, who passed away from breast cancer in 2014.
Outside of her professional life, Dr. Sumner enjoys spending time at the beach, attending concerts, cheering on the Mercer and UGA football teams, and participating in soap opera events. She also has two cats, Jack and Devereaux.
About Mercer Medicine
With more than 30 primary care and specialty providers in seven locations, Mercer Medicine brings high-quality health care services to communities in rural and medically underserved areas of Georgia. As a subsidiary of Mercer University School of Medicine, Mercer Medicine is staffed by health care providers who are leading the way in medical education, technology, and research.
