Augusta University is Georgia's health sciences university and a national center for cyber security education. Home to the state’s only public academic medical center, Augusta’s world-class clinicians are bringing the medicine of tomorrow to patient care today. The university is comprised of nine colleges, including one of the nation's oldest medical schools, the Medical College of Georgia; the Hull College of Business; and the state's only dental school, the Dental College of Georgia.

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2017 Best Doctors: Augusta Magazine

2015 Best Doctors: Augusta Magazine

2015
MCG Academic Affairs, Faculty Development

MCG Exemplary Teaching Award for Undergraduate Medical Education

2015
MCG Academic and Faculty Affairs, Faculty Development

"Caught in the Act of Great Teaching" Award

2014
Association of Professors in Gynecology and Obstetrics

APGO Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award

Dr. Ray joined the Obstetrics and Gynecology faculty in 2006. After undergraduate education at the College of Charleston, he graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy. He practiced retail pharmacy in Aiken, South Carolina and hospital pharmacy at the MUSC Children's Hospital in Charleston, South Carolina before returning to medical school. He graduated from the MUSC College of Medicine in 2002. Dr. Ray is a graduate of the Medical College of Georgia Obstetrics and Gynecology residency program where he was Administrative Chief Resident. Dr. Ray is the Residency Program Director for the department. His interests include maternal mortality, global women's health initiatives, and workforce solutions for women's health.

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Medical College of Georgia

Food as medicine: New Food Farmacy opens in Augusta to help pregnant, postpartum women

Maternal mortality high in Georgia, across the country

In much of rural Georgia, maternal healthcare is disappearing

New program aims to prepare more doctors for baby deliveries

black-maternal-health-week-infant-mortality-in-georgia-is-still-high-what-can-be-done-to-save-more-lives

Interim Section Chief, Associate Professor

 Earlier this week, President Joe Biden proclaimed that April 11 thru 17 would be Black Maternal Health Week in America.


 In Georgia, the state has consistently been ranked as one of the most dangerous places in this country to be a new mother.

Approximately 26 Georgia women die from pregnancy complications for every 100,000 live births, compared to the national average of about 17 women. But even more devastating is the fact that about 60% of the state’s maternal deaths between 2012 and 2016 were found to be preventable, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.

And the mortality rates are much more tragic for Black women in Georgia. African American women are almost three times more likely to die from a pregnancy-related cause than white women in Georgia. Black mothers in rural areas of Georgia are at an even higher risk.

“Maternal and infant mortality are really significant indicators of the quality of health in any area, so my colleagues around Georgia really felt challenged to do something that we hadn’t done in a long time in our state, which was to get the data,” says Dr. Chad Ray. “Because you can’t really fix something unless you know who and why. And then you assemble the stakeholders to formulate a plan to make a dent and to move the needle on something that is just so important.” This is an important topic that impacts mothers in Georgia and across the entire United States.  And if you are a journalist looking to cover this topic – then let us help.

 Dr. Chad Ray is the Interim Section Chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Augusta University Medical Center.  He is an expert in the areas of maternal mortality & global women's health initiatives. Dr. Ray is available to speak with media about Black Maternal Health Week - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today. 



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