Dr. Small is a board certified obstetrician-gynecologist from Madison, Georgia, where much of his family still lives. He was born in Athens and lived in Madison until moving to Lilburn in 1981. Upon graduating from Berkmar High School, he attended the Georgia Institute of Technology and completed his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1991.  He worked for a short time in the family radio business (WYTH in Madison) before starting his tenure as a high school science teacher in Gwinnett County.  He taught at Central Gwinnett, Collins Hill, and Shiloh High Schools.  During this time, he obtained his Masters in Secondary Science Education from the University of Georgia.   He advanced to Department Chair and was selected as Georgia Science Teacher of the year in 2003.

He made the decision to change careers that year and was accepted to Tulane University School of Medicine with the USAF Health Professions Scholarship Program. At this time, he was commissioned into the USAF Reserves.  Hurricane Katrina interrupted his training and he transferred back to Georgia where he graduated with his Doctor of Medicine degree from Emory University in May 2007.  He recommissioned as a Captain in the USAF to attend his OB/GYN internship at the University of Mississippi/81st Medical Group Keesler AFB joint program.  After one year, he transferred his OB/GYN residency to the US Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, VA where he graduated in June of 2011.  His first assignment was as a staff OB/GYN at the 633d Medical Group, Joint Base Langley-Eustis where he served as OB/GYN provider and lead physician on the Expeditionary Medical Support System-Health Response Team culminating in a 6-week Mission to Huancavelica, Peru. In March of 2013, he was selected to be Medical Director of the OB/Gyn service at the 374th Medical Group, Yokota AFB, Japan.

Dr. Small joined the Georgia Air National Guard in September 2014 where he became a flight surgeon for the 116th Medical Group, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.  He was tasked to serve with the medical element for the homeland defense mission for Federal Emergency Management Agency Region IV. In this role, he has served as triage officer as well as emergency medicine provider, From June of 2017 until November of 2020 he served as Deputy Commander of the Medical Element.  Lt Col Small served as Commander from that November until September 2021.   During this time, the Detachment took part in multiple national level exercises, set a record 99% compliance during the Standardized Evaluation and Assistance Team inspection and achieved a sixth consecutive perfect score during the Deployment and Training Proficiency Exercise.  He has achieved numerous awards for his military service including the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Georgia Commendation Medal with cluster and Outstanding Unit Award with 8 oak leaf clusters.

In his civilian capacity, Dr. Small practiced as an OB/GYN in private practice Albany, Georgia at The Veranda from the Fall of 2014 delivering babies at Phoebe Putney Hospital.  In January 2016 he moved to Moultrie, Georgia where he assumed the role of OB Chief and Medical Director for the Sterling Center for Women’s Health and Colquitt Regional Medical Center.  It was here he was able to establish a leading center for Women’s Health in South Georgia including bringing Vaginal Birth After Cesarean back to the community.  In the Summer of 2020, he moved to Solomons, Maryland where he became OB/GYN Chief and Medical Director for the MedStar Medical Group Women’s Health, Leonardtown and MedStar St Mary’s Hospital overseeing a large practice of 11 providers including Certified Nurse Midwives, Nurse Practitioners and associated staff.  He is very excited to return to his home state and set up practice with the oldest Women’s Healthcare Practice in Statesboro.

Dr. Small has been married for over 30 years to his high school sweetheart.  They have three children and are expecting their first grandchild.

EDUCATION

1991 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology

1998 Masters of Science in Secondary Education, University of Georgia

2007 Doctor of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine

2008 OB/GYN Internship, University of Mississippi/Keesler AFB

2011 OB/GYN Residency, US Naval Hospital, Portsmouth

2018 Aerospace Medicine Primary, Wright Patterson AFB

Dr. James Small, MD, MEd, FACOG