Headlines

Public Invited to MUSC 14th Annual Hurricane Awareness Day - Wednesday, May 22 - 10:00a.m. - 2:00p.m.
Be informed, make a plan and get involved. If you were told the next Katrina or Hugo was on the way, would you be ready? Please join us for the 14^th Annual MUSC Hurricane Awareness Day. Meteorologists and emergency management experts are clear in their messages that the next big hurricane’s arrival in the Palmetto State is not a question of if, but when. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Atlantic basin is expected to see an above-normal hurricane season this year (12-18 named storms, with 6-10 becoming hurricanes). MUSC Hurricane Awareness day has developed into an invaluable resource in helping Charlestonians prepare for weather-related emergencies. Read more about the event here.

Graduation Week Activities
Preparations for Commencement are well underway, and we are looking forward to the festivities that graduation week will bring.  One of the most important commencement week events for the College of Medicine is the oath ceremony – this is the occasion when our graduates take the Hippocratic Oath and are “hooded” with their academic hoods.  The Oath Ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, May 16, 7:00 p.m., at the North Charleston Performing Arts Center.  Members of the college are welcome to attend the oath ceremony, and I would especially like to encourage members of the faculty to participate in this important occasion.  Other activities during graduation week include the Pearls Lecture, the Student Awards Ceremony and the Senior Ball, all of which take place on Wednesday, May 15.  And, of course, commencement itself takes place on Friday, May 17, at 9:00 a.m. at the Citadel Field House.  Commencement information can be found at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/esl/em/records/commencement/.

Presidential Scholars Announced
Congratulations go out to COM students Meghan Anderson, Lauren Benner, Janice Davis, Alex Kranc, Kimberly Lewis, Adam Pearlman, Saleh Rachidi, Stephen Thompson and Lauren Wingo, who have been selected to join the 2013-14 Presidential Scholars Program.

Faculty Excellence Awards Winners Named
Faculty members have been recognized by MUSC medical students for their excellence. Congratulations to the following COM faculty: Dr. Michael Caplan (First Year Class), Dr. Laura Kasman (Second Year Class), Dr. Valerian Fernandes (Clinical Years) and Dr. Bassam Rimawi (Clinical Years).  The runners up for these awards were Drs. Nicholas Batalis, Pierre Giglio, Yi-Te Hsu, McIver Leppard, Paul McDermott, and Jerry Squires. 

MUSC Comprehensive Epilepsy Center Granted Highest Level 4 Designation
MUSC's recent designation as a level 4 epilepsy center is the highest given by the National Association of Epilepsy Centers (NAEC). MUSC is the only center in the region to hold this designation. Level 4 centers are recognized for offering expert and truly comprehensive care in the medical, social, surgical and psychological treatment of complex epilepsy. The MUSC center is part of the Department of Neurosciences and Dr. Jonathan C. Edwards serves as director. Dr. Alex Vandergrift is the center's co-director. Compete information on the center is available at http://www.muschealth.com/neurosciences/about/epilepsy/ 

"Transforming Healthcare in South Carolina" Summit Set for April 18 in Columbia
The summit is being presented by Pfizer in conjunction with the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce and will be held at the Double Tree by Hilton in Columbia, SC. various topics including healthcare's impact on economic development, payer perspective, the cost of healthcare and a healthy workforce will be covered. The summit is aimed at educating the state's employers on prominent healthcare topics and serving as a platform to link employers with state health systems to improve quality of care, while lowering costs. Mark Lyles, MD, chief strategic officer at MUSC will sit on a panel discussing healthcare's economic impact on the state of South Carolina. More information and a registration form can be found at http://goo.gl/BbkIg

Call for Nominations - 2013 MUSC Foundation Distinguished Faculty Service Awards

The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost is pleased to invite nominations for the 2013 MUSC Foundation Distinguished Faculty Service Award. Nominations from faculty, staff, and students will be accept

This annual award was enacted by our University Board of Trustees to recognize and honor faculty members of the Medical University of South Carolina who, over a substantial portion of their careers, have provided exceptional and sustained service and contributions in teaching, research, health care and/or public service to the University and the citizens of South Carolina. Up to three awards may be made each year and each honoree will receive a $3,000 contribution from the MUSC Foundation.

Please carefully consider who among our MUSC family is most deserving of the Distinguished Faculty Service Award. We look forward to receiving your nominations. This year's deadline for receipt of all nominations is Monday, April 22, 2013. Nominations should be submitted to the attention of Mark S. Sothmann, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, 179 Ashley Avenue, Colcock Hall, MSC 002, Medical University of South Carolina.

In order to nominate someone, please provide a written justification to include a typed or printed narrative of no more than two single-spaced pages directly addressing the contributions made to MUSC and those the institution serves. A copy of the nominee's curriculum vitae or professional resume should be enclosed. Additional letters of endorsement are encouraged in order to demonstrate the breadth of the nominee's contributions.

Thank you for your attention to this valuable opportunity to properly recognize those who have given so much to MUSC.

Call for Nominations - 2013 MUSC Foundation Outstanding Clinician Awards

The Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost is pleased to invite nominations for the 2013 MUSC Foundation Outstanding Clinician Awards. The Outstanding Clinician Award honors full-time faculty of any duration of service who have made outstanding contributions to patient care at the Medical University of South Carolina. Currently, active clinicians that commit a significant proportion of their time caring for patients in ambulatory or inpatient settings are eligible for this award. Awardees will have demonstrated a high level of professionalism, integrity, and devotion to patient care. They will have gained recognition as dedicated, compassionate and highly effective clinicians. Their clinical excellence and service commitment identify them as role models for residents, students and their faculty colleagues. An additional consideration will be their abilities to collaborate in an effective interprofessional manner.

Purpose:
To honor full-time faculty members who provide superb clinical care.

Eligibility:

1. Appointment to the full-time faculty of MUSC. There is no age or length of service requirement.

2. There shall be no more than three awards given in a single year. The monetary reward of $3000 will be used at the discretion of the awardees.

The nomination packet should consist of (A) the full curriculum vitae of the nominee with an expanded description of the section of clinical activity; (B) Three letters of support, with at least one from a peer; (C) A statement from the nominator (not to exceed 1000 words) outlining the candidate's qualifications for the award.

Deadline for nominations is Monday, April 22, 2013. Please submit nominations to Dr. Mark Sothmann, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, 179 Ashley Avenue, Colcock Hall, MSC 002, Medical University of South Carolina.

March Town Hall Meeting with the Dean

The next College of Medicine Town Hall Meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20, at 4:00 p.m. in 110 Drug Discovery Building.  Dean Pisano is very interested in hearing from all members of the college about issues of importance to its missions.  If you have any particular topics you’d like to have addressed by the Dean, there are several options available to you.  You may raise a topic in person during the meeting, submit a question in writing anonymously during the meeting, submit a question in writing anonymously by placing it in the Town Hall question box in the Dean’s Office reception area, and/or email questions in advance to comnews@musc.edu.  All members of the college who are able are encouraged to attend.

 
Maralynne D. Mitcham Interprofessional Fellowship Announced  - Applications Available

This will be the second year the fellowship will be providing interested faculty or professional staff with a year-long experience to further knowledge and skills in interpersonal collaboration and thus strengthen and further our efforts in interprofessional education, research, practice and/or administration on campus. For more information on the fellowship or an application, please access through the following links - Mitcham Fellowship Announcement , Mitcham Fellowship Application.

Faculty Nominations for AAMC Council of Faculty and Academic Societies (CFAS) - Access form here

Residency Match Day

Match Day 2013 will be held on Friday, March 15 at 11:30am at the Charleston Music Hall at 37 John Street in downtown Charleston. A brunch will be held prior to the event at 9:30 at Rue de Jean. The theme for this year's ceremony is Ides of March. This is the exciting occasion when our fourth year medical students find out where they will next be training for their future careers in medicine.

Family Medicine Chair Search  

The search committee for chair of the Department of Family Medicine, chaired by Dr. Rita Ryan, has just released the names of the initial group of candidates invited to interview. The candidates currently invited to interview are - Diane Harper (University of Missouri-Kansas City, March 11-12); Joshua Jacobs (National University of Singapore, March 18-19); Peter Carek (MUSC, March 20-21); and Terrence Steyer (Medical College of Georgia, April 2-3).

Each of these candidates will be giving seminars open to all members of the college.  Dr. Harper will be speaking on “Lessons We Have Learned in Cervical Cancer Prevention” on Monday, March 11, 12:00-1:00 p.m., in the Charleston Center, 2nd floor conference room, Department of Family Medicine.  Dr. Jacobs will be speaking on “Entrustable Professional Activities: Unifying the Continuum of Medical Education” on Monday, March 18, 12:00-1:00 p.m., in the Charleston Center, 2nd floor conference room, Department of Family Medicine.  Dr. Carek will be speaking on “A Culture of Inquiry” on Wednesday, March 20, 12:00-1:00 p.m., in the Charleston Center, 2nd floor conference room, Department of Family Medicine.  Information about the seminar by Dr. Steyer will be provided when available.

White Coat Day at the Statehouse - Update

A couple of weeks ago, MUSC had the opportunity to participate in White Coat Day – an initiative organized by the South Carolina Hospital Association to collectively lobby legislators to expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act. Our organization was well-represented with approximately 60 of our clinicians traveling to Columbia to participate. Interest has been expressed regarding what information MUSC representatives shared with legislators on this topic. The talking points used were prepared by the South Carolina Hospital Association and can be found at http://goo.gl/UU4vb.

SCOR Request For Pilot Project Proposals

To catalyze women's health-related research throughout MUSC, the Specialized Center of Research (SCOR) on Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women’s Health announces a request for pilot project proposals focused on sex and gender-related issues in neuroscience. The pilot program will provide short-term start-up funds (up to $15,000) to promising postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty (less than 5 years from post-doctoral training/terminal degree) to collect initial data for an RO3, R21, or R01 submission. The project must focus on a neuroscience-related topic and explore either sex/gender differences or disorders/treatments as they uniquely relate to women. The project can be either clinical or basic science, but consistent with the NIH Roadmap Initiative and the vision of MUSC's South Carolina Clinical and Translational Research Institute (SCTR). Projects involving multidisciplinary teams and/or translational research efforts are especially encouraged. Applications are due by noon on March 1. For more information visit www.musc.edu/scor or contact Sarah Gainey(smithsar@musc.edu).

Faculty Applications Being Accepted for MUSC Presidential Scholars Program

Faculty applications are being sought for the MUSC Presidential Scholars Program. One faculty member from the College of Medicine will be selected to serve a three-year term and join current faculty from the other colleges; a small stipend is provided. Applications are due Friday, March 8, and more information, including instruction on how to submit an application, can be found at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/pres_scholars/fac_instr.html.

Next Town Hall Hall Meeting with Dean Pisano Scheduled for February 20 - Questions Invited in Advance

As part of ongoing efforts to improve communication with members of the college, the dean is holding a series of town hall meetings this winter and spring. The next town hall is scheduled for Wednesday, February 20, at 4:00 p.m. in 110 Drug Discovery Building. If anyone has particular topics you’d like Dr. Pisano to address, you may raise them in person during the meeting and/or email them in advance to comnews@musc.edu.

Cawley Named as New VP for Clinical Operations and Executive Director of the Medical University Hospital Authority

Following a nearly six-month national search to find a successor for Stuart Smith, Dr. Pat Cawley of MUSC has been selected for the role. Dr. Cawley currently serves as executive medical director and chief medical officer. He will work with interim vice president for clinical operations, Kester Freeman and officially take over the post at the beginning of April. Read the detailed announcement from MUSC President, Dr. Ray Greenberg here.

First Annual Women's Research Day Set for This Spring

The MUSC Women's Health research Center will be holding its first annual Women's Health Research Day on Thursday, April 18, 2013. Investigators from across campus will showcase their gender/sex-based research presentations. For more information, please visit www.musc.edu/wrc
 
Nominations open for 2013 Earl B. Higgins Diversity Awards

The MUSC Office of Student Diversity invites nominations for the 2013 Earl B. Higgins Achievement in Diversity Awards. The awards acknowledge persistence and dedication to diversity enhancement at MUSC. There are two awards. One is for faculty and staff and the other honors students. The nomination deadline is February 1, 2013. More information can be found at http://academicdepartments.musc.edu/diversity/earlbhiggins.html 

MUSC Office of CME Director, Odessa Ussery named Distinguished member of the Alliance for Continuing Education in Health Professions

Ms. Ussery has been recognized for her active participation and many contributions made to the Alliance. This award honors her significant service and sustained membership with the group.

Interim CEO Named for Medical Center

MUSC President Dr. Ray Greenberg has announced an interim CEO for the Medical Center as the identification process of Mr. Stuart Smith's successor nears an end. Smith will be completing nearly four decades of dedicated service to this institution when he retires at the end of this calendar year. Read Dr. Greenberg's letter naming the interim CEO and regarding the transition here. 

Dr. Etta Pisano Receives 2012 Advancement of Women Faculty Award

The award is sponsored by the Women Scholars Initiative at MUSC. The purpose of the award is to recognize the MUSC faculty member who best demonstrates excellence in his or her commitment to the advancement and promotion of women faculty at MUSC. The MUSC Women Scholars Initiative aims to achieve diversity through a proactive focus on gender equity in the recruitment, retention and advancement for women faculty across all missions of the university.

Vincent Pellegrini, Jr. MD, Appointed Chair, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery

Dr. Pellegrini will assume this role effective April 1, 2013, and will also serve as MUHA Musculoskeletal Service Line Leader. He brings an excellent combination of clinical, research, teaching, and administrative skills to lead the continued growth and development of the department.  We welcome Dr. Pellegrini to his new role, and thank Dr. Langdon Hartsock for his many years of service as Chair.   

First Director for Center for Global Initiatives at MUSC Named

Dr. Michael Sweat from the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science has been appointed the inaugural Director of the Center for Global Initiatives at MUSC. Dr. Sweat's appointment follows an internal, campus-wide search of candidates. The Center was created in 2011 with the merging of the offices of International Support and International Programs to created one coordinated unit.It is anticipated under Dr. Sweat's leadership, the Center will foster more synergies across MUSC to better cultivate global educational, public health, clinical and research opportunities while continuing to build policies and procedures. Read more here.

MUSC Center for Drug and Alcohol Abuse Programs Director Named Among Top Addiction Psychiatrists in the Nation

Raymond F. Anton, M.D., Distinguished University Professor at the Medical University of South Carolina, was named one of the top addiction psychiatrists in the country by U.S. News Top Doctors. This listing is based on a peer nomination process, and the star icon listed next to Dr. Anton's name denotes that he is considered to be among the top 1 percent in the nation in his specialty. Read more here.  

MUSC Launches First-of-Its-Kind Autism Study with Local Children

MUSC has received a $1 million grant from Autism Speaks to do a large-scale, first-of-its-kind study of all children born in 2004 in the Tri-county area involving any families willing to participate. Read more here.

College of Medicine Dean Cites Accomplishments: read the Catalyst article here. 

Five MUSC Faculty Named to Academy of Medical Educators

Congratulations to MUSC faculty Dr.Antine Stenbit: Mentored Teaching Fellow, Dr.Joe Blumer: Master Teacher, Dr.Lancer Scott: Master Teacher, Dr.Gabriel Virella: Distinguished Teaching Scholar and Dr. Julius Sagel: Distinguished Teaching Scholar. The Academy of Medicine Educators was established to provide a forum for higher levels of participation, training, and recognition of faculty educators and to promote excellence, innovation, and scholarship in teaching and education. More information about the Academy of Medical Educators and the application process can be found at http://www.musc.edu/com/faculty/Academy_of_Medical_Educators/

MUSC Fibrosis Center Awarded a Top Honor

The MUSC Cystic Fibrosis Center received notification that is has been selected as one of the recipients of the 2012 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Quality Care Award: Recognizing Outstanding QI Processes and Accomplishments.  MUSC’s CF Center is among four programs selected to receive this prestigious award.  22 centers were visited by the team who made the award.

MUSC College of Medicine / VA Receive Grant for Faculty Development Project

The College of Medicine and the Veteran Administration Medical Center received an education grant from the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation to participate in a multi-site faculty development project.  The project, "Passing the Torch: Fostering Medical Humanism Through Faculty Role-Models" will be facilitated by Dr. Shak Rehman, Professor in the Department of Medicine.  Participants in the project will be trained to promote values and attitudes related to teaching the human dimensions of care.  The following faculty members were selected to participate- Drs. Amy Blue, Ben Clyburn, Deborah DeWaay, Ashley Duckett, Leonie Gordon, Temeia Martin, Patricia McBurney, Matt McEvoy, and Mike Southgate.  At the end of the project, a cadre of faculty who will be able to facilitate future trainings for our faculty.

Debbie Bryant Makes History with Recent Award

Dr. Debbie Bryant received the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s 2012 Community Health Leaders Award.  Dr. Bryant serves as Assistant Director for Cancer Prevention and Control and Outreach at the Hollings Cancer Center.  She is the first South Carolinian ever to receive this prestigious award, which recognizes individuals who have overcome significant challenges to help improve health and health care problems facing their communities. 

Drs. Robert Adams and Marc Chimowitz Honored by AHA/ASA with Prestigious Awards for Stroke Research & Care

Earlier this week, two members of the Department of Neurosciences won two of the most prestigious awards given by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Dr. Robert Adams is the winner of the 2013 David G. Sherman Award, which recognizes an "investigator who has made outstanding contributions in the stroke field in their lifetime". Dr. Marc Chimowitz is the winner of the 2013 William M. Feinberg Award for Excellence in Clinical Stroke, which recognizes an investigator who has "made significant contributions to clinical research in stroke". Please join me in congratulating Dr. Adams and Dr. Chimowitz on this wonderful recognition of their achievements and contributions to their field.      

MUSC Awarded Prestigious Rising Star Award 

Recently the University Healthsystem Consortium (UHC) awarded MUSC its Rising Star honor for significant improvements and exemplary performance in patient safety, mortality, clinical effectiveness, and equity of care as defined by UHC's Quality and Accountability Study. Other academic medical centers who received the Rising Star award include Duke, Shands Hospital at the University of Florida and Cleveland Clinic. UHC president Irene Thompson stated "this Rising Star achievement is especially notable because other academic medical centers also are working in earnest to improve patient safety and quality, thus it has become quite difficult to stand out among more than 100 peer organizations."

Seminar by Dr. Jeannette South-Paul

The College of Medicine Diversity Committee, Academy of Medical Educators, and Faculty Affairs are pleased to present a seminar by Dr. Jeannette South-Paul on September 24, 4:00-5:00 p.m., in the Drug Discovery Building Auditorium. Dr. South-Paul is the Andrew W. Mathieson Professor and Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. The topic of her seminar will be “The Future of Health Disparities in the Age of Healthcare Reform”. A reception will follow in the lobby of the Drug Discovery Building, and CME credit will be available. All members of the College are invited to attend.

Faculty Convocation Award Winners

The Faculty Convocation was held Tuesday, August 21, 2012. Dr. Perry Halushka, Professor of Medicine and Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, was the keynote speaker and spoke on the role and importance of entrepreneurialism. Several College of Medicine faculty were recognized for their excellence. Dr. Joe Blumer (Cell and Molecular Pharmacology) was presented with a Developing Scholar Award. Dr. Judy Dubno (Otolaryngology) received the Peggy Schachte Research Mentor Award. Three members of the college received the Outstanding Clinician Award – Dr. Andrew Atz (Pediatrics), Dr. Joshua Smith (Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine), and Dr. Dannah Wray (Pediatrics and Internal Medicine). Two members of our faculty were honored with Distinguished Faculty Service Awards – Dr. Rick Silver (Medicine) and Dr. Robert Stuart (Medicine).

MUSC Professor Receives Governor's Award for Excellence in Scientific Research

Dr. Peter Kalivas, Ph.D., a neuroscientist at MUSC is being honored for his research and internationally recognized discoveries in the field of drug addiction. His scientific findings have led to clinical trials with new drugs for treating cigarette use, teenage marijuana use as well as cocaine addiction. In South Carolina, drug abuse and addiction cost the state an average of $2.5 billion and kill close to 20,000 people each year. Dr. Kalivas heads a team of MUSC researchers receiving $15 million annually from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to make scientific discoveries and turn them in addiction clinical trials. With Dr. Kalivas serving as its chair, the Department of Neurosciences at MUSC is now ranked third in NIH research awards in the United States and is considered by experts in the field to be one of the top-tier neuroscience research centers in the country.

MUSC College of Medicine Earns Top 10 Ranking in USNWR 2011-2012

The MUSC College of Medicine has been recognized by US News and World Report again this year as one of the 10 most popular medical schools. This recognition is a reflection on the college's students, faculty, staff, and admissions team, which is ably led by Drs. Deborah Deas and Paul Underwood. The 10 most popular medical schools posted yields of 74 percent or greater.

U.S. News & World Report Rankings – MUSC is the State’s Top Hospital

Earlier this week, U.S. News & World Report released their “best hospital” rankings and I am pleased to report that MUSC performed extremely well again this year. MUSC ranked first in South Carolina and first for the Charleston-North Charleston-Summerville metro area, and was nationally ranked in the top 50 for Ear, Nose & Throat, Nephrology, Cardiology & Heart Surgery, and Gastroenterology. Nine other programs were recognized as “high-performing” – Cancer, Diabetes & Endocrinology, Geriatrics, Gynecology, Neurology & Neurosurgery, Orthopedics, Pulmonology, Rheumatology, and Urology.

Student Satisfaction Survey Results

Results are in from this year's Student Satisfaction Survey, administered by Education and Student Life (ESL). 93% of MUSC College of Medicine students believe they made the right choice in selecting MUSC for their training and would recommend MUSC to prospective students. 94% of students reported they have received a high quality education at MUSC. The results were similarly complementary of ESL, with 95% of students indicating their satisfaction with services received from ESL and they indicated programs provided by ESL promote effective stress management, a balanced lifestyle, and overall well-being.