Dr. Gerald Harmon, a decorated South Carolina physician, began his appointment as interim dean at the School of Medicine Columbia on Aug. 1, 2023.

In his interim appointment, Harmon will maintain relationships with the school’s clinical partners, including Prisma Health, as well as keep a steady focus on high-impact research and improving the health of South Carolinians.

Harmon will work with leadership to ensure that all graduate programs within medicine are represented and that the upcoming accreditation process is seamless. He also hopes to set up for success the future dean in the launch of the new home for the School of Medicine at the BullStreet District.

Harmon is the immediate past president of the American Medical Association, and he currently serves as vice president of medical affairs at Tidelands Health as well as a family physician at Tidelands Health Family Medicine.

Harmon received his bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of South Carolina and his M.D. from the Medical University of South Carolina, where he also completed an internship in clinical pharmacology. He did his residency in family medicine at Eglin Air Force Base Regional Hospital and served as chief resident there. Harmon also received an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from USC in 2018. Both he and his wife, Linda, consider themselves “Gamecocks to the core,” and the Harmon family has eight degrees from USC between the five of them.

All communications with Dr. Harmon can be directed toward Executive Assistant, Lori Anna Davis at LoriAnna.Davis@uscmed.sc.edu.