School of Medicine Columbia

2021 News Archive

Charles Clark served his nation and provided care to those most in need

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of our first class of students graduating from the Doctor of Medicine program. Throughout the year we will be featuring members of the inaugural class.

Alumni credit SOM education with their success

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of our first class of students graduating from the Doctor of Medicine program. Throughout the year we will be featuring members of the inaugural class.

Standardized Patient Program

Are you interested in being part of the education of our medical students and other Health Professions students? The use of standardized patients (SP's) to teach and assess clinical and problem-solving skills, is common in medical education.

2021 SOMC Awards Recipients Named

Nineteen individuals will be recognized at the annual Alumni and Dean's Awards Virtual Ceremony on Thursday, October 21, including the most recent Luminary Leaders in Medicine and Science honorees and recipients of a brand new achievement, the Advancement of Women in Science and Medicine award.

State of the School Address

Dean Les Hall delivered a virtual State of the School of Medicine Columbia address on September 22, 2021 at 6:00 PM.

Classmates Followed Similar Paths

This year marks the fortieth anniversary of our first class of students graduating from the Doctor of Medicine program. Throughout the year we will be featuring members of the inaugural class.

SAVE THE DATE! - Women in Science and Medicine Virtual Seminar

Dr. Kari-Claudia Allen, M.D., will be the Keynote Speaker of the 2021 UofSC School of Medicine Columbia Women in Science and Medicine Virtual Seminar "Women of Color in Medicine". Dr. Allen is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at UofSC SOMC and the Assistant Program Director of the Prisma-Health Family Medicine Residency program. Dr. Allen will share her experience in the workplace, as well as give some insights into her personal and professional journeys.

Foster, SEC Medical Guidance Team honored by Southeastern Conference

The SEC has recognized the members of the SEC Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force with the Michael L. Slive Distinguished Service Award. Zoe Foster, M.D., program director for the UofSC School of Medicine's Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship, is among those being honored.

South Carolina high schools students compete in inaugural SC Brain Bee

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia hosted the inaugural South Carolina Brain Bee, a competition held to motivate and inspire high school students to become interested in learning more about the brain and to consider career-related fields such as neurology and psychology.

Physician assistant graduates earn perfect pass rate

Congratulations are in order for the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia Master's in Science in Physician Assistant Studies program. The Class of 2021 earned a 100% first-time pass rate on the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE).

2021 Teachers of the Year Named

The Doctor of Medicine classes announced their selections for Teacher of Year during a virtual awards ceremony on Monday, May 17. The ceremony had a red carpet awards show theme.

Team members to be recognized by Gold Foundation for contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic

Three University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia team members will be honored by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation as Champions of Humanistic Care for their contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Continuing Medical Education Organization receives recognitions

The University of South Carolina-Prisma Health Midlands Continuing Medical Education (USCSOM-PHM CME) Organization recently received recognition from the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) and the Academy of General Dentistry (AGD).

Persistence leads to a lifelong passion

Because of her exposure to the medical field growing up, Bonnie Ramsey believed a career in medicine was the best path for her to be able to help people. That desire also fueled her decision to choose the field of psychiatry as her specialty, in part due to a patient she met during her rotations.

Collaboration seeks to improve vaccination rates in rural areas

A project funded by the South Carolina Center for Rural and Primary Healthcare (CRPH) is working to identify areas in South Carolina with limited access to community pharmacies.

Nurse Anesthesia Program Moves to Doctoral Level

Beginning in May 2021 the nurse anesthesia program will transition to offer a Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice, in accordance with the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational program's requirement that all schools graduate only doctoral level CRNAs beginning in 2025. The program's first doctoral class of 30 students will matriculate on May 10 to begin their 36 months of training.

Previvor status leads genetic counseling graduate to her future

After learning she was was is called a "previvor," someone who has a predisposition to cancer greater than that of the general population but has not yet had the disease, Madeleine Tjoelker decided to pursue a career in genetic counseling.

Medicine was Compton's 'Field of Dreams'

All through high school and part of college, Ken Compton, M.D., had no idea where his future path lay - he only knew that he wanted to pursue a career that would allow him to serve others. As a member of the first class of M.D. students at the UofSC School of Medicine Columbia, Compton fulfilled his calling.

Srinivasan named 2021 Educator of the Year by the AAGP

University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia Professor Shilpa Srinivasan, M.D., has been honored as the 2021 Educator of the Year by the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry.

2021 Transformative Research Seed Grant recipients named

The RCTH is pleased to announce the 2021 Transformative Research Seed Grant awardees. These seed grants support collaborative research between UofSC and Prisma Health to pursue new and innovative research that improves health. Each project includes an investigative partnership between faculty at UofSC and a clinical collaborator from Prisma Health.

Remembering the first School of Medicine graduates: Randall Suarez, M.D., '81

There were few options available to attend medical school in the mid- '70s but Randy Suarez was determined to pursue his lifelong dream of career in medicine. It was fortuitous for him that the University of South Carolina Columbia was developing a new medical school at the same time he was completing his undergraduate degree in biology from Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina.

School of Medicine students receive SPARC grants

Two University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia doctoral students were awarded grants from the university's Support to Promote Advancement of Research and Creativity (SPARC) Graduate Research Grant program.

Class of 1981: Everlyn Hall-Baker, school's first Black graduate, reflects on 40-year career

It has been nearly 40 years since Everlyn Lilease Hall-Baker graduated from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia. She did not know it at the time, but the day she stepped through the school's doors she made history as the first African American student and one of only two women in the inaugural class.

School of Medicine Honors Luminary Leaders in Medicine and Science

The inaugural class of Luminary Leaders were recognized during a virtual ceremony on Feb. 18. The honorees are noted members of the medical and science community, who have not only made meaningful contributions to the School of Medicine, but who have also created a legacy through their service, leadership and efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

School of Medicine Columbia and Columbia VA partner to repurpose lab equipment to conduct COVID-19 testing

The Columbia VA collaborated with UofSC to leverage and convert its joint research lab into a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) compliant laboratory to conduct COVID-19 tests. By repurposing a robotic-based polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyzer - previously purchased with a VA research grant - the SOM will be able to conduct high-volume COVID-19 testing.

Genetic Counseling Endowment reaches milestone

Students in the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia's Genetic Counseling program are receiving some much-appreciated financial support. The Genetic Counseling Endowment reached a milestone funding level recently, providing an initial disbursement to second-year students in support of their clinical rotations and training opportunities.

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