University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia interim dean Dr. Gerald Harmon announced today that Dr. Donna Ray has been promoted to the School’s assistant dean for student professional development and director of educational innovation. Dr. Ray, who previously served as the director of student professional development, graduated with her medical degree from the School of Medicine in 1994, and has served on the school’s faculty since 2003.

“Dr. Donna Ray’s selection to lead our student professional development path is a well-deserved recognition of her many years of experience in that arena.” Harmon said. “She is the ideal choice for this position and is exceptionally well-respected by the students and her colleagues.”

In her role as assistant dean, Dr. Ray will oversee and assess general career advising programs for the School of Medicine’s medical students, while also facilitating certain elements of the educational process such as interprofessional education, service learning, quality improvement learning and the March Seabrook Leadership Program. The position will primarily report to Dr. Eric Williams in his role as associate dean for student affairs, and Dr. Ray will also have a reporting line to the associate dean for undergraduate medical education.

“Dr. Ray’s passion and expertise is in the field of professional development,” Williams said. “We look forward to the innovations she will bring to advising and career planning for our students.”

During her time at the School of Medicine, Dr. Ray has also served as the director of faculty development for the Office of Continuous Professional Development, where her primary duties centered on needs assessment, design, development, delivery, and outcomes assessment of faculty professional development. Dr. Ray is also a clinical assistant professor of medicine at the school