Dean (interim): Gerald Harmon, M.D.
Vice Dean:  Jeff Perkins, M.B.A.
Senior Associate Dean: R. Caughman Taylor, M.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Research:  Leonardo Bonilha, M.D., Ph.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education: Predrag Krajacic, M.D.
Senior Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives and Accreditation: Bobby Miller, M.D.
Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs: Joshua T. Thornhill IV, M.D.
Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education:  Charles Carter, M.D.
Associate Dean for Continuous Professional Development and Strategic Affairs: Matthew Orr, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Recruitment: Robert M. Rhinehart, Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education: Charles J. Carter, M.D.
Associate Dean for Medical Student Education-Florence: Alan G. Sechtin, M.D.
Associate Dean for Student Affairs: Eric R. Williams, M.D.
Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration: Derek B. Payne, M.B.A.
Assistant Dean for Clinical Curriculum and Assessment: Brian D. Keisler, M.D.
Assistant Dean for Clinical Learning: James W. Cook, M.D.
Assistant Dean for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer: D. Lindsie Cone, M.D.
Assistant Dean for Pre-Clerkship Curriculum (interim): Alexa Gandy, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Clinical Graduate Programs:  Paul Toriello, Ph.D.

A national leader in primary care medical education, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine also sponsors research and professional training focused on health care needs. In addition to the degree of Doctor of Medicine, the School of Medicine offers the Doctor of Philosophy degree with a major in biomedical science, the Master of Science degree with a major in biomedical science, the Master of Arts in Counseling and Rehabilitation, the Master of Science in Genetic Counseling, the Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, and the Master of Science in Phyisician Assistant Studies. A Certificate of Graduate Study in Psychiatric Rehabilitation is also available. An M.D./Ph.D. plan is available to students interested in careers in academic medicine or medical research. Correspondence concerning admission to the M.D. program and requests for the School of Medicine Bulletin should be addressed to:

School of Medicine
Office of Admissions
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208
phone: 803-733-3325

Extensive information about the School of Medicine may be accessed via our Web site at http://www.med.sc.edu/academic.asp.

The School of Medicine’s basic science campus is located four miles from the Columbia campus of the University of South Carolina on the Dorn VA Hospital campus, in a complex of fully-renovated historic buildings. The complex provides teaching and research facilities that are some of the best in the nation. Most clinical departments are located on the Richland Medical Park campus in central Columbia.

Affiliated hospitals are Prisma Health (including Prisma Health Richland and Prisma Health Baptist), the Dorn Veterans Administration Medical Center, the Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center, the Lexington Medical Center and facilities of the South Carolina Department of Mental Health.

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine emphasizes research partnerships with affiliated hospitals and agencies to direct investigations to areas of greatest potential health benefit. The Centers of Research Excellence focus on cancer, cardiovascular disease and stroke, biomedical ethics, and primary health care. 

Other areas of research strength include developmental disabilities, neuroscience, infectious diseases and immunology, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, cancer, tissue engineering and reproductive biology and endocrinology.

Degree Programs

Ph.D. and MS, Biomedical Science

Designed to train students for careers in teaching and research, the doctoral program in biomedical science is an interdisciplinary program with participation of the basic medical science Departments of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience; Cell and Developmental Biology and Anatomy; and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology.

The Biomedical Science PhD program at the School of Medicine is a component of the Integrated Biomedical Science Graduate Program at the University. This is a cooperation between the graduate programs of the Schools of Medicine and Public Health (Exercise Science), the Departments of Biology, Chemistry (Biochemistry) and Psychology and the South Carolina College of Pharmacy (Basic Pharmaceutical Science). Doctoral students are admitted to the integrated program and pursue required common core courses. They also carry out up to three laboratory rotations from a  choice of more than 80 laboratories in the participating departments.

Students who choose to work with a mentor from the School of Medicine transfer to the School’s Biomedical Science Graduate Program for the remainder of their graduate studies. The curriculum includes elective courses and seminars as well as supervised laboratory research. The program’s size of approximately 40 students provides extensive student/faculty interaction.

The purpose of the MS program is to provide broadly based interdisciplinary training in biomedical science to individuals who wish to expand or change their educational background and training to fulfill personal, pre-professional, or other career advancement goals. This two year program consists of one year of core courses with a heavy emphasis on biochemistry and molecular and cellular biology and one year of research which can either be laboratory- or library-based.

Certificate of Graduate Study in Biomedical Studies

This one-year certificate program offers advanced graduate level training in a number of areas of biomedical sciences. It is designed for individuals seeking to enhance further their background in the basic health sciences prior to entry into professional schools including medical, dental, veterinary and osteopathic medicine schools. This program is not intended to provide  undergraduate-level training in pre-medical course work needed to get admission into medical or professional schools. Instead, the program is designed to make postbaccalaureate students more competitive for admission through extensive graduate-level course work in the areas of physiology, pharmacology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and neuroscience along with several other elective courses in the biomedical sciences. In addition, students will take courses in the ethics of medical science, MCAT (or similar) preparation and the preparation of a professional school application. Completion of the certificate requires 18 credit hours at the graduate level with required courses and additional electives.

Master of Arts, Counseling and Rehabilitation

The Masters of Arts degree in Counseling and Rehabilitation offers three specialized practice areas: Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling, Clinical Addiction Counseling, and Career Counseling. The curriculum focuses on preparing students to develop practical, ethical, and culturally responsive professional counseling skills to help enhance the quality of life for those living with and without disabilities. Each specialized practice area pathway prepares students for practice as Licensed Counselors (LPC or LAC) and Certified Counselors (CRC, NCC, MAC, or CCC) in diverse settings such as state and community agencies, private practices, industry, hospitals, schools, and colleges. The program was accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs for a full 8- year period through March 2029.

Master of Science, Genetic Counseling

The master’s program in genetic counseling prepares genetic counselors to work with families at risk for genetic disease or birth defects. Graduates are also involved in teaching, research, and administrative aspects of this growing field. Accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling, the curriculum includes course work and internship opportunities at the University of South Carolina, the Medical University of South Carolina, the Medical College of Georgia, the Greenwood Genetic Center, the Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, Savannah Perinatology Associates, UNC-Chapel Hill, Fullerton Genetic Center, the Duke University Medical Center, and Emory University. The first of its kind in the Southeast and one of only 32 in the United States, the genetic counseling master’s program is accredited by the American Board of Genetic Counseling.

Doctor of Medicine

Since our first admitted and enrolled class of 24 students in the Fall of 1977, our program has been built from the ground up over nearly five decades of education, while holding the same mission--to educate the future of health care for the state of South Carolina. Accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, we serve our state from our admissions process through our students graduation by putting an emphasis on selecting qualified students from our state, or out-of-state students who hold a tie to the state of South Carolina. Our students rotate through multiple in-state clinical learning environments where they participate and observe what future opportunities are available to them in hopes of encouraging our students to return to and serve their state.

Through the creation of clinical learning environments from the Midlands to the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, our students are able to gain the experience they need and impact the health care of our state. Whether they're completing rotations in downtown Columbia, spending their clinical years at our Florence Regional Campus, or taking part in an away rotation at one of our many other clinical partners throughout the state, our students are impacting health care from the time of admission, through becoming the next generation of health care providers for South Carolina.

Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice

The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia Graduate Program in Nurse Anesthesia is a 36 month program (Beginning in May of each year, with graduation in May 36 months later) awarding a Doctor of Nursing Anesthesia Practice (DNAP) in Nurse Anesthesia. Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Programs, graduates are eligible to write the NBCRNA's National Certification Exam (NCE). With a passing score on this exam, the graduate will become a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA).

Master of Science, Physician Assistant Studies

Founded in 2017, the Physician Assistant Program at the USC School of Medicine Columbia has become an integral contributor to health care across South Carolina. Since welcoming its inaugural class of 20 students, the program has played a vital role in addressing the state’s health care needs by preparing practice-ready physician assistants committed to service, collaboration, and patient-centered care. Accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, students will build their knowledge and skills throughout their didactic, clinical, and summative training to achieve competencies in medical knowledge, interpersonal skills, clinical and technical skills, professional behaviors, and clinical reasoning and problem solving.

Certificate of Graduate Study in Psychiatric Rehabilitation

This cross-disciplinary program provides focused training in the area of psychiatric rehabilitation to meet a need for trained professionals with specialized knowledge and skills in assisting individuals with severe, long-term mental illnesses in securing and maintaining employment. Individuals with training in vocational rehabilitation have not typically been trained in working with mental illness, and individuals with expertise in mental health issues are not typically trained in vocational rehabilitation. This program presents a unique opportunity to address this need for professionals who are cross-trained to work with both mental health issues and vocational concerns. Key content areas of study in the certificate program include the characteristics of severe long-term mental illnesses, assessment, treatment, rehabilitation methods, and the recovery process. All course work is available on campus or online in distance education format.

Programs

• Biomedical Sciences, M.S.
• Biomedical Sciences, Ph.D.
• Biomedical Studies, Certificate
• Counseling and Rehabilitation, M.A.
• Genetic Counseling, M.S.
• Medicine, M.D.
• Nursing Anesthesia, D.N.A.P.
• Physician Assistant Studies M.S.P.A.S.
• Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Certificate