South Carolina AHEC News & Updates

It is with great sadness that the South Carolina AHEC marks the passing of Olin Marion Burton, MD. Dr. Burton was a friend and ardent supporter of AHEC, as well as a dedicated physician who sought to improve access to care for people of all ages in our state and beyond. Dr. Burton graduated from Clemson University and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and trained at MUSC and the Medical College of Georgia.   He practiced pediatrics in Anderson for two decades, where he was also a faculty member with the Anderson Family Medicine Residency Training Program before being appointed as Director of Pediatric Education and Associate Director of the Residency Training Program. Dr. Burton went on to establish a Division of Community Pediatrics at the USC School of Medicine and established the South Carolina AHEC locum tenens program in 1994, where he was its Medical Director for 21 years. He also served as on the Board of the SC AHEC Rural Physician Recruitment Program where...

The annual South Carolina AHEC Resident Scholarship Symposium was held in conjunction with the South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians’ (SCAFP) annual meeting in Myrtle Beach on June 7-8.   On June 7, a Chief Residents’ Seminar was held for physicians who will be chief residents during the 2015-2016 academic year. The session was conducted by Mark Greenawald, MD, Associate Dean for Student Affairs at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. That night the SCAFP and the South Carolina AHEC Family Medicine Residency Program directors sponsored a wine and cheese reception and poster session for residents, members of the South Carolina Academy of Family Physicians, and their families.   Authors of 16 abstracts also presented scholarly presentations on research and quality improvement projects. Gerard Jebaily, MD (McLeod Family Medicine), and Lisa Mims, MD (Trident/MUSC Family Medicine), served as co-chairs and moderators of the Resident Scholarship Symposium. Judges were ...

Halford Award for Leadership in Humane Education Presented to Patricia Witherspoon, MD Dr. David Garr, South Carolina AHEC Executive Director; Dr. Patricia Witherspoon, Halford Award Recipient; Dr. Chuck Carter, Palmetto Health Family Medicine Residency Training Program Director The South Carolina AHEC is pleased to announce that Patricia Wilson Witherspoon, MD, FAAFP, is this year’s recipient of the Halford Award.    Since 1998, Dr. Witherspoon has been an integral part of the Palmetto Health Family Medicine Residency Program. She is currently serving as the Co-Medical Director and Associate Professor for the USC School of Medicine Department of Family and Preventive Medicine. In these roles she has committed herself to serving her community and providing excellent medical student teaching and resident mentoring. Her experience as a leader and role model are acknowledged in the many other recognitions she has received, including the USC Social Justice Award (20...

Jarrod Tippins, PharmD Terry Blackmon, RPh The South Carolina Pharmacy Association recently presented honors to Jarrod Tippins, PharmD, President of the Pee Dee Pharmacy Association, and Terry Blackmon, RPh, Treasurer of Pee Dee Pharmacy Association. Dr. Tippins was honored as the Distinguished Young Pharmacist for 2015 and Mr. Blackmon was honored as the South Carolina Pharamacist of the Year for 2015. Pee Dee AHEC co-sponsors monthly continuing professional education programs with the Pee Dee Pharmacy Association under the leadership of Dr. Tippins and Mr. Blackmon and congratulates them both on their honors! For more information, please contact  Kay Lambert, BSN, RN, Pee Dee AHEC Allied Health Education Coordinator at  klambert @ mcleodhealth.org

Duncan McDuffie Program Assistant South Carolina AHEC Duncan McDuffie joined the South Carolina AHEC Program Office team on July 13 and is assisting with the SCHOOLS network of videoconferencing systems. He graduated in May from the College of Charleston with a BS in Public Health. Most recently, he completed an internship with Coastal Connections through the Population Health Department at MUSC as a patient advocate and educator. Duncan looks forward to applying his public health background to his work at South Carolina AHEC and being a full-time Charleston resident. Welcome Duncan! He can be reached at mcduffid@musc.edu and 843-792-6222.

Left to right:  Sabrora Lemmon, Brittany Lewis,  Brittany Brown, Kathryn Johnson, Courtney Brown, Synobia Miller, Samoria Session   Summer interns in the Pee Dee AHEC Health Careers Summer Internship Program have begun their summer work experiences. Students have been placed in facilities that align with their health career aspirations. This summer’s internship class includes high school and college students from Florence, Sumter, Clarendon, Horry and Marion counties.   To prepare for the work experience, the interns first gathered for an orientation and training session at McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence. The session addressed topics such as communication skills, professional appearance, and ways to optimize internship experiences. Orientation also allowed the students to meet one another and interact in person with the health careers program coordinator. During orientation, three health professions students along with Traci Coward, Pee D...