May 27, 2016
Inside
MEDICAL UNIVERSITY of SOUTH CAROLINA
hurriCane PreParaTiOn is here Civil Air Patrol Majs. J. Bayne Selby, left, and Kem Fronabarger study a search and rescue chart of the Charleston area. Selby is a physician and professor of radiology. In the background is an orange emergency locator beacon from a downed aircraft. The Civil Air Patrol, along with the National Weather Service, the American Red Cross, and other emergency preparedness organizations took part in MUSC’s 17th annual Hurricane Awareness Day May 25. Hurricane season begins June 1. For information, visit redcross.org/ prepare or ready.gov, and register with the MUSC Alert system at http://www. getrave.com/login/musc .
DenTal awarDs
4
Dental grad receives prestigious award .
COmmenCemenT aDDress
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Former Charleston mayor delivers praise, advice.
3 Award 5 Meet Carmen 8 Teaching Awards T h e C aTa ly s T Online http://www. musc.edu/ catalyst
Vol. 34, No. 37
photo by J. Ryne Danielson
Threat of rain couldn’t dampen grads’ excitement By Mikie Hayes hayesmi@musc.edu
D
espite the chilly temperature, blustering winds and threatening skies, outlooks remained sunny as graduates, families, faculty and guests gathered in the MUSC Horseshoe to celebrate a very special day — MUSC’s 187th commencement. President David Cole, M.D., FACS, warmly welcomed students and guests and shared words of wisdom with the graduates: “When you leave here today, you will take your first steps into your professions and fulfilling your life-long dreams to have the opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives, literally — the lives we touch,” he said, referring to MUSC’s vision statement, which is woven into every aspect of MUSC’s strategy for the future. “I hope you will take a moment to reflect upon those who you will serve in the years to come,” he told them. “Although these people will be strangers upon your first encounter, your lives will intersect with theirs at times of great personal need. May you care for these individuals with the same concern and compassion that others have shown to you.” And with that he congratulated them on their achievements and the
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bright futures that lie ahead of them. The commencement address was delivered by former Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr., who governed over the city of Charleston for 40 years, having handed over the mantle of leadership in January. He spoke to the students about the importance of character — and living a kind and virtuous life. “The importance of character and virtuous life seems to be discounted somewhat now – especially revealed in this year’s political goings on – it is as if all things are relative: virtues are not absolute and they don’t matter a great deal. But they do,” he insisted. “They are important for our country, and our society has always rested on solid underpinnings of character and personal responsibility. In our quest to find moral equilibrium we often look to books – inspiring, historical figures; to our churches if we attend one; but also, perhaps unconsciously, we look to those who care for us. You, our dear, proud graduates, have accepted a vocation that holds great power. And the profound results of your work elevate you among us – for you not only care for our bodies, you can be
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See Ceremony on page 7 @ Catalyst_MUSC
2 THe CaTalysT, May 27, 2016
Applause Program The following MUSC employees received recognition through the Applause Program for going the extra mile: Medical Center
Kellie Adams, Radiology; Matt Frye, Volunteer & Guest Services; Brenda Brown, HVC; McKenzie Rogers, 6East; Olivia Garza, 6East; Gweneth Lazenby, Obstetrics & Gynecology; Patrishia Brown, Guest Services; Sherika Washington, 8West Med/Surg; Serena Thatcher, 7West; Ana Virella-Pena, Women’s Services; Nicole Jeffcoat, 8West; Barbara Kiniceley, 8West; Jordan Ponder, 9East; Alexandra Caramagno, ART 6East; Erica Mascoe, ART 6East; Lori Davenport, ART 6East; Monica Clayton, Transfusion Medicine; Michelle Turner, Women’s Services; Lawanda Anderson, Outpatient Registration; Chad Davis, 6East; Bran-
rOses FOr GraDuaTes FunDraiser
dy Olson, Volunteer & Guest Services; Robyn Manuel, Physical Therapy; Kevin Freeman, Environmental Services; Charity Berg, ART 6East; Angela Franklin, Radiology; Kevin Delaney, Department of Surgery; Antion Bolton, ART SPD; Donna Nicholson, ART 4East; Nadirah Peterson, ART 4East; Apryl Cronley, ART 4 East; and Sally Geese, Meduflex Team University Willie Green, University Housekeeping; Lee Holbrook, Public Safety; Connie Medley, Neuroscience/Neuroscience Research; M. Rebeca Mueller, VPAA/Center for Global Health; and Doris Washington, University Housekeeping.
Construction Update:
Charleston Center Drive closed Charleston Center Drive will continue to be closed to all vehicular traffic through Friday, June 11. A pedestrian tunnel, located along the south side of Ashley River Tower (ART), was constructed to allow pedestrians to use this pathway to ART, Roper Hospital, and other destinations. All vehicles that are authorized to park on the ground level of ART
Editorial of fice MUSC Office of Public Relations 135 Cannon Street, Suite 403C, Charleston, SC 29425. 843-792-4107 Fax: 843-792-6723 Editor: Cindy Abole catalyst@musc.edu
share a single entrance and exit on the Ralph H. Johnson Drive side of ART. Visitors and patients will not be allowed to self–park in the handicap parking area of ART. Please direct patients to park in the Courtenay Garage. Valet–parked vehicles and service vehicles will continue to have access to ART’s ground level.
The Catalyst is published once a week. Paid adver tisements, which do not represent an endorsement by MUSC or the State of South Carolina, are handled by Island Publications Inc., Moultrie News, 134 Columbus St., Charleston, S.C., 843-958-7480 or 843-937-4803. E-mail: sales@moultrienews.com.
photo provided
The MUSC Women’s Club held their annual “Roses for Commencement fundraiser to support scholarships at the May 20 graduation. Volunteers sold 18 dozen individual roses to families and friends of the graduates.
From wards to words: Nurse-writers visit campus, read at Piccolo Spoleto Four nationally–acclaimed nursewriters will visit MUSC on May 31 to talk about the role the arts and humanities have played in their professional and personal lives. These nurses, who visited MUSC in February 2014 during the Narrative Bridge: Connecting through the Health Humanities conference, have collectively published numerous books and edited various anthologies, including “Between the Hearbeats: Poetry and Prose by Nurses.” Their work often touches upon the work of clinicians and their relationships to patients. In her most recent book, “When the Nurse Becomes a Patient,” Cortney Davis explores her experience of illness from the other side of the bed through prose and visual arts. The University Humanities
Committee and The Writing Center at MUSC invite all students, staff, and faculty to a brown bag panel discussion in BSB 100 from 12 to 12:45p.m. on May 31.The MUSC bookstore will have a selection of books for sale, and the nursewriters will be available to sign the books right after the discussion. Later that evening, the nurse-writers will give a reading from 6:30 to 7:20 p.m. in the Dock Street Theater courtyard as part of the Sundown Poetry series. This event will be followed by a reception at a local art gallery, where books will also be available for purchase. For information about the Sundown Poetry Reading, visit the Piccolo Spoleto Website: http://www.piccolospoleto. com/literary-ideas-sundown-poetry-fromthe-ward-to-the-word/.
THe CaTalysT, May 27, 2016 3
State senator receives MUSC Healthy Communities Award MUSC issued its 2016 MUSC Healthy Communities Award to S.C. Sen. Hugh K. Leatherman, Sr. on May 23. Senator Leatherman received the award for his consistent advocacy of higher education and health care collaboration for the betterment of South Carolina. The MUSC Healthy Communities Award is presented to an individual, group or organization who works to target specific community health issues, demonstrates leadership and/ or collaborates in ways with MUSC that bring about innovative access to the state’s only comprehensive academic medical center. “Senator Leatherman demonstrates everything that this award represents,” said David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, MUSC President. “In order for MUSC to lead health innovation for the lives we touch, we know that external advocates are critical to expanding our reach and impact for quality health care. We are grateful for the unwavering role that Senator Leatherman has served as it relates to changing what’s possible for the health of our communities.” Sen. Leatherman led the charge in
2010 to pass a state allocation for the MUSC Hollings Cancer Center, allowing for advanced tobacco–related cancer research. And together with Senator Thomas Alexander, he spearheaded the effort in the senate to establish a statewide telemedicine network to provide specialty care to communities throughout South Carolina, particularly focusing on improving delivery of health care for those suffering from strokes. The senator has also demonstrated leadership on behalf of the state’s citizens by supporting a state allocation of $25 million for the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, which will serve children and families statewide. This is the second year that MUSC has issued the MUSC Healthy Communities Award, with last year’s award presented to North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey. Summey received the award for his role in working with the North Charleston City Council, Children’s Hospital Advisory Board and MUSC Health leadership to facilitate the donation of a $4 million land parcel that will improve his community’s access to comprehensive, academic medical care in their own backyard.
photo by Tim Roylance, Digital Imaging
MUSC President Dr. David Cole, left, congratulates state Sen. Hugh Leatherman Sr. as the second recipient of the MUSC Healthy Communities Award at the May 23 presentation at Colcock Hall.
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Dental Medicine presents student volunteer awards By J. Ryne Danielson daniejer@musc.edu The James B. Edwards College of Dental Medicine recognized graduating student volunteers this week for their important work in three free community clinics around the Charleston area. The East Cooper Community Outreach Dental Clinic, Saint Matthews Baptist Church Health Ministry and Our Lady of Mercy Community Outreach Clinic rely on student volunteers, without whom they could not achieve their goals of serving the unmet dental needs of those who cannot afford care, said Michael Cuenin, DMD, clinical director of ECCO Dental Clinic. “This mission of mercy is an ongoing occurrence that simply would not be possible without the volunteer spirit of the men and women we are honoring today,” he continued. “The gift of their time and talents has multiplied the ability of our local outreach at all three sites.” College of Dental Medicine Dean, John Sanders, DDS; associate dean for clinical affairs, Mark Barry, DDS; and Leslie White, clinic manager of ECCO, assisted Cuenin with the presentation of certificates of recognition. “I want to thank all of you and the students who have gone before you,”
Sanders said. “When I took over as dean eleven years ago, I made it my goal to improve my students’ heads and hands and hearts. Part of that is exposing you to how South Carolinians live in their communities. Our clinics serve many diverse communities that have had difficult economic times and face access to care issues, so these clinical rotations have been very beneficial, both for patients and you as students. I just want to shake your hands and thank you for what you’ve done.” The College of Dental Medicine also presented the Brian D. Stone Outstanding Student Award to Laura Roper Kuhne. Joy and Justin Stone, two New Jersey dentists who dedicated their lives to treating patients with disabilities, named this special award for their son, Brian. It serves to recognize outstanding future dental professionals who exemplify the spirit of volunteerism by caring for vulnerable populations. According to the Dental Lifeline Network, the humanitarian organization that administers the award, the Brian D. Stone program is intended to facilitate a collaborative partnership between DLN and participating dental schools with the goal of providing comprehensive
See Award on page 10
photo by J. Ryne Danielson
College of Dental Medicine’s Dr. Betsy Pilcher, from left, Dean John Sanders, Dr. Laura Kuhne and Dr. Michelle E. Ziegler. Kuhne is MUSC’s first recipient of the Brian D. Stone Award.
Letter from the Office of the
President
Dear MUSC Family, Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate MUSC Employee Appreciation on May 13 at the Horseshoe. Kathy and I appreciated talking with you, and we hope you all enjoyed the games and camaraderie. For those who couldn’t participate, a video of my brief remarks can be found at http://academicdepartments.musc. edu/hr/university/empappreciation.htm Plus there are great photos on social media that I hope you will take time to view. In addition, the online form for the new MUSC Values Cole in Action Award is posted at http://academicdepartments. musc.edu/leadership/president/values-in-action.html on the recently updated president’s website. Please take the opportunity to consider recognizing a colleague, supervisor or direct report for his or her demonstration of one of the five enterprise values: compassion, respect, innovation, collaboration and integrity. Thank you again for your service and for your continued good work across the institution and in our community. Yours in service,
David J. Cole, M.D., FACS MUSC President
Amplify your voice: Illumination Project input needed by May 31 Organizers of the Illumination Project are requesting your help in making the Lowcountry community a better place. The Illumination Project, a yearlong effort, provides an inclusive process to further strengthen relationships between the city of Charleston police and citizens by valuing the importance of public safety and individual rights. Healthy, thriving communities need to achieve success in both of these areas. Headlines across the U.S. are filled with examples where communities struggle and become reactive. The Charleston Police Fund is sponsoring this project in an effort to engage a broad cross-section of citizens. The goal is to ensure differing voices
and perspectives are explored for the development of strategies to achieve a safer community where police officers and citizens feel respected and valued. Part of our strategy requires gathering needed baseline data on the status of current relationships. MUSC employees and students are encouraged to both participate and forward this survey link to your neighbors and friends and encourage them to take it. This short, anonymous survey is being conducted by the College of Charleston. Completion deadline is May 31. Visit http://go.cofc.edu/ illuminationcitizensurvey.
THe CaTalysT, May 27, 2016 5
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Former Charleston mayor challenges graduates to define their character Editor’s Note: Former City of Charleston Mayor the Hon. Joseph P. Riley Jr. was the speaker at MUSC’s 187th Commencement on May 20. Below is the full text of his speech.
I
will speak to you briefly about a responsibility and opportunity that you will have as you pursue your calling. I use that word carefully, for what you have chosen is not to pursue a job or a career, but rather, you have responded to a calling, and you’re entering your vocation to care for and be responsible for the health of your fellow human beings. And I will speak to you, not about the precise practice of medicine, nursing or other disciplines but rather the responsibility and opportunity you have to reinforce your communities’ character. Let me explain. I will begin by telling you a story. In 1948, Dr. George Blalock began his practice of medicine in his hometown of Clinton, South Carolina. Clinton is a small town in northwestern South Carolina. Some of you may know it. It is the home of Presbyterian College. As was done at that time, the doctor often opened what was called a clinic and a hospital. All of this was in a two– story, white frame, former residence. It had a small attached one–story
addition. The nearest hospital was many miles away. This is how medicine was practiced in small communities. And Dr. Blalock would do everything: office visits, perform surgeries, deliver babies, and much more. Dr. Blalock was from a leading family in Clinton. He was a decorated veteran of World War II serving in the Italian and European theaters. Dr. Blalock, in the opening of his practice, announced something he would do that had never been done before in Clinton. He announced in the newspaper that his practice would be open to white and black people, or as the term was then used, coloreds. Remember this was long ago, a time of very rigid segregation, separate water fountains, segregated balconies in movie theaters, no public accommodations for African–Americans, and schools were not desegregated for almost another generation. Dr. Blalock, also, later hired the first black registered nurse in the county, and she would care for white and black patrons alike. Dr. Blalock was giving his patients and fellow citizens a lesson in character and moral responsibility, a lesson quite unpopular at the time. He did as all physicians did and made house calls. He would take his black bag and call on sick patients wherever
Medical Scientist Training Program graduates toast their accomplishment.
photos by Anne Thompson, Digital Imaging
Former City of Charleston Mayor Joe Riley addresses MUSC graduates and the audience on May 20. they lived, including those in the black sections of Clinton, which had never seen a white physician or probably any physician in their homes before. In time, Dr. Blalock died at the relatively young age of 66, just a week before his daughter’s wedding. He died of a heart attack, he obviously knew he had a heart condition, but he just kept working and serving all of those people who depended on him. In The Clinton Chronicle, there was a moving editorial mourning his untimely death. Beautiful letters and eulogies were printed in the newspaper, including one particularly moving eulogy that was signed, “Sympathetically submitted, the Negro Citizenry, Clinton, South Carolina.” In all that was written, little was said about his medical skills, which were profound, rather it was about his character. He had been teaching the citizens of Clinton how to live a kind and virtuous life. He even earned a nickname, which I will tell you later. I share this inspiring story because the importance of character and a virtuous life seems to be somewhat discounted now. Especially revealed in this year’s political goings–on. It is as if all things are relative, and virtues don’t matter a great deal. But they do. They are important for our country, and our society has always rested upon solid underpinnings of character and personal responsibility.
In our quest to find moral equilibrium, we often look to books, historical figures, to our churches, if we attend one, but we also, perhaps unconsciously, look to those who care for us. You, our dear proud graduates, have accepted a vocation that holds great power, and the profound results of your work elevate you among us. For you not only care for our bodies, but you also can be one of our teachers. In his recent book, “The Road to Character,” celebrated columnist David Brooks wrote: “Moral improvement occurs most reliably when the heart is warmed, when we come into contact with people we admire and love and we consciously and unconsciously bend our lives to mimic theirs”. And you dear graduates have that opportunity. Dr. Julian Buxton, was perhaps the most revered surgeon in our community at his time, some here may have had the honor of knowing him. He was a firststring tackle for the Princeton football team. And he looked like one. He was a large, barrel–chested man, with big hands. Yet, those big somewhat beefy hands and fingers performed so perfectly the most intricate and complicated of surgical procedures. When he died, there was an overflow of people at the
See Speech on page 9
THe CaTalysT, May 27, 2016 7
CeReMony
Continued from Page One
one of our teachers.” Four people received honorary degrees and Cole conferred on each the title of Doctor of Humane Letters: S.C. Rep. Kenneth A. Bingham, chairman of the House Ethics Committee; Pamela A. Lackey, president of AT&T South Carolina and chairwoman of the Hollings Cancer Center advisory board; Susan Pearlstine, past owner and director of Pearlstine Distributors and member of the MUSC Foundation Board; and S.C. Rep. W. Brian White, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. The MUSC Board of Trustees and administration recognized the extraordinary contributions these distinguished individuals have made to advance the mission of MUSC and address the needs of South Carolinians. A personal citation was read about each honorary degree recipient, capturing the numerous and generous ways in which they have made their marks on MUSC and S.C. through their humanitarian and philanthropic efforts and service to others. MUSC Board of Trustees member E. Conyers O’Bryan, Jr, M.D., read Bingham’s citation, stating that Bingham has been a staunch advocate for tax relief and responsible spending. He’s also been a proponent of proper funding for education — specifically the state’s poorer school districts — and health care, including early intervention for autistic children in an effort to bring them into the educational mainstream. His advocacy for the well-being of children extends to supporting the new MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital, scheduled to open in 2019. Lackey’s citation was read by Anthony Alberg, Ph.D., interim director of the Hollings Cancer Center and the Blatt Ness Distinguished Endowed Chair in Oncology. Alberg said, “As president of the telecommunication corporation’s statewide operation, Ms. Lackey is responsible for public policy, economic development and community affairs. In the highly competitive arena of information technology, all of these functions are crucial to the long-term success of AT&T. Of course, AT&T’s performance directly impacts the state of S.C..” He continued, “Fortunately for MUSC, Ms. Lackey has become actively involved in health care. For several years
photo by Anne Thompson, Digital Imaging
2016 Honorary degree recipients, state Rep. Kenny Bingham, from left, Susan Pearlstine, Pamela Lackey and state Rep. Brian White with Mayor Joe Riley, center. she chaired the Research Centers of Excellence Review Board, now known as the SmartState Program, driving the ascendance of the state’s three research universities.” Alberg also said that Lackey has led the Hollings Cancer Center board to a “very high level” of achievement. Lackey was humbled to have received such a high honor. “As honored and surprised as I was to receive the Doctor of Humane Letters degree from MUSC, I must say I am even more honored to be associated with such a high-quality patient care and comfortfocused institution. The week following graduation, my husband had several appointments for tests at Hollings and MUSC. Not knowing who we were, every staff person we encountered from the custodian to physicians offered to assist us to find where we were going – and each one took us to our destination. We felt like we were in a five star hotel, not a hospital.” Rick Silver, M.D., distinguished university professor and director of the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, read Pearlstine’s citation, noting that she has invested her time, considerable expertise and compassion in our community. It was her passion for service that first led Pearlstine to MUSC, where, in the 1970s, she volunteered as a candy striper at the Medical University Hospital. Her volunteerism evolved to active participation as she
joined the board of the Children’s Hospital and later the board of the MUSC Foundation. Following her own experience as a patient, and seeing the potential for advanced clinical care at MUSC, Pearlstine made a significant financial commitment to establish a center for the study and treatment of patients with sarcoidosis, an inflammatory disease primarily affecting the lungs but often affecting other vital organs as well. When Pearlstine learned she would receive the Doctor of Humane Letters from the MUSC Board of Trustees for her outstanding work on behalf of the institution, she was elated. Moreover, it’s an honor she has proudly witnessed before, when in May of 2002, her father, Edwin Pearlstine, received an honorary degree for his many contributions. This father and daughter are the only twogeneration recipients of the prestigious award. “I am truly humbled,” Pearlstine said. “When I received the letter from Dr. Cole about receiving an honorary degree, I was ecstatic. I have since savored every minute of this amazing MUSC honor. At the ceremony, I was struck by the pageantry, the brilliant colors, the collective intellect and accomplishments of all the graduates, doctors, faculty, board members and most especially the love and pride of all the family and friends gathered in the Horseshoe for graduation.” Battle, a member of the MUSC Board
of Trustees, read the citation for White. “Fortunately for the citizens of the state,” he said, “Rep. White fully understands the impact of his position, and has used his position to improve the lives of all South Carolinians. Housing and construction, he has maintained, are the backbone of the state’s economy, and the venerable farm–to–market road network today has blossomed into more than 60,000 miles of public thoroughfares, one of the nation’s largest publiclymaintained highway systems. In addition to the immense amount of commerce traveling these roads daily, they also are vital to the state’s vibrant tourism industry. Rep. White has been a staunch advocate for all these facets of South Carolina’s economy. He has been a champion for South Carolina’s system of public education, untiring in his efforts to improve educational opportunities for all children in grades K-12. He also is a valued friend of MUSC and his support for the work of this institution and the planned Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital is vital to our continued success.” Six hundred students from MUSC’s six colleges participated in Friday’s commencement ceremonies and received degrees: 79 bachelor’s, 63 master’s and 458 doctoral-level degrees, ranging from M.D. and Ph.D. to DMD and PharmD. However, a total of 978 students graduated during this academic year. Of that number, in-state students made up of 75 percent of the class, while 25 percent of graduates hailed from outside South Carolina. Women represented 69 percent of the class and 31 percent were men. The composition of the class was made up of 8.3 percent AfricanAmerican, 5.7 percent Asian, 3 percent Latino, 75 percent Caucasian and 6.6 percent undeclared. The remainder of the students categorized themselves as international or biracial, or the category itself accounted for .1 percent. As the ceremony concluded, warm embraces, joyful photo poses, laughter and tears filled the Horseshoe, as graduates, finally able to let out a welldeserved sigh of relief, realized they had fulfilled their lofty goals. As the 600 guests of honor trickled out, heading in every conceivable direction, beginning new and exciting adventures, many looked back to acknowledge the place that had served as home for the last few years.
8 THe CaTalysT, May 27, 2016
Teaching Excellence awards distinguish faculty for their merit
F
our faculty members will be honored for teaching excellence at MUSC’s annual faculty convocation at the beginning of the 2016-17 academic year, Aug. 18 in the Drug Discovery Building auditorium. The faculty members are: q  Scott W. Bragg, PharmD, assistant professor, Department of Family Medicine, Developing Teacher q  Clint C. Blankenship, PharmD, assistant professor, S.C. College of Health Professions-Physician Assistant Studies, Educator-Lecturer q  Don C. Rockey, M.D., professor and chairman, Department of Medicine, Educator-Mentor: Academic/ Scholarship q  James J. Sterrett, PharmD, assistant professor, S.C. College of Pharmacy, Clinical Pharmacy and Outcome Sciences, Educator-Mentor: Clinical/Professional
Scott W. Bragg, PharmD, Developing Teacher
Bragg is an assistant professor for the South Carolina College of Pharmacy’s MUSC campus and an MUSC Family Medicine inpatient clinical pharmacist at Trident Medical Center. He earned his PharmD from the West Virginia University School of Pharmacy in 2011. He joined MUSC’s faculty in 2013. Despite his relatively brief time as a faculty member, he has attracted considerable praise from students and faculty alike. “I should note that Scott has consistently received positive feedback in the form of formal evaluations from pharmacy students, medical residents and attending physicians,� states Kelly Ragucci, PharmD, professor and chairwoman of Clinical
Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences. “They specifically comment on his vast knowledge of evidence-based medicine/pharmacotherapy, ability to communicate and teach effectively as well as his strong organizational skills.� A sampling of these brief evaluations fully supports Ragucci’s observation. “Scott has been a strong addition to the (family medicine) faculty,� comments one respondent. “I hope he will be on our faculty for many years to come.� Another says, “Scott is fantastic and we should do everything in our power to keep him here. He is filled with so much knowledge and is a major asset to our program. He’s so accessible, even answering my call when I was at clinic one day. Having him round with our inpatient teams definitely keeps us up to date and improves patient safety.� Another simply calls him the “smartest man alive.�
environment can be both educational and entertaining and I strive to find a balance of the two.� Based on supporting documentation from students, he has successfully struck that balance. “When Dr. Blankenship takes the floor during a lecture, the atmosphere becomes energized, and the students become attentive,� states a letter signed by 21 students. “They understand they are going to acquire knowledge and skills and also have fun doing it. Dr. Blankenship creates a vibrant learning environment and encourages his pupils to ask questions and participate; that is, he has a passion for teaching and a knack for making the entire class smile. His office door is always open, and he encourages students to stop in for discussions on recent or old material. He is passionate about education, and his fervor is contagious.� In teacher evaluations, perhaps this student said it best: “All in all, I see that it isn’t about doing your job only — you care about us and our success out in the field. It is sad to move on. Thank you sir.�
Clint C. Blankenship, PharmD,
Don C. Rockey, M.D.,
Educator-Lecturer
Blankenship received his doctorate from the University of Kentucky in 2010 and joined the MUSC faculty in 2012 as an assistant professor and academic coordinator in the Division of Physician Assistant Studies in the College of Health Professions. “Teaching pharmacology/pharmacotherapeutics can be dry on the best of days,� he states in his teaching philosophy, “so I provide personal anecdotes, both serious and humorous, throughout my lectures to lighten the mood. This also reinforces clinical scenarios which students find invaluable when trying to apply what they are learning. I believe the learning
Educator-Mentor: Academic/ Scholarship Rockey joined the faculty in 2012 following appointments at prestigious medical institutions in California, North Carolina and Texas. He received his M.D. from the Medical College of Virginia in 1984. With well over 100 mentees to his credit and numerous awards and honors, Rockey’s credentials in academic medicine are firmly established. Among his
See Faculty on page 11
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speeCH
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funeral. There at the church, and in his eulogy, and in all of the letters written and articles published about him, barely anyone mentioned his great prowess as a surgeon. Rather it was his goodness, his warmth, his honesty, and generosity they all mentioned. Dr. Buxton, unconsciously, had been teaching his community lessons in character and how to live a virtuous life. He was a role model, we wanted to be like him, tried to be as good as him, and he teaches us still. We all work diligently on our résumés and the hard years it takes to build them and make them impressive; in his book I previously mentioned, David Brooks calls them our “résumé virtues”— achieving wealth, fame, and status. Those are skills we bring to the marketplace that contribute to our external success. But more important are the “eulogy virtues” — kindness, bravery, honesty, faithfulness; these are deeper. It’s what is talked about at our funeral or by those who knew us well. They are the virtues that exist at the very core of our being. They are our true lasting legacy. My childhood pediatrician was Dr. Joseph I. Waring. You can see his name on the library not far from where we are today. I had more than my share of childhood illnesses, including my family’s scare with scarlet fever. I saw Dr. Waring a lot. My family adored
President Cole sings the “Star Spangled Banner.
him. They thought he walked on water, actually, I did too. Now, 65 years later I still remember his gentleness, his nurturing smile, the goodness he exuded. He was one of my teachers, he never knew it. I think of him still. Such is the power and the responsibility of your vocation. You’re seen by laypeople as so wise, caring, and responsible. We are always looking for inspiration in our lives; your patients are ready to be inspired by you. I’d also like to share with you two somewhat less profound bits of personal advice and observations on your life ahead. The first is, I know there is so much competition with looking your patient in the eyes; iPads, iPhones, and various data screens that abound and of course charts and more. But it is, as I’m sure you know, so important to look them really hard in the eye and have them look at yours, not just a passing glance. I would have a lot of meetings daily in my job as a mayor, perhaps not as many as you will. I would have around 12 to 16 a day, with one person or sometimes 10 or more people in one meeting. And on a “Mayor’s Night In,” I would have another ten or more groups with up to 15 people each, so always lots of folks to see. I tried very hard with each one, to look them in the eye. I did that as well with all the people who greeted me along the street. I shook their hand and looked them in the eye. Doing so helped me to see how they were doing. What I was doing was not just being courteous. But I believe that when you look into people eyes, you have a better chance of understanding their health and their hearts, simply, how they are really doing. That was important for me to know how my city was feeling and better understand the hearts of my citizens. I then could make better decisions about the city’s welfare and its future. The second piece of advice is about the challenge of family life with the extremely busy, sometimes impossibly so, vocation that you have chosen. The balance between work and family is SO important; particularly when blessed with children, and those years go so fast. I remember once, a long time ago, I was in the presence of a politician with a young son. I watched when a constituent came up and the politician could not have been more gracious while listening to this person’s thoughts and concerns. After the constituent left, the politician’s
photos by Tim Roylance, Digital Imaging
Above photo: MUSC recognized a total of 600 graduating students at the May 20 commencement ceremony. Left photo: Dr. Kiandra Scott, waves to family and friends from her seat at the MUSC Horseshoe. Scott will begin a preliminary surgery internship year at MUSC and continue her training with MUSC’s Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Program. child asked something that irritated the father, and he berated the child in my presence. I’ll never forget that. He was so gracious with the constituent and so stingy with time and affection of his own child. Mark Twain says that, “One should live their life at home as if the family parrot was the town gossip.” As promised, I’ll share with you now the nickname many had for Dr. Blalock. Some years ago, Dr. Blalock’s grandson, David Lominack, a prominent banker in South Carolina who grew up and lives in Greenville, was attending a reception in Clinton. At the reception, David mentioned to one of the attendees, an African-American, that his mother had lived in Clinton and his grandfather had been a physician. The man asked his mother’s family name. When David responded, “Blalock”, the man in absolute shock exclaimed, “Your grandfather was Baby Jesus.” That was the nickname that Dr. Blalock was given in the African-American community. There were some versions of the nickname. In the editorial in the newspaper when he died, said that the
African–American community gratefully called him, “The Jesus Doctor.” But whatever was the exact nickname, it was clear, that the gratefulness and admiration that this physician had from people who were so grateful for his care, and inspired by his character, was so vibrantly alive over forty years after his death. Horace Greely wrote: “Fame is a vapor, popularity is an accident, riches take wings. Those who cheer today may curse us tomorrow. Only one thing endures — character.” Soon you will walk up these steps, walk across the stage, shake hands with President David Cole, receive your diploma and walk down the steps, but then, you will walk up on to another platform. No, you can’t see it. It’s invisible. It is the pedestal on which you will stand. Society will look up to you to care for them and guide them. A wise person said that being alive gives us the opportunity to do two things: be nice to people and leave our world a better place. You have a special opportunity to do just that. I trust you will.
10 THe CaTalysT, May 27, 2016
Step Challenge to promote MUSC’s culture of health Step It Up MUSC! is a new program developed by MUSC Office of Health Promotion, MUSC Wellness Center and MUSC Health Innovation Center to promote a physically active workplace and culture of heath. Researchers report that the amount of time a person spends sitting each day is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and death. What is more, regular exercise may not be enough to offset this risk. The challenge for many is that their job responsibilities require them to be seated for most if not all of their work hours. For that reason, it’s important that both employees and employers take steps to create an environment that helps them move more. The 10–month Step It Up MUSC! challenge encourages faculty, staff and students to form teams of 6-12 and compete for the highest number of steps each month over the course of three rounds, which consist of three months each (June–August, September– November, December–February), culminating in a March Madness Finale. How it works Teams (6-12 people) will compete for most steps (either walked or run) each month. A designated team captain will register the team at musc. challengerunner.com, send invites to their teammates to log in, and encourage participation through goal–setting and overall cheerleading. Steps will be entered through one of the methods below into a tracking software program called ChallengeRunner. The program averages the total steps per month for the entire team (walked/run) divided by the number of teammates, to help make the teams more equitable. Each participant should aim for a minimum of 10,000 steps per day for optimal health benefits. A ceiling of 20,000 steps per person per day will be set to help eliminate outliers from over-weighting the results. Teams do not have to exercise together but doing so helps motivate individuals and keep them moving. Participants are encouraged to submit steps walked/ run the day they are completed and no more than seven days afterward to count toward the totals. Each month the team with the highest number of steps will receive custody of a
Registration and Launch Start where you are — all fitness levels welcome. Registration begins on May 27 and the June kick– off Challenge begins June 1st so start now — form a team consisting of 6 to 12 colleagues and select a name. Designate a team captain and register the team at musc. challengerunner.com. Send invites to teammates and get Susan Johnson ready to Step it up MUSC. Visit www.musc.edu/ohp/ step-it-up or email muscTracking and entering steps empwell@musc.edu. With ChallengeRunner, participants can enter data through a standard Employee Wellness Events browser; custom smartphone apps, q Extended through June 7 due to fitness tracking devices including Fitbit, popular demand — the MUSC Office of Jawbone, Misfit and the Moves App, or Health Promotion and MUSC Health via text from any mobile phone. Note: Innovation Center are offering free yogic MUSC will not be providing devices or breathing classes lead by Dr. Sundar pedometers for this program but will Balasubramanian, from 11:30 to 11:45 provide recommendations and group a.m., Tuesday, May 31 and June 7, discounts as identified. Bioengineering room 110. rotating award for the month, recognition through multiple communication channels and individual team members will receive a prize goodie bag. At the end of each round, the team with the highest cumulative steps for all three months will be awarded a catered lunch at the Urban Farm. To participate in the March 2017 finale, teams must have competed in 2 out of 3 rounds.
awaRD
Health at work
q “Miles to Change” is an MUSC running/walking group to improve employee wellness and support a culture of health. Consistent training runs/walks and participation in local races will provide not only a sense of accomplishment but would also show a collective MUSC presence of wellness within our community. For details on upcoming events, T–shirts, and joining the group, email milestochange@musc. edu, visit http://academicdepartments. musc.edu/ohp/musc-moves/Miles-tochange/ or join the Facebook group, MUSC Miles to Change. q Adventure Out: 9 a.m., June 4, YOGA with Gail at the Hampton Park gazebo, For information, visit http:// academicdepartments.musc.edu/ ohp/adventure-out or Facebook.com/ muscadventureout/. q Get there early — expect traffic delays as participants begin to arrive at the same time and parking might be limited. Spend some time warming up before the start of the race.
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dentistry to people with disabilities and the elderly. Sanders presented Kuhne, who is MUSC’s first recipient of the award, with a commemorative plaque recognizing her achievement. A plaque will also be engraved with Kuhne’s name for permanent display in the College of Dental Medicine. “Your name will be immortalized,” Sanders said. “That’s outstanding.” Michele Ziegler, DMD, assistant professor in the College of Dental Medicine, praised Kuhne’s achievements. “Laura was instrumental in founding the MUSC chapter of the American Academy of Developmental Medicine and Dentistry, and last year she served as its first president,” she said. “Along with other members of the AADMD, she organized visits to group homes to meet with clients and caregivers to provide education on oral health and nutrition. She spearheaded the
College of Dental Medicine students received recognition for their volunteer work at free community clinics around Charleston. ‘Spread the word to end the word’ campaign at MUSC to create a more inclusive and welcoming community for people with developmental disabilities. She volunteered for extra hours to provide care to patients with special needs, both in our special health care clinic and the operating room. She has a real heart and gift
for treating patients with special health care needs, and it has been a privilege to work with her over the last two years.” Only a select group of students are recognized with the Brian D. Stone Award every year. This year, Kuhne is one of only 16 to be honored across the entire country.
THe CaTalysT, May 27, 2016 11
MUSC recognizes each college’s top honor graduates Editor’s Note: MUSC’s Class of 2016 first and second honor graduates are recognized for their academic excellence. On May 18, the group was celebrated at a luncheon hosted by MUSC President David Cole.
Doctor of Health Administration First Honor Graduate — Tamala Selke Bradham; Second Honor Graduates — Helen Elaine Dunn and Adam William Higman
College of Health Professions First Honor Graduate — Chelsey Elizabeth Waller; Second Honor Graduate — Brian Winfield McCann
Doctor of Physical Therapy First Honor Graduate — Margaret Allyson McKinney; Second Honor Graduates — Robert Jacob Grumbles and Ellen Nancy Heath
Master in Health Administration–Executive First Honor Graduates – Jamie Jackson Booth and Daniel William Harris; Second Honor Graduates — Kellie Alexandra Mendoza and Christianna Novakovic
Doctor of Philosophy First Honor Graduate – Chih-Ying Li; Second Honor Graduate – Melanie Sweat Jefferson
Master in Health Administration — Residential First Honor Graduates — Celena Hope Gordon and Charlotte Catrina Westcob; Second Honor Graduates — Brett Malcolm van Heyningen and Ruta Rimkute Master of Science in Nurse Anesthesia First Honor Graduates – Dana Marie Huber and Olivia Kirk Reeves; Second Honor Graduates — Maisie Hudson Cahill and Zachary Ryan Visnic
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College of Nursing Bachelor of Science in Nursing First Honor Graduates — Nazokat Atadjanova, Mackenzie Eileen Callis and George David Smith Doctor of Nursing Practice First Honor Graduate – Jameela Sherene Goudarzi; Second Honor Graduate — Shelli Gibbs Doctor of Philosophy First Honor Graduate — Phyllis Ann Raynor
MUSC’s top honor graduates gather for a luncheon hosted by MUSC President David Cole, bottom center, on May 18 at the Wickliffe House. photo by Anne Thompson, Digital Imaging
College of Pharmacy — Doctor of Pharmacy First Honor Graduate — Lindsay May Avery; Second Honor Graduate — Cara Elizabeth Bujanowski
Alexandra Pischke Thomas College of Medicine — Doctor of Medicine First Honor Graduates — Brandon Stephen Bentzley; Sara Watts Faulks and Taylor Jordan Orellana
College of Dental Medicine — Doctor of Dental Medicine First Honor Graduate — Hannah Willis Rustin; Second Honor Graduates — Ashley Rogers Albrecht and Katherine
College of Graduate Studies — Doctor of Philosophy First Honor Graduates — Brandon Stephen Bentzley and Saleh Rachidi
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career achievements are fellowships in the American College of Physicians, American Gastroenterological Association and American Association for the Study of Liver Disease. He has won teaching awards at every academic health science center at which he has been a faculty member. His teaching-mentoring philosophy is built on two basic concepts: commitment and trust. “I always put mentored projects first,” he states in his philosophy. “And, a specific and central commitment to each and every individual that I mentor is to uphold this approach as a priority. … I also expect commitment on the part of those who I mentor — and we talk about a commitment to scholarship. … I believe that trust on both sides of the mentor–mentee relationship is critical — and is one of the reasons that my mentor-mentee relationships are so successful, leading to a very high rate of completion of projects.” “Dr. Rockey is the definition of a master teacher and a master clinician,” states one recent College of Medicine graduate. “You will not find a more knowledgeable, dedicated educator and devoted individual.”
James J. Sterrett, PharmD,
Educator-Mentor: Clinical/ Professional Sterrett joined the MUSC faculty in 2007, following professional activities in both commercial and academic settings. He received his PharmD from MUSC in 1997. Sterrett’s teaching philosophy, among other things, is to be flexible, with the ability to revise his teaching style to meet the needs of his students. He does so because his standards and his expectations are high. “I ask the students, can they earn my trust to treat my 90-year-old mother,” he states. The practice of pharmacy “does not exist in a bubble,” he adds, so he makes a point to include other aspects of health care into the classroom as well as patients or patient scenarios. Not only does this benefit his students, he admits, but “it’s good for
me, as it forces to me to continually move forward, continue to grow my own, ongoing education.” Kelly Ragucci, PharmD, professor and chairwoman of Clinical Pharmacy and Outcomes Sciences for the South Carolina College of Pharmacy’s MUSC campus, praises Sterrett not only for his teaching acumen, but for his civic obligations as well. “It should be noted that Dr. Sterrett has extensive experience working in community/family medicine clinics and treating the underserved — it is indeed his passion,” she states. “He passes this passion on to students that he teaches in the laboratory or takes on experiential rotation within the College of Pharmacy.” His influence, however, is felt across campus. Colleagues in the colleges of Nursing and Medicine, for example, praise his collaboration in working with various disciplines and with the CARES student-staffed clinic for the underserved. He also works with the Roper St. Francis pharmacy team in its myDiabetes program. His previous honors include the SC College of Pharmacy Mentor of the Year and the AACP/ Walmart Scholars Mentor award.
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