On August 11, 2026, faculty and institutional leaders gathered in the Drug Discovery Auditorium to celebrate the people whose talent, dedication and commitment bring MUSC’s mission to life every day. The annual James W. Colbert Lectureship and Faculty Awards and Recognition Ceremony has long marked the beginning of a new academic year with a moment to come together as a university community.
Congratulations to our Department of Medicine faculty members who were honored this year with MUSC Faculty Awards, recognizing their exceptional contributions to education, research, mentorship, clinical care and service. As part of the James W. Colbert Lectureship and Faculty Awards & Recognition Ceremony, these faculty members joined colleagues from across the College of Medicine in celebrating achievements that advance MUSC’s mission and make a meaningful difference for patients, learners and the broader community.
From developing innovative educational programs and mentoring the next generation of physicians and scientists to advancing research and improving care across South Carolina, the 2026 Department of Medicine honorees represent the breadth and depth of excellence across the department.
We are proud to celebrate the following Department of Medicine faculty members, who were recognized during the ceremony for their outstanding contributions:
Patrick A. Flume, M.D.
Clinical Sciences Research Pathway Leader: Patrick Flume, M.D., is a Professor and Endowed Chair in the Departments of Medicine and Pediatrics. Dr. Flume has a long history of success in performing and leading large clinical trials in cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and non-tuberculous mycobacteria pulmonary infections. He is Director of the MUSC CF Center, Director of the MUSC Therapeutic Development Network (TDN) research site (consistently in the top three performing centers in the network), and has served as a site Principal Investigator in >100 multi-center clinical trials and as the overall PI in >10 trials including the Standardized Treatment of Pulmonary Exacerbations in CF (STOP Program) funded by the CF Foundation. He has led the Pulmonary Clinical Trials Program for the last 10 years, providing supervision to a program that manages an average of 50 active studies at any given time. Many of his prior trainees have continued onto successful research careers in CF.
2026 Distinguished Faculty Service Award
Patrick A. Flume, M.D., Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and The Powers Huggins Endowed Chair for Cystic Fibrosis, has dedicated more than three decades to advancing patient care, research, education and public service. Since joining MUSC in 1993, he has helped establish the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Program and Cystic Fibrosis Center as signature clinical programs, expanding access to specialized care for patients with complex pulmonary disease. Under his direction, the Adult Cystic Fibrosis Center became a Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-accredited Care Center—the only accredited center in the Lowcountry and the largest in South Carolina.
Dr. Flume’s impact extends well beyond clinical care. As associate vice president for clinical research at MUSC, he provides strategic oversight of clinical research and trials across the academic health system, while his work with the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute has helped strengthen research capacity and expand access to clinical trials across the state. He has also contributed extensively to medical education, national guideline development and public service, including his current role as chair of the South Carolina Rare Diseases Advisory Committee. Across each of these areas, Dr. Flume’s career reflects a sustained commitment to improving health care and advancing MUSC’s mission in South Carolina and beyond.
Don C. Rockey, M.D.
2026 Peggy Schachte Research Mentor Award
Don C. Rockey, M.D., Distinguished University Professor in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, has made mentorship a defining part of his career at MUSC. Since joining the faculty in 2012, he has directly mentored well over 100 medical students, residents, fellows and junior faculty, while also supporting trainees and colleagues through formal advising and institutional programs. His own career as a physician-scientist spans basic, translational and clinical research, providing trainees with opportunities to engage in impactful scholarship while developing their own academic careers.
Dr. Rockey’s mentorship has produced measurable results. He has maintained NIH funding for more than 25 years and has authored or co-authored nearly 400 peer-reviewed manuscripts, with approximately half of his publications emerging from mentored projects in which students, residents, fellows and junior faculty served as first authors. He leads several programs focused specifically on mentorship and career development, including the MUSC Mentoring Program in Digestive and Liver Diseases and the MUSC GI and Hepatology Medical Student Training Program. His commitment to developing future investigators has helped trainees achieve national recognition, including four trainees selected for oral presentations at Digestive Disease Week this year.
Ashley Ann Duckett, M.D.
2026 MUSC Teaching Excellence Award – Educator-Lecturer
Ashley A. Duckett, M.D., Associate Professor in the Division of Hospital Medicine and Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, has dedicated nearly two decades to advancing medical education at MUSC. Since joining the faculty in 2007, she has developed an extensive portfolio spanning undergraduate and graduate medical education, with contributions to clinical reasoning, physical diagnosis, simulation-based learning and interprofessional education. Serving as Internal Medicine Residency Program Director since 2020, she has also played a central role in strengthening the residency curriculum and preparing trainees for contemporary clinical practice.
Dr. Duckett’s commitment to learners extends well beyond the classroom. She has incorporated innovative training in areas such as point-of-care ultrasound and telehealth while developing elective experiences that allow residents to pursue focused interests, including hospitalist medicine and the Cardiovascular ICU. Known for her clarity, organization and adaptability as an educator, she is also a trusted mentor to students, residents and junior faculty. Her influence is reflected in strong trainee outcomes, competitive Match results and the supportive educational culture she has helped foster within the residency program.
Ryan Tedford, M.D., FACC, FAHA
Dr. Tedford is an internationally recognized clinical researcher and has published over 100 peer-reviewed original research manuscripts, invited expert reviews, editorials and book chapters. His research efforts are focused on hemodynamic assessment of right ventricle function and its interaction with the pulmonary circulation and left heart. This spans the fields of pulmonary hypertension, left heart disease, exercise physiology, systemic sclerosis, cardiac transplantation and mechanical circulatory support. His group is currently investigating the diagnostic and prognostic value of right ventricular reserve and is relation to resting RV-PA coupling.
2026 Teaching Excellence Award – Educator-Mentor, Academic/Scholarship
Ryan J. Tedford, M.D., Professor of Medicine in the Division of Cardiology, is recognized for his commitment to mentorship, scholarly development and innovative cardiovascular education. As the Peter C. Gazes Endowed Chair in Heart Failure, chief of Heart Failure and director of the Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiology Fellowship Program, he plays a central role in preparing the next generation of cardiovascular physicians and investigators.
Dr. Tedford’s mentorship has translated into meaningful scholarly success for trainees at every level. Under his guidance, mentees have produced abstracts, manuscripts and national presentations for organizations including the American College of Cardiology, American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America and International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation, with trainees earning national honors such as the Fellow’s Best Abstract Award at Transplantation & Heart Failure Therapeutics.
His commitment to education also extends nationally through major cardiovascular conferences and professional society programming, as well as CME and early-career faculty development. Through his mentorship and educational efforts, Dr. Tedford continues to help trainees and junior investigators build the skills, scholarship and confidence needed for successful academic careers.
Courtney Harris, M.D.
2026 MUSC Teaching Excellence Award – Developing Teacher
In just three years at MUSC, Courtney Harris, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases, has taken on a wide range of roles in medical education. As medical director of Transplant Infectious Diseases, program director of the Transplant Infectious Diseases Fellowship and associate program director of the Internal Medicine Residency, she has developed innovative educational programs while creating meaningful opportunities for learners. She founded and directs MUSC’s Transplant Infectious Diseases Fellowship, securing GME approval and funding, developing its curriculum and successfully recruiting fellows since the program’s launch. The fellowship is now one of only 20 such programs nationwide.
Mentorship is central to Dr. Harris’s approach to education. She mentors medical students, internal medicine residents and infectious diseases fellows, and she founded the MUSC Infectious Diseases Interest Group, which provides medical students with structured mentorship, teaching and career development opportunities. Her educational influence also extends nationally through her work with the American Society of Transplantation Infectious Diseases Community of Practice, where she co-chairs the Transplant ID Online Core Curriculum and chairs the AST Transplant ID Program Directors Workgroup. Through sustainable curricula, mentorship programs and national educational initiatives, Dr. Harris is helping shape the next generation of infectious diseases physicians.
Adam Fox, M.D., MSCR
Adam Fox, M.D., is a pulmonologist and clinician scientist with a research focus in health services research for patients with lung cancer at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). His long-term research goal is to improve care delivery for patients newly diagnosed with lung cancer, especially as it relates to precision medicine therapies. His clinical time is spent evaluating patients suspected to have lung cancer in a multi-disciplinary thoracic oncology clinic, performing bronchoscopy for diagnostic or staging purposes, and collaborating on cases through our multi-disciplinary thoracic tumor board. Biomarker testing performed on patient's lung cancer tissue continues to grow in importance in driving precision medicine treatment decisions, especially as new therapies and indications emerge for both targeted and immune therapies.
He serves as co-principal investigator on a grant from the American Cancer Society (ACS) to assess biomarker testing and treatment patterns in nationally representative databases. He is the co-lead faculty for the ACS Extension for Community Health Outcomes (ECHO) for biomarker testing in South Carolina, and a member of the ACS National Lung Cancer Roundtable (NLCRT) Triage for Appropriate Treatment Task Group.
2026 MUSC Developing Scholar Award – Applied/Clinical Science
Since joining the MUSC faculty in 2021, Adam H. Fox, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, has built a strong record as a physician-scientist and emerging national voice in lung cancer research. He has authored 20 peer-reviewed publications, including at least eight as first or lead author, with his work appearing in high-impact journals such as CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, CHEST, Journal of Thoracic Oncology and Cancer. His research focuses on improving biomarker testing and treatment pathways for non-small cell lung cancer, with publications that have contributed to national guidelines and best-practice recommendations.
Dr. Fox’s research productivity has been matched by success in securing competitive extramural support, including NIH-supported T32 training, a K12 Career Development Award and an American Cancer Society Clinician Scientist Development Grant. His work also has a direct impact on patient care through his role coordinating reflex biomarker testing for lung cancer at MUSC and across the MUSC Regional Health Network. By working to expand access to high-quality biomarker testing throughout South Carolina, particularly in underserved communities, Dr. Fox is helping advance precision medicine while addressing disparities in cancer care.
Join us in celebrating all awardees:
Distinguished Faculty Service Award
• Christine M. Carr, M.D., professor of emergency medicine
• Patrick A. Flume, M.D., professor of medicine
Developing Scholar Awards
• Applied/Clinical Science: Adam H. Fox, M.D., assistant professor of medicine
• Basic Science: Amy C. Engevik, Ph.D., assistant professor of regenerative medicine and cell biology
Outstanding Clinician Award
• Steven A. Kahn, M.D., professor of surgery
Peggy Schachte Research Mentor Award
• Don C. Rockey, M.D., professor of medicine
Teaching Excellence Awards
• Developing Teacher: Courtney Harris, M.D., assistant professor of medicine
• Educator Lecturer: Ashley A. Duckett, M.D., associate professor of medicine
• Educator Mentor, Academic/Scholarship: Ryan J. Tedford, M.D., professor of medicine
• Educator Mentor, Clinical/Professional: Alice A. Walz, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics
To learn more about all of the distinguished faculty who were honored at this year's awards ceremony and learn more about the Colbert Lectureship, read the full story: MUSC honors faculty at 2026 James W. Colbert Lectureship and Faculty Awards and Recognition Ceremony
Convocation and Faculty Awards Celebration
A sampling of images highlighting our Department of Medicine faculty honored during the annual Convocation and Awards Ceremony. (Note: Images do not include all faculty honorees.)
Lauren Hooker
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