Message from interim Chair Ben Clyburn, M.D.

To our generous donors and friends,

This past year was one we never expected. Over the past 12 months, I have been inspired daily by my team’s ingenuity, creativity and commitment to excellence in the face of this pandemic. At each hurdle, our physicians, nurses and staff have risen to the occasion to find innovative solutions to care for our patients, conduct research and educate our residents and fellows.

The current times stretch us, but the latest departmental achievements presented below underscore our strength and commitment to meet the challenges of the pandemic in our mission to provide exceptional care for all.

• In November, thanks to the generosity of our many loyal donors, we celebrated the successful completion of the Richard M. Silver, M.D., Endowed Chair in Rheumatology and Immunology campaign and the appointment of Jim Oates, M.D., professor and director of the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, as the inaugural holder of the Silver Chair.
• Since the beginning of FY21 (July 1, 2020), the department has welcomed 23 new faculty members to our team. They bring a wide range of professional experiences, interests and talents from near and far. Learn more about our outstanding new faculty members.
• I am pleased to announce two important leadership transitions in the Department of Medicine:
  
  • Craig Lockhart, M.D., MHS, has been recruited as the new director of the Division of Hematology & Oncology, effective April 1. He will also serve as associate director for clinical science at MUSC Hollings Cancer Center.
  • Dee Ford, M.D., MSCR, professor of medicine, has been appointed director of the Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine, effective Feb. 1. Ford joined the MUSC pulmonary faculty in 2005 and has been serving as the interim division director since November 2019.

As you read through this newsletter, we hope you will join in our excitement with the many successes we have accomplished thanks to philanthropy. As always, we extend our sincere gratitude for your continued interest and support of the Department of Medicine. I’m very proud of everything our team has accomplished in 2020, and I hope you will be a part of our continued success in 2021.

Warmly, 

Benjamin Clyburn, M.D.
Interim chair, MUSC Department of Medicine