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Medical Students

The Department of Medicine plays an active and meaningful role across all years of medical training at the Medical University of South Carolina. Our faculty are dedicated educators who bring deep clinical expertise and a genuine commitment to teaching into every interaction with students and trainees.

We believe that education and lifelong learning are fundamental to the practice of excellent medicine. From the third-year Internal Medicine clerkship to fourth-year sub-internships and electives, our programs are designed to foster the clinical skills, medical knowledge, and professional growth you need to deliver safe, evidence-based care for adult patients. Our faculty and staff are fully invested in your success, not just as students, but as the next generation of physicians.

Whether you are an MUSC student or visiting from another institution, we are glad you are here and look forward to supporting your journey.

Clerkships & Sub-Internships

The MUSC Internal Medicine clerkship is one of seven required clerkships for third year medical students. This eight-week clerkship includes six weeks of inpatient experience in which students care for hospitalized adult patients with a variety of medical problems and two weeks of ambulatory experience in which they develop skills to enable provision of primary care services. These experiences provide ample opportunity to gather histories, develop differential diagnoses, formulate assessments, and develop treatment plans for patients with a variety of diagnoses. 

Internal Medicine Clerkship Objectives

Third Year Selectives*: Junior Selectives are intended for career exploration within the different subspecialties in the Department of Medicine. 

*See course catalog on Brightspace

The Internal Medicine Sub-Internship is structured to provide fourth-year students a broad-based experience in managing acutely ill general medicine inpatients. The rotation provides each extern with “the intern” experience, intended to focus on higher-level skills necessary for internship. Specifically, this rotation provides experience in the following professional activities: order entry, patient handoffs, history and physical exams, differential diagnosis prioritization, and documentation. 

Fourth Year Electives: This four-week rotation is an opportunity for students to develop their clinical skills on Internal Medicine subspecialty consultative services.

Required Core Courses and Objectives

Sub Interest Groups

The Internal Medicine Interest Group is a student-led organization to help students explore careers in Internal Medicine Subspecialties (Cardiology, GI, Hematology/Oncology, and more) as well as General Internal Medicine and Hospital Medicine. IMIG hosts 2-3 meetings per semester with attending physicians to help students gain insight into careers, plan for residency, and create networking opportunities. The organization is also involved in clinical skills workshops, regional research conferences, and service events in the Charleston communities. 

Vertical Integration Grand Rounds (VIGR) is an interactive, case-based conference designed to help students focus on the relationship between basic science and clinical medicine topics.  First through fourth-year medical students participate in this monthly conference led by a clinical medical student under the supervision of a DOM faculty member. 

Visiting Students

The Department of Medicine follows the MUSC College of Medicine’s Visiting Student Policy. Find out More.

Resources

Career Advising: MUSC students perform very well in the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) for Internal Medicine residency. The Department of Medicine has several career advisors to meet with students and help in their planning and application process.

IM Clerkship Leadership

Meghan (Maggie) Thomas, M.D., MS

Assistant Professor, Division of Hospital Medicine
Clerkship Director, Department of Medicine
Associate Program Director

Kathryn P. Anderson, M.D.

Assistant Professor, Division of General Internal Medicine
Associate Clerkship Director, Department of Medicine

Theresa Cuoco, M.D., FACP

Associate Professor, Division of Hospital Medicine
Associate Clerkship Director, Department of Medicine

Divisional Education Representatives

Michele Esposito, M.D.

Assistant Professor
Medicine - Division of Cardiology

Valerian L. C. Fernandes, M.D.

Professor
Medicine - Division of Cardiology
Puja S. Elias, M.D., MPH, Director, GI and Hepatology Fellowship Program, Professor, wearing a black dress shirt

Puja S. Elias, M.D., MPH

Director, Gastroenterology Fellowship Program
Professor, Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Theodore S. Gourdin, M.D.

Associate Professor, Division of Hematology and Oncology

Natalie Freidin, M.D.

Director, Nephrology Fellowship Program
Associate Professor, Nephrology

Faye Hant, D.O., MSCR

Rheumatology Fellowship Director;
Professor

Rashmi Dhakal, M.D.

Assistant Professor

Heather Simpson, M.D.

Associate Professor, Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Courtney Harris, M.D.

Fellowship Program Director, Transplant Infectious Diseases
Assistant Professor, Infectious Diseases
Professional Portrait

Edward Kilb, M.D.

Assistant Dean, Graduate Medical Education - College of Medicine
Associate Professor, College of Medicine

Diane L. Kamen, M.D., MSCR

Professor

IM Clerkship Staff

Jen Caldwell

Clerkship Coordinator

Meredith Stafford

Ambulatory Clerkship Coordinator
Education Program Coordinator