A Message from the Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education
A Message from the Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education
Welcome to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Office of Continuing Medical Education.
The MUSC Office of CME provides evidence-based information and practical strategies for healthcare professionals across our state, region, and nation. We are committed to advancing clinical excellence through continuing education that translates emerging science into meaningful improvements in patient care.
As South Carolina’s only comprehensive academic health system, MUSC is uniquely positioned to translate discovery from bench to bedside to community. Our continuing education programs reflect this strength—connecting research, clinical innovation, quality improvement, and interprofessional collaboration to meet the evolving needs of today’s healthcare workforce. Through this work, we support lifelong learning across disciplines and throughout the continuum of professional practice.
Our programs are designed not only to serve MUSC and the MUSC Health Regional Health Network, but to lead educational innovation across the Southeast and beyond. Through conferences, regularly scheduled series, performance improvement initiatives, simulation-based education, and enduring online programming, we deliver high-quality learning experiences that enhance competence, strengthen clinical performance, and improve patient outcomes.
As healthcare continues to evolve, the MUSC Office of CME aims to be a regional and national leader in interprofessional continuing education—aligning education with quality improvement priorities, health system strategy, and the needs of the communities we serve.
We strive to be the leading academic continuing education program in the Southeast and a recognized national contributor to innovation in accredited education. Our goal is not simply to provide CME, but to shape the future of lifelong learning in medicine and interprofessional healthcare.
Accreditation
The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Office of Continuing Medical Education is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
Our current accreditation term extends through March 31, 2027.
In alignment with MUSC’s interprofessional mission, the Office of CME is actively pursuing Joint Accreditation to provide continuing education credit for physicians, pharmacists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals through a unified accreditation model. This strategic expansion reflects our commitment to team-based care and interdisciplinary professional development.
All MUSC educational activities are developed in compliance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education to ensure content is scientifically rigorous, evidence-based, balanced, and free of commercial bias.
Our Mission
To advance lifelong learning for physicians and interprofessional healthcare teams through high-quality, evidence-based education that enhances clinical competence, drives measurable improvements in practice performance, and improves patient outcomes across South Carolina and beyond.
The Role of Continuing Education at MUSC
The mission of MUSC is to preserve and optimize human life through education, research, and patient care. Continuing education is a vital extension of this mission—ensuring healthcare professionals remain current, competent, and prepared to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care.
The Office of CME serves as a strategic partner to MUSC colleges, clinical departments, and health system leadership by:
- Identifying educational gaps aligned with quality, safety, regulatory, and institutional priorities
- Designing initiatives that drive measurable improvements in clinical performance
- Supporting interprofessional collaboration and team-based care
- Expanding access to accredited education across the MUSC Health Regional Health Network and affiliated partners
- Leveraging digital platforms and hybrid learning models to enhance accessibility and engagement
Our programs are informed by the healthcare needs of South Carolina and the broader Southeast region, with a deliberate focus on translating evidence into practice and advancing system-level improvement.
Educational Scope and Content
Educational content is developed through systematic needs assessment and gap analysis to ensure relevance, rigor, and measurable impact. Activities span the continuum of healthcare delivery and address:
- Primary care and specialty disciplines
- Public health and preventive medicine
- Behavioral and population health
- Emerging clinical science, innovation, and translational research
- Quality improvement, patient safety, and systems-based practice
Programming aligns with relevant ABMS specialty board expectations, Interprofessional Education Collaborative competencies, and established quality and patient safety standards. All content is continuously evaluated to ensure scientific rigor, balance, objectivity, and independence from commercial influence in full compliance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education.
Target Audience
Our educational programs serve physicians and interprofessional healthcare teams across the continuum of practice, including:
- Physicians and specialty clinicians
- Pharmacists
- Nurses
- Advanced practice providers
- Allied health professionals
- Faculty and academic clinicians
- Community-based practitioners
Learners include MUSC-employed clinicians as well as healthcare professionals throughout South Carolina, the Southeast region, and across the United States.
Types of Educational Activities
The Office of CME provides a comprehensive portfolio of accredited educational formats designed to meet diverse learning needs and practice environments, including:
- Regularly Scheduled Series (e.g., Grand Rounds, Case Conferences, Tumor Boards, Morbidity & Mortality Conferences)
- Conferences and symposia
- Simulation-based education
- Performance Improvement CME
- Academic detailing and practice-based interventions
- Hybrid and fully virtual programming
- Enduring online and on-demand education
- Jointly provided activities in collaboration with professional societies and partner organizations
Our website supports streamlined registration, credit claiming, activity evaluation, and learner transcript management—enhancing accessibility, reporting, and data-driven program oversight.
Expected Results and Outcomes Measurement
The MUSC Office of CME utilizes a structured outcomes framework consistent with ACCME expectations and institutional quality priorities. Educational activities are designed to produce measurable improvements in:
Knowledge: Evaluation of learner acquisition of evidence-based information through post-tests, audience response systems, and activity evaluations.
Competence: Assessment of learners’ ability to apply knowledge through commitment-to-change statements, case-based engagement, simulation performance, and identification of barriers to practice change.
Performance: Follow-up evaluations, practice-based assessments, and performance improvement initiatives that measure implementation of changes in clinical practice.
Patient Outcomes: Where appropriate and feasible, integration with institutional quality metrics, population health indicators, and documented improvements in care delivery and health outcomes.
The MUSC Office of CME is committed to strengthening outcomes evaluation to ensure our educational activities translate into meaningful improvements in clinical practice and patient care. All activities are developed in accordance with the ACCME Standards for Integrity and Independence to ensure scientific rigor and freedom from commercial bias.
Approved by the MUSC CME Advisory Committee
Alec DeCastro, MD
Associate Dean for Continuing Medical Education
