Introduction
The College of Medicine, founded in 1824, was the first medical school in the southern United States. The college pioneered in clinical teaching and its faculty members wrote some of America’s first medical textbooks. For over 170 years, the College of Medicine has been dedicated to the training of physicians. Today, it is comprised of over 25 departments which independently and collectively contribute to the education of future physicians.

The College of Medicine admits 145-150 students each year into its four-year medical curriculum. The students are awarded a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree upon their completion of the college’s academic requirements. Two years of basic science instruction and two years of clinical education are closely supervised by full- and part-time faculty members.

In addition, the College of Medicine, in conjunction with the College of Graduate Studies, offers the Medical Scientist Training Program which leads to an M.D./Ph.D. degree. The College of Medicine, in conjunction with The Citadel, offers an MD/MBA. The College of Medicine, in conjunction with The College of Health Professions, offers an MD/MHA. In addition, The College of Medicine, in conjunction with The University of South Carolina, offers an MD/MPH.

College Mission
The College of Medicine, as an integral part of the Medical University of South Carolina, is dedicated to the University’s education, research and service missions. The College recognizes the imperative for decisive leadership in responding to changing concepts, resources and systems of delivery which relate to health care generally and academic medicine specifically.

The College is committed to maintaining an educational environment for all students which prepares them for a career of excellence in the practice of medicine and service to their communities. We recognize the need to engender and support life-long learning to sustain and expand competence and performance throughout the physician’s career. We acknowledge the importance of interdisciplinary and interprofessional education in the provision of accessible, high-quality health services.

The College is committed to the continued development and expansion of biomedical research to extend the boundaries of health care for all people. Further, we support enhancement of research directed to improving access, enhancing quality and controlling costs of health care.

The College participates in a medical center with broad capabilities and responsibility for the provision of primary, as well as tertiary/quaternary health services for citizens in the state. We continue to nurture strong programs in primary health care to support current and future educational, research and service requirements.

The College is concerned with ensuring optimal opportunities for all constituents-students, faculty and administration, including all backgrounds and levels of diversity, to achieve full potential.

The College is committed to the development and prudent use of resources to achieve its mission.

Undergraduate Education Goals
Medical education should foster in each student the following capabilities:

• Life-long, self-directed learning
• Acquisition and critical evaluation of new information related to the physician’s practice of medicine
• Interpersonal skills necessary for optimal interaction with the physician’s patients and colleagues.

All graduates of the College of Medicine should have acquired the following four fundamental competencies.

• The knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for continued, self-directed learning and for the critical evaluation of new scientific information as it might relate to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.
• The fundamental knowledge necessary for understanding the scientific basis of medicine and its application.
• The knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary for the effective diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.
• The personal characteristics required for the types of interactions with patients and other health care professionals necessary to achieve the best possible medical care.

Accreditation
The College of Medicine is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) of the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association.