Woolf,Shane-OrthDear Fellow Charleston County Physician,

On behalf of the Charleston County Medical Society board and our staff, I hope you are having a great year. With summer in full swing there is a lot I would like to share with you about CCMS activities so far this year, as well as a few dates to mark on your calendar.

Here are but a few of the CCMS events and activities so far this year:

  • Ongoing work with South Carolina Medical Association leadership and lobbyists to advocate for the medical physicians of our county
  • CCMS sent a strong delegation to the SCMA annual meeting in Myrtle Beach this past May and expanded ties with the SCMA and other county medical societies.
  • Alex Ramsey, MD – CCMS member – was inaugurated as president of the SCMA for the next year
  • Todd Schlesinger, MD – CCMS member – took over as Chairman of the SCMA Board as well
  • Janice Key earned several awards for the Docs Adopt program, which started and is largely represented by CCMS members. Among the awards was the SCMA Healthy Children In Our Communities.
  • Non-partisan editorial letters were published by members Robert Ball, MD, and Duke Haggerty, MD on the topic of the public health impact of gun violence and sensible gun control measures.
  • Currently initiating a hands-only CPR training program in secondary schools
  • An editorial letter was written in the defense of professionalism, appropriate mechanisms for closure of medical practice, and patient advocacy in light of the recent closure of a local urgent care practice
  • An update and information session was held in May concerning Zika virus epidemiology and public health risks with Dr. Robert Ball presenting an engaging and useful synopsis.

And we hope you attend these upcoming CCMS events: (Visit the CCMS Calendar for up-to-date event information)

  • Women in Medicine social event – downtown Charleston TBD
  • South Carolina Aquarium Sea Turtle Hospital ‘Grand Rounds’ program for CCMS members – stay tuned for date
  • CCMS and Alliance Picnic – date TBD
  • Legislative reception to meet and engage some of our state political leaders – September 2016
  • “What Does It Mean To Be A Doctor Today?” – CME symposium October 6, 2016 – with national/international guest speakers and a robust discussion about the current state and the future of our grand profession
  • CCMS Annual Meeting – November 10, 2016

Thank you for all you do every day, regardless of your practice setting, to help the patients of the Lowcountry. For those of you who continue to be involved in CCMS events and pay your membership dues, we sincerely thank you. This is an essential aspect of keeping this 64 year-old non-profit society afloat. If you have not yet paid your dues you can do so by visiting the CCMS website by clicking here.

For non-members and those who do not regularly pay CCMS dues, we welcome and encourage you to reinvest in the CCMS. We hope you appreciate the value CCMS provides for its members. Think about all of the reasons that you chose a career in medicine and which other organizations allow you the ability to make a difference not only in your own practice, but in the community of your peers. Click here for membership application.

Have a wonderful summer and we hope to see you at many of our upcoming events!

With warmest regards,

Shane K. Woolf, MD
President, 2015-2016
Charleston County Medical Society