The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) is the core of the state’s largest medical complex.  A free-standing academic health center, MUSC provides the only tertiary/quaternary care referral center in South Carolina. Founded in 1824, the institution operates a 596-bed referral and teaching hospital and six colleges: Medicine, Pharmacy, Nursing, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, and Dental Medicine. 

New in 2008, is the Ashley River Tower (ART) focusing on delivering quality heart, vascular and digestive disease services. The first of its kind on many levels in the Southeast, ART will add 641,000 square feet of clinical space and feature a diagnostic and treatment building, a 156-patient hospitality tower, and a conservatory designed to connect the two spaces while offering a comfortable gathering place for patients, families and employees.

 MUSC is fully accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees.  The University offers a broad range of programs in the biomedical and health sciences, awarding approximately 800 degrees each year.  The teaching staff on campus consists of 1250 full-time and 260 part-time faculty members. About 2,500 students are enrolled at the university at any given time.  In addition, the University coordinates the training of more than 500 medical and surgical residents, 23 dental residents, and 23 pharmacy residents. 

Research:
In FY2007, MUSC faculty received grants and contracts totaling more than $193 million. Federal funding constitutes 74% of extramural support, largely from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  NIH ranks seven MUSC departments in the top 25 nationally: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (22nd); Biostatistics, Bioinformatics & Epidemiology, (5th; 2nd in the Southeast), Family Medicine (24th); Neurosciences (9th), Otolaryngology (10th); Psychiatry (20th); and Veterinary Sciences (12th).

University Stats Campus Campus Size: 76 Acres, 89 Buildings University Staff 1,053 Full-time Faculty Members 323 Part-time Faculty Members 4,581 Total Number of Employees Degrees Conferred 2006 190 Bachelor Degrees 266 First Professional 306 Master Degrees 29 Ph.D.s

Professional Education:
MUSC ranks in the top third of medical schools for the number of NIH-supported training grants. MUSC emphasizes research career development at all levels, including junior faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, health professional students, undergraduate students, and high school students.

Three NIH undergraduate research training grants leverage institutional and state funds to support about 60 research internships per year at MUSC for baccalaureate students from other institutions. Three more NIH training awards support short-term research experiences for health professional students.

The College of Graduate Studies is the academic home of approximately 200 degree-seeking graduate students on campus.  Predoctoral support includes a grant for the dual degree Medical Scientist Training Program, one of about 40 in the nation supported by NIH.

Ten NIH National Research Service Award institutional training grants provide research stipends for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in areas such as biomedical informatics, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, substance abuse, cancer and aging. In addition, the University offers a Master’s Degree in Clinical Research. 

Patient Care:
The MUSC Medical Center is now comprised of four separate hospitals: the University Hospital, the Institute of Psychiatry, and the Children's Hospital, the Ashley Rivert Tower, as well as centers for specialized care: Heart Center, Transplantation Center, Hollings Cancer Center and Digestive Diseases Center. Numerous outpatient facilities include the Family Medicine Center, University Diagnostic Center, and affiliated faculty practice ambulatory care centers. In the past ten years, $200 million in capital improvements for the Medical Center focused resources on improved quality of patient care and accessibility of services.