It is a time of transition in the MUSC Department of Medicine. Our former Chairman, Dr. John Feussner has assumed a new and important role as Executive Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs, and the Dean has asked me to serve as interim chairman of the Department of Medicine until a full-time chairperson is selected.  I am indeed honored to serve in this interim capacity.  I have had the privilege of being a faculty member of our Department of Medicine for 3 decades and thus have invested much in our Department.  I will strive to do all that I can to be an effective interim leader for our Department. 

As noted in a recent report from the AAMC, skills required for effective departmental leadership include an understanding of the business of medicine, interpersonal and communication skills, the ability to deal with conflict and solve adaptive challenges, and the ability to build and work on teams. The AAMC report goes on to state that “An essential quality for interim leaders includes humility (recognizing and acknowledging that no one individual has all the answers).”  I certainly will strive to apply such leadership skills and qualities in my new role as interim chairman.

Dean Pisano has assembled a very capable committee and engaged the services of a national firm to assist with what will prove to be a very important search for the Department of Medicine’s next leader.  I believe that many exceptional leaders will be attracted to this position for a myriad of reasons, including the strong foundation already in place, the collegial atmosphere at MUSC, and the devotion and dedication of an outstanding cadre of faculty, staff, and housestaff.  As interim chairman, I look forward to working with each of you to build upon our past success and to assure our continued success in each of the spheres of academic medicine: education, research, patient care, and the business of medicine. 

Richard M. Silver, M.D.
Interim Chairman, Department of Medicine
Distinguished University Professor