With a focus on community service and lifestyle medicine, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville carves out a unique identity.
In her role as Dean of the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville (SOMG), Dr. Phyllis MacGilvray supports two communities simultaneously: her students and her local community.
“We have a mission statement at SOMG,” she said. “’Educate. Innovate. Serve. Where Lifestyle is Medicine.’ ‘Serve’ is in that top statement because service to the community is part of our core values here.”
Trailblazer
Dr. MacGilvray never expected to be the dean of a medical school. “The plan originally was to go back to my hometown and be a primary care doctor,” she shared.
Life had different plans for her, and today Dr. MacGilvray is the first medical school dean in the United States to be certified in lifestyle medicine, which promotes evidence-based changes to behaviors and diet to prevent chronic conditions and improve overall health. It’s based on six “pillars”: nutrition, exercise, sleep, social connection, stress mitigation, and substance use mitigation.
Because SOMG is one of the first medical schools to receive a “Platinum Plus” certification from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, its students can sit for lifestyle medicine boards immediately following their primary specialty board certification.
Dr. MacGilvray is also certified in family medicine, and still sees patients in her clinic. “It’s holistic care for a family — I love the impact of walking in a room and knowing that the mom, the dad, and the kids are all my patients. If a student is interested in longitudinal continuity of care, it’s a great specialty to go into.”
Community support
In her role as dean, Dr. MacGilvray emphasizes serving the local community. For students, that begins in their first year, when they’re required to take an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) module. “It gets our students into the community where people work, play, and live,” MacGilvray explained.
The EMT program culminates with the annual Disaster Day event, where students respond to simulated events utilizing their medical and EMT training. The most recent Disaster Day drill simulated a drunk driver hitting a group of marathon runners. The dean participates in each Disaster Day, posing as a victim to challenge their skills. “This year, I was one of the marathon runners that got hit — I threw myself into a shrub!”
Another way Dr. MacGilvray and her students serve the community is through the school’s free Remote Area Medical (RAM) clinic. “It’s a moment where we’re directly giving back to patients who can’t afford and can’t access care,” she said. “Students of all stages, some of our faculty, and school alumni volunteer. It is one of my favorite times of year.”
Dr. MacGilvray may not have imagined herself as a college dean in her youth, but she loves the role. “This has been the most fulfilling leadership job I’ve had,” she said. “The students inspire me every single day.”
She also recognizes how important her achievement is in a wider sense. “Women are under-represented in academic leadership positions, period,” she noted. “It’s really special to me. I’m just so thankful that I’ve been able to give back to my community.”
To learn more, visit sc.edu/study/colleges_schools/medicine_greenville
