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2026 Annual Meeting

Join colleagues from across the state in beautiful Charleston, SC for our 2026 SCMA Annual Meeting on April 24-25, 2026.

Friday, April 24 - Saturday, April 25, 2026

Charleston Marriott
Charleston, SC

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2026 SCMA ANNUAL MEETING - CHARLESTON, SC

REGISTRATION AND ROOM BLOCKS ARE OPEN!
Join your colleagues in Columbia, SC for the 2026 SCMA Annual Meeting, featuring the SCMA In-Person Town Hall Meeting, educational events, and entertainment. 

2026 SCMA Annual Meeting Highlights:

  • Network with colleagues from across the state while enjoying our condensed 2-day conference format
  • Attend a variety of CME programming to earn 10.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™
  • Present and debate policies during our In-Person Town Hall Meeting that affect the practice of medicine and the delivery of patient care in South Carolina
  • Join us in celebrating the inauguration of new SCMA President Jeffrey P. Cashman, DO, followed by our Gala Awards Dinner

 

ACCEPTING 2026 AWARD APPLICATIONS

AWARD NOMINATIONS Deadline: Monday, March 2
The SCMA is currently seeking nominations from the South Carolina county medical societies for four distinguished awards to be presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting:

  • Physician of the Year Award: This award is presented to a physician who generates community spirit and vivaciousness appreciated by his/her neighbors, patients, and colleagues.
  • Service to the Community Award for a County Medical Society: This award is given to a county medical society for its service to the community and efforts to promote health for South Carolinians through a society project, initiative, or support.
  • Healthy Children in Our Communities Award: This award is given to a county medical society who has promoted a healthy living project with a notable physician champion that encourages the value of healthy choices in youth ages 11 to 18.
  • Rising Star Award: This award is presented to a dynamic physician under 40 who is making a significant impact in their community and inspires others with their dedication, passion, and expertise.

Email completed nomination forms to Rebecca Brannon at rbrannon@scmedical.org.

Agenda

Access a PDF version of the SCMA Annual Meeting full agenda by clicking on the button, or review the electronic version below.

2026 Annual Meeting Full Agenda

 

Friday, April 24

7 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.

SCMA Registration Open

7 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast with Exhibitors

8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

SCMA Educational Sessions: Hot Topics
Moderated by: Gregory Squires, Chair, SCMA CME Committee

  • “Good Catch”: Why Physician Participation in Safety Event Reporting Matters More than You Think
    Mary Beth Poston, MD, MACP, Internal Medicine, Prisma Health, Columbia

  • Practical Strategies in Wound Care: Referral Guidelines, Oxygen Therapy, and Diagnostic Essentials
    William E Wheeler, MD, FACS, General Surgery/Wound Care, Prisma Health Laurens, SCMA Continuing Medical Education (CME) Committee

  • Advancing STI Care: Epidemiology, Communication, and Updated Treatment Guidelines
    Kamla Sanasi-Bhola, MD, FIDSA, Infectious Diseases, Prisma Health, Columbia

  • Vaccines in 2026
    Helmut Albrecht, MD, Heyward Gibbes Distinguished Professor of Internal Medicine, Medical Director of the Center of Infectious Diseases Research and Policy, Prisma Health and University of South Carolina

  • Updates from the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS)
    Jackson Wilkens Burnaugh, Legislative Affairs Director, South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SC DHHS)

  • SC State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP) South Carolina Department of Public Health
    Kobra Eghtedary, Ph.D., Director, State Health Improvement Office, Health Strategy & External Affairs, South Carolina Department of Public Health
8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

SCMA Alliance Meeting

12 - 1:30 p.m.

Past Presidents Lunch and Keynote Speaker
All attendees are welcome to attend.

Presented by: Caleb Masterson, DO

  • Building a Trusted Following: Why Social Media is Important for Modern Physicians
    Caleb Masterson, DO, Owner and Chief Executive Officer, ENT Center of Northwest Alabama, Owner, Breathe and Brew, Instagram: @dr.masterson 
1:30 - 2 p.m.

Dessert with Exhibitors

2 - 3 p.m.

SCMA Educational Session

  • How Not to Age
    Michael Greger, MD, FACLM,  New York Times best-selling author, founder of NutritionFacts.org, and a founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine                                                         
3 - 5 p.m.

SCMA President’s Educational Session
Moderated by: Henry F. Butehorn III, MD, SCMA President

  • Policy, Partnership, and Practice: Effective Communication with Legislators
    • Representative Sylleste H. Davis, Chair, House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee
    • Senator Daniel B. "Danny" Verdin III, Chair, Senate Medical Affairs Committee

  • Leadership That Matters: Stories from Physicians in Action
    • Gerald Harmon, MD, Major General, USAF, MC (ret); Former Assistant Surgeon General USAF and Chief Surgeon for the National Guard Bureau; Former President of the American Medical Association and the South Carolina Medical Association; current Interim Dean, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia
    • Robert R. Morgan Jr., MD; Former Board Member/Vice Chair, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control; Former Chair, State Health Planning Committee; Former Vice Chair, South Carolina Medical Association Board of Trustees; Former President, South Carolina Society of Anesthesiologists; Liberty Fellow
    • Jennifer Root, MD, Member of the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners - District 2, Former South Carolina Medical Association Board of Trustees Member, Former American Society of Anesthesiologists Board of Trustees Member
    • Gavin Setzen, MD, FACS, FAAOA, FARS, CEO & President, Albany ENT & Allergy Services, PC; Director, American Board of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery (ABO-HNS)
5 - 6:30 p.m.

SCMA Welcome Reception (Exhibit Hall)
All attendees are welcome to attend.  

Complimentary hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided.

5 - 6:30 p.m.

Poster Presentation Session

6:30 - 7:15 p.m.

SCMA Young Physician Section (YPS), Resident and Fellow Section (RFS) and Medical Student Section Meetings (MSS)

7:15 - 7:45 p.m.

SCMA Section Mingle (MSS, RFS, YPS)

Saturday, April 25

7:30 - 11 a.m.

SCMA Registration

7:30 - 8:30 a.m.

Breakfast Buffet

8 a.m. - 2 p.m.

South Carolina Gastroenterology Association Annual Meeting

8 - 8:30 a.m.

New Member or First Time Attendee Welcome

8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

SCMA Town Hall and Legislative Update

  • SCMA Educational Session: Legislative Update
    Holly Pisarik, SCMA Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy Counsel
11:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Legislative Delegate Committee Meets

12 - 6 p.m.

Break - Explore Charleston!

1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

Dolphin and Coastal Discovery Cruise to Capers Island

Looking for a unique Charleston experience? Charleston County Medical Society invites attendees and their families to join them on a Dolphin and Coastal Discovery Cruise to Capers Island!

Details:

  • Departure at 1:30 p.m. from Isle of Palms Marina located at 50 41st Street, Isle of Palms, SC 29451 (please arrive 10 minutes prior to departure)
  • Total cruise time: 2 hours
  • Cost: $40 per person (plus credit card processing fee)
  • Register for tour HERE
  • Questions: Please contact Donna Ramicone at donna@charlestonmedicalsociety.org 
6 - 7 p.m.

Presidential Inauguration Cocktail Reception and Inauguration Ceremony - Jeffrey Cashman, DO
Ticketed event: You MUST RSVP to attend.

7 - 11 p.m.

Presidents’ Gala Awards Dinner
Ticketed event: You MUST RSVP to attend.

Sunday, April 26

9 - 11 a.m.

SCMA Board of Trustees Meeting
SCMA Board of Trustees Members Only

CME

Friday, April 24

8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
SCMA Educational Session: Hot Topics
Moderated by: Gregory Squires, MD, Chair, SCMA Continuing Medical Education (CME) Committee
  • “Good Catch”: Why Physician Participation in Safety Event Reporting Matters More than You Think
    Mary Beth Poston, MD, MACP, Internal Medicine, Prisma Health, Columbia
    At the end of this session participants should be able to:
    • Define “Just Culture”
    • Identify Key characteristics, benefits and potential unintended negatives of safety event reporting (SER)
    • Understand the historical paucity of physician SER and the associated loss of opportunity
    • Define strategies to maximize the system benefits of SER using foundational concepts of Just Culture
  • Practical Strategies in Wound Care: Referral Guidelines, Oxygen Therapy, and Diagnostic Essentials
    William E Wheeler, MD, FACS, General Surgery/Wound Care, Prisma Health Laurens, SCMA Continuing Medical Education (CME) Committee
    At the end of this session participants should be able to:
    • Discuss which wounds need to be referred to wound center and when to send
    • Discuss Hyperbaric Oxygen Indications
    • Understand which test needs to be ordered before referral to accelerate healing
  • Advancing STI Care: Epidemiology, Communication, and Updated Treatment Guidelines
    Kamla Sanasi-Bhola, MD, FIDSA, Infectious Diseases, Prisma Health, Columbia
    At the end of this session participants should be able to:
    • Understand the Epidemiology of STI
    • Enhance provider comfort with STI discussions
    • Update on STI management and treatment guidelines
  • Vaccines in 2026
    Helmut Albrecht, MD, Heyward Gibbes Distinguished Professor of Internal Medicine, Medical Director of the Center of Infectious Diseases Research and Policy, Prisma Health and University of South Carolina
    At the end of this session participants should be able to:
    • List at least 5 vaccines with a change in their indication since 2025
    • Understand the history and implications of giving MMRV as one versus two vaccines
    • Better distinguish between noise and science using hepatitis B and C testing and vaccination as an example
  • Updates from the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
    Jackson Wilkens Burnaugh, Legislative Affairs Director, South Carolina
    Department of Health and Human Services (SC DHHS)
    At the end of this session participants should be able to:
    • Describe key provisions and anticipated impact of the Big Beautiful Bill
    • Explain the goals and implementation framework of the Rural Health Transformation Program
    • Identify recent changes to the Medicaid Program
  • SC State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)
    Kobra Eghtedary, PhD, Director, State Health Improvement Office, Health Strategy & External Affairs, South Carolina Department of Public Health
    At the end of this session participants should be able to:
    • Discuss the newly published SC State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP)
    • Discuss the nine priority areas and strategies
    • Facilitate an interactive discussion on SHIP implementation and collaborative partnership
12 - 1:30 p.m.

Past Presidents Lunch and Keynote
All attendees are welcome to attend

Building a Trusted Following: Why Social Media is Important for Modern Physicians
Keynote Speaker: Caleb Masterson, DO; Owner and Chief Executive Officer, ENT Center of Northwest Alabama; Owner, Breathe and Brew; Instagram: @dr.masterson

At the end of this session participants should be able to:

  • Advocate for evidence-based medicine through social media
  • Understand how to define a personal brand
  • Explain the importance of healthcare professionals having an online presence
2 - 3 p.m.

SCMA Educational Session

How Not to Age
Michael Greger, MD, FACLM, New York Times best-selling author, founder of NutritionFacts.org, and a founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine

At the end of this session participants should be able to:

  • Identify diet and lifestyle interventions that may increase autophagy
  • Discuss the top five dietary factors identified by the Global burden of Disease Study as contributing to the greatest annual death toll
  • Discuss nonpharmacological interventions that may help with BPH, constipation, sarcopenia, skin aging, urinary incontinence, and vasomotor menopausal symptoms
3 - 5 p.m.
SCMA President’s Educational Session
Moderated by: Henry F. Butehorn III, MD, SCMA President 
  • Policy, Partnership, and Practice: Effective Communication with Legislators
    Representative Sylleste H. Davis, Chair, House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee

    Senator Daniel B. "Danny" Verdin III, Chair, Senate Medical Affairs Committee

    At the end of this session participants should be able to:
    • Discuss the legislator’s perspective on current challenges in healthcare policy and how physicians can constructively engage in those discussions
    • Identify factors legislators consider when evaluating healthcare-related proposals and how clinical expertise can inform those considerations
    • Describe how legislators gather information on healthcare issues and the role physicians play in that process
  • Leadership that Matters: Stories from Physicians in Action
    Gerald Harmon, MD, Major General, USAF, MC (ret), Former Assistant Surgeon General USAF and Chief Surgeon for the National Guard Bureau, Former President of the American Medical Association and the South Carolina Medical Association, currently Interim Dean, University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia

    Robert R. Morgan Jr., MD, Former Board Member/Vice Chair, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Former Chair, State Health Planning Committee, Former Vice Chair, South Carolina Medical Association Board of Trustees, Former President, South Carolina Society of Anesthesiologists, Liberty Fellow

    Jennifer Root, MD, Member of the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners - District 2, Former South Carolina Medical Association Board of Trustees Member, Former American Society of Anesthesiologists Board of Trustees Member

    Gavin Setzen, MD, FACS, FAAOA, FARS, CEO & President, Albany ENT & Allergy Services, PC; Director, American Board of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery (ABO-HNS)

    At the end of this session participants should be able to:
    • Discuss strategies used by physician leaders to address challenges in medical organization governance, policy development, and member engagement
    • Examine real-world examples of leadership decision-making shared by panelists and apply these insights to potential leadership situation in participants’ own practice or organizations
    • Recognize barriers that limit physician involvement in leadership roles and outline actionable approaches to overcoming these barriers
    • Explain how collaborative leadership among physicians can improve communication, professional culture, and organizational outcomes
    • Discuss how physician leadership can influence state-level policy, advocacy priorities, and patient care initiatives
5 - 6:30 p.m.

Poster Presentation Session

Visit the student and resident posters. Be sure to participate as a judge to receive your CME credit.

Saturday, April 25

Immediately following Town Hall

SCMA Educational Session: Legislative Update
Presented by: Holly Pisarik, SCMA Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy Counsel

At the end of this session participants should be able to:

  • Describe key pending legislation in South Carolina that may affect the medical profession
  • Analyze the potential impact of these legislative initiatives
  • Evaluate arguments for supporting or opposing specific bills

The South Carolina Medical Association (SCMA) designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 10.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

The South Carolina Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Policy

***Policy Proposal Form Coming Soon!***

SCMA’s In-Person Town Hall Meeting will convene on Saturday, April 25 at the Charleston Marriott in Charleston, SC. The forum gives physicians from across the state an opportunity to gather as a professional group to present and debate policies that affect the practice of medicine and the delivery of patient care in South Carolina.

For many years, SCMA has invited policy suggestions from members and County Chapters during the Annual Meeting. Delegates from these chapters and Specialty Societies would gather to discuss, debate, and vote on submitted policies. However, with the increasing demands on physicians' time, fewer members can commit to the traditional three-day policy discussion process. To address this, we’ve expanded opportunities for all interested members — not just delegates — and created a more flexible, year-round approach to policy discussions.

What is a Town Hall, and when are they held?

  • A Town Hall is an open forum for SCMA members to discuss and propose policy changes for healthcare in South Carolina.
  • At each in-person Town Hall at our Annual Meetings, we will also provide updates on SCMA’s ongoing policy efforts and recent legal changes.

Is the House of Delegates still active?

  • No. The Legislative Delegate Committee (LDC), also appointed by County Chapters and Specialty Societies, takes the place of the House of Delegates. The LDC listens to proposed policies and makes recommendations to the SCMA Board of Trustees (BOT).
  • Now all SCMA members will have access to proposed policies in advance of the Town Halls and can submit written comments or sign up to speak at the meetings.
  • County Chapters submit members for both the LDC and SCMA BOT ensuring that our county members have representation.

Will the Policy Compendium still be published?
Yes! The SCMA Policy Compendium, which contains multiple years of voted policies, remains accessible to members through the SCMA website when you log in. Before submitting a policy suggestion, it is always a good idea to check the compendium to see if a similar policy already exists. Members can access the updated Policy Compendium by logging into their SCMA account.

Posters

2026 RESIDENT, FELLOW, AND MEDICAL STUDENT POSTER PRESENTATIONS

  • Submission Deadline: Monday, February 16, 2026
    Residents, fellows, and medical students can showcase their work in medical research and case studies by submitting a poster, and it's never too early to start organizing your research!
     
  • Access the 2026 Poster Presentation Application for information including eligibility, submission guidelines, submission deadline and more. Don't forget to submit your application before the February 16 deadline!
     

Questions about posters? Please contact Rebecca at rbrannon@scmedical.org.​

Hotel Info

Hotel reservation blocks will be available in January 2026.

Charleston Marriott

170 Lockwood Boulevard
Charleston, SC 29403

843-723-3000

SCMA Annual Meeting Hotel Reservation

Renew Your SCMA Membership Today!

You must be a member in good standing to attend the 2026 SCMA Annual Meeting. Protect the future of medicine and maintain the integrity of the physician-patient relationship - regardless of your practice setting. *FREE for residents, fellows, and medical students. Our 2026 membership cycle is from Jan. 1, 2026 through Dec. 31, 2026.

Renew Your Membership

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