To cultivate and empower faculty who champion transformative teaching, innovation, and scholarship within a collaborative and supportive environment.

The Academy of Educators at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville is a community of practice that empowers and inspires faculty to grow and excel in their roles as innovative educators, mentors, and scholars. 

• Dr. E. Arthur Dreskin Distinguished Lecture Series
• David A. Wilson MD Innovations in Medicine Distinguished Lecture Series
• Schmidt Faculty Development Conference (Annual)
• School of Medicine Greenville Faculty Awards (Annual)
• Faculty Fall Social and Welcome
• Faculty Holiday and Spring Social
• Promotions Workshops
• Medical Education Research Incubator (MEDRI) Workshops
• Philanthropic activities to support students

Activities created by other departments can be endorsed by the AoE and attendees can use that to count toward their AoE membership.

Looking to spotlight an educational event? Request AoE Endorsement for lectures, seminars, or workshops that align with the AoE mission to honor, support, and elevate faculty in teaching, mentoring, and scholarship. AoE will help promote endorsed activities.

AoE Endorsement may be requested either in addition to CME or independently of CME. 

Questions? Contact Sudha Garimella (Sudha.garimella@prismahealth.org). 

To apply for AoE endorsement for your activity, apply here » 

MEDRI Conducting and Writing Literature Reviews
Seminar Series 2026-2027

Open to all faculty
All sessions are 12-1 pm, C. Dan Adams Lecture Hall

Session 1 | September 14, 2026
Types of Review Articles: How to Choose?

Session 2 | October 2, 2026
Conducting Systematic Reviews

Session 3 | January 22, 2027
Conducting Meta-Analyses

Session 4 | March 17, 2027
Publishing Review Articles: Perspectives from an Editor-in-Chief

Session 5 | April 26, 2027
Using Technology to Support the Literature Review Process

To register or for more information, email Kirsten Porter-Stransky, PhD.

There is currently only one membership tier – that of Educator. An AoE advancement structure is coming soon.

Membership Tiers

• Emerging Educator (for residents/fellows – coming soon)
• Educator (for most faculty)
• Advanced Educator (coming soon)
• Distinguished Educator (planned for the future)

Eligibility: Open to all faculty at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville who have a role in teaching students, residents, or fellows, and are in good standing with their primary department.  

Educator Requirements: Must attend at least two academy-sponsored or endorsed educational events per academic year, continue to participate in teaching learners, and remain in good standing with your primary department.

To oversee the AoE curriculum

Co-Chair
Sudha Garimella, MD

Programs Subcommittee - Residents as Teachers Chair
Caroline Astemborski, MD, MEHP

To identify membership criteria; to review and approve applications

Co-Chair
Naresh Mullaguri, MD

Co-Chair
Matt Stull, MD

To create and engage the AoE community, and to demonstrate its value within the institution

Chair
John Emerson, MD

Co-Chair
Jennica Siddle, MD, MPH, FACEP

To create mentorship opportunities within AoE

Chair
Sharon Wretzel, MD, FAAP, FACP

To serve as a connection between community hospitals and/or community-based practices and the Academy of Educators (Baptist Easley, Greer, Hillcrest/Simpsonville, Laurens, North Greenville/Travelers Rest, Oconee/Seneca)

Chair
Mallory Shasteen, MD

The AoE Programs Committee has been working diligently to catalog the resources that currently exist at USCSOMG and Prisma to assist with faculty development and to fulfill the AoE's educational mission. Please consider adding your presentation, workshop, seminar, etc., to the library to assist us in knowing where areas of expertise exist. Submissions may be any educational or faculty development material that a faculty member would like to have peer-reviewed or shared with educators within the USCSOMG and AoE communities.

Please reach out to Sudha Garimella for more information.  

View the AoE Presentation Library (Coming soon) »

Executive Director: Alyson J. McGregor, MD, MA, FACEP, Emergency Medicine, Office for Faculty Affairs & Development

​Director: Camiron Pfennig, MD, MHPE​, Emergency Medicine

Associate Director​: Mary K. Rojek, PhD​, Office for Faculty Affairs & Development

Academic Specialist: Kathryn Hix, PhD​, Office for Faculty Affairs & Development

Members of the steering committee are appointed.

Caroline Astemborski, MD, MEHP, Emergency Medicine

Stephen Carek, MD, Family Medicine

John Emerson, MD, Family Medicine

Sudha Garimella, MD, Pediatrics 

Kathryn Hix, PhD, Office for Faculty Affairs & Development

Neha Hudepohl, MD, Psychiatry

Jonathan Markowitz, MD, MSCE, Pediatrics

Naresh Mullaguri, MD, Internal Medicine, Neurology

Alyson McGregor, MD, MA, FACEP, Emergency Medicine, Office for Faculty Affairs & Development

Thomas Nathaniel, PhD, Biomedical Sciences

Camiron Pfennig, MD, MHPE, Emergency Medicine

Kirsten Porter-Stransky, PhD, Biomedical Sciences

Mary Rojek, PhD, Office for Faculty Affairs &  Development 

Mallory Shasteen, MD, Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine

Matthew Stull, MD, FACEP, Emergency Medicine

Caroline S. Astemborski, MD, MEHP​, Emergency Medicine

Anna Blenda, PhD​, Biomedical Sciences

Jeffrey Elder, MD​, OB/GYN 

John Emerson, MD​, Family Medicine

Benjamin Griffeth, MD​, Psychiatry

Neha Hudepohl, MD​, Psychiatry

Philip E. Manley, Jr., MD​, Pediatrics

Jonathan Markowitz, MD, MSCE​ , Pediatrics

Alyson McGregor, MD, MA, FACEP, Emergency Medicine, Office for Faculty Affairs & Development

Naresh Mullaguri, MD​, Internal Medicine, Neurology

Sarah Payne-Poff, MD​, Pediatrics

Camiron Pfennig, MD, MHPE, Emergency Medicine

Mark Pittman, MD, FACEP, Emergency Medicine

Kelly Quesnelle, PhD​, Biomedical Sciences

Senthuran Ravindran, MD​, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics

Mary Rojek, PhD, Office for Faculty Affairs &  Development  

Jennifer Springhart, MD​, Emergency Medicine

Sharon Wretzel, MD, Pediatrics

Megan Zappitelli, MD​, Psychiatry 

Leaders coordinating AoE activities beyond Greenville Memorial Hospital

Baptist Easley: Mallory Shasteen, MD, Emergency Medicine, Sports Medicine      

Greer: Nadim Salman, MD, Emergency Medicine

Hillcrest/Simpsonville: Angel Rochester, MD, MBA, Emergency Medicine

Laurens: Christina Gutta, MD, Sports Medicine

North Greenville/Travelers Rest: Brittany Peacock, DO, Family Medicine

Oconee/Seneca: Valerie McClure, MD, Pediatrics

MEDRI was created to advance medical education research by providing faculty with educational opportunities, seed grants, and statistical consulting.

Director of Educational Programs: Kirsten Porter-Stransky, PhD, Biomedical Sciences

Director of Grants and Scholarships: Caroline Astemborski, MD, MEHP, Emergency Medicine

Any faculty member in good standing at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville.

No. There is no membership fee.

At the Educator membership level (which applies to most members), attend at least two AoE sponsored or endorsed activities annually.

If the program/event fits into the AoE mission, it would qualify. Please contact Dr. Garimella (Sudha.garimella@prismahealth.org) for guidance. 

Ideally, your program/event will be open to others, but participation by other departments is not required. 

The CME Application is completed to obtain accreditation for your program through AMA PRA Category 1 Credit for licensure purposes. The AoE endorsement application is separate from CME, and it enables your attendees to obtain credit toward their AoE membership. 

For more information, contact the Director, Camiron Pfennig MD, or the Associate Director, Mary Rojek, PhD.