March 12, 2025
White Coats Converge at the State House for SCMA Physician's Day Event
Nina Jackson, VP Communications and Marketing
njackson@scmedical.org
(803) 237-3148
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
White Coats Converge at the State House for SCMA Physician’s Day Event
Columbia, S.C. – More than 100 physicians, residents and medical students donned white coats at the SC State House Wednesday morning for the South Carolina Medical Association’s annual Physician’s Day event. The SCMA is a state-level membership association for all South Carolina physicians, regardless of specialty or practice setting.
The SCMA advocacy team, led by Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy Counsel Holly Pisarik, set up meetings with both House and Senate members for physicians to provide critical feedback about the impact of current healthcare legislation — and its unintended consequences — on patient care.
Dominating the conversation was the importance of physician-led healthcare and the essential role of unparalleled physician education and training on a healthcare team. Proposed legislation from Senator Tom Davis (SB44 and SB45) would eliminate physician-led healthcare in South Carolina, allowing nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) to practice independently, dramatically changing the way healthcare is delivered in South Carolina to the detriment of patient safety.
“Physicians have always known how to study hard, how to work hard. This Physician’s Day at the State House was especially exciting because the large turnout of physicians and medical students shows we’ve learned to advocate with that same passion,” explained M. Mayes DuBose, M.D., president of the South Carolina Medical Association. “It was a true cross-section of South Carolina physicians at all levels of training.”
DuBose continued, “Both patients and physicians in our state are unhappy with the current trajectory of our healthcare system, and our overwhelming presence today indicates our commitment to being part of the course correction. At the heart of today was our passion for caring for our patients and protecting them from potentially harmful legislation.”
Data-driven facts about physician-led care can be accessed through the SCMA Myths vs. Facts sheet, or learn more details at scmedical.org/protectpatients
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About South Carolina Medical Association
Founded in 1848, the South Carolina Medical Association is the premier organization for South Carolina physicians of every specialty and geographic location across the state. Its purpose is to advocate for quality medical care and good health on behalf of the citizens of South Carolina and to represent the physician voice — regardless of their practice setting.
