Organized medicine has been vital to physicians in South Carolina since the earliest days of our state. In 1789, the Medical Society of South Carolina was founded in Charleston and later established the first medical school in the South, the Medical College of South Carolina, in 1824.
Recognizing that membership in “our city society” was largely limited to Charleston physicians — and desiring an organization that would represent all physicians across the state — the South Carolina Medical Association (SCMA) was founded in Charleston on February 14, 1848. James Moultrie, Jr. was elected its first president, just one year after he helped found the American Medical Association on May 7, 1847.
From its earliest days, the SCMA became integral to the medical profession in our state, evolving to meet the needs of each generation. The SCMA served as the State Board of Health from 1878 to 1968, established malpractice insurance through the Joint Underwriting Association in 1975, and launched health insurance in 1981 through the Members’ Insurance Trust. Over time, the SCMA has faithfully represented physicians at the State House — protecting both our patients and our profession.
Major malpractice reform in 2005 sparked my own personal involvement in advocacy. As a new physician in South Carolina, I rode a bus to Columbia and wore my white coat in the lobby. That experience taught me a powerful lesson: the SCMA is the vehicle through which meaningful improvements can come to pass. No single physician has the influence of an organization that represents all physicians across our entire state. Our physicians and lobbyists are well known to state leaders, and it is through these long-standing relationships that our profession is best served.
This current legislative session underscores the importance of the SCMA more than ever. With critical issues at stake — preserving physician-led healthcare and eliminating noncompete clauses for physicians — the need for unified advocacy is clear. The SCMA has coordinated hours of testimony from physicians and medical students, ensuring our voices are heard while most of us remain focused on patient care.
I continue to be impressed by the physicians across South Carolina who recognize the value of fellowship, the services provided to members, and the legislative advocacy that only the oldest — and continually evolving — organization for physicians in our state can provide. In 2024 alone, we modernized with both virtual and in-person town halls, demonstrating year-round governance directed by members from every corner of the state.
I invite you to join us at our annual meeting — once again in Charleston, just as it was 178 years ago. Come be part of our history and help guide the SCMA to a brighter future.
See you in the Holy City.
Henry F. “Fritz” Butehorn III, MD
President, South Carolina Medical Association
