our faculty

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Patrick Hunt, MD, MBA, Chairman

Year of appointment: 1999


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands,
Class of 1999


Medical School: University of North Carolina, Class of 1996

Dr. Hunt was born in Fort Sill, Oklahoma.  He received his bachelor's degree from  North Carolina State University and attended the University of North Carolina for medical school. He also received his MBA from Duke University in 2005.

In 2021 he became the department chairman. He lives in Columbia. with his family and enjoys golf, fishing, and snow skiing. 

 

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Thomas Cook, MD
Program Director


Year of appointment: 1996


EM Residency: Darnall Army Hospital, Class of 1993


Medical School: University of Virginia, Class of 1990

Dr. Cook came to Prisma Health after leaving the Army Medical Corp in 1996.  Born in El Paso, Texas, he was raised in Northern Virginia and received his bachelor's degree from the College of William and Mary and attended the University of Virginia for Medical School. He trained in emergency medicine residency at Fort Hood, Texas.

After leaving the army in 1996 he joined the emergency department staff at Prisma Health where he initially developed the emergency ultrasound curriculum.

In 2001 he became program director.  He lives with his family on Lake Murray in Lexington.  He enjoys international travel, boating, and putzing around in his garden.

Stanley Hassigner, MD 

Associate Program Director

Year of appointment: 2014


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands,
Class of 2014


Medical School: University of North Carolina, Class of 2011

Dr. Hassinger was born in North Carolina. He received his bachelor's degree from North Carolina State and his medical degree from the University of North Carolina. He matriculated into the emergency medicine residency at Prisma Health and graduated from our program in 2014.  He joined our staff as faculty after graduation. In 2015, he became an associate program director.

Dr. Hassinger is the co-director of the Wilderness Medicine rotation.

He lives in Columbia with his family and enjoys sailing, hiking, and mountain climbing.

Joshua Skaggs, MD

Associate Program Director

Year of appointment: 2015 


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands,
Class of 2013


Medical School: University of South Carolina, Class of 2010

Dr. Skaggs grew up in Ethiopia and Malawi and later moved to the US to pursue his education, going to the University of South Carolina for both undergraduate and medical school. He trained in emergency medicine at Prisma Health Midlands, serving as chief resident during his senior year. After residency, he completed an MPH at Johns Hopkins, focusing on International Health and Tropical Medicine.

In 2021, he became an associate program director.

He enjoys travel, snowboarding, rugby, and wasting time on the hobby farm.

Daniel Baker, MD

Assistant Clerkship Director

Year of appointment: 2021


EM Residency:   Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2019


Medical School: Medical University of South Carolina

Fellowship: Prisma Health Midlands, Global Health, 2021

Dr. Baker joined the faculty in 2021 after completing our global health fellowship. He is the Assistant Clerkship Director for medical student education.

He lives in Columbia with his family. 

Amy Bloch, MD

Year of appointment: 2014


EM Residency:   SUNY UPSTATE, Class of 2008 


Medical School: University of Missouri  Class of 2005

Fellowship:     Medical College of Georgia, Emergency Ultrasound, Class of 2009

Dr. A. Bloch is from Lower Burrell, PA. She completed her undergraduate at Indiana University and attended the University of Missouri for medical school. 

She completed residency training at SUNY Upstate Medical University and an EM Ultrasound fellowship at the Medical College of Georgia. 

She served as assistant ultrasound director at MCG and then as director of Emergency Ultrasound for Carolina Health Specialists in Myrtle Beach, SC before joining the group in 2014. 

She lives with her husband and 2 children and enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and golfing.

Scott Bloch, MD

Director, Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Year of appointment: 2014


EM Residency:   SUNY UPSTATE, Class of 2008 


Medical School: University of Missouri  Class of 2005

Fellowship:     Medical College of Georgia, Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Class of 2010

Dr. Bloch is from Brackenridge, PA. He completed his undergraduate at Indiana University and attended the University of Missouri for medical school. 

He completed residency training at SUNY Upstate Medical University and a fellowship in Pediatric Emergency Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. In 2021 he became the director for pediatric emergency medicine.

He lives with his wife and 2 children and enjoys spending time with family, traveling, music, and golf.  

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Eric Brown, MD

Year of appointment: 2003


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands Class of 2003


Medical School: Boston University
Class of 2000

Dr. Brown joined the faculty after graduating from our residency in 2003.  He grew up in Cleveland, Ohio before attending Duke University for his undergraduate degree.  He completed medical school at Boston University.

He lives with wife and family in Columbia.  In his free time, he enjoys golf and live music.

Heather Brown, MD, MPH  

Director, Global Health Fellowship 

Year of appointment: 2014


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands,
Class of 2011

Medical School: University of South Carolina, Class of 2008

Fellowship: The George Washington University, Global Health, 2013

Dr. Brown joined our faculty in 2013. She was born in Anderson, South Carolina, and received her undergraduate degree from Clemson University and her medical degree from the University of South Carolina.

She entered our training program in 2008 and spent considerable time working on global health missions.

After graduation, she entered the international medicine fellowship at George Washington University. 

Upon completing her fellowship she returned to Columbia with her husband to become the first director for our global health fellowship.

Ashley Davis, MD

Year of appointment: 2014


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands Class of 2014


Medical School: University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Class of 2011

 

Dr. Davis joined our faculty in 2014 after serving as chief resident for the program.  

She lives with her family in Columbia.

Danielle Davis, MD

Year of appointment: 2010


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands Class of 2008


Medical School: University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Class of 2005

 

Dr. Davis joined our faculty in 2010.  She was born and raised in Orangeburg, South Carolina, and received both her undergraduate and medical school degrees from the University of South Carolina.

She entered our training program in 2005 and was a chief resident during her senior year of training.

She has been involved in international medicine. As a senior resident, she traveled to Kenya on a medical mission and has been on other trips to Africa and South America. 

She lives with her family in Columbia.

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David Ford, MD

Year of appointment: 1993


EM Residency: Albany Medical Center, Class of 1993


Medical School: Albany Medical College, Class of 1989

Dr. David Ford was born in Orange, New Jersey.  He received his undergraduate degree from Houghton College in western New York before attending Albany Medical School.

He completed his residency training in emergency medicine at the Albany Medical Center and then joined our faculty in 1993.

He lives with his family in Columbia.  In his free time, he enjoys golf.

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Chris Gainey, MD 

Vice Chair for Quality

Clerkship Director

Director, Simulation Fellowship

Year of appointment: 2017

EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2015

Medical School: University of South Carolina, Class of 2012

Fellowships: EMS and Simulation Medicine, Prisma Health Midlands, 2015-2017

Dr. Gainey is a native of South Carolina.  He received his undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of South Carolina.

He trained in emergency medicine at Palmetto Health Richland.

After residency, he completed fellowships in both Simulation Medicine- Faculty Development and EMS simultaneously.

Dr. Gainey is the medical director for the Prisma Health - USC School of Medicine Simulation Center. He is also the director of the Simulation Medicine Fellowship.

In 2019, Dr. Gainey assumed the role of Director of Medical Student Education and serves as the clerkship director for our M-3 and M-4 EM, Peds EM, and Sim-EM rotations.  

He is Vice Chair for Quality of the Department leading our QI/PI efforts.

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Gary Hals, MD, PhD

Year of appointment: 1997


EM Residency: University of Cincinnati, Class of 1997


Medical School: Southwestern Med School, Class of 1993

Dr. Hals joined the program as a faculty member in 1997.  He received his undergraduate degree from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, and a Ph.D. from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.

He went to Medical School at the University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas and trained in emergency medicine at the University of Cincinnati.

He lives on Lake Murray with his family and enjoys boating, wakeboarding, SCUBA, visiting our national parks, and international travel.

Luke Hardison, DO, MPH

Year of appointment: 2014

EM Residency: Charleston Area Medical Center (West Virginia), class of 2012

Medical School: University of Kansas City School of Medicine, Class of 2008

Fellowship: University of Virginia, Toxicology, class of 2014

Dr. Hardison was born in Beaufort, South Carolina. He completed his undergraduate degree at the Citadel. He received a Masters of Public Health from the University of South Carolina before matriculating into the University of Kansas City School of Medicine.

He completed a toxicology fellowship at the University of Virginia in 2014 before moving to Columbia with his family.

 

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Allison Harvey, MD

Year of appointment: 1998


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands,
Class of 1998


Medical School: University of Florida, Class of 1995

Dr. Harvey is a native Floridian who received both her bachelor's and medical degrees from the University of Florida.  She matriculated into the emergency medicine residency at Prisma Health Midlands and graduated from our program in 1997. 

She is the director for our Sexual Assualt Nurse Examiner (SANE) program and is active in advocacy for emergency medicine through our state chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians.  She is also a past president of this organization.

Zachary Hunter, MD

Assistant Director - Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Year of appointment: 2023


EM Residency:   Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2021

Fellowship: Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Wake Forest University


Medical School: Marshall University

Dr. Hunter joined the faculty in 2023 after completing our pediatric emergency mediicne fellowship. He is the Assistant Director for Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

He lives in Columbia with his family. 

Courtney Lane, DO

Year of appointment: 2021

EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2014


Medical School: VCOM Virginia

 

Dr. Lane worked for several years in clinical practice before joining the program as a faculty member in 2021. She trained in emergency medicine at Prisma Health Richland and graduated in 2014.

She lives in Columbia with her husband, who is a critical care specialist at Prisma Health Richland.

James Lloyd, MD

Year of appointment: 1997

EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 1997


Medical School: Medical University of SC, Class of 1991

Dr. Lloyd was born in Sumter, South Carolina.  He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina and attended the Medical University of South Carolina for medical school.

He initially completed his residency training in pediatrics at Palmetto Health.  He then completed a second residency in emergency medicine in our program before joining the faculty in 1997.

He lives in Lexington with his family and enjoys soccer.

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Joseph Myslinski, MD

Year of appointment: 1991


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands,
Class of 1988


Medical School: Baylor School of Medicine, Class of 1985

Dr. Myslinski was born in Japan.  He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts and attended medical school at Baylor University in Houston.

He trained in emergency medicine at Prisma Health Midlands and joined the faculty in 1992.  From 1995 to 2001 he was the residency program director.

Laura Nolting, MD

ED Medical Director

Director, Emergency Ultrasound Fellowship

Year of appointment: 2011


EM Ultrasound Fellowship: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2011

EM Residency: Wright State University
Class of 2010

Medical School: Wright State University, Class of 2007

Dr. Nolting completed the emergency ultrasound fellowship at Prisma Health in 2011 and joined our staff.

She was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and went to Xavier University for her undergraduate degree before attending Wright State University for both medical school and residency. 

In 2016, Dr. Nolting became the Ultrasound Director and the Program Director of the Ultrasound Fellowship in 2017. 

She lives in Columbia with her husband, 2 boys, and dog Walter. In what little free time she has, she enjoys watching her boys play baseball and soccer and is a die-hard Xavier Musketeers fan. 

Chet Patel, MD

Year of appointment: 2018

EM Ultrasound Fellowship: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2019

EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands
Class of 2018

Medical School: University of Chicago, Class of 2011

Chet is from Illinois and started his residency training in neurosurgery. However, he finally saw the light and switched to emergency medicine.

He stayed in Columbia after graduation to complete a fellowship in emergency ultrasound and joined our staff in 2019.

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Troy Privette, MD
Vice-Chair for Operations

Year of appointment:1997


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 1997


Medical School: University of South Carolina, Class of 1993

Dr. Privette joined the program after completing his residency at Prisma Health in 1997.  He grew up in South Carolina received both his bachelor's degree and medical degree from the University of South Carolina.

During his senior year in residency, he was chief resident.  He became the Associate Program Director in 2004.

He lives with his family at Lake Murray and is an avid golfer and diehard Gamecocks fan. 

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William Richardson, MD

Director, Palmetto Poison Center

Year of appointment: 2004


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2002


Medical School: Medical University of SC, Class of 1998


Toxicology Fellowship: UCSD 2004

Dr. Richardson is a native South Carolinian who attended Clemson University for his undergraduate degree and the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston for medical school.

He matriculated into the emergency medicine residency at Prisma Health Midlands in 1999 and served as chief resident in 2001-2002.

After graduation from residency, he moved to San Diego, California, and completed a toxicology fellowship at the University of California at San Diego in 2004.

He returned to Columbia after completing his fellowship to join our staff and become the director for the Palmetto Poison Center.

Steve Ridley, MD

Year of appointment: 2011


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2004


Medical School: University of South Carolina, Class of 2001

Dr. Ridley is a graduate of the Prisma HealthMidlands.

He lives in Columbia with his wife and children.

Spencer Robinson, DO

Director, EMS Fellowship

Year of appointment: 2013

EMS Fellowship: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2013

EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2012

Medical School:  Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine

Dr. Robinson was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas and his medical degree from the Kentucky College of Osteopathic Medicine.

After residency, Dr. Robinson matriculated into the Prisma Health EMS fellowship. He graduated from this program in 2013.

He currently serves as the EMS medical director for Kershaw County in South Carolina, Air Care Aeromedical EMS, and is the Associate Medical Director for Richland County EMS. 

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Steve Shelton, MD

Year of appointment: 1991


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands,
Class of 1994


Medical School: East Carolina University, Class of 1991

Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Dr. Shelton received his undergraduate degree from Pfeiffer College and his medical degree from East Carolina University. 

He is the medical director for Emergency Disaster & Management for Prisma Health Midlands and the Tactical Medical Officer for the Special Response Team of the Richland County Sheriff's office.

Amanda Stratton, MD

Year of appointment: 2023


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands,
Class of 2020

Global Health Fellowship: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2022


Medical School: Marshall University, Class of 2017

Dr. Stratton received her medical degree from Marshall University in West Virginia. She received her undergraduate degree from West Virginia University. 

Dr. Stratton has a strong interest in Global Health and completed her fellowship training in Global Health at Prisma Health Richland in 2022.

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Jay Taylor, MD

Year of appointment: 1991


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 1991


Medical School: East Carolina University, Class of 1987

Born in Kingston, North Carolina, Dr. Taylor received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981.  He attended medical school at East Carolina University.

Dr. Taylor developed the personal finance curriculum for our residency program and is an editor for several medical publications.

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Michael Wade, MD

Year of appointment: 2022


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands. Class of 2021

EMS Fellowship: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2022


Medical School: University of South Carolina, Class of 2018

Dr. Turner was born and raised in South Carolina.  He received his undergraduate degree at the at Clemson and stayed on with our program after residency to complete an EMS fellowship.

 

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Michael Wade, MD

Year of appointment: 1991


EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands. Class of 1991


Medical School: Medical University of SC, Class of 1986

Dr. Wade was born in Oklahoma City but was raised in South Carolina.  He received his undergraduate degree at the University of South Carolina and his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

He lives on Lake Murray with his family and enjoys boating and golf.

Derick Wenning, MD FACEP

Year of appointment: 2013


Pediatric EM Fellowship: Wake Forest University, Class of 2013

EM Residency: Prisma Health Midlands, Class of 2011

Medical School: Medical Louisiana State University at Shreveport, Class of 2008

 

Dr. Wenning was born in Metairie, Louisiana.  He received his undergraduate degree at the Northwestern State University of Louisiana and his medical degree from Louisiana State University School of Medicine at Shreveport.

He trained in emergency medicine at Prisma Health Midlands and then completed a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at Wake Forest University.