Photo above: Retreat Parade at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina on Friday, October 15, 2021.

The Citadel and the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) are joining forces to provide enhanced health care services for members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. 

The effort will be a phased, multiyear initiative. In the first year, expanded services will include access to MUSC’s 24/7 Virtual Urgent Care platform, improved availability to clinical care and integrated imaging, and lab and pharmacy services.

Historically, members of the South Carolina Corps of Cadets received on-campus medical treatment as part of their tuition and fees. The Citadel has a robust infirmary on campus, different from other colleges, where cadets are provided primary medical care, diagnostic tests and treatments, wellness education, and inpatient care when needed. The Mary B. Murray Infirmary was one of the first buildings constructed when The Citadel moved to its current location from Marion Square in the 1920s. Since its construction, nurses and a physician employed by the college staffed the facility. Now, the infirmary will be staffed by doctors, nurses and care providers from MUSC Health.

“Some of the many benefits this affiliation provides include integrated health care access for cadets who can use the MUSC digital medical records portal to manage their care, prescriptions and appointments, and will now have 24-hour access to their medical records and appointments as well as continuing to have 24-hour access to medical care,” said The Citadel Vice President for Finance and Business, Charles Cansler. “Additionally, cadets will be treated with the latest medical technology both on campus and at other MUSC facilities as needed. And over time, upgrades will be made to the infirmary equipment, processes and the building itself.”

Cansler reported to The Citadel Board of Visitors (BOV) that as part of the new structure, MUSC Health will bill insurance providers for medical care provided and the college will cover the MUSC co-pay fees for cadets. The affiliation will also slow down cost increases to cadets for the medical services. The BOV approved the Inter-Institutional Affiliation Agreement between the two South Carolina public institutions, and The Citadel and MUSC made it official in late February.

“We are very excited to be collaborating with The Citadel to bring MUSC’s expertise in high-quality, patient-centered care to the Corps,” said Eugene Hong, M.D., MUSC Health chief physician executive. “Health care is undergoing a major transformation right now – from digitization and automation of certain services to how and when individuals access in-person care. As the needs of the community change with the times, we look forward to doing our part to help The Citadel ensure the health and well-being of the Corps.” 

The affiliation will be overseen by a Joint Operating Committee consisting of three individuals from each institution.

“The Citadel would like to thank Dr. Carey Capell, who has provided many years of service to the Corps of Cadets with great dedication as the director of the infirmary,” Cansler said. “Dr. Capell will stay on to assist with the transition to MUSC services and is expected to retire at a future date.”

Other members of the infirmary’s current staff will be integrated into the new plans for the facility or may decide to transfer to other MUSC locations.

About MUSC 

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a unique mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,000 students in six colleges – Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy – and trains more than 850 residents and fellows in its health system. MUSC brought in more than $327.6 million in research funds in fiscal year 2021, leading the state overall in research funding. MUSC also leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $220 million. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Patient care is provided at 14 hospitals with approximately 2,500 beds and five additional hospital locations in development; more than 350 telehealth sites, with connectivity to patients’ homes; and nearly 750 care locations situated in all regions of South Carolina. In 2021, for the seventh consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets totaling $4.4 billion. The nearly 25,000 MUSC team members include a world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, students, affiliates and care team members who deliver and support groundbreaking education, research and patient care.

The Citadel

The Citadel is a landmark in Charleston and South Carolina that is noted for its educational reputation as well as its rich history. Founded in 1842, The Citadel has an undergraduate student body of about 2,300 students who make up the South Carolina Corps of Cadets. Another 1,000 students attend The Citadel Graduate College, a civilian evening and online program that offers graduate and professional degrees as well as undergraduate programs.

The Citadel is best known nationally for its Corps of Cadets, which draws students from about 45 states and a dozen countries. The men and women in the Corps live and study under a classical military system that makes leadership and character development an essential part of the educational experience. The Citadel has been ranked #1 Top Public College in the South by U.S. News & World Report for eleven consecutive years.