MUSC announces new executive vice president for Academic Affairs and provost

CHARLESTON, S.C. (June 24, 2025) - The MUSC Board of Trustees on June 20 approved the appointment of John Marymont, M.D., MBA, a highly respected and impactful academic leader, as the next executive vice president for Academic Affairs and provost for the Medical University of South Carolina, following a national search. In this role, Marymont will serve as the chief academic officer, responsible for vision setting, strategic planning, oversight and investment for the MUSC academic enterprise. 

He is a distinguished medical school dean, academic health system executive and orthopedic surgeon whose leadership has driven transformative growth and excellence across multiple academic medical centers. He earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and a Master of Business Administration from Rice University.

“Dr. Marymont is a visionary leader whose distinguished record of advancing academic excellence, fostering innovation and driving transformative growth in academic health systems aligns perfectly with MUSC’s mission and aspirations,” said David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, president of MUSC. “His proven ability to lead complex organizations, champion educational achievement and cultivate collaborative partnerships will be invaluable as we continue to set new standards in education, research and patient care. We look forward to the impact his leadership will have on our institution, our students and the communities we serve.”

Marymont brings a deep commitment to academic medicine, passion for advancing research, broad executive experience and a successful history of building strong teams and impactful programs. He currently serves as the vice president for Medical Affairs and dean of the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine at the University of South Alabama (USA) where he led the design and fundraising for a new education and research facility, built teams that secured over $165 million for the education and research building and achieved full eight-year accreditation for the College of Medicine. During his leadership tenure at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, he launched new residency programs and innovative academic partnerships and played a pivotal role in the largest health care transition in Louisiana’s history.

In his role as vice president for Medical Affairs, Marymont oversaw the expansion of USA Health, including the acquisition of Providence Hospital, and guided the system’s growth from 3,000 to more than 7,000 employees while increasing annual net patient service revenue from $360 million to $1.3 billion. 

The planned start for Marymont is Dec. 1. He will succeed Lisa K. Saladin, PT, Ph.D., who plans to retire in August after 35 years of dedicated service to MUSC. 

Suzanne Thomas, Ph.D., associate provost for Educational Planning and Effectiveness, will serve as interim provost during the transition. Thomas is a tenured professor with appointments in the College of Medicine and College of Health Professions.

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About MUSC 

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates over 3,100 students in six colleges and trains 950+ residents and fellows across its health system. MUSC leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health and research funding. For information on our 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. In 2024, for the 10th consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health University Medical Center in Charleston the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC has a total enterprise annual operating budget of $7.1 billion. The 31,000 MUSC members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, contract employees, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.