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USC's peds department honors Ector for service MUSC’s Walton Ector, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics, was presented the William Weston Distinguished Service Award for Excellence in Pediatrics on Oct. 26.    The award, which was established in 1980 by the Department of Pediatrics, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, is given annually to the pediatrician “whose life best exemplifies the ideals of professional excellence, dedication and service to the children of South Carolina.” USC’s William Weston Professor and chairman of pediatrics C. Warren Derrick Jr., M.D., presented the award.   A 1952 graduate of the then Medical College of South Carolina, Ector and two colleagues began the first pediatric group practice in Charleston in 1956 after completing a one-year internship at Roper Hospital, and a two-year pediatric residency and a teaching fellowship at the Medical College. After 35 years in practice, Ector was attracted back to academics as associate professor of pediatrics and director of the Pediatric Continuity Clinic at MUSC.    A year later, he was named director of the Residency Program and presented the Outstanding Resident Teaching Award in 1992.   Through the years, Ector has been an active contributor to the local community and the medical community at large as past president of the Charleston County Medical Society and co-chairman of the society’s Community Service Committee and president of the Alumni Association at MUSC. He is an elder at James Island Presbyterian Church and past president of the St. Andrew’s Rotary Club.   Nationally, Ector has served on the American Academy of Pediatrics' Red Book Committee, as a participant of the 1983 NIH Reye's Syndrome Panel, and as a member of the American Board of Pediatrics Examination Committee from 1987 to 1996.   In honor of his career, the South Carolina Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics presented him with the 1992 Career Achievement Award. The MUSC Department of Pediatrics established the Walt Ector Award in 1996 to recognize pediatric faculty members at MUSC who had distinguished themselves in the field of medicine. Last year he was honored at MUSC with the 2000 Distinguished Alumni Award.    Ector retired last year concluding a 44-year career as clinician and medical educator.