AREA (Accountability, Respect, Excellence Applause) awards were given to employees who have gone above and beyond their job description and have demonstrated actions exemplary to the mission, visions and values of the Medical Center and Medical University.

Employees received a $50 gift certificate to either Citadel or Northwoods mall. The employees were the following:

• Ray Bogert, University Transportation: Bogert demonstrated thoughtfulness and pride in his work when he saw a lady running for the bus. Instead of leaving her and making her late for work, Bogert waited for her.
• J. Brian Byrd, CDAP Psychiatry: Byrd goes out of his way to make patients feel welcome and taken care of. He checks on patients even when he is not working.
• Iola Powell, Accounts Payable: Powell demonstrated great initiative and went above and beyond the scope of her job duties.
• Richard Robinson, Physical Plant: Robinson was extremely helpful in moving two of the digestive disease central SRCP rooms in radiology. He was efficient and responsible and took pride in getting his job done creatively and efficiently.
• Paula Seelbinder, Enrollment Services: Seelbinder demonstrated a cheerful, cooperative and helpful attitude in a stressful, frantic environment.
• Sylvia Crews, 10East: Crews was recognized for going out of her way to accommodate a patient. She took a patient's clothes to her own home and washed them since the patient's family was from out of town and unable to. Crews also offered to wash the patient's clothes weekly until the patient was discharged.
• Eric Larson and Alan Phillips, Meducare: Larson and Phillips arranged for an MUSC ambulance to be at the Reindeer Run on Kiawah Island. As a result of being there, when a runner suffered a cardiac arrest they were able to successfully resuscitate the runner on the scene through their quick and professional actions.
• Georgette “Gigi” Smith, Clinical Neurophysiology Services: Smith was recognized by a patient's parents for going the extra mile in arranging for the special needs of the patient as they were trying to come from Utah to MUSC for a consultation. Smith spent numerous hours, many after work hours due to the time difference, to coordinate many different arrangements. They expressed that without Smith their trip would have been unbearable.