Teal

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Dr. John Michael Teal, Jr.

On May 20th 2011, John Michael Teal Jr. of Teal’s Mill, son of Mike and Kathy Teal of Teal’s Mill, grandson of James and Betty Teal of Teal’s Mill, and grandson of Ruth Cranford Turner and the late Belvin Turner of Bennettsville, was awarded a doctorate of medicine from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston,. The ceremony was led by university president Dr. Ray Greenburg. Speaking as guest of honor was Hootie and the Blowfish lead singer and Charleston native Darius Rucker. While at medical university John excelled scholastically, scoring in the 99th percentile of both part one and part two of the national medical board exams and receiving many clinical honors during his clerkships. John also conducted research with internationally renowned psychiatrist Dr. Mark George within the field of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation or TMS as is it is knows is a therapeutic intervention which uses magnetized coils to relieve depression. Not only did John excel in scholarship, but also in service. As a third year student, John volunteered in Cares Clinic and Harvest Hope, two free medical clinics designed to provide medical care for uninsured patients in the greater Charleston area. Also as a third year student, John created the Medical Student Business Association, a first of its kind organization designed to raise awareness of business issues within the practice of medicine.

After graduation John will begin his psychiatry residency training at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston Massachusetts. For the last 15 years MGH has been ranked as US News and World Report’s number one psychiatric Hospital in the country. John credits his days spent in David Evan’s biology classes at Cheraw High School for beginning his interest in science which he carried on through the University of South Carolina and later medical school. After completion of his psychiatry residency John hopes to return south and begin practicing psychiatry at a large, academic medial center.