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Office of Microcredentials

Turning health sciences expertise into skills that move people, organizations and communities forward.

For more than 200 years, MUSC has advanced health sciences education, research and patient care. Today, it's building on that legacy by expanding access to high-quality, focused learning opportunities that strengthen the health sciences workforce in South Carolina and beyond through the Office of Microcredentials. As the enterprise's central office for microcredential development, administration and marketing, we bring together faculty, industry partners and institutional resources to develop programs that address critical skill gaps, respond to emerging workforce demands and support lifelong professional growth. Whether you're looking to share your expertise, develop your workforce or advance your career, we're here to connect you with opportunities that equip people with the skills to succeed, empower organizations to thrive and strengthen the communities they serve.

And we're just getting started. As we continue building MUSC's microcredential portfolio, you'll discover new learning opportunities, innovative collaborations and programs shaped by the evolving needs of the health sciences workforce.

Our Team

Meet the people who help turn your ideas into opportunities, connecting you with the guidance, expertise and resources to bring high-quality microcredentials to life.

Mack H. Altman III, MSDA

Assistant Provost for Strategic Initiatives & Communications University Digital Strategy Officer Executive Director, Office of Microcredentials

Mack H. Altman III, MSDA, serves as assistant provost for Strategic Initiatives & Communications at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). In this role, he leads complex, high-impact initiatives that advance the priorities of the Provost and strengthen alignment across MUSC's academic enterprise. His work brings together executive coordination, stakeholder engagement, digital strategy, communications, marketing and operational discipline to help move strategic priorities from concept to implementation.

Altman has been charged with establishing MUSC's Office of Microcredentials, a university-level effort designed to expand access to flexible, workforce-aligned learning opportunities. Through this work, he is helping build the structure, standards, partnerships, and institutional coordination needed to support high-quality microcredential programs that respond to emerging needs across South Carolina's health sciences workforce. His approach reflects a commitment to connecting academic expertise with practical skill development in ways that serve learners, faculty, employers, and the communities MUSC supports.

Before advancing into higher education administration, Altman built more than two decades of experience in digital consulting, web development, technology strategy, data analytics, business development, and project management. His industry background includes founding and leading digital ventures, consulting with organizations on web and brand strategy, developing technology systems, guiding vendor relationships, and translating complex operational challenges into clear, actionable plans. That experience continues to shape his work at MUSC, where he focuses on building systems that improve access, usability, coordination, and long-term institutional effectiveness.

Altman holds a Master of Science in Data Analytics from Western Governors University and is pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration in Strategy & Innovation from Capella University. His academic and professional interests center on the ways strategy, technology, data, and communication can help academic health sciences institutions adapt to changing workforce needs while improving the learner's experience.

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Microcredential Advisory Committee

Bringing together expertise from across the enterprise, our committee helps shape a portfolio grounded in academic excellence, workforce relevance and meaningful collaboration.

Professional Portrait

Ronnie Chatterjee, MPH

Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness Assistant Professor, Academic Affairs Faculty

Ragan DuBose-Morris, Ph.D.

Professor, MUSC College of Health Professions Director of Education & Information Technology

Ragan DuBose-Morris, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor at MUSC and the Director of Telehealth Education at the Center for Telehealth, where she is responsible for implementing telehealth services through virtual, distance and in-person systems while developing educational programs for healthcare students and professionals. Her career has focused on the development of curriculum for students, providers, administrators, community members and policy makers through accessible training tailored to address provider adoption, technology deployment and public policy implementation. Dr. DuBose-Morris oversees the creation of content drawing upon the team of clinical, technical, research and educational experts gathered within the MUSC Center for Telehealth and leveraging technical resources across state and national networks. She consults with programs looking to replicate curriculum development and training processes while helping to model programs that boost provider adoption. Learning outcomes and impacts are tracked, measured and reported in collaboration with all outreach activities. She draws on her extensive experience and work on grants and innovation initiatives to lead the cross-cutting team responsible for telehealth education collaboration.

Lindsey Fuller

Educational Technology Consultant

Lindsey Hamil

Assistant Dean of Student Success and Associate Professor
hamillm@musc.edu
BSB Floor 4, Room 437

Donna Kern, M.D.

Associate Dean for Professional Identity Formation Assistant Dean for Patient Safety and Simulation Associate Professor, Family Medicine

Dr. Kern serves as the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education with oversight of curriculum and assessment, program evaluation, quality improvement and accreditation, student affairs and admissions at the Charleston and AnMed medical school campuses. She also serves as the Assistant Dean for Patient Safety and Simulation with administrative oversight of the MUSC Health Care Simulation Center and the Center for Clinical Assessment and Teaching (CCAT). With 25 years of experience in medical student and interprofessional education, Dr. Kern has a strong interest in education innovation, education governance and the use of AI in teaching, learning and precision medical education.

Rachel Penrod-Martin, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean, Academic Affairs, College of Graduate Studies Director, Mouse Behavioral Phenotyping Core Associate Professor, Department of Neuroscience

Kristen McDaniel Posten, DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CHSE

Associate Professor & Associate Dean for Academics, College of Nursing

Dr. Kristen Poston is an Assistant Professor and the Associate Dean for Academics in the College of Nursing (CON) at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). She earned her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science from the University of South Carolina, and her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, her Master of Science in Nursing, and her Doctor of Nursing Practice from MUSC.

Dr. Poston has been a faculty member at the CON since 2017. Prior to serving as the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Programs, she was the Lead Faculty for Undergraduate Programs. She is a certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and a Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE). She spent her time as a Registered Nurse working in neurology and neurosurgery at MUSC, and has extensive experience as a FNP in urgent care and rural health. In addition to her roles at the CON, Dr. Poston has served as the President of the South Carolina Nursing Education Simulation Alliance and on the Board of Directors of the South Carolina Nurses Foundation.

Alex Walters, EdD

Instructional Design Manager, Instructional Design & Technology Team

Frequently Asked Questions

A microcredential is a short, focused learning credential that verifies specific knowledge or skills you have demonstrated through assessment. Unlike a traditional degree, which provides a comprehensive education across a broader field of study, a microcredential concentrates on defined competencies you can develop for your career.

Academic certificates typically require a longer commitment, often consisting of three to six courses focused on a particular subject or professional field. Microcredentials, by comparison, generally involve fewer courses or shorter learning experiences, allowing you to develop targeted skills in less time.

At MUSC, microcredentials offer opportunities to expand your expertise, explore new career pathways, or respond to evolving workforce needs. They may carry academic credit or be offered without credit, depending on the program.

A microcredential recognizes the specific knowledge or skills you have demonstrated, while a digital badge serves as its electronic representation.

When you successfully complete a microcredential program, you receive a digital badge that you can share on professional networking platforms, include on your resume or add to your email signature. Your badge provides verifiable information about your achievement, which including the competencies you demonstrated, completion requirements and issuing institution.

Together, your microcredential and digital badge allow you to communicate your accomplishments to employers, colleagues and professional networks.

Yes, an MUSC microcredential may count toward an academic degree when it includes approved academic credit.

Some MUSC microcredentials may be designed as part of a stackable learning pathway, allowing you to build on previously completed learning. However, not every microcredential awards academic credit or applies toward a degree.

If you plan to pursue additional education, review the academic credit and degree applicability information for your chosen program. You should also consult the appropriate academic program to understand how your completed coursework may apply toward future study.

MUSC microcredential programs are designed to make high-quality health sciences education accessible to a broad range of learners, including working professionals, students, alumni and individuals with no previous affiliation with MUSC.

Whether you're looking to advance your career, develop new skills, explore a different professional path or pursue a personal interest, you can find learning opportunities that support your goals.

Each microcredential program has its own eligibility requirements and prerequisites. You can find details about who can enroll and how to get started on each program's webpage. Credit-bearing programs may also require admission to MUSC as a degree-seeking or non-degree-seeking student.

Explore MUSC's microcredential programs to discover opportunities that align with your interests and aspirations.

MUSC faculty can propose new microcredential programs by submitting an application to the Office of Microcredentials. Whether you want to share your expertise, address an emerging workforce need or expand an existing educational offering, you can develop a program individually or collaborate with colleagues across disciplines.

Your proposed program must have the support of an MUSC sponsoring unit and meet the university's academic and institutional requirements. The Office of Microcredentials will guide you through the application, review and approval process.

If you have an idea but aren't sure where to begin, you don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Contact the Office of Microcredentials to explore your idea and learn how to get started.

Start by contacting the MUSC Office of Microcredentials. You do not need a completed curriculum or fully developed proposal to begin the conversation.

Share your idea, the audience you hope to reach and the knowledge or skills you want learners to gain. Your idea might come from an emerging professional need, an existing educational activity or an opportunity to share your expertise with a broader audience.

The Office of Microcredentials can help you evaluate your idea, understand program requirements and identify the resources needed to move forward.

Ready to explore your idea? Contact microcredentials@musc.edu to start the conversation.