Dr. Eason hopes to inspire students

Eric A. Eason, M.D. grew up in Charleston on James Island and was in 10th grade when his best friend’s dad invited him to the “Saturday Scholars” program at MUSC. That nationally-recognized program offered high school students hands-on biomedical laboratory experiences and was paired with other pre-college initiatives supported by the NIH. Eason credits this exposure, and particularly the forensic pathology lecture, as the inspiration for his lifetime work.

After completing his undergraduate studies at Clemson University, he graduated from the MUSC College of Medicine in 1998 and went on to complete a residency in pathology at MUSC in 2003 and a forensic pathology fellowship at Emory University in 2004.

He practiced as a medical examiner with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation until 2013 and is now assistant medical examiner in the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, where he specializes in sudden unexplained deaths of children. He has most recently worked on a book project with the National Association of Medical Examiners and the American Academy of Pediatrics, funded by the SUDC Foundation, reviewing how they examine child deaths.

Eason hopes to inspire others to pursue his specialty by leaving a legacy to the College of Medicine. “For someone who conducts post-mortem exams, I thought it only fitting that I provide post-mortem support,” he adds with a smile.