COMMUNITY PROFILES
State-of-the-art healthcare services and facilities are anchored by leading hospitals and medical centers that are strategically located throughout the metropolitan area. More than 2,000 physicians and nearly a dozen major medical facilities underline the strong dedication to medical research as well as advanced diagnostics and treatment. Charleston is also home to a vital health and wellness community that includes alternative therapies, yoga and exercise centers, and a college for massage therapy. Three nationally recognized hospital systems lead a network of medical centers and specialized care centers that are among the finest in the nation. The Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital, for example, is acclaimed as one of the nation’s best and offers a wide range of pediatric sub-specialists. Charleston also claims the only designated Level I Trauma center in coastal South Carolina and emergency helicopter and fixed-wing airplane transport services. Other highlights include highly advanced cancer care, the state’s most complete line of cardiac and vascular services, and the only center in the state that performs a complete range of transplantations.
Newcomers to Charleston will be impressed by the quality of the educational system, with public and private schools on every academic level. From preschool through graduate school, this region offers easy access to well-managed learning environments that include industrial training and continuing education. Even the public school districts offer a number of options that include magnet schools, charter schools, college prep programs, vocational training, and career pathways. Each one of the schools districts that serves this region is distinguished through achievements and awards, including mention in Money magazine as of the nation’s Top 100 School Districts. More than a dozen college campuses, both public and private, dot the region with opportunities for higher education, from engineering to the arts. A number of these colleges and universities are consistently ranked among the finest in the nation by influential and respected guides like Peterson’s and US News & World Report.
