The South Carolina Medical Association (SCMA) recently awarded its Physician of the Year Award to respected Florence, S.C. physician Stephen A. Imbeau, MD. Presented on April 29 at the association’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Myrtle Beach, Imbeau was chosen for his pure dedication to those around him and unparalleled service to the practice of medicine.

“I am greatly honored and humbled by this important tribute from my peers at the South Carolina Medical Association,” says Imbeau.

Dr. Imbeau joined the SCMA Board of Trustees in 1986 and led the board as president in 1999. Imbeau was also a long-time member of the South Carolina delegation to the American Medical Association (AMA). He served as chair of the delegation from 2007 to 2015, and also served as chair of the Southeastern delegation to AMA, its largest regional section. In addition, Imbeau served as chair of the AMA American Medical Political Action Committee for two years.

His commitment to service extends beyond medicine, as he has also generously served organizations like the American Lung Association, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America, the Florence Symphony Orchestra, and Florence Chamber of Commerce.

Joseph D. Hoyle, MD, who nominated Imbeau on behalf of the Florence County Medical Society, explains, “Dr. Imbeau is a role model for me because he invests in his patients, community, and colleagues without expecting a reward. Together with his wife Shirley and their children’s families, they have been a faithful source of goodness for Florence and all of South Carolina.”

Dr. Imbeau is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and specializes in allergy and immunology. He received his medical degree from University of California (San Francisco) School of Medicine. He began practicing in Florence, S.C. in March 1980 and is also a published author and columnist.

The South Carolina Medical Association was founded in 1848 and is the premier organization for South Carolina physicians, encompassing physicians of every specialty and geographic location across the state. As “The Voice of Health Care,” its purpose is to improve the health of South Carolinians through our support of South Carolina physicians.