As a student at South Aiken High School, Tiffany planned to attend a larger college and major in chemistry. He was participating in an academic team competition when Dr. Kutty Pariyadath, head of USC Aiken's chemistry department, approached him about applying. Tiffany liked what he heard, and USC Aiken ultimately awarded him a full scholarship.
"I didn't look back," Tiffany says. "USC Aiken had smaller classes; they knew who I was. I look at kids who are going to medical school now, and I still think it's amazing that I did it all. USC Aiken was responsible for that—I may have gotten lost at a bigger school."
Tiffany graduated summa cum laude from USC Aiken in 1991 with a bachelor of science in chemistry. He attended the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, graduating cum laude in 1995. After completing a three-year residency in pediatrics with Greenville Hospital System in 1998, he returned to Aiken, where he practiced with Southside Pediatrics before opening Tiffany Pediatrics in 2014.
Tiffany has a passion for working with children, having taught swim lessons and Boy Scouts as a teenager, and chose pediatrics because of his combined love for children and science. He says, "I've always taught kids, and I enjoy the science of things," he says. "Pediatrics is the perfect mix of that."
Teaching remains a fixture for Tiffany today, as he contributes a significant amount of time to work with medical students and local high school students. He serves as a clinical faculty member with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, teaching the required pediatric rotation for third- and fourth-year medical students. In addition, Tiffany's office serves as a training location for high school students studying medical-related fields within the Aiken County Public School District.
"Medicine is such an ever-evolving area, and there are so many ways to do it, whether you're an M.D., nurse, lab tech, or physician's assistant," he says. "If you want to take care of patients, and if you want to use your science skills, medicine is the place to be."
Tiffany attributes much of his career success to the faculty he studied under at USC Aiken, such as former Chancellor Robert Alexander and professors Bill Bockington, Kutty Pariyadath, Garrett Smith, and Ann Willbrand. During his college career, he was active in the science club and served on the board of a group of student leaders led by Alexander.
"I'd like to credit Dr. Alexander and Dr. Pariyadath, who showed me everything about USC Aiken. Dr. Alexander was in my wedding; that's how much he means to me," he says.
For prospective students considering a variety of schools, Tiffany emphasizes that smaller universities such as USC Aiken, offering a higher level of individual support from the faculty, can better prepare students for the rigors of the next level.
He says, "I walked into my first medical school class with 75 of the smartest people I've ever met. I was prepared to take those classes and take on that challenge. A smaller school gives you that. USC Aiken was the right choice for me."
For more information, contact Leigh Thomas, thomas29229@yahoo.com