System News

Three distinguished physicians were honored Tuesday evening with St. Luke Lifetime Physician Achievement Awards, recognizing their exemplary personal and professional contributions, as well as their decades of dedicated service to patients.

The recipients are Dr. Katherine Minnick, Dr. Angus Baker and Dr. Stanley Wilson.

The award is named for St. Luke, known as the “beloved physician” in his community. These honorees have earned that same distinction in their own communities through their compassionate care and lasting impact. The award celebrates the humanitarian spirit of St. Luke and honors physicians who embody Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s mission: “Healing all people with compassion, faith and excellence.”

DR. KATHERINE MINNICK

Dr. Katherine Minnick began her career in infectious disease in Charleston in the late 1990s, consulting for Roper St. Francis Healthcare. Her early work was shaped by the AIDS/HIV epidemic of the 1980s and ’90s, during which she provided compassionate care to patients living with and dying from the disease. She later became a primary care provider for a large panel of HIV-positive patients.

In 2014, she became medical director of the Roper St. Francis Health Services Center, formerly known as the Ryan White Wellness Center, dedicating the remainder of her career to outpatient HIV care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she guided the clinic with grace and resolve.

Dr. Minnick exemplified the spirit of St. Luke — a fierce advocate for her patients, a dedicated mentor to colleagues and a physician whose work truly reflects the Roper St. Francis Healthcare mission.

DR. ANGUS BAKER

A Charleston native and descendant of local physicians, Dr. Angus Baker attended Davidson College and completed his residency at Vanderbilt University. He spent his entire career at Roper St. Francis Healthcare hospitals, where he played a pivotal role in advancing care.

Dr. Baker founded the former Baker Sanitorium, which later became Baker Hospital, which was part of Roper St. Francis Healthcare. He also helped launch a multispecialty medical group, led the cancer program and its multidisciplinary conferences and operated his own practice. Known for his thoughtful and humanistic approach to complex medical problems, Dr. Baker has been a devoted advocate for hospice and palliative care, and worked closely with the American Cancer Society.

He served as a mentor and role model to many and has long contributed his expertise as a member of the Roper St. Francis Ethics Committee.

DR. STANLEY WILSON

Dr. Stanley Wilson has served as a member of the Roper St. Francis Healthcare medical staff for more than 40 years. Over the decades, he has held numerous leadership roles, including Chair of Surgery, Chair of Bloodless Medicine and President of the Medical Staff. He has also been a driving force in the cancer program since 1990.

Dr. Wilson was named a Physicians Champion by the RSFH Foundation and served as President of both the Medical Society of South Carolina and the South Carolina Chapter of the American College of Surgeons. Since 2016, he has served as Vice President for Medical Affairs at Roper St. Francis Healthcare.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dr. Wilson is an elder and longtime choir member at Mount Pleasant Presbyterian Church. He is beloved by his patients and widely admired for his excellent bedside manner.

One of his favorite pieces of advice for new providers came early in his career from Dr. Frank Gruber, a senior radiologist:

“Nobody teaches style in medical school. Dr. Gruber told me not to wear plaids and stripes together, and that I should opt for a dark blue coat. I was basically insulted — but I also thought, ‘That’s pretty good advice.’”

PHOTOS FROM THE MEDICAL STAFF MEETING