Steven M. Scott, MD, HS’74-78, has been named the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Service Award by the Duke Medical Alumni Association in recognition of his selfless service, steadfast passion for Duke, and transformative contributions to education, college athletics and health care institutions.
Scott is a board-certified physician, entrepreneur, and philanthropist whose career has combined clinical practice, business innovation, transformative philanthropy and a deep commitment to higher education. A graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine, he completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University in 1978. He has remained closely connected to Duke for decades, including serving as an adjunct professor of OB/GYN since 1983 and as a member of the Duke University Board of Trustees from 2014 until his mandatory retirement at age 75 in 2023.
Scott has founded and/or invested in over a dozen companies, including PhyAmerica (formerly Coastal Emergency Services), an emergency medicine management business he took public through IPO in 1991, and a web-based platform for locum tenens physician placement. His next venture, Healthcare Business Resources, was acquired by CBIZ. He grew Vista HealthPlan, a consolidation of five struggling HMOs, into a thriving network of more than 300,000 members before selling to Coventry Health Care (now AETNA). AdviseStream, a pre-health advising software startup, which was acquired by Kaplan/Civitas Learning in 2014 and implemented at colleges and universities throughout the country.
In addition to his entrepreneurial achievements, Scott has served on numerous university and medical boards at Duke and other academic institutions. He played a leadership role in the Duke Forward campaign, which raised $3.85 billion for the university, exceeding its goal.
Scott and his wife, Rebecca, a nurse anesthetist, have made significant philanthropic contributions to Duke and other institutions. Their support has funded the Duke Sports Medicine Institute and the Duke Athletic Performance Center, as well as educational initiatives and athletic programs at the University of Florida, Wake Forest University and Indiana University. Two of their five children, both graduates of the Duke School of Medicine, continue the family’s strong ties to the university.