VCOM 2016 Annual Report

Jan Willcox, DO Dean for the Virginia Campus

A s part of our founding values, VCOM–Virginia has focused on recruiting students from the Appalachian region where we hope they will go on to serve. The College mission appeals students who have a passion for helping members of underserved communities in need of physicians, and it is our goal during their medical education to provide an atmosphere that fosters that caring spirit. The partnership between VCOM and Virginia Tech helps to develop a sense of home for our students from the first day they arrive on campus. Students have the ability to utilize Virginia Tech facilities for studies and leisure, and avenues for research are possible through our VCOM biomedical and clinical faculty members who hold appointments at Virginia Tech. Additionally, our recent Center for One Health Research collaboration solidifies opportunities for faculty and students to advance research in areas such as infectious disease, prevention and public health, and global health. After their education has been completed, many of our graduates return to rural Appalachia to practice medicine where they were raised or where they served as VCOM students. We are proud to see our graduates furthering the College mission by returning to clinical training institutions where they have developed a sense of home and relationships with the patients, physicians and community. Part of what makes VCOM–Virginia a special place is the desire of our alumni to further our mission through giving back to the next generation of physicians. Our students volunteer their time to provide care for those most in need throughout their VCOM experience, and as a result, their commitment to the region and each new class of students comes naturally. We now have over 70 graduates who have returned to VCOM-affiliated clinical education practices and are contributing to the fulfillment of the VCOM mission.

Where are our VCOM–Virginia students from?

42 % 19 % 40 % 85 %

Virginia

Rural Areas

Underserved Areas

Appalachian States

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