VCOM 2016 Annual Report

Elizabeth A. Palmarozzi, DO, FACOFP Dean for the Auburn Campus

A uburn University’s strategic plan, mission and land-grant status aligns with VCOM’s mission in many ways including education, service, access, research and outreach. Both institutions are committed to assisting rural and underserved populations in Alabama. When reading the Auburn Creed, there are several themes that relate to osteopathic tenets, especially the line containing the phrase “I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid.” Our students are able to enjoy the college experience by engaging in many exciting activities and utilizing a number of resources at Auburn University. As a community, the City of Auburn offers outstanding benefits to its residents and has a great family atmosphere. We feel like a family here at VCOM–Auburn. Our administration, faculty and staff are committed to every student’s success. The biggest story at VCOM–Auburn this year has been our inaugural class starting their medical education in July. This was the culmination of a monumental effort involving planning, building, staffing and furnishing a medical school. We have started down our path to graduate medical students that will eventually populate the underserved areas in Alabama and beyond. Our focus is on advancing the education of our students, in order to prepare them as future physicians. We are continuing to develop collaborative research efforts with various units at Auburn University and across all three VCOM campuses. We are proud of the faculty that we have been able to assemble here at VCOM–Auburn and the amount of research that has begun in our first year.

Where are our VCOM–Auburn students from?

31 % 19 % 54 % 52 %

Alabama

Rural Areas

Underserved Areas

Appalachian States

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