VCOM - 2019 Annual Report

The Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine Program

Our Mission and Values The United States is currently experiencing a physician shortage that is only expected to get worse. By 2020, it’s estimated there will be a shortage of 100,000 physicians. VCOM’s goal is to recruit students from rural areas where these shortages are felt the hardest, provide a well-rounded, service-oriented medical education, and return these students as primary care doctors in the communities that need them the most. About VCOM VCOM is a four-year private medical school that offers the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. The heart of the college is its Mission to prepare globally-minded, community focused physicians for rural and medically underserved areas, and to improve human health especially of those most in need.

Recruiting for Success As part of VCOM’s successful commitment to lessen the shortage of physicians, the College recruits students from, provides training in and returns skillful physicians to provide care in medically underserved areas, especially those in the southern Appalachian region and the southeastern United States. As a result of this targeted recruitment, the majority of students are from states in VCOM’s target recruitment region. Prospective students often say they are drawn to the College’s mission, which inspires them to provide care for those most in need.

47 % of VCOM students are from rural communities with populations under 30,000 (Classes of 2019-2022)

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