VCOM 2020 Annual Report

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Rural andCommunityOutreach Programs Our Mission is Supporting the Future of Primary Care A n important part of VCOM’s purpose and mission is training future physicians to be community- faculty and staff, students participate in local health fairs, free screening events, community health clinics, prevention education programs, mini-medical schools at rural high schools and other learning opportunities within the community.

focused. The outreach programs built into the VCOM curriculum provide students, who hope to return to rural areas to practice, with rewarding service experiences in surrounding communities. While teaching preventive care through outreach experiences, VCOM faculty seek not just to treat patients, but to guide students in improving the overall health of rural and underserved populations. Community Outreach Through community outreach, VCOM students experience the impact of providing care for patients who live in modest socioeconomic conditions. From the time they commence their medical education, VCOM students gain skills in patient-centered medicine through outreach activities in the communities surrounding the campuses, as well as regionally. During their first year, VCOM students are actively involved in public health. Alongside

Throughout their second year of medical school, VCOM students take part in weekly Interprofessional Early Clinical Experiences (IECEs), during which they work alongside faculty mentors and allied healthcare professionals including nurses, pharmacists, social workers, EMS personnel, athletic trainers and others. This practical experience helps to prepare second-year medical students for their third-year core clinical rotations when a team approach to medical care is key. Collectively, these programs and clinics provide preventive services and health programs to hundreds of patients in areas where access to care is limited.

SPECIAL COVID-19 REPORT Even though VCOM campus buildings closed in March, the administration, faculty, staff and students joined together to aid healthcare workers in their communities by gathering and donating hand sanitizers and other personal protective equipment (PPE) that were in such shortage due to the global pandemic. They joined with other groups to make and donate face masks and other items. See page 150 for more about this amazing collaboration. 

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