VCOM 2021 Annual Report

One College, Four Campuses— Together We are Making a Difference

strong public/private partnership similar to our other campuses. VCOM-Louisiana recently completed the first year of education for the inaugural class. Our campuses started a new academic year in July 2020, as students could return to the classroom with COVID-19 safety measures in place. New learning models for lectures, offering the same curriculum, whether on-campus or online, were implemented. In-person labs and clinical rotations at hospitals and clinics were conducted safely by rotating smaller groups of students in the learning environment. While applications for medical schools have risen across the nation, VCOM has seen a tremendous increase. The pandemic has fueled awareness of the need for new physicians, and VCOM’s recognition as an outstanding institution continues to grow. VCOM received over 18,000 total applications (an increase of 3,000 applications since last year) for over 600 seats across campuses for the incoming Class of 2025. Our Mission has attracted more students who want to serve and help bring healthcare access to their communities. 92% of the Classes of 2021-2024 matriculated from VCOM’s targeted states and adjoining states in the Appalachian and Delta region. 46% are from medically underserved communities with a population of less than 30,000, bringing hope to our smaller communities and rural areas. Making a difference in providing opportunities Making a difference in delivering healthcare With the commencement of the Class of 2021, VCOM added 474 new physicians to the physician workforce, and 78.5% started residencies in our target regions. This brings

DIXIE TOOKE-RAWLINS, DO, FACOFP PRESIDENT & PROVOST

T he past year has shown us that VCOM’s Mission and the need for physicians and access to healthcare has never been more critical. VCOM has the advantage of being one College with four campuses. We work together to make a difference in the lives of our students and the communities we serve, which has inspired us to innovate with creative new methods to educate our future physicians and advance medical research. Making a difference in how we educate When schools closed in-person classes in March of last year, VCOM rapidly addressed the issues and deployed new educational plans. Even though the College transitioned to remote learning, our students did not miss any academic requirements. VCOM was able to adapt to online materials using new and existing technology. In July 2020, VCOM opened its fourth branch campus on the University of Louisiana Monroe campus, another successful example of a

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