VCOM 2023 Annual Report

In less than 20 years, the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine was founded and grew from one to four campuses. Each branch campus was built to respond to the growing physician shortage and needs of rural and medically underserved areas in their regions. Note: Milestones for each individual campus can be found in the campus section that follows.

M arion Bradley Via, a Virginia philanthropist, created several foundations to benefit Virginia Tech and the Southwest Virginia region, including the Harvey W. Peters Research Center Foundation. Harvey and Freda Peters also made generous bequests to the foundation. Investments from Harvey Peters and Edward Via have generously supported VCOM. Marion Bradley Via believed in the need for a medical school in Southwest Virginia. However, she passed away before her dream was realized. Through the support of Edward Via, her son, and the Harvey

Peters Research Center Foundation, as well as John G. Rocovich Jr., JD, LLM and his wife, Sue Ellen Rocovich, DO, PhD, the new medical school was founded in 2001 in collaboration with Virginia Tech. John Rocovich was serving as the Rector of Virginia Tech at the time. The projected physician shortage of 50,000 to 100,000 physicians by 2010 was apparent in 2001, and the shortage has persisted, with the predictions for the shortage now extending beyond 2030. The physician shortages currently affect rural

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2004 The College adds its first dedicated research facilities, located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center in the RB II building.

2006 VCOM partners with Ministries of Health and other organizations in

2007 VCOM graduates its inaugural class of 139 outstanding physicians. After five site visits with no deficiencies and multiple commendations, VCOM receives its first 7-year accreditation from COCA.

VCOM opens the Sports Medicine Fellowship in

collaboration with Virginia Tech. This collaboration has led to a nationally recognized Sports Medicine program that now includes Auburn University and the University of Louisiana Monroe.

Verón, Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Honduras, to open year-round VCOM clinics providing free medical care, prenatal care and immunizations to thousands of children.

THE HISTORY OF VCOM 9