VCOM 2023 Annual Report

L ike so many other communities in the United States, the country’s armed services are experiencing a gap between the medical personnel it has and what it needs. Furthermore, the Military Times noted in 2023 that active-duty family medicine physicians are much needed. Clearly, a commitment to service is inherent in the VCOM mission, and there can be no greater evidence of that commitment than the College’s participation VCOM and Our Military

The Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP) The HPSP is a comprehensive scholarship program where U.S. Military branches offer a service scholarship to medical school students who desire to serve their country as physicians. Recipients receive full coverage of all tuition/fee charges, a monthly stipend and reimbursement of health insurance costs and other related school expenses. After graduation, the physicians repay the scholarship by working one year in the branch of service they were accepted into for each year they received the scholarship. Additional minimum service obligations may also apply. Supplying Military Physicians VCOM graduates include on average 35 to 50 physicians who enter military service each year. Since its first graduating class, more than 500 VCOM students and graduates have joined the U.S. Armed Services. Many of them have also participated in and continue to conduct research projects that benefit both the military and civilian communities in the country. Supporting the Military through Research VCOM’s research efforts directly benefit military needs, as well as those of civilians. Some of the College’s research areas include patented processes or devices for neurodegenerative diseases and traumatic brain injury, combat casualty care, rehabilitative care, syndromic surveillance and first response coordination. The Department of Defense has recently provided funding for a collaborative VCOM and Virginia Tech research project that will study the diagnosis and treatment of low back pain, which often affects veterans and active-duty service members.

in the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), which helps the U.S. military address this gap.

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