VCOM 2024 Annual Report

A t VCOM, disaster preparedness is a core part of medical training from day one, because crises aren’t a matter of if—they’re a matter of when. Each campus has applied this training in real emergencies, from tornado rescue efforts in Alabama (2019) to the pandemic response (2020) and, most recently, to Hurricane Helene’s devastation across the Carolinas in fall 2024. When disaster struck, the VCOM family stepped up, providing medical care, relief efforts, and unwavering community support. When local hospitals reached capacity, VCOM students volunteered in makeshift medical wards at Spartanburg Regional and USC Upstate, ensuring displaced patients received essential care. Meanwhile, students worked alongside St. Luke’s Free Medical Clinic, offering free health screenings, medical supplies, and basic necessities to hurricane victims. VCOM-Carolinas student Amna Khan (pictured left, in braids) played a key role in relief efforts in her hometown of Burnsville, North Carolina, where her family coordinated supply deliveries. Her mother, Shehla Khan, MD, opened a temporary walk-in clinic for those in need. In Spartanburg, students like Olivia McLean helped neighbors salvage belongings and repair storm-damaged homes, demonstrating that the VCOM family doesn’t just treat patients—it supports entire communities. Caring for our Communities through Disaster Relief VCOM’s service extended beyond medicine. Students from all campuses gathered supplies and raised funds to donate to the hardest-hit areas. In addition, the VCOM Carolinas MOVE student organization helped clear hurricane debris to descrease the risk of wildfires. In times of crisis and in everyday moments of care, VCOM students embody the spirit of service. Whether providing healthcare, responding to disasters in person or fundraising and sending aid, they prove that medicine is more than a career—it’s a calling.

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