VCOM 2025 Annual Report

17

EDUCATION

From the Dean of VCOM-Carolinas Matthew D. Cannon, DO

A t VCOM-Carolinas, 2025 was a year of focus and forward motion. Our theme, “All In for Health,” reflects not only what we teach, but how we serve with purpose, partnership, and persistence. This year, our students and faculty continued to demonstrate what it means to prepare physicians for communities that need them most. From clinical excellence in the classroom to compassionate care in rural and underserved regions, the VCOM-Carolinas community remains deeply committed to improving access to quality healthcare across the Carolinas and beyond. A highlight of 2025 was the continued expansion of our community engagement efforts. Through mobile clinics, outreach initiatives, and educational partnerships, our students gained hands-on experience while delivering meaningful care to patients who might otherwise go without. These efforts are not extracurricular but rather are central to who we are as a school.

We also celebrated important milestones in research, student achievement, and residency placement. Our graduates continue to match into competitive programs while remaining aligned with our mission to serve rural and medically underserved populations. Their success reflects the dedication of our faculty and the strength of our academic foundation. As we look ahead, we remain committed to growing our impact by expanding clinical partnerships, advancing research, and equipping students to meet the evolving healthcare needs of our region. This work is demanding, but it also is essential. We have true family at VCOM-Carolinas. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by amazing students, faculty, staff, clinical partners, and supporters who make this mission possible. The healthier future we are building is successful because we are “all in.”

PH