VCOM 2025 Annual Report

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Educating Physicians Where They Are Needed Most

V COM’s mission is clear and shared across its entire community: to educate community focused, globally minded osteopathic physicians who serve rural and medically underserved a reas, while advancing research to improve human health. This mission is the heart of the College. With four campuses, VCOM is one of the nation’s largest medical schools and is the largest contributor to the physician workforce in the southeastern United States, which is an area facing some of the most significant physician shortages in the country. That makes it especially important that VCOM recruit and train future physicians in the communities where they are most needed and where many will ultimately practice. Through partnerships with community-based hospitals across the region, VCOM delivers a highly structured clinical education built on partnerships with

The DO Program Becoming a physician requires mastering complex medical knowledge while learning how to care for patients with skill and compassion. VCOM’s DO program is designed to prepare students for both. Years 1 and 2 During the first two years, students focus primarily on classroom and laboratory learning organized into blocks. Coursework covers the foundations of medicine, including anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathology, neuroscience, behavioral health, and preventive medicine. At the end of the second year, students complete a comprehensive review in preparation for the COMLEX exam, which is required before entering clinical rotations. Students also begin developing clinical skills through Early Clinical Experiences (ECEs), where they work under close faculty supervision in real healthcare settings. These experiences, along with service based learning through health fairs, free clinics, and community outreach, help students apply classroom knowledge while serving patients early in their training.

166 students are currently pursuing a DO degree with research distinction Classes of 2026-2029

core hospitals and a standardized curriculum. These collaborations ensure consistent, high-quality training and provide graduates with a broad range of residency opportunities.