VCOM View Magazine Vol. 12 | No. 1

USNS Comfort

Trips on the Comfort are part of the MOU, but it also allows for joint activities with U.S. and in-country military related to humanitarian efforts as well as joint educational and health care outreach. “VCOM built a relationship with SOUTHCOM that is good for both organizations,” says Dean Sutphin, vice provost for international and Appalachian outreach at VCOM. “Our permanent clinics abroad and relationships with commanders and agencies around the world made us a logical and attractive partner. We’re already providing continuous care in many of the countries that SOUTHCOM is supporting through their missions.” Of course, the relationship with SOUTHCOM is also a natural fit for VCOM given how many of its students participate in the Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP). HPSP is a scholarship program that helps students pay for their medical degrees and prepares them to serve in the United States Army, Navy or Air Force. Currently,

there are more than 140 HPSP students across VCOM’s four campuses. VCOM’s commitment to international outreach is a powerful recruiting tool. “We’re attracting students with a humanitarian interest and our international program enriches the students’ medical experiences,” Sutphin says. “We are a leader in global health opportunities and prospective students know it.” Merwan Faraj, a member of the Class of 2023 at VCOM-Carolinas who spent a week on the Comfort, says VCOM’s international outreach was a big factor in his decision to attend. “The way VCOM does international outreach is different than other schools,” he explains. “It’s year-round support. To me that says something about the type of people who run the College. VCOM is not doing quick mission trips where they get in and get out. I wanted to be part of that kind of family.” Despite their desire for medical care, patients can be

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Spring 2023 | VCOM V iew