VCOM View Magazine Vol. 13 | No. 1

VCOM Summer Program Inspires Local High School Students to Pursue Medical Careers P re-college summer programs have gained popularity as a way for high school students with healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists and research scientists. The week concludes with students presenting a small group research project. VCOM’s focus on outreach

By bringing them to VCOM and showing them how we train students to serve rural communities, they begin to see the possibilities. When they meet med students who come from small towns like theirs, they realize their true potential.” The SEE program has already inspired past participants to return as medical students, fulfilling its goal of motivating students to pursue their dreams, regardless of their background.

to explore potential interests and experience what education beyond high school might entail. For the 96 students who attended the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) Summer Enrichment Experience (SEE) Program, this was more than just an academic preview—it was a weeklong immersion into the life of a first-year medical student. The SEE program, held at VCOM’s Carolinas and Virginia campuses, offers a no-cost, weeklong experience tailored to students from rural and medically underserved areas. Funding for the Carolinas SEE Program is provided by the Bosch Community Fund on behalf of the company’s locations in Fountain Inn and Greer. Led by VCOM faculty and medical students, participants engage in hands-on learning in a state-of the-art cadaver lab and simulation centers, allowing them to experience realistic medical environments. Throughout the week, students are engaged in a variety of clinical experiences, including practicing suturing and surgical knot-tying with a surgeon, participating in interactive simulations that replicate real-life healthcare scenarios, and conducting biomedical experiments. They also have the unique opportunity to meet and interact

to this age group aims to provide high school students from rural Southwest Virginia with the opportunity to deepen their interest in medicine and introduce them to the attainable goal of medical school. Program director Louann Morrow notes, “VCOM’s commitment to recruiting from rural areas aligns with our mission to have these students return to their hometowns to practice medicine.” Beyond the academic instruction, the program also offers students the chance to connect with peers who share their passion for science. “Going into the camp, I didn’t expect to make a connection with anyone or anything,” Camper Colleen Pharis remarked. “However, as the week progressed, I made friendships and connections to the material I was working with. These relationships, both socially and academically, have meant the world to me. I owe my love of medical sciences to the students of VCOM and all they taught me!” Dr. Tiffany Carpenetti emphasizes the program’s impact: “Many of these students come from communities where a medical career seems out of reach.

fall 2024 | VCOM V iew M agazine 47