VCOM View Magazine Vol. 14 | No. 1

When the opportunity arose in March 2025 to join VCOM’s leadership in international medical outreach, Dr. Rawlins didn’t hesitate. “I saw the perfect opportunity to do the three things I loved most: practice medicine, teach others, and serve on medical mission trips.” As the assistant vice president, he coordinates and leads VCOM’s medical mission trips, ensuring they are both impactful and sustainable. This commitment to long-term service is reflected in VCOM’s partnerships with local nonprofits and the establishment of permanent clinics in countries like Honduras and the Dominican Republic. The clinics are staffed by in-country physicians and supported by VCOM with equipment, funding, and student rotations. The sustainability piece is critical. “It allows us to have access to the local healthcare system,” Dr. Rawlins

emphasizes. “That’s important both for one-week mission trips and also in case a patient’s medical needs exceed our capabilities on that day in the village clinic or if they are diagnosed with something that will need chronic medication management and follow-up.” Dr. Rawlins has already seen how important this continuity of care really is. One of his most memorable experiences involved a 12-year-old girl with asthma in Honduras. He saw her in March 2025 when she was having a flare up of her asthma and required transport from the clinic to the emergency department. “I saw her again in June when she was doing much better and had good control of her asthma, in part thanks to our efforts and care,” he says. “This was a wonderful experience for me and our team to see firsthand the impact of what we do.”

26 Faculty Spotlight