VCOM View Magazine Vol. 14 | No. 1

Table of Contents

FEATURES 4 8

SECTIONS

VCOM-Carolinas Names Building in Honor of Transformational Gift VCOM-Carolinas has named its main educational building in honor of a transformational $8 million gift from G. Gail Lott, MEd, and James R. Edinger, DO. Mobilizing Compassion VCOM’s mobile medical units deliver care to communities across the globe, while giving students meaningful, hands-on educational opportunities. DOD Awards VCOM and the CHSR a $3.5 Million Grant This significant Department of Defense grant will advance the development of a cutting-edge, AI-driven public health dashboard. The Sound of Medicine VCOM’s Via voice recognition technology is transforming how future doctors communicate. Bringing Medicine to Life Inside the VCOM Simulation and Technology Centers.

Student Spotlight 20 When Medicine Travels: How Serving Abroad Shaped Sydney’s Heart for International Service Faculty Spotlight 24 Empowering Students and Strengthening Communities Worldwide Academics 28 VCOM-Virginia and Bluefield University to Launch the First Anesthesiologist Assistant Program in the Commonwealth 30 VCOM-Auburn’s Sports Medicine Fellowship: The Next Generation of Athletic Health Leaders Research 32 Clearing the Air: VCOM-Auburn Students Lead Research on Teen Tobacco Awareness 34 From Curiosity to Clinical Impact: How Dr. Kumar Made Research Central to Her Journey Outreach 36 Enhancing Disaster Preparedness 38 Addressing Rural Healthcare at VCOM’s National Rural Medicine Conference Alumni Spotlight 40 From Sidelines to Surgery: How VCOM Helped Dr. Cris Mathew Find His Field News & Events 42 VCOM Leads Nation with 0% Student Loan Default Rate 43 Professor Honored with Innovation Award 44 Scotland’s Last Deadly Encounter with the Plague: Jenna Dittmar’s Genetic Breakthrough 45 Student Henry Knox Elected to Prominent National Leadership Positions 45 Sim. Training Pays Off in Life-Saving Moment 45 Students Advocate at DO Day on the Hill 46 Black Physician Panel Inspires Future Medical Professionals at VCOM-Auburn 47 Class of 2025 Graduation 48 VCOM Recognized Nationally for Excellence in Mental Health and Well-Being 48 VCOM to Provide Care at 2027 World Military Games in Charlotte

12 16 18

Maria Evola ’28 dances at the VCOM-Auburn talent show

fall 2025 | VCOM V iew M agazine 1