VCOM View Vol 10 No 1

A NOTE from the President and Provost

COLLEGE LEADERSHIP & BOARDS PRESIDENT & PROVOST Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP

DEAN, VCOM–VIRGINIA Jan M. Willcox, DO, FACOFP

DEAN, VCOM–AUBURN Elizabeth Palmarozzi, DO, FACOFP DEAN, VCOM–LOUISIANA Ray Morrison, DO, FACOS

T his year has been challenging, yet successful, for VCOM. Our new VCOM- Louisiana campus, a public/private partnership Making a Difference in the Future of Primary Care

DEAN, VCOM–CAROLINAS Matthew Cannon, DO, FACOFP

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John G. Rocovich Jr., JD, LLM, Chair Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP, President and Provost James F. Wolfe, PhD, President Emeritus Thomas R. Brock Jr., MBA Nick J. Bruno, PhD Jimmy Gibbs Jay Gogue, PhD Jan M. Willcox, DO, FACOFP, Dean John G. Rocovich Jr., JD, LLM, Chair Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP, President and Provost James F. Wolfe, PhD, President Emeritus

W. Bruce Hanks Roy E. Heaton, DO Bruce Holstein Gov. James C. Justice II, MBA Randal J. Kirk, JD Elizabeth McClanahan, JD Sue Ellen B. Rocovich, DO, PhD Jimmy Sanford Raymond D. Smoot, PhD Daniel A. Wubah, PhD Thomas R. Brock Jr., MBA Sterling Ellsworth, MD Alan Fabian Bill Flattery Roy E. Heaton, DO Carol Pratt, DDS William D. Thomas, DO, Alumni Association Representative

Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP

with the University of Louisiana Monroe, opened despite excessive rains, a global pandemic, a tornado and two two hurricanes. Just as the COVID-19 pandemic has changed medicine, changes in medical education across the country have followed. In March of 2020, VCOM implemented the CDC guidelines for higher education to protect students and employees. On March 13, 2020, due to COVID-19, the College closed campuses, removed students from clinical rotations and rapidly implemented a curriculum dependent upon online learning and exams. The transition was smooth for VCOM as the College had already instituted online learning technology, which assisted student home study. In July, VCOM transitioned back to the “new norm in medical education,” a mixture of classes that include online learning options and require in-class or in-laboratory learning sessions. Ultimately, VCOM’s academic program will not be delayed. Although students were removed from clinical learning experiences mid-March through June, all of the College’s core clinical partners and faculty have stepped up. This ensured all VCOM students were once again incorporated into the clinical learning environment. VCOM has more than 2,000 medical students enrolled in the Classes of 2021-2024 across all four of its campuses. If anything, the COVID-19 crisis has highlighted physician shortages, especially for rural and medically underserved populations. VCOM’s mission will continue to be focused on making a significant difference in access to healthcare for all. ■

VIRGINIA ADVISORY BOARD

CAROLINAS ADVISORY BOARD

Matthew D. Cannon, DO, Dean John G. Rocovich Jr., JD, LLM, Chair Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP, President and Provost Graham Adams, PhD

Ingo Angermeier William Barnet III Jimmy Gibbs Bruce Holstien Marlon Hunter A. Alan Turfe, MBA

AUBURN ADVISORY BOARD

Elizabeth A. Palmarozzi, DO, FACOFP, Dean John G. Rocovich Jr., JD, LLM, Chair Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP, President and Provost William G. Anderson, DO Ray Morrison, DO, FACOS, Dean John G. Rocovich Jr., JD, LLM, Chair Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP, President and Provost Nick J. Bruno, PhD

Mark Baker Martin J. Bonick Thom Gossum Jr. Laura Grill L. Keith Granger Bill Hardgrave, PhD Jimmy Sanford

LOUISIANA ADVISORY BOARD

W. Bruce Hanks P. Gary Jones, MD Scott McDonald Randy Morris Ed Williams Kristin Wolkart

summer/fall 2020 | VCOM V iew M agazine 5