VCOM View Vol 11 No 1

by Jim LoJacono Generations, a VCOM Family Story was nearing the completion of a long and illustrious career as one of the pillars of early Osteopathic Medicine. When Matt asked me about this seemingly familiar name, for participants in their newly established Standardized Patient (SP) program. Anne and I both

This is the story of how VCOM has impacted our family over multiple generations. T he saga began in 2008 when our son, Matthew LoJacono, accepted a position on the VCOM staff as a student services and marketing assistant. For the next seven years Matt served in various capacities at VCOM, departing in 2015 to pursue his master’s degree. Matt’s first connection with his family roots came in about 2011 while helping to set up for the annual White Coat ceremony. He noticed the name card for one of the VCOM board members, John Cifala, DO. Dr. Cifala was a founding member of the board and

signed up. In the years that followed, there was quite a bit of LoJacono family participation in various VCOM programs. Our daughter, Kathleen Werner, had overcome breast cancer in 2006 and served as a survivor advocate for the Susan G. Koman Foundation. She was invited to give several presentations to VCOM students on her family history with the BRACA II gene mutation and the impacts it can have on women’s health. Also during this time frame, VCOM was doing a series of photoshoots of students, faculty and SPs. These

I told him that he was indeed related to him. Dr Cifala was a first cousin of Matt’s grandfather, Ignatius LoJacono. In 2010, my wife Anne LoJacono and I moved to nearby Salem, Virginia after more than 30 years in Northern Virginia. I had completed a long career in the U.S. Air Force and later worked as a contractor on the “Star Wars” anti-missile program. Anne raised four children and taught pre-school.

Shortly after we arrived, Matt mentioned that VCOM was looking

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