VCOM View Vol 8-1

Written by Astleigh Hill M ore than a year ago the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), appointed Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP, as its new President. Transitioning from the founding Dean of the Virginia and Carolinas campuses, she stepped into a role previously held for 13 years by the College’s first President. With the addition of a third branch campus and a new leader stepping in, the direction and future of the medical school shifted to align with the goals of the new President. She stated, “In my role as President I am excited to take our College to the next level, to build our research, education and outreach programs and our financial strengths to assure our long-term success.” With a rural upbringing, Dr. Tooke-Rawlins realized from an early age the importance of medical care made available to populations that lack basic medical accessibility. VCOM’s mission highlights the need for globally-minded, community-focused physicians who will meet the needs of medically underserved populations to improve human health. Dr. Rawlins said, “Growing up in one of the Missouri counties now federally designated ‘persistently poor,’ was a great blessing. It made me all the more aware of the need for physicians who are broadly prepared in primary care and emergency services in rural areas. As I have seen first-hand how important healthcare is to such a community, I am fully committed to the mission of the College.”

Another aspect of the College’s mission is to serve globally in underserved areas. VCOM embarks on yearly outreach trips to the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and El Salvador to provide the needed basic medical care to those countries’ citizens. The desire to serve internationally stems from the call to serve rurally. Dr. Tooke-Rawlins shared, “Growing up in a rural region has also provided me with an appreciation of the beauty of living in the country and the things that really matter in rural life; family, community, and friends. It has helped me to appreciate the value and rewards of ‘giving back.’ The many service-based learning programs of our College, whether Appalachian or International, have been developed to allow our students to experience those same rewards.” In addition to service locally and abroad, VCOM has also achieved academic excellence, broadened its research and collaborative efforts, and established three successful branch campuses. The President proudly states, “Our greatest growth over the next five years will be seen in research and discovery. We established our new five-year strategic plan approximately one year ago, which put in place a new infrastructure for research, already tripling our research funding. I have seen exciting, new medical research programs and believe our faculty has the ability to collaborate across campuses, contributing to many new discoveries. I am also excited that we have faculty who are investigating better ways to educate medical students and residents, better ways to control risk

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Vol. 8 No. 1 | Fall 2015