Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine
Encyclopedia
The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM), formally named the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, is a private, non-profit osteopathic medical school with two campuses: the Virginia Campus (VCOM-VC) located in Blacksburg, Virginia
and the Carolinas Campus (VCOM-CC) located in Spartanburg, South Carolina
. The Virginia Campus is located in the Corporate Research Center of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
. The school is one of 25 colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States
, and one of four located in the Appalachian Region. On June 2, 2007, VCOM graduated its first class of 139 students.
. The school places primary recruiting on students from a rural Appalachian background, particularly the rural sections of central and southwestern Virginia, Piedmont North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. While students are fully prepared to specialize in any division of medicine, the primary focus of the college is the training of primary care physicians to serve a rural population.
VCOM is incorporated as a private, non-profit institution with no state interest, but it is very closely affiliated with Virginia Tech on an operational level.
In 2010 the school founded a "branch campus" at Wofford College
in Spartanburg, South Carolina
. By terming the operation a "branch" the school was accredited from the start, but it is essentially a separate institution.
courses in relation to that system. The first 2 years consist of 8 blocks. The school also offers a course in addiction
medicine, and offers missionary medicine rotations. VCOM has permanent clinics located in Veron, Dominican Republic
and Tegulcigalpa, Honduras
. The school also hosts occasional mission trips to Guatemala and plans to offer trips to Africa in the future.
.
The Carolinas Campus has a similar relationship with the private Wofford College
and also participates in the "College Town Consortium" with five other local colleges.
Blacksburg, Virginia
Blacksburg is an incorporated town located in Montgomery County, Virginia, United States, with a population of 42,620 at the 2010 census. Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford are the three principal jurisdictions of the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area which...
and the Carolinas Campus (VCOM-CC) located in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
. The Virginia Campus is located in the Corporate Research Center of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, popularly known as Virginia Tech , is a public land-grant university with the main campus in Blacksburg, Virginia with other research and educational centers throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and internationally.Founded in...
. The school is one of 25 colleges of osteopathic medicine in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and one of four located in the Appalachian Region. On June 2, 2007, VCOM graduated its first class of 139 students.
History and Mission
The school was founded in 2002, when Virginia Tech and the Harvey W. Peters Research Foundation worked together to start up a new private school of osteopathic medicine called the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM). The mission of the school is to help alleviate the critical shortage of physicians in AppalachiaAppalachia
Appalachia is a term used to describe a cultural region in the eastern United States that stretches from the Southern Tier of New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. While the Appalachian Mountains stretch from Belle Isle in Canada to Cheaha Mountain in the U.S...
. The school places primary recruiting on students from a rural Appalachian background, particularly the rural sections of central and southwestern Virginia, Piedmont North Carolina and upstate South Carolina. While students are fully prepared to specialize in any division of medicine, the primary focus of the college is the training of primary care physicians to serve a rural population.
VCOM is incorporated as a private, non-profit institution with no state interest, but it is very closely affiliated with Virginia Tech on an operational level.
In 2010 the school founded a "branch campus" at Wofford College
Wofford College
Established in 1854 and related to the United Methodist Church, Wofford College is an independent, Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts college of 1,525 students located in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. The historic campus is recognized as a national arboretum and features “The...
in Spartanburg, South Carolina
Spartanburg, South Carolina
thgSpartanburg is the largest city in and the county seat of Spartanburg County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second-largest city of the three primary cities in the Upstate region of South Carolina, and is located northwest of Columbia, west of Charlotte, and about northeast of...
. By terming the operation a "branch" the school was accredited from the start, but it is essentially a separate institution.
Curriculum and Academics
While students at VCOM are educated in all basic medical sciences (as are their MD counterparts), VCOM students also receive approximately 200 extra hours of musculoskeletal/neuromuscular training. The school uses a system of "blocks" as opposed to semesters. Each block concerns a specific organ system, incorporating anatomy, physiology, microbiology, pharmacology, pathology, and OMMOMM
OMM may mean:* Aum* The Observer Music Monthly, the British monthly music magazine found in The Observer newspaper.* Obstacle Mobility Model * Of Mice and Men...
courses in relation to that system. The first 2 years consist of 8 blocks. The school also offers a course in addiction
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
medicine, and offers missionary medicine rotations. VCOM has permanent clinics located in Veron, Dominican Republic
Punta Cana
Punta Cana is part of the newly created Punta Cana-Bávaro-Veron-Macao municipal district in La Altagracia, the easternmost province of the Dominican Republic. The area is best known for its beaches and balnearios, which face both the Caribbean and Atlantic, and it has been a popular tourist...
and Tegulcigalpa, Honduras
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
. The school also hosts occasional mission trips to Guatemala and plans to offer trips to Africa in the future.
Admissions
Admission is based on an applicant's GPA, entrance interviews, and MCAT score. Demonstration of a history of compassion, empathy, dedication, patient care, orientation to a rural or primary care medicine, and research is also considered in the admissions process.Relationship With Host Institutions
The Virginia Campus is located in the Corporate Research Center, adjacent to the Virginia Tech campus. As a part of a long term agreement, students are granted the same benefits as Virginia Tech students in terms of use of the library, recreational facilities, student center, arts and theatre programs, intramural programs, and access to Virginia Tech football and other athletic event tickets. The school features Tech's "Hokie Bird" mascot as its own and the school's website is a part of vt.edu, however the school is private and receives no state support from Virginia. Additionally, Virginia Tech is affiliated with the private VT-Carilion School of Medicine granting the MD degree, but off campus in Roanoke, VirginiaRoanoke, Virginia
Roanoke is an independent city in the Mid-Atlantic U.S. state of Virginia and is the tenth-largest city in the Commonwealth. It is located in the Roanoke Valley of the Roanoke Region of Virginia. The population within the city limits was 97,032 as of 2010...
.
The Carolinas Campus has a similar relationship with the private Wofford College
Wofford College
Established in 1854 and related to the United Methodist Church, Wofford College is an independent, Phi Beta Kappa liberal arts college of 1,525 students located in downtown Spartanburg, South Carolina, United States. The historic campus is recognized as a national arboretum and features “The...
and also participates in the "College Town Consortium" with five other local colleges.