Collegiate Times

The class of 2010 for the Edmard Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine celebrate at their Commencement Ceremony.

Correction: This story has been modified from its original version. — This article has been modified from its original version to accurately represent the official name of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute.

With caps and gowns on and parents in tow, 157 students from the Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine walked across the stage in Burruss Hall on Saturday, May 29, to receive their degrees.

As part of the day’s festivities, Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling spoke to the graduating class.

In his commencement address, Bolling reminded the graduating class that they would be entering a health care system under great reform. He reminded students that medicine should be practiced “humanistically” and that patients should be treated with respect. 

Of the 157 graduates, 86 percent are going into point of contact specialties such as psychology and emergency care. Specifically, 57 percent are going into primary care specialties like family medicine and pediatrics.

“Primary care is the greatest area of need,” said Bill King, assistant vice president for student services and marketing at VCOM.

Several graduates are completing residencies at hospitals in the New River Valley, while others are part of residency programs at Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University and Wake Forest University hospitals. In addition, 14 graduates will be practicing medicine in branches of the military.

When VCOM was established in 2003, the college received approximately 700 applications. In 2010, the college received 3,500 applications. According to King, this increase in applications reflects the need for physicians and medical schools in the Appalachian region.

VCOM’s mission is to “serve the under-served areas of Southwest Virginia and Appalachia,” according to King. King also said that the need for effective and efficient physicians and medical schools is continually growing.

“We are excited to meet those needs,” he said.

As part of this service, VCOM focuses on performing medical missions locally and internationally.

Half of the students participate in global medical mission efforts, while all students serve the Appalachian region. 

“The students are very service-oriented,” King said. 

VCOM has plans to expand beyond Virginia by partnering with Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. The South Carolina campus will open in 2011 and accept 150 students into its program.

Because of these changes, VCOM plans to change its name, dropping “Virginia” from its title.

The fall 2010 opening of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute in Roanoke will also affect VCOM.

Virginia Tech Carilion is not part of VCOM but will complement the needs in the community, according to King. Virginia Tech Carilion is a research-oriented institution with a class size of approximately 42 students.

Virginia Tech Carilion’s target areas are much different than those of VCOM, including inflammation, infectious disease, neuroscience, cardiovascular science and cardiology and cancer biology.

“There are plenty of applicants for both institutions,” King said.

A version of this article appeared in the Jun 3 issue of the Collegiate Times.