- Mailing Address
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2265 Kraft Drive
Blacksburg, Virginia 24060 - Phone
- (540) 231-4000
- Email address
- admissions@vcom.edu
- Website
- https://www.vcom.edu/
- School Information
- "The College opened its doors to the first students in Virginia during the fall of 2003 and graduated its first class in 2007. Since then, VCOM has opened campuses in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and Auburn, Alabama. The fourth campus location in Monroe, Louisiana will welcome its first class in 2020" (Source: https://www.vcom.edu/about). "The MISSION of the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) is to prepare globally-minded, community-focused physicians to meet the needs of rural and medically underserved populations and promote research to improve human health" (Source: https://www.vcom.edu/about/mission-and-goals).
Actions Taken
- Admissions Policies
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As part of its statement concerning minority access, VCOM states that it is "committed to recruiting and supporting historically underrepresented and first-generation students."
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One of the goals of VCOM's 2018-2024 Strategic Plan is to "hire and maintain a Diversity Recruiter, engaging with HBCU premedical clubs, national minority events, and minority students who are in the application process."
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- Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
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On December 12, 2018 the college's News section announced that "VCOM–Carolinas’ PRIDE (Promoting Recognition of Identity, Diversity & Equality) in Healthcare organization has created a four-part series of seminars entitled Bias in Healthcare." The series has the goal of "ensuring that the college’s students are among the most culturally aware and sensitive physicians, introduces the concept of bias and details many forms of bias that students may witness or unintentionally perpetuate in the field of medicine."
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- Curriculum Changes and Requirements
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As part of its vision statement and commitments, VCOM states that it would "create both educational and support initiatives to combat disparities and structural racism in the workplace, classroom and clinical settings" and "[s]upport advancement of curriculum to address culture specific medical situations."
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- Program and Research Funding
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VCOM has a page dedicated to rotation opportunities since “graduate medical education (GME) programs across the country are offering opportunities for rotations that aim to advance diversity, health equity and inclusion.” VCOM directs students towards fellowship and scholarship programs in this context.
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VCOM's Admissions Department promotes the "William G. Anderson, DO, Minority Scholarship" which "recognizes an outstanding minority osteopathic medical student who is committed to osteopathic principals and practice, has excelled academically, and has proven to be a leader in addressing the educational, societal, and health needs of minorities."
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VCOM's Sower Scholarship has the goal of "assisting VCOM in maintaining and improving the education benefits that all students receive from a diverse study body." The scholarship is "available to VCOM-Carolinas students who are members of an underrepresented minority population."
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- Resources
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VCOM has “gathered additional resources such as books, podcasts and websites that address diversity, inclusion, bias and so much more.”
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VCOM-Virginia will “promote multicultural/cross cultural events on our campuses that recognize our diverse student body, faculty, and staff.”
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In addition to offering resources and hosting events related to DEI, VCOM-Virginia will also “support and host discussions that highlight educational opportunities and insight into diversity and inclusion to create a support system for all faculty, staff and students to learn and grow in a manner that all feel engaged, valued and respected.”
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The college's "Faculty and Staff Development Schedule" for 2020-2021 included a presentation on "Implicit Bias" by Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee.
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- Symbolic Actions
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VCOM-Auburn has a mission “to enroll students who understand the mission of the school is an action that will minimize or curtail some of the systemic issues of racism in the U.S,” according to Dr. Hill, the “diversity officer and associate dean for multicultural affairs at VCOM-Auburn.”
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All four of VCOM’s campuses have a diversity officer who “is or will soon be in charge of a diversity and inclusion steering committee, which includes students who serve on subcommittees that examine different aspects of DEI at VCOM (diversity officers are in the process of setting their committees up at VCOM’s Carolinas and new Louisiana campuses).” This is part of other “programs in place to ensure underrepresented minority students have a voice when they are on campus.”
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VCOM announced that, “Minority Access, Inc. (MAI) recognized VCOM as the Institutional National Role Model, an honor awarded to educational institutions at the forefront in diversifying campuses and improving recruitment, retention and enhancement of minorities.”
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VCOM-Virginia will “engage our faculty, staff and students in methods to recognize personal biases.”
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VCOM-Virginia made a commitment to “strengthen our commitment to address health disparities as they relate to diverse populations that become disadvantaged, be committed to a culture of inclusion in serving our communities and patients, engaging our faculty, students, and staff to recognize these needs and to advocate for equal access to quality healthcare.”
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VCOM-Virginia will “provide a safe environment where faculty, staff, and students can engage in conversations that will lead to a positive impact to support diversity and inclusion.”
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