EMU pre-med students benefit from new pathways to Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine

By Lauren Jefferson

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine has created new opportunities for Eastern Mennonite University pre-med students in recognition of their academic preparation, commitment to community service, and aptitude to succeed and serve in the medical field.

The Rocovich Scholar Early Admissions Program grants selected EMU scholars with early acceptance to VCOM in their third year of undergraduate studies and guaranteed admission upon satisfactory completion of the undergraduate degree.

Additionally, qualified graduates of EMU’s undergraduate programs and of the MS in Biomedicine program are also eligible for the Guaranteed Admissions Interview Program.

“VCOM values candidates from Eastern Mennonite University who perform well and anticipates they will be well-prepared to succeed in the rigorous medical curriculum at VCOM,” said John Rocovich Jr., VCOM founder and board chair.

Established in 2002 to alleviate the critical shortage of physicians in the Appalachian region, VCOM’s mission 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. The institution has campuses in Blacksburg,Virginia; Spartanburg, South Carolina; Auburn, Alabama; and a new campus currently under construction in Monroe, Louisiana.

“EMU students preparing for medical careers are exposed to a rigorous curriculum and equipped with the skills to serve diverse populations,” said Dean Tara Kishbaugh, of EMU’s School for Science, Education, Arts and Nursing. “VCOM has collaborated on similar agreements with EMU for many years and we’re honored that these new partnerships will continue to open pathways for our graduates to serve in the medical field.”

The new admissions agreements expand an 11-year partnership between the two institutions. Several EMU graduates have graduated from VCOM. Two graduates of the MS in Biomedicine program are current students.

Anca Chirvasuta Dauer, who graduated from EMU in 2012 with a degree in biology, said of her education at VCOM: “Studying at VCOM has been everything I expected and more. I expected an academically rigorous program, which VCOM definitely provided, but I did not necessarily expect the atmosphere of support and camaraderie that I have experienced from fellow students and staff like the kind I enjoyed as an undergraduate at EMU. From daily classroom interactions, to anatomy labs and outreach projects, I have become close to many of my classmates and will feel honored to one day work as colleagues with such well-rounded, smart, and genuine people.”