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he Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic
Medicine in Blacksburg, Virginia is a four-year osteopathic medical school offering the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.).
Shortage of Rural Physicians
The decision to establish the College was made after the leaders of the Harvey W. Peters Research Foundation and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) studied the health care needs of Virginia. That study revealed that Southside and the Southwest geographical areas of Virginia had an extreme health care shortage, with 30 counties considered to have critical shortages (HPSA) designations and greater than 70 having medically under served areas (MUAs). The three existing medical schools in Virginia, being located in the eastern half of the state, were producing a relatively small number of primary care physicians or physicians for Southwest Virginia. Moreover, less than fifty percent of these graduates remained in Virginia after residency.
It was evident from the study that the health care shortage in Virginia would continue to grow.
In addition, a 2002 national study, reported initially in Health Affairs, estimated a shortage of 50,000 physicians by 2010 and shortage of more than 100,000 physicians by 2020. The need was evident, and plans to establish the College moved forward.
The Founding of the College
Marion Bradley Via, a Virginia philanthropist, created many foundations, including the Harvey W. Peters Research Foundation. The foundations were established to benefit Virginia Tech and the Southwest Virginia region. It was Mrs. Via’s wish that a medical school be established in conjunction with Virginia Tech to produce physicians for Southwest Virginia. Mrs. Via passed away prior to realizing her dream, however, Edward Via, her son, also a philanthropist, recognized and supported this dream. John Rocovich, the Via attorney, then Rector of the Board of Visitors of Virginia Tech, and Chairman of the Board of VCOM, led the initiative to establish the College. In preparing for a new medical college, Mr. Rocovich and the Harvey W. Peters Foundation Board recognized that an osteopathic college was the best choice to meet the primary care and rural health needs of the region. Mr. Rocovich recruited Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, D.O., well known for her work in rural and primary care academic medicine to be the Dean and Vice President of the College. In addition to meeting the primary care mission of the College, Mr. Rocovich wished to challenge the institution to develop a strong biomedical and clinical research program and hired James Wolfe, Ph.D., former Virginia Tech Vice Provost and Director of the Harvey W. Peters Research Center to be President of the new College. The administration has led
the College to raid recognition for its quality in academics and research.
Osteopathic Medicine
The College offers the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree. Osteopathic physicians are licensed in every state to practice the full scope of medicine including examining patients, diagnosing illness, writing prescriptions, performing surgery, as well as providing musculoskeletal manipulation. Osteopathic physicians enter every field of medicine from family practice to neurosurgery. The majority of osteopathic physicians, however, practice primary care, with approximately one-fourth of the profession providing care in small communities and rural areas. More about Osteopathic Medicine