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February 26, 2010 Partnerships play vital role in creation |
Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine lauds relationships with Spartanburg Regional, Wofford College in development of its Carolinas Campus
SPARTANBURG—The development of an osteopathic medical school here is the direct result of important alliances with Spartanburg Regional and Wofford College, according to leaders at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine. VCOM broke ground Thursday on its new Carolinas Campus, a satellite of the Virginia-based program. “With the growth in applicants from the Carolinas, the addition of a VCOM branch campus right in the Carolinas is a natural evolution,” said William P. King, VCOM’s Associate Vice President for Student Services. “The VCOM - Carolinas Campus will not only help us in meeting our mission but it expands opportunities for qualified students to obtain a quality medical education closer to home or where they went to school.” |
VCOM officials, Spartanburg Regional and Wofford College partners, and members of the city council broke ground on the new Spartanburg, South Carolina site on February 25, 2010. The campus will be built on the old Spartan Mills site near downtown Spartanburg. |
King, who also serves as co-chair of VCOM’s admissions committee, said the college has matriculated more than 80 students from the two Carolinas—and that number represents 20 percent of the school’s total students.
The growing number of students from the Carolinas region, coupled with Spartanburg Regional’s well-respected residency program, made Spartanburg a good choice to locate VCOM’s new campus, officials said.
Left to right: Ingo Angermeier, president & CEO, Spartanburg Regional; Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, D.O., dean and executive vice president, VCOM. |
“Being the only dually accredited residency program and being the only South Carolina hospital that could train osteopathic medical students in their third and fourth years, Spartanburg Regional quickly became a highly rated and favorite training site for regional osteopathic students,” said Dr. Otis Baughman, Director of the Spartanburg Regional Family Medicine Program. “That excellence and reputation made Spartanburg Regional a natural partner in VCOM’s expansion plans.” Spartanburg Regional, a teaching hospital, lays claim to South Carolina’s only residency program to achieve dual accreditation for both the allopathic and osteopathic wings of medicine, Baughman said. “Physicians like to practice in academic settings due to the academic rigor,” Baughman said. “VCOM brings a major medical academic institution to Spartanburg making us an even greater draw to outstanding physicians of all specialties.” Wofford College will provide VCOM students with access to an enhanced campus experience, granting them admittance to performances and athletics competitions, in addition to the use of Wofford dining and library facilities, said Dr. David S. Wood, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of Wofford. |
“This strategic alliance will allow VCOM students, faculty and staff to participate in educational, recreational, social and cultural activities on the Wofford College campus,” Wood said. “This cooperation capitalizes on the strategic locations of Wofford, Spartanburg Regional and now VCOM. This is a win-win for all parties, including the City of Spartanburg.”
Wofford students will be able to observe VCOM classes. “This will be an exciting opportunity for pre-med students,” he said.
The partnerships with Wofford and Spartanburg Regional will be appealing to prospective students, King said. “Our partnerships with Wofford College and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System will be a tremendous asset to our students,” King said. “Our collaborative partnership with Wofford will afford our students the opportunity to access many of the services and facilities on the Wofford campus, adding a richness to our students’ professional and personal growth as future physicians. We have had clinical students rotating at Spartanburg Regional for the past few years and all of them have shared extremely positive feedback on their educational experiences.” The Carolinas Campus, in partnership with Spartanburg Regional and Wofford College, will feature a three-story, 65,000 square-foot facility on its 18.69-acre campus. Officials said the Carolinas Campus will matriculate 150 students in its first class in 2011. |
Left to right: Dr. David S. Wood, Dean and Senior Vice President, Wofford College; Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, D.O., dean and executive vice president, VCOM; Benjamin Dunlap, president, Wofford College; James F. Wolfe, president, VCOM; John G. Rocovich, Jr., chairman, VCOM. |
