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July 6, 2011
VCOM Department Head Selected as Board Chairperson for the New River Valley Free Clinic
Dr. Cathy Callahan was recently appointed the Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the New River Valley Free Clinic. Callahan, a graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill with both her M.D. and M.P.H. degrees, serves as the Chairperson of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM-Virginia Campus). Her role at the Blacksburg medical school extends beyond the academic role as Chair. She is also a facilitator of several volunteer community healthcare projects for the medical students and serves as advisor and mentor to students seeking obstetrics and gynecology residencies.
“The community is fortunate to enjoy the wealth of experience and passion Dr. Cathy Callahan has for providing healthcare to those most in need. She serves as role model to VCOM students and her role with the New River Valley Free Clinic – first as a volunteer and now Chairperson of the Board of Directors -- gives other roles for our medical school students to emulate. Dr. Callahan is tireless in her commitment to the education of health professionals to care for the medically underserved. She initiated a humanitarian women’s health curriculum as part of VCOM mission trips to Honduras and the Dominican Republic and we are proud to have Dr. Callahan as Chair and faculty at VCOM-Virginia Campus." said Virginia Campus Vice Dean Jan Willcox, D.O.
VCOM and the New River Valley Free Clinic enjoy a strong and positive relationship. Students and residents have regularly served at the free clinic on evenings and as part of their educational curriculum.
Callahan is excited about her new role with the NRV Free Clinic. “As a physician volunteer for the for more than five (5) years, I recognize the importance of the medical services provided by the New River Valley Free Clinic to members of our community who may otherwise go without. I am proud to serve the free clinic and, at the same time, to have an opportunity to further the mission of the VCOM-Virginia Campus in providing medical services to those most in need in our community.”
Last year, Callahan’s students at VCOM-Virginia Campus selected her as “Educator of the Year”.
For more information:
http://www.vcom.vt.edu/facultystaff/facultybio/Callahan.html
http://www.nrvfreeclinic.org