Medical School Spotlight
COMPILED BY EMILY RICE
Within the Mountain State ’ s borders , three medical schools operate and advocate for the health and betterment of Appalachia ’ s residents . In a state as geographically small as West Virginia , the determination of the population shines through in a variety of ways . These exceptional medical schools foster an innovative spirit and passion for the health of Appalachia in the physicians they accredit , which totaled nearly 400 in 2021 alone . Nearly 80 M . D . students graduated from Marshall University Joan C . Edwards School of Medicine in 2021 ; 179 M . D . students graduated from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2021 ; and 117 M . D . students graduated from the West Virginia University School of Medicine in 2021 .
Marshall University Joan C . Edwards School of Medicine
Marshall University ( MU ) continues to expand offerings in the Joan C . Edwards School of Medicine in a variety of ways . For students looking for a career in health professions , MU offers early assurance programs in five areas : medicine , pharmacy , physical therapy , athletic training and communication disorders .
Programs of this type allow students to bypass standardized admissions tests like the MCAT , PCAT and GRE and provide special mentoring , networking and educational enrichment opportunities . Students must be enrolled at Marshall University before applying to an early assurance program .
Marshall is also taking steps to support West Virginia ’ s first rural surgery residence program . The Joan C . Edwards School of Medicine has received a $ 750,000 grant from the U . S . Department of Health and the Human Services ’ Health Resources and Services Administration ( HRSA ) to support the planning and development of the rural surgery residence program . The grant , which will be administered through the Marshall Community Health Consortium , is one of only nine grants awarded as part of the HRSA Rural Residency Planning and Development Program to help address physician workforce shortages in rural communities .
In addition , the department of pediatrics at Marshall Health and the Marshall University Joan C . Edwards School of Medicine made part of their mission to ensure West
Virginia ’ s youngest citizens have access to care close to home . This has resulted in expanded pediatric subspecialty services across southern counties in recent years . Last year , Marshall Health launched new specialty care lines in pediatric emergency medicine , pediatric endocrinology and pediatric nephrology . Also , new specialists in developmental-behavioral pediatrics , neonatal-perinatal medicine and pediatric infectious disease were added to the pediatrics team . At the Marshall Health — Teays Valley location , a new pediatric subspecialty clinic now offers pediatric allergy and immunology , endocrinology , nephrology and developmental-behavioral pediatrics .
Photo by Marshall University .
WWW . WVEXECUTIVE . COM WINTER 2022 37