VCOM vs. The New Roanoke MD school

[digitlnoize]

For those of you that don't know:

http://www.vtnews.vt.edu/story.php?relyear=2007&itemno=5

Virginia Tech and Carilion are creating a small, research oriented MD school in Roanoke, Virginia...appx 20-30 miles north of VCOM.

I'd like to hear people's thoughts on this. Technically (as I understand it), VCOM is a private school, but they are closely affiliated with VT. They do joint research together and VCOM students get access to VT facilities (gym, etc). Will this cease once the new school opens?

More importantly, does this mean anything for DO schools in general? Why does VT feel the need to open a new MD school, when they have a perfectly good DO school right on their (literal) doorstep?

Thoughts?

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[TexasTriathlete]

It is the beginning of the end of osteopathic medicine.

Get this while you still can.

 

[digitlnoize]

It is the beginning of the end of osteopathic medicine.

Get this while you still can.

I'll have to get my DO degree first...lol

 

[scpod]

....Why does VT feel the need to open a new MD school, when they have a perfectly good DO school right on their (literal) doorstep?

Thoughts?

VA Tech is a huge research university. While there are people doing research at VCOM, it really isn't a primary goal. Graduating 50 MD/PhDs a year will look good for them. Besides, keep in mind that your article is from January of 2007 and as of February 28th of this year they were still trying to get funding for the school from the state. It looks good, but it ain't a done deal yet.

 

[digitlnoize]

VA Tech is a huge research university. While there are people doing research at VCOM, it really isn't a primary goal. Graduating 50 MD/PhDs a year will look good for them. Besides, keep in mind that your article is from January of 2007 and as of February 28th of this year they were still trying to get funding for the school from the state. It looks good, but it ain't a done deal yet.

They do have a dean though. It's practically a done deal. I've got friends in the state legislature and they're waiting until next year to ear mark the funds...mostly because the school doesn't open until at least Fall 2010, and they don't want to dole it out too early.

I've also heard theories that Carilion is behind this, wanting to home grow their own docs, but I don't buy it.

They talk like they're expecting it to have high entry stats of the bat, but I don't buy that either. It may start off around 30 MCATs if they're lucky, but I don't see it getting up to UVA levels out of the gate...

 

[Lucylu123]

I did my undergrad at Tech...and have also visited VCOM...

I don't think it will have any affect on VCOM at all. First of all, VCOM is private, but this new school will also be private since it will be associated with Carilion.

Also, Roanoke is about 30-40 min away from Blacksburg, so I doubt the students at the new MD school will use the VTech facilities even if they do have access to them. VCOM is WAY closer to the VT campus than the new MD school will be. VT have a few other schools in Roanoke, so this is not anything new to them.

I really don't see this new school as competition to VCOM, as it is really attracting a totally different applicant. Most people potentially interested in osteopathic medicine and in VCOM are probably not also interested in doing research at that level. I think the new school will be great for Virginia, and for medicine!

Go Hokies!!

 

[MossPoh]

Research sucks and roanoke is only slightly better than research. Why would you want to do that? That is like sucks^1.9

 

[TexasTriathlete]

My uncle is a microbiologist at Stanford, and he talks about his research like most people talk about sports. He gets super-excited about how he kills mice with listeria and stuff. He actually makes it sound pretty fun. If he ever starts teaching, he will be awesome at that.

 

[digitlnoize]

Research sucks and roanoke is only slightly better than research. Why would you want to do that? That is like sucks^1.9

 

[MossPoh]

My uncle is a microbiologist at Stanford, and he talks about his research like most people talk about sports. He gets super-excited about how he kills mice with listeria and stuff. He actually makes it sound pretty fun. If he ever starts teaching, he will be awesome at that.

Well, of course the KILLING part is fun. Now, the rest of it...ehhhhhhhhhhh. I rather just go shoot squirrels with a bb gun or something.

 

[smokeybones]

There is limited training in this area. Carilion is the best training for med students for third year and electives. UVA and VCOM students currently rotate there; with the new school both these institutions will be adversely effected. I have talked to UVA students who have all stated that their school is worried about finding spots for their own. VCOM missed an excellent opportunity to align themselves with a great school-VT and a huge hospital-Carilion. Now they will be forced to send their students to lesser hospitals or out of the area like so many DO schools. This WILL have an impact on VCOM, a very bad one.

 

[Doctor4Life1769]

It'll likely be open to instaters only anyway.

 

[Richie Truxillo]

I start residency at Carilion Clinic in a few weeks, I'll try to find out more about the new med school and report back.

-Richie

 

[MossPoh]

I start residency at Carilion Clinic in a few weeks, I'll try to find out more about the new med school and report back.

-Richie

Whatever happened to urology. That is a bit of a change, uro to family practice. I'm kind of curious about the medical informatics stuff though. (I was information science technology)