An Active Atmosphere
VCOM encourages an active and healthy lifestyle with outdoor opportunities on all four of our beautiful campuses. The Virginia campus in the New River Valley has access to many outdoor walking and cycling trails, the nearby Appalachian Trail, and the New River Trail. The New River and nearby Claytor Lake offer access to swimming, tubing, and fishing. The Virginia campus holds a yearly Adventure Race, a three-part kayaking, biking, and running competition. The Carolinas campus provides recreational activities through the local YMCA, an outdoor fitness path, Spartanburg community running, cycling, and hiking trails, and quick access to regional parks. The Auburn campus includes a walking path surrounding a lake with plenty of areas to relax and spend time outdoors and two area parks for hiking. The Louisiana campus is set on the Bayou Desiard, home to wildlife and beautiful foliage with a walking path surrounding the campus. There are also nearby state parks and historic sites. On campuses where the local University and VCOM have an agreement, VCOM students have access to many of the university exercise facilities and grounds through agreements between those universities. Each campus also hosts the VCOM Olympics, an active outdoor competition between first and second-year students held every fall.
The VCOM Family
Throughout the student's time at VCOM, they are enveloped in a family atmosphere. There are many opportunities for students to engage with their classmates outside of the classroom through study groups and student organizations. Students and faculty also gather for potlucks, such as Friendsgiving. Each campus is equipped with a patio and a café lounge that allow the VCOM family to gather. Since mental health is a crucial part of medical school, each campus offers the use of a meditation room and promotes a healthy mind, body and spirit through the Via Wellness program. Via Wellness provides enrichment to campus life through a wide variety of sports, fitness and exercise, and social, cultural and spiritual events. Students, faculty, staff and their family members are welcome to participate in all Via Wellness activities.
Osteopathic Spirit
In Osteopathic Medicine, the physicians treat the mind, body and spirit. At VCOM, the osteopathic spirit is essential to the curriculum for the students. Each year the second-year students hold a memorial for the cadavers that have been donated to the College. The memorial's purpose is to thank those who donate their bodies and continue to give to the future of medicine even after they are gone.
Student Organizations
Services performed by our student organizations benefit not only the community and the region but also the student members, as they gain valuable knowledge, skills and experience. Students are encouraged to learn about all organizations and committees and to participate in those that will advance their career and personal interests as well as serve the community.
Our Campuses
While our academic programs follow the same structure across campuses, your medical school experience will be shaped by the location you choose. We have four campuses, each with its own faculty members, student groups, and university affiliations. Schedule a tour of one or more VCOM campuses to decide which is the best fit for you.
