West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine
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| Name |
West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine |
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| Location |
Lewisburg, West Virginia |
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| Established | ||
| Community |
Small town/Rural |
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| Type |
Public State School |
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| Classification |
Medical / Osteopathic |
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| Enrollment |
367 |
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| President |
Olen E. Jones, Jr |
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| School Colors |
Orange and Green |
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| Website | ||
The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) is a public, stand-alone osteopathic medical school located in Lewisburg, West Virginia. It is the only stand-alone professional school in West Virginia. WVSOM is noted for producing primary care physicians. It is the home of over 300 1st and 2nd year medical student. Over 1,600 students have graduated from WVSOM and practice medicine in 46 states and the District of Columbia.
[edit] History
The school was founded in 1974 as the Greenbrier College of Osteopathic Medicine, a private, non-profit institution. Its first class was comprised of 36 students in 1974. It taken over by the state in 1976 under its current name. The buildings and grounds of the medical school are the former grounds of the Greenbrier Military School, a private military boarding high school which existed from 1812 to 1972.
The school has been somewhat controversial, as both West Virginia University and Marshall University have allopathic medical schools, and many have questioned the need for three state-supported medical schools in a small state.
However, supporters of the school have pointed out that a much higher percentage of WVSOM graduates remain in the state following graduation than do graduates of either of the other schools. The school has risen to high ranking national prominence in rural medicine as well as clinical medicine.
| State universities in West Virginia | ||
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| Bluefield State • Concord • Fairmont State • Glenville State Marshall • Shepherd • West Liberty State • WV State WV School of Osteopathic Medicine • WVU • WVU Tech |
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