West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) administrators hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house on Oct. 23 to debut its new building space in Charleston as part of its Statewide Campus system.
WVSOM’s Statewide Campus consists of seven regions across the state and in neighboring locations where employees work closely with third- and fourth-year medical students during their clinical rotations. The facility, leased by WVSOM, allows the medical school to have a more visible presence in Charleston. WVSOM worked with Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) and Vandalia Health to renovate the hospital’s existing building.
The facility is located at 3211 MacCorkle Ave. SE, across from CAMC Memorial Hospital.
Art Rubin, D.O., WVSOM’s associate dean for predoctoral clinical education, was the visionary behind the idea of creating a larger dedicated space for WVSOM in Charleston. That vision is now a reality.
During introductions, Rubin shared stories about the individuals and organizations that led to “opportunities” and how recognizing and acting upon opportunities can lead to innovation, resilience and adaptability.
“This building represents the next step in providing opportunities to the next generation of WVSOM students. It will be a place for our students and staff to network, to learn, to set goals, to take initiatives and to reflect on our past experiences,” he said. “In an era that is characterized by change, those who are prepared to embrace opportunities will not only thrive but also inspire others to do the same.”
The space is important in serving as a hub that can be utilized by WVSOM’s employees and alumni to engage in developing partnerships with businesses and organizations in the area. It will become a base of operations for WVSOM students, faculty and staff.
The facility includes two large classrooms, a number of permanent and satellite offices for staff, a student study area and a lounge area. Cosmetic renovations include new flooring, painting, lighting and the installment of audiovisual equipment.
WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., said it’s important that the osteopathic school continues to foster its relationship with CAMC and Vandalia Health as the hospital continues to be one of the major medical facilities in West Virginia for medical student training and residency.
“What’s in it for Charleston? For one, our students are here delivering health care for hospital systems. You have students who are contributing to the economic vitality of Charleston. We have an economic impact. When we did our last study in 2020 — we know that now those numbers are going to be higher — was $4.2 million [in the South Central Region]. That’s only going to grow with a facility like this,” Nemitz said.
At WVSOM, a student’s first two years of a four-year program are spent on campus in Lewisburg. However, the latter two years are spent on rotations in clinics and hospitals throughout the Statewide Campus. Currently, there are about 120 students in clinical rotations and more than 175 graduates practicing in the South Central Region.
Doug Knutson, M.D., CAMC’s chief academic officer, said having a more permanent facility in Charleston helps tie students to the community, and hopefully integrate into the community in a way that influences them to stay in West Virginia.
“CAMC provides the clinical education for students who are on this campus. After they learn their basic science education, all their work with patients happens through collaborating with us,” Knutson said. “The students from the osteopathic school are critical members of our health care team and are critical for the pipeline of physicians that we are going to have in West Virginia to serve the health care needs of the state.”