The Bluefield College Board of Trustees voted this month to further align Bluefield College with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) family of schools by joining its education consortium. The two higher education institutions jointly announced the merger last Thursday in the Chandler Boardroom at Bluefield College
The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine has four campuses: Blacksburg; Spartanburg, South Carolina; Auburn, Alabama; and Monroe, Louisiana. The college is a four-year osteopathic medical school offering the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree. VCOM’s mission is to prepare globally-minded, community-focused physicians to meet the needs of rural and medically underserved populations and promote research to improve human health.
Osteopathic physicians are licensed in every state to practice the full scope of medicine including examining patients, diagnosing illness, writing prescriptions, performing surgery, as well as providing musculoskeletal manipulation. Osteopathic physicians enter every field of medicine from family practice to neurosurgery. The majority of osteopathic physicians; however, practice primary care, with approximately one-fourth of the profession providing care in small communities and rural areas.
Bluefield College is a Christ-centered learning community preparing servant-leaders. It offers a challenging academic and co-curricular experience within a climate of diverse Christian tradition. The college is committed to developing students’ potential through academic excellence and the integration of faith, the liberal arts, career-oriented programs, and service to God and the global community. Bluefield College boasts over forty academic offerings from associate level to master level degrees. The College is located in the Appalachian Mountains of Southwest Virginia in Bluefield.
“Students should see that nothing will change regarding their educational and co-curricular experiences at Bluefield College,” said Bluefield President David W. Olive. “We do anticipate a benefit of capital improvements to campus facilities, and assuming no one chooses to leave, the same faculty and staff will continue to serve.”
“The mission of VCOM and Bluefield College align very closely,” said John Rocovich, Jr., Chairman and Treasurer of VCOM. “The collaboration and partnership possibilities are endless as one family of schools.”
