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by Megan Zirkle '06
Virginia Wesleyan College has teamed up with Eastern Virginia Medical School to create a joint program in medicine available to VWC students. The program gives eligible students the opportunity to apply for early admission to EVMS during the fall semester of their sophomore year.
The joint program, which was finalized in the spring of 2003, mirrors present programs that EVMS has with other colleges and universities in the area including Old Dominion University, Hampton University, Christopher Newport University and The College of William & Mary.
Dr. Victor Townsend, assistant professor of biology and chairman of the preprofessional committee at Virginia Wesleyan, feels the program offers students seeking a career in medicine one clear advantage — early admission.
"The advantage to this program is that students know in January of their sophomore year if they are accepted into medical school," said Townsend.
Due to the rigor of the program, along with the course requirements, students are exempted from having to take The Medical Colleges Admissions Test (MCAT), a standardized test that most medical schools require students to submit.
"The MCAT is a huge hurdle for students to complete in order to be accepted to medical school along with the application process, but this program exempts students from all of that," said Townsend.
Additionally, the joint program has created a preprofessional committee composed of five professors from academic areas including biology, philosophy, chemistry and religious studies. The preprofessional committee has been established to decide which students qualify for the program.
For Dr. Larry Hultgren, professor of philosophy and member of the preprofessional committee at the College, this new committee is "exciting" because "it will offer guidance for students in health care professions, which is a good thing for students to have a committee in their corner."
While the joint program gives talented students of Wesleyan an opportunity to continue their education in the medical field, the program also raises the level of academia for the College.
"I think the program has a potential of a positive influence on sciences and mathematics at the College, attracting superior students to set the bar higher in classes," said Townsend.
Currently, Virginia Wesleyan is working to become a Phi Beta Kappa–caliber institution by the end of the decade. One of the elements that distinguishes a Phi Beta Kappa-caliber institution is the number of students continuing to graduate school after completing undergraduate work.
"I think the program is a very exciting prospect and indicates the intellectual maturity of the school," said Hultgren. "At Wesleyan we pride ourselves in putting out a well-rounded individual and here is a credited institution that says, 'we want that kind of person.'"
Townsend also feels that the joint program is helping the College formalize the Pre-Med Program, which will attract those students who do not meet all the criteria for the EVMS program but still want to pursue a career in medicine.
The College is currently working to formalize the Pre-Med program, a process which includes prospective medical students meeting with the Dean of EMVS, a preprofessional club which will act as a support group for students interested in the medical field and advisers on the committee facilitating to assist students seeking a career in medicine.
Even though Virginia Wesleyan is a young and small liberal arts college, opportunities for the students are growing.
"We've just established the beginning of a wonderful working relationship with EVMS," said Hultgren. "It shows that students attending a liberal arts college such as Virginia Wesleyan are in demand and they can compete with other students all over the country."
The program is open to students of any major; however, certain course requirements must be met. Students who qualify and are accepted to the joint program are also eligible for the presidential scholarship, which is worth at least $9,000 toward tuition.
Students interested in the joint program must meet both Admission requirements and Program Requirements. For further information on the specific requirements, please visit www.vwc.edu/academics/vwc_evms.