SWU announces medical school partnership
The reputation of Southern Wesleyan University’s undergraduate program in science has led to a partnership with a major medical school, offering a unique opportunity for SWU graduates.
The agreement with The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) will provide guaranteed acceptance of Southern Wesleyan student applicants into their interview process and admittance process for medical programs at the Spartanburg campus. VCOM is a state-of-the-art, osteopathic four-year medical college that offers a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree.
“This agreement provides SWU students with the opportunity to secure their spot at our medical school and to then focus on their studies to become superior physicians who will make a difference,” said John Rocovich, Jr., Chairman of the Board at VCOM. The partnership could also help alleviate chronic shortages of physicians in rural areas of the Carolinas and Virginia.
“With the quality of our science faculty and significant success of our Health Science graduates over many years, this agreement with VCOM is such a wonderful confirmation and vote of confidence,” said Southern Wesleyan University President Todd Voss. “It represents the impact our students have especially in rural and medical missions fields and shows how collaborations like this can have long-term, positive worldwide implications.”
The agreement offers guaranteed acceptance for up to 10 Southern Wesleyan students who meet all general admissions requirements. These requirements include earning a GPA of 3.4 or better overall in the university’s science program, completion of the medical college admissions test (MCAT), obtaining a minimum of 100 community volunteer hours, receiving a positive interview evaluation from Southern Wesleyan’s pre-medical committee/ advisor and three VCOM faculty members and being a U.S. citizen and permanent resident.
Part of the agreement also outlines an early acceptance program for an additional five applicants from SWU that encourages candidates from rural areas, low socioeconomic status backgrounds and underrepresented minorities to enter health careers.
“We are pleased that this articulation agreement will further strengthen the partnership VCOM has with Southern Wesleyan University (SWU),” said Rocovich. “VCOM is seeking individuals with strong character and who have the drive and passion to transform the world with their medical accomplishments. We are confident that SWU students are the right type of men and women to excel at VCOM and do just that.”