Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine – VTCSOM

About Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine:

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, also known as VTCSOM, located in Roanoke, Virginia is a public-medical school at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The VTCSOM represents a new direction in the field of medical education. A distinct, private-public partnership between a major health care institution and a cutting-edge research university, the VTCSOM educates healthcare physicians through discovery, research, and inquiry.

Furthermore, the VTCSOM has four value domains that are intertwined throughout the four-year curriculum of the school. These four domains are:

Vision:

The VTCSOM will be the preferred choice of a divergent class of medical students who are planning to seek an educational training grounded in research, inquiry, and discovery, set in such an environment of cultural competency, inter-professionalism, and health systems science.

Mission:

The primary mission of VTCSOM is to establish physician through discovery, research, and inquiry, using an advanced curriculum based upon innovative learning methods in a patient-centered setting. The graduates of VTCSOM are healthcare physicians with excellent clinical skills and significantly advanced research abilities who will remain life-long learners. The graduates have an understanding of how important inter-professionalism and health systems science is to allow them to more effectively work as part of an advanced healthcare team.

Values:

• VTCSOM specifically values human diversity because the school believes that it enhances the lives of the community. The school respects and acknowledges the differences while asserting the common humanity. As educators and caregivers, the school value the fundamental dignity and value of every person of the community and endeavor to maintain an environment for learning and work, based on understanding and mutual respect.
• The VTCSOM values the view of patient-centered care, demonstrated in physicians who are expressive and receptive communicators, establishing patient plans grounded in evidence-based medicine with a focus on quality, safety, cultural competency, and professionalism.
• The VTCSOM values the medical science and its application to resolve several clinical problems, and the establishment of self-instruction skills that keep healthcare physicians updated regarding advancements in medical sciences.
• The VTCSOM values continuous enhancement of quality in its wide application to clinical care and the establishment of new knowledge.
• The VTCSOM values interpersonal skills, communication, and inter-professionalism to make the healthcare system better for all healthcare professionals and patients.
• The VTCSOM values community service by giving service-learning opportunities, promoting them to students to see themselves accountable to enhance the world around them.

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Contact Details:

• Mailing Address: Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, 2 Riverside Circle, Roanoke, VA 24016.
• Main Phone: (540) 526-2500
• Admissions: (540) 526-2560
• Student Affairs: 540-526-2555

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Admissions:

Academic Requirements:

• An earned baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college/university.

Required Coursework:

• General Biology with a lab (2 semesters)
• General Inorganic Chemistry with a lab (2 semesters)
• Organic Chemistry with a lab (2 semesters)
• Physics with a lab (2 semesters)
• Mathematics (2 semesters of calculus or 1 each of Statistics and Calculus)
• English/Writing (2 semesters or 1 semester each of Philosophy & English)

Additional Requirements:

• Criminal Background Check:

  The VTCSOM requires criminal background check results of the applicants. The applicants are required to submit these results before they can begin their first year of medical school. If the criminal background check results are misdemeanors, the admission of the applicant will be canceled.

• Drug Screening:

  The school performs drug screenings routinely upon admission to the VTCSOM and at the end of the second year. The drug screening process may be repeated several times for reasonable cause or suspicion. These results will be reviewed by a specially trained medical review officer.

• Immunization:

  The school of medicine requires all the applicants to present proof of required immunizations before matriculation and/or actual patient contact.

Timeline and Deadlines:

• May – Beginning of the AMCAS applications.
• June – Submission of the AMCAS applications.
• July – The invitations for the first secondary application are sent
• September – First round of interviews
• December 1 – The deadline to file AMCAS applications
• January 1 -The deadline for secondary application submissions
• March 15 – By AMCAS regulations, VTCSOM issues 49 acceptances
• April 15 – By AMCAS regulations, the applicants may hold only three acceptances
• April 30 – By AMCAS regulations, the applicants may hold only one acceptance and may choose to commit to enroll to VTCSOM
• Late July / Early August – Matriculation and orientation

Applying to Medical School

Review your academics:

• MCAT: Make sure that your MCAT score exceeds the minimum required score.
• Pre-requisites: Check if you’ve completed all the pre-requisites with a minimum grade C or better?
• GPA: Be sure to check the school’s website to see if your GPA is close to the minimum required GPA. Post-graduation programs or additional UG courses can only contribute to small improvements in the cumulative GPA of the applicants.

Reflect on and evaluate your experiences:

Your application must possess a true passion for medicine and to serve the community members. It should reflect your:
• Teamwork/Leadership
• Community Involvement
• Research
• Clinical experience

Assess your narratives:

• Letters of Recommendation
• Secondary Essays
• Personal Statement

Prepare for interviews:

The candidates are requested to dress professionally and be respectful in all their communication. It is advised that they should be confident but not arrogant. Moreover, the candidate should rehearse his/her introduction and why he/she wants to become a doctor.

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Application Process:

Phase I: AMCAS Application:

The applicants who are applying to VTCSOM are required to complete an online primary application through AMCAS. The application portal of AMCAS opens in May. The deadline for VTCSOM’s primary application is December 1.

Phase II: Secondary Application:

The qualified candidates will be sent a secondary application. To be considered for a secondary application, the applicants must have:

• A current MCAT score of 504 or above. The MCAT scores more than 3 years old will not be considered.
• A competitive UG GPA.
• A US citizen or permanent US residency.
• A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college/university.

A complete secondary application includes receipt of letters of recommendation, short essay prompts, receipt of letters of recommendation, acknowledgment of pre-requisite requirements, and a $70 non-refundable application fee.

Phase III: Interview:

For the application cycle, interviews will be conducted online using Zoom on 6 Saturdays throughout the winter and fall months. The interview day consists of interview scenarios along with a traditional interview. Additional live and recorded sessions will include a presentation on the overview, curriculum, virtual tour of Roanoke, and a tour of facilities.

Phase IV: Admission Process:

The VTCSOM uses a rolling admission process. Those students who will not be offered initial acceptance will be notified that they have been placed in the active status pool of the school. After April 30, this active status pool will convert to the waiting list. However, the candidate may be on the waitlist until matriculation.

Once the qualified candidates have been notified of their acceptance, they will have 2 weeks to notify their decisions to the Admissions Office. If an applicant decides to accept the admission offer, he/she needs to deposit an application fee of $100.

Virginia Tech medical school tuition & Fee:

Student Life at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine:

• Physical Wellness: The school believes that physical and mental health has a great impact on the student’s academic performance. So, it is very important to keep your body and mind healthy. The school offers several intramural sports to its students so that they can stay fit and healthy. Some of them include Golf, Tennis, 3v3 Basketball, Spikeball, Sand Volleyball, Badminton, Racquetball, Disc Golf, 1v1 Basketball, 3-Point Shooting Contest Free Throw Contest, etc.
• Academic Wellness: The VTCSOM also offers academic counseling to its students who are struggling academically as well as personally. Those students who will opt for academic counseling will be able to get insight into various elements that strengthen personal and academic success.
• Nearby Dining Options: The VTCSOM offers various options for student dining. The Riverside complex’s building 3 has a cafeteria that provides daily menu selection. Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital also has a cafeteria that offers a wide range of cold and hot meals. Moreover, Moe’s and Starbucks are located across Jefferson Street within easy walking distance from the VTCSOM.

How to get successful in a medical school?

Getting into a good medical college is everyone’s dream and let’s be honest, it is one of the toughest things to get, and getting into an institute like Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine is a big achievement. Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine is among one of the top medical colleges, and it is known for providing the best medical education to its students which helps them develop into successful future doctors in the world. If you get into the VTCSOM, you’re one of those few intelligent and hardworking people who deserved to be here and be the best doctors in the world with the help of top-rated faculty members at VTCSOM.

Anyway, Congratulations! You have cleared the first and the toughest step of this journey. Now, what next? Now, comes the next step and a bit tough one comprising of a lot of challenges for you but don’t worry, if you have qualified for the first step, it’ll be easy for you to clear the next steps too. It will require hard work and your focus to overcome these challenges. Here are the few tips mentioned below to help you succeed in Medical School:

Focus on Skills and Learning, not Grades:

A lot of academic experts have observed that the most common mistake made by the students is that they focus on grades instead of skills and don’t understand the main purpose of learning. We agree that because of the environment at any education institute, it is easy to get caught up in chasing a grade but just think for a second, does it matter? I mean, you’re a medical student and the purpose of your education is to equip yourself with the skills and knowledge to contribute more effectively in the real world. You need to focus on your skills because you’re going to save people’s lives with your skills, not grades.

It also helps to reduce the pressure and stress which is your biggest distraction during studies. If you’re going to focus on your learning instead of your grades, you’ll end up studying smoothly because you won’t be chasing anything and you’ll be stress-free!

Create a Study-ritual:

When it comes to surviving in a medical school and stay focused while studying, it is important to create a routine/ritual that’ll help you find your flow and focus. Firstly, pick a good place to study where you’re comfortable and set up your workspace. Now, this will not only physically prepare you to study but also help train your brain to transition into a state of focus more effortlessly.

Secondly, you must create a ritual of studying every day. If getting through a medical school was so easy, everyone would be doing it. But that’s the difference, it’s not. Relying solely on old methods, or one method of study is never ample. The sooner the students realize it, the better and easier it will be for them to adapt. Thus, you should keep in mind the significance of studying since day one. This may sound cliché but believe you me, it is one of the most widely recognized aspects that enhances the future results. For every course that you are being offered, make a plan, and divide your chapters according to the days or weeks instead of leaving it for the last night.

Manage your Time:

Managing time is a milestone that gets every medical student through the 5 years of hard work and sleepless nights. Managing time is a competent task and requires work but once you get a hold of how to manage time and allot your time to each task effectively, you’re already good to go. There are certain aspects of managing time. 

Firstly, manage your time according to the importance of the task. We all know that throughout our life, all things are done concerning the relative significance it holds for us. Thus, keep in perspective that the most important task comes first, and then comes the rest.  Secondly, manage time according to the difficulty of a particular task. This means the difficult task should be done first, due to the technicalities it carries and the consumption of time it requires. Thus, keep in perspective the difficulty of all tasks and allot your time accordingly. 

Thirdly, monitor your time management progress. This part may come off as difficult because of the process that may be involved. So indulge in performance tracking that will enlighten you on how you have managed your time, how effectively, how much more growth is needed, and how the steps that are needed are being followed. Thus, this step is extremely crucial for the underlying frameworks of time management and the importance that it holds

Reward yourself:

Amidst all the difficulties of a medical student, the self-care factor can’t be overlooked. Know the significance of caring for yourself because the importance of mental health can’t be emphasized enough. The involvement in various self-care activities is important. It can mean giving yourself a break now and then, rather than piling all the notes into your brain until it can’t take it anymore. It can also mean giving yourself the entire weekend and study on weekdays; your idea of self-care is entirely different depending on your personality and your happiness. It doesn’t have to be the same as the rest; it just needs to be right for you. 

Secondly, rewarding yourself is an extremely crucial factor that is not thought enough by many people around us. It is very important because rewarding yourself means incentivizing hard work. This further grows seeds of more hard work and you’re inclined to do better each time in hope of reward from yourself. The reward can be in various forms; whichever way is preferable for you. But never forget just how significant it is because it is always tied to better performance and better results in the future.

Najeeb Lectures:

The burden of missing classes due to emergencies that may prevail due to unforeseen circumstances, unable to focus in class or unable to make notes due to whatever reason is the most troubling situation for a medical student, especially keeping in perspective the importance of every word being said, every jargon, every sentence, and the list goes on. But ever imagined a time when a person is a click away for all the solutions to their problems? You can imagine, now that Dr. Najeeb Lectures are at your disposal. These lectures accommodate students with different learning styles, by addressing a diverse set of students with different capabilities. Thus, these lectures are understood widely by every student all over the world, and they’re likely to be your best option.

These videos cover a wide canvas encompassing Neuro-anatomy, Embryology, Histology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology. These lectures cover almost all the topics currently in the medical curriculum of almost all the medical institutes. Furthermore, what makes us unique is our ability to give our students a visual representation that makes it easier for the students to store the knowledge in their brain effortlessly. Furthermore, our application makes you accessible to the lectures irrespective of where and when, with no time constraints. Thus, with so many strong aspects of these lectures, these lectures should be your go-to, making your life easy without any constraints and barriers therein.

In the end, we would like to assure you that there are always ups and downs in life. Don’t lose hope, keep our tips in mind, and Good luck!

For more information, please visit their official website.