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The mission of the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) is to educate students from diverse backgrounds as lifelong learners in osteopathic medicine and complementary health-related programs to support and develop graduate medical education training to advance scientific knowledge through academic, clinical, and basic science research and to promote patient-centered, evidence-based medicine. WVSOM is dedicated to serving, first and foremost, the state of West Virginia and the health care needs of its residents, emphasizing primary care in rural areas. Where tech meets hometown, it's a personal touch combined with cutting-edge technology that makes the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine the perfect place for future physicians to expand their minds while learning a personal, holistic approach to medicine. A leader in producing graduates who practice in rural settings, WVSOM blends the ease of living in a breathtaking mountain community with a nationally recognized faculty and innovative programs. U.S.News & World Report has ranked WVSOM among the top medical schools in the nation in primary care and family medicine for the past 20 years, solidifying the school's reputation as a place where scientific study and compassion are joined in one curriculum. The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) is committed to fostering an educational environment that values the development of human potential, cultural and ethnic diversity, and understanding. WVSOM will not discriminate against any student or applicant for admission based on race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or another category that is protected under federal, state, or local anti-discrimination laws. However, concerning disability, the disability must not be such as would, even with reasonable accommodation, in and of itself preclude the student or applicant's effective participation in the WVSOM educational program. Medical education costs are indeed high; therefore, careful planning and fiscal management are essential to meet your future obligations. Our goal is to help you become an informed borrower and provide a comprehensive financial assistance services system. We intend to provide not only dollar support but also financial counseling and debt management planning services. The WVSOM Financial Aid Philosophy statement suggests, we "expect that students will make every effort to finance their education". The Financial Aid Office will try to assist you with financing issues. Since scholarship and grant money is minimal, most students must secure outside educational loans to finance their education. It would help if you remembered that a loan is not a gift or grant - it must be repaid. Educational debt management is essential. We encourage you to learn some basic budgeting techniques, to learn to cut costs, and possibly to learn to live with less. We encourage you to seek ways to finance your education creatively. While the academic curriculum at WVSOM provides students with the foundation of medical knowledge, skills, and competencies needed by osteopathic physicians, participation in the numerous student organizations and activities available on campus further enhances the student educational experience. Involvement in co-curricular programs and activities provides students opportunities to develop skills that will better prepare them for eventual practice in the community. Leadership skills, time management, interpersonal relationships, marketing, public speaking, and networking with national professional and student professional associations are just some of the benefits and opportunities offered through the co-curricular program. All of the student organizations at WVSOM are student chapters of national professional organizations and abide by the national by-laws. The relationships with the national organizations give students a virtual professional network that provides additional educational and training opportunities. An additional benefit is the potential to be mentored by professionals in the field. WVSOM students serve on national committees for national professional organizations, further enhancing their educational experience and leadership development. Each student organization has identified a community non-profit that they will partner with throughout the year for service activities. The WVSOM medical education program fosters the development of caring and compassionate physicians. WVSOM leads the charge to elevate community-based services to a more prominent position in our nation's health care system. Our medical students are the top priority. Our rigorous program produces well-trained doctors dedicated, disciplined, and committed to being the best physicians by the books and the bedside. The student-centered class structure offers a 21st century, clinically integrated approach to medical education. Courses are presented in three major areas: Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, and Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine. The modern WVSOM library provides electronic resources to supplement print items. It provides both on-campus and remote access to more than 8,000 e-journals, hundreds of e-books, and many medical databases. The WVSOM curriculum is carefully constructed to prepare its graduates for practice in any setting thoroughly. However, the WVSOM educational program is tailored to train osteopathic physicians for practicing primary care medicine in rural settings. The four-year program at WVSOM emphasizes basic and clinical sciences, training in hospital and primary care clinical settings, and extensive training in diagnostic skills, including early clinical experiences. Students are prepared for the challenges of rural practice through family medicine clerkships in rural areas. View full university

BCOM has an international reputation for academic and research excellence. We have a unique naturopathic approach to Osteopathy and aim to inspire our students to become confident professionals in this exciting and rewarding career. Plymouth University validates our much-praised four-year Undergraduate Masters in Osteopathy (M.Ost). The course integrates academic, scientific, anatomical, theoretical, and research knowledge with applied clinical osteopathic and naturopathic skills. We also offer Postgraduate courses for qualified osteopaths. BCOM’s established osteopathic and research clinics serve the local community providing high quality, affordable treatment based on naturopathic Osteopathy. BCOM has a robust research profile which helps inform teaching and learning throughout the curriculum. Research not only aids in teaching at BCOM, but evidence-based medicine is increasingly required to demonstrate the efficacy of treatments. BCOM is involved in several areas of research, all of which link to Osteopathy and naturopathy. Research Publications are frequently published in peer review journals, and conference proceedings. Year 3 and 4 students undertake a research project which results in a project which is presented as a publishable paper. BCOM is the founder and a significant contributor to the International Conference on Advances in Osteopathic Research (ICAOR). The original aim of ICAOR was to disseminate research information gathered by osteopaths to practitioners and students so that an active research ethos could be developed. BCOM is a stakeholder in NCOR which has been established to act as a unifying body for those parties engaged in osteopathic research. Representatives from Osteopathic Educational Institutions, General Osteopathic Council, and British Osteopathic Association are included on the council. BCOM prides itself on its quality of teaching and clinical experience and its friendly, supportive atmosphere. Our clinical students see, on average, 20% more than the recommended 50 new patients, and with our NHS contract, it allows our clinical students to see an array of patients and conditions. BCOM believes it is vital for our students to have this working but clinically rewarding experience while under the supportive tuition of our experienced osteopaths. BCOM has now received two “Recognised Qualification” reports ‘with no conditions’ from the QAA demonstrating our educational quality and support for our students. We recognize the need for specialist subjects to be taught or led by specialists in the subject areas such as anatomy, physiology, and pathology. We are proud to be able to achieve this specialist teaching. BCOM has excellent facilities, including a dedicated human performance laboratory as part of the research department. Our research team is active in not only osteopathic research but in sports and medical research with numerous publications. Our undergraduate courses aim to guide student osteopaths through the acquisition of basic science and osteopathic technique skills towards an integrated clinical appraisal of patients. This allows the formulation of safe, effective, rational, and caring treatment plans for as beneficial an outcome as is feasible in a given situation. The following objectives may summarise this: To ensure that graduates acquire adequate clinical competence via a self-critical approach to integrated, learned skills. To promote an attitude of inquiry and the maintenance of this attitude into professional life to keep abreast of current knowledge. To instill a research ethos into practitioners of holistic Osteopathy. To provide the general public, via the General Osteopathic Council in the UK, as well as in the full European environment, with safe and competent practitioners of holistic Osteopathy. As well as the integration of academic, practical, and clinical skills, BCOM courses promote awareness and understand the importance of a research base to continuing osteopathic development. This awareness is started at the College, but the concept is taught to continue until the end of practice, and this idea is implanted within students from the first year of starting the course. This pursuit of continuing personal and professional development is paramount. The pursuit of excellence while maintaining a caring, supportive, clinical approach is central to the perceived evolution of the College. BCOM currently offers a four-year integrated Masters in Osteopathy and a ten-month post-basic-training academic conversion BSc (Hons) Osteopathy Conversion Course degree. The degrees are validated via the College’s partnership with Plymouth University. BCOM also offers a Diploma in Naturopathy (ND). View full university