Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute joins Virginia Tech's world-class strength in basic sciences, bioinformatics, and engineering with Carilion Clinic's highly experienced medical staff and rich history in medical education to train the next generation of physician thought leaders.

Why Virginia Tech Carilion?
A Unique Partnership
The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine represents a new way forward in medical education. A unique, public-private partnership between a cutting-edge research university and a major health care institution, the school educates physician thought leaders through inquiry, research, and discovery. Learn more >

A Dynamic Curriculum
An innovative learning culture is required to educate doctors who can adapt to the complex and ever-evolving medical landscape. The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine employs an adult-learning model called patient-centered learning in its curriculum. This approach trains physicians to make patients the central focus, reduces the amount of passive learning, and includes real-life cases analyzed in facilitator-guided, small-group discussions. The school places an emphasis on acquisition, integration, and application of knowledge for life-long learning, along with peer teaching, communication, and professionalism.

Value Domains
The school has four "value domains" that are interwoven throughout the four-year curriculum. These value domains-basic sciences, clinical sciences, research, and interprofessionalism-are addressed in each block, rotation, and clinical experience. They also drive our educational goals and objectives, ensuring a solid foundation in the basic and clinical sciences, the development of clinical skills, and experiences in every major clinical discipline and allowing graduates the flexibility of pursuing any career option in medicine. Learn more >

A Patient-Centered Curriculum
With the patient as a central focus, the unique curriculum stresses the importance of research, quality, safety, evidence-based medicine, interdisciplinary and interprofessional teamwork, chronic disease management, wellness and prevention, and public health. Learn more >

An Extraordinary Approach
The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine is no ordinary medical school. Only 15 percent of medical schools across the country employ a patient-centered learning curriculum. Our research program is longitudinal and integrated throughout the four years of study, with each student required to produce a research project of publishable caliber before graduation. Only 5 percent of medical schools nationwide offer research as a key curricular component. And the school is the only one in the country to thread interprofessional learning throughout the curriculum.

A Rigorous Experience
The school's small class sizes-averaging just 42 students each-enables ample individualized attention, intense student participation, and a rich educational experience. Our rigorous admissions process selects students with the talent, passion, and resilience to thrive in a challenging environment.

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine graduates will be highly sought after by residency programs and will go on to become physician thought leaders in their chosen fields of medicine.

Admissions Overview
The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) is dedicated to providing an exceptional medical education to applicants who are prepared to benefit from our specialized curriculum and instruction. The primary objective is to produce physician thought leaders through an educational experience grounded in inquiry, research, and discovery.

VTCSOM aims to identify candidates with clear evidence of leadership, scholarship, and motivation for a career in medicine. VTCSOM is looking for individuals who are committed to serving the needs of members of society and whose accomplishments reveal originality and a capacity for independent, critical thinking. Applicants must demonstrate a great affinity to a broad educational and personal experience that includes the humanities, social science, and social services.
VTCSOM offers a four-year M.D. degree, and admits both Virginia state residents and out-of-state residents as students. However, only U.S. citizens and U.S. permanent residents will be considered.

For more detailed information on how to apply, visit the Application Process page.

AMCAS Online Application
VTCSOM participates in the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS) online application process and applications verified by AMCAS will be the first step in the medical school applicant screening process. MCAT tests are required and should be taken no later than September in the year prior to anticipated entry.

Secondary Application
Holistic reviews of each application will be made by a faculty subcommittee before making a decision about whether or not to invite an applicant to complete a secondary application. Only the most academically qualified applicants who present records indicating that they would benefit most from the innovative medical curriculum at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine will be invited to complete a secondary application. Applicants invited to submit a secondary application will be sent a link to access the online secondary application. A $50 non-refundable application fee will be required with each submission of the secondary application.

Personal Recommendations
Applicants should have their letters of recommendation submitted to AMCAS. The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine requires a minimum of three letters of recommendation.

Interview Invitation
When the application is complete (secondary application and recommendation letters/evaluation report), the application will again be reviewed and a decision will be made to:

• Invite the applicant for interview and assign a tentative date for interview, or
• Inform the applicant that they will not be considered further in the application process, or
• Hold the application for future consideration as the admissions process proceeds

Interviews will take place on the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine campus in Roanoke, Virginia on several weekends throughout the fall and winter months.

Multiple Mini Interviews
VTCSOM utilizes a Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) process using predetermined scenarios. The MMI interview technique was developed and implemented by McMaster University in Ontario for their M.D. program. Applicants rotate through nine interview stations that will last eight minutes each. No prior medical knowledge is required for the MMI.

About VTC
On January 3, 2007, Virginia Tech President Charles W. Steger, then Carilion Clinic President and CEO Edward G. Murphy, and the governor of Virginia joined to announce the creation of a public-private partnership in the form of a new medical school and research institute, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute.

Unique Public-Private Partnership
Collectively called Virginia Tech Carilion (VTC), the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute leverages Virginia Tech's world-class strength in basic sciences, bioinformatics, and engineering with Carilion Clinic's highly experienced medical staff and rich history in medical education. Virginia Tech Carilion improves human health and quality of life by providing leadership in medical education and biomedical and clinical research.

Educating Today's Physician
Utilizing an innovative patient-centered curriculum, the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) addresses the increasing need for research-competent physicians who can translate research from the bench to the bedside and into the community. Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine will also ameliorate some of the physician shortage that has been identified as a priority by the American Association of Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association.

Conducting Today's Research
Research conducted at the Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute (VTCRI) creates a bridge between basic science research at Virginia Tech and clinical expertise at Carilion Clinic and increases translational research opportunities for both partners. Research conducted by scientists at the institute is aimed at understanding the molecular basis for health and disease, and development of diagnostic tools, treatments, and therapies that will contribute to the prevention and solution of existing and emerging problems in contemporary medicine. Research areas of emphasis which presently align with areas of strength and active research at Virginia Tech include inflammation, infectious disease, neuroscience, and cardiovascular science and cardiology.

Virginia Tech Carilion is located near downtown Roanoke, Va., adjacent to Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, in a burgeoning biomedical health sciences campus. The Virginia Tech Carilion building is contemporary in style and is partially constructed with Hokie Stone, the traditional stone utilized on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg.

In May 2008, the governor of Virginia formally signed legislation approving a capital projects bond package including $59 million for Virginia Tech Carilion.

Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine Degree Programs :

Medicine

Public Health

Video Presentation

An Inside Look at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Get an inside look at the nearly completed construction of the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine. This brief tour gives views of the facade, library, cafe, green roof and sample classrooms.