WVU School of Medicine

07/28/2026

Longtime West Virginia University School of Medicine Occupational Therapy faculty member Amanda Acord-Vira, EdD, OTR/L, CBIS, FAOTA, celebrated her newly earned professor emeritus status by announcing the establishment of a scholarship fund created in her name by her friend and colleague, Nichole Trump.

The Amanda Acord-Vira Occupational Therapy Scholarship will provide financial support to WVU Occupational Therapy students who demonstrate academic excellence.

Trump said she established the scholarship to honor Acord-Vira's dedication to students and patients, hoping to inspire and support future occupational therapists.

07/24/2026

Healing, hard work and humility defined the life of late West Virginia University School of Medicine alumnus Dr. G. Thomas R***r. More than 80 years after he finished his studies, his family is celebrating his memory with a planned scholarship gift to empower future physicians from Appalachia.

James McLean and Patricia R***r Rogers, of Bahama, North Carolina, recently committed to a significant planned gift that will establish the G. Thomas R***r, M.D. Fund. The scholarship will benefit WVU medical degree students with demonstrated financial need who reside in any of 13 Appalachian states, including West Virginia.

“I hope this scholarship makes it possible for men and women from Appalachia to achieve their dream of being able to heal people,” Patti Rogers said. “There are still a lot of places in the Appalachian area where there are not a lot of possibilities. I want people who have the talent but are held back by funding to achieve the same kind of success in life that Dad had. And I hope it might tempt some of them to stay in West Virginia.”

07/23/2026

When specialty care isn't available nearby, patients often face long drives, missed work, transportation challenges and delayed treatment. That's why the WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute's neurology team travels to Glenville each month, bringing specialty care closer to home for patients across central West Virginia.

We're honored to have dedicated faculty working to improve access for rural West Virginians, and we're proud to offer rural tracks that equip residents to practice in resource limited areas and navigate the difficulties of practice in rural settings.

Learn more about our work and the patients we serve in the latest AAMCNews feature:
https://www.aamc.org/news/no-one-to-call

WVU Medicine E-Pylons WVU Medical Students

One West Virginia clinic confronts the shortage of specialty physicians in rural America.

07/15/2026

Congratulations to the Respiratory Therapy Class of 2026 for achieving a 100% high-cut pass rate on the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) Therapist Multiple-Choice (TMC) examination!

The exam, which consists of 160 questions, evaluates the knowledge of entry-level respiratory therapists. Passing the TMC exam earns graduates the Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) credential. Performance on the exam also determines eligibility to take the Clinical Simulation Examination (CSE), the second examination required to earn the advanced Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) credential.

“The WVU Respiratory Therapy program did an excellent job preparing me for the NBRC examinations and for my career as a respiratory therapist,” Alyssa Weaver, Respiratory Therapy Class of 2026, said. “The coursework, clinical experiences and board-style review materials helped reinforce the concepts that appeared on the exam and gave me confidence going into test day. What stood out most was the support from the faculty and the dedication of my classmates. Our class showed up every day to learn, ask questions, and help one another succeed. I believe the combination of strong instruction, hands-on clinical experience, and a motivated group of students played a major role in our class achieving a 100% pass rate.”

07/09/2026

Sometimes things just fall into place. That’s what Gracen Purkey, an alum of the exercise physiology program, says happened when she started planning for college and then continued through her West Virginia University journey.

The Grafton native knew she wanted to study something science-related with medical school on her distant radar and WVU in her more immediate plans. After watching a documentary on exercise testing, her high school counselor suggested a major Purkey didn’t know existed — exercise physiology.

Read the full story here: https://wvutoday.wvu.edu/resources/wvu-exercise-physiology-prepares-alum-for-future-in-medicine

07/08/2026

Ashley Simmons, MBA, an associate professor in the West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Health Informatics and Information Management (HIIM) program, has been elected as the West Virginia Health Information Management Association’s (WVHIMA) president for 2026-2027. Simmons previously served as the WVHIMA president for 2024-2025.

“I am honored to serve WVHIMA as President for a second time,” Simmons said. “A one-year term does not feel long enough once you are fully engaged in the work, so I am excited for the opportunity to continue my service and build on the progress already made. During the 2026–2027 board term, I look forward to strengthening membership and expanding educational opportunities for our members.”

For more information about the Health Informatics and Information Management program at WVU, visit medicine.hsc.wvu.edu/hiim/.

06/29/2026

Three outstanding students have been accepted into the 2026 West Virginia University Mountaineer Accelerated Pathway (MAP) to the Medical Degree (MD) Program. This year's accepted students are Austin Montgomery, Ashley McBrayer and Lainey Posey.

The MAP to MD Program provides academically talented and highly motivated West Virginia high school students, as well as high school dependents of WVU and WVU Medicine employees, with a flexible pathway toward earning a medical degree through the WVU School of Medicine.

The acceptance of Montgomery, McBrayer and Posey into the MAP to MD Program reflects their academic achievement, commitment to service and dedication to improving healthcare for future generations of West Virginians.

06/26/2026

Students interested in learning more about the WVU School of Medicine’s Medical Laboratory Science (MLS) Master’s degree and the MLS profession are invited to attend a virtual open house on July 8 at noon via Zoom!

Sessions are intended for college seniors and graduates who have majored in Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Immunology or another related science degree and would be applying for the class that begins in January 2027. The program is accepting applications until September 1.

To register, go to wvuschoolofmedicine.wufoo.com/forms/q1yhc0q0kgcuv0/ or use the QR code above. The Zoom link will be sent via email after registration.

06/22/2026

Designed for clinicians interested in both inpatient and outpatient pulmonary and sleep disorders, the annual John E. Parker WVU Pulmonary and Sleep Symposium will be held July 31 at the Morgantown Marriott at Waterfront Place.

The event will bring together physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, trainees and other health care professionals for a day of education focused on the latest developments in pulmonary and sleep medicine.

Register to attend using the QR code or at https://wvuhscce.wufoo.com/forms/john-e-parker-wvu-pulmonary-sleep-symposium .

06/18/2026

Following a national search, Carl R. Schmidt, MD, FACS, professor of surgery, has been named chair of the West Virginia University School of Medicine Department of Surgery, effective July 1.

Since joining WVU in 2018, Dr. Schmidt has served as the chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology, where he has been instrumental in expanding surgical programs and bolstering the faculty, nursing and advanced practice provider teams.

“I am deeply honored to lead WVU’s Department of Surgery at such an important time for our school, our health system and the people of West Virginia,” Schmidt said.