The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026 this spring as students across the College’s four campuses officially became physicians who will serve communities across the country.
The 616 members of the graduating class reflect VCOM’s continued commitment to addressing healthcare access challenges in rural and medically underserved regions. Many graduates will remain in the Southeast and within VCOM’s target regions for residency training, continuing the College’s mission of improving healthcare access where it is needed most.
At VCOM-Virginia, the College celebrated its 20th graduating class, marking two decades of educating physicians dedicated to service, compassion, and community-based care. The ceremony recognized the accomplishments of a class entering a wide range of specialties while continuing the campus’s longstanding tradition of producing physicians who serve rural and underserved communities.
VCOM-Carolinas celebrated a close-knit graduating class with strong ties to the Southeast. Approximately one-third of graduates will remain in South Carolina for residency training, with an additional 15 percent staying in North Carolina. In total, 79 percent of graduates will remain in the Southeast. Graduation speaker Charles E. Morrow, MD, chief medical office or the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System, encouraged graduates to embrace technology as a tool without allowing it to replace clinical judgment or the human relationship at the heart of medicine.
“Use it, learn it, master it, but do not allow it to replace your good clinical judgement,” Morrow said of artificial intelligence. “When a patient looks at you, they are not looking for an algorithm. They are looking for their doctor.”
At VCOM-Auburn, 144 graduates crossed the stage after achieving a 100 percent residency match rate. Graduates matched into 37 specialties, including family medicine, emergency medicine, psychiatry, surgery, neurology, pediatrics, OB/GYN, and aerospace medicine. More than 90 percent matched into programs within VCOM’s target region, with many remaining in Alabama.
During the Auburn ceremony, speakers reminded graduates of both the responsibility and privilege of becoming physicians. “The physician continues to be the backbone of the healthcare system who leads the fight to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life,” remarked John Rocovich, Jr, JD, LLM, chairman of the VCOM Board of Directors.
At VCOM-Louisiana, 145 new physicians graduated as the campus continued its growth and impact across the Delta region. Graduates matched into a range of specialties, helping strengthen the physician workforce in communities that continue to face healthcare shortages.
Across all four campuses, the Class of 2026 achieved a strong residency match and will begin the next stage of training in hospitals and healthcare systems throughout the country. Many graduates will pursue careers in primary care and practice in medically underserved areas, continuing VCOM’s mission to improve healthcare access and outcomes through the education of community-focused physicians.
