The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)–Carolinas campus has taken another major step forward in its mission to serve rural and medically underserved populations across South Carolina. This week, the campus welcomed a second mobile medical unit (MMU), a smaller clinic-on-wheels that expands the reach and impact of VCOM’s domestic outreach program.
Over the past year, VCOM-Carolinas’ domestic outreach program has expanded exponentially. In 2024 alone, VCOM physicians and medical students provided primary care services to more than 1,000 patients at satellite clinics and mobile clinic sites. With new community-based partnerships in place, VCOM has added service locations in Moore and Pickens, South Carolina, alongside existing outreach sites.
The new MMU will allow the College to:
- Provide care at two locations simultaneously
- Increase patient volume at existing sites by operating alongside the larger unit, “Lola”
- Navigate narrow rural roads where larger vehicles cannot travel
- Expand services to include Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment (OMT) in the community
A second mobile medical unit represents expanding hope and access. For me, this milestone reflects years of work in communities where we have seen firsthand the challenges people face in reaching care. A second unit means we can be in more places at once, shorten wait times, and bring services to people who otherwise might never see a doctor. It symbolizes our commitment to meet patients where they are, whether that’s a church parking lot, a school, or a rural neighborhood with few resources.
By strengthening its mobile medical fleet, VCOM-Carolinas ensures the sustainability of its outreach program and reaffirms its commitment to training physicians who care with skill, compassion, and community focus.
