Virginia

Community Outreach Research and Education (CORE) Program

ebailey — Mon, 05 May 2025 13:53:20 +0000

Community Outreach Research and Education (CORE) Program ebailey Mon, 05/05/2025 - 09:53

VCOM is building bridges to healthier communities through its Community Outreach Research and Education (CORE) Program, a student-driven research initiative developed in close partnership with community-based organizations (CBOs) and practicing physicians.

The CORE program empowers students to:

Generate actionable, community-informed research that supports local health initiatives;
Become lifelong advocates for community health and equity; and
Deepen VCOM’s commitment to service, scholarship, and collaboration with underserved populations.

Co-directed by Bernard Kadio, MD, PhD, MPH, chair of Preventive Medicine, and Jess Nicholson, MAT, MPH(c), director of community outreach and public health, CORE bridges the classroom with real-world community health efforts across Southwest Virginia.

Program Overview

The CORE program supports communities and organizations across Southwest Virginia, with a primary focus on the New River Valley and surrounding areas, including Montgomery, Giles, Pulaski, Floyd, and Roanoke counties, as well as the city of Radford. Select projects also extend to regions such as Abingdon, Danville, and Rich Creek.

At the heart of CORE is a strong commitment to community-based participatory research (CBPR)—a collaborative approach that centers community voices in the research process. By working alongside the many dynamic and impactful local organizations in the region, rather than approaching research as an external analysis, CORE ensures that findings are not only relevant and respectful but also responsive to the unique needs of the communities we serve.

Students collaborate in small groups called CORE Teams, each consisting of:

Two spokespersons
Two writers
Two event coordinators

Each team member serves as a co-investigator and co-author, contributing to yearlong research projects that are often part of larger, multi-year initiatives. While the overall projects span several years, each year students may engage in different phases of the research process.

These projects are shaped by the evolving priorities and needs of our community-based organization (CBO) partners, ensuring the research directly addresses their most pressing challenges and supports their efforts to create meaningful change.

CORE 2028

The CORE Program for the Class of 2028 launched in October 2024 with students first hearing directly from every partnering CBO. From there, they were matched into CORE Teams and met one‑on‑one with their CBO partners to build rapport, deepen their understanding of local challenges, and co‑develop research questions tailored to each organization’s needs.

Throughout 2025, teams have advanced through successive phases of data collection, analysis, and community engagement, which will culminate in the presentation of their findings at the VCOM‑VDH Community Health Symposium—“Empowering Communities and Transforming Care: Expanding Holistic Health through Community Partnerships.” The symposium will take place on Sept. 24, 2025.

CORE 2028 Research Themes

Inspired by the needs of our communities, CORE teams will advance research across seven priority areas:

Mental health, trauma, and addiction: Addressing barriers to recovery, reducing stigma, and advancing harm reduction strategies
Maternal, newborn, and child health: Nurturing healthy beginnings for families through accessible care, education, and resources for a strong start in life
Environmental health and infectious diseases: Protecting wellness at the nexus of people and planet
Healthy aging and chronic diseases: Empowering individuals to live vibrant, healthy lives at every stage of aging
Access to care and health system reform: Breaking down barriers to equitable, patient‑centered care
Nutrition and food insecurity: Designing sustainable solutions that nourish individuals and communities
Homelessness and housing insecurity: Highlighting the vital connection between safe, stable housing and improved health outcomes

Each theme will be explored by 2-4 CORE Teams, who will examine economic, geographic, social, and cultural dimensions of the issue and evaluate the impact of current programs and policies. Throughout, partnering CBOs will sharpen each team’s research questions to ensure every study delivers real‑world, community‑driven impact.

CORE 2028 Community Partnerships

Partnerships with physicians and CBOs are integral to the success of VCOM students in the CORE Program. Each team benefits from a three-tiered mentorship structure:

Academic – Guidance and expertise from VCOM faculty
Practical – Insight and real-world knowledge from partnering CBOs
Clinical – Perspective and experience from practicing physicians

CBOs play a pivotal role by providing students with practical guidance and local expertise through:

Helping define and refine research questions, ensuring they are aligned with community needs
Offering mentorship and support throughout the research process
Providing volunteer opportunities to give students hands-on experience with local initiatives and challenges

Similarly, participating physicians offer invaluable clinical mentorship by:

Sharing clinical perspectives on the research topics
Providing real-world insights and approaches to healthcare practice
Assisting with clinical data collection, when applicable, and potentially serving as the principal investigator for clinical research components

This collaborative mentorship framework ensures that students gain a comprehensive understanding of the issues at hand while making meaningful contributions to their communities.

CORE 2028 Partners by Theme

VCOM is deeply grateful to our community partners listed below for their dedication to improving health in underserved communities across Southwestern Virginia—and for their generous mentorship of our students as they learn, serve, and grow through CORE.

CORE Topic	CBO Partners
Trauma, Mental Health, and Addiction	Rise Above NRV Recovery Ecosystem Tri-Area Community Health (FQHC) Roanoke Resource
Maternal, Child, & Newborn Health	New River Community Action, CHIP Danville MIPLAN, VA Rural Health Association Community Nourishment Program Community Health Center of NRV (FQHC)
Environmental Health and Infectious Diseases	Ticks in Virginia VA Disaster Response Team
Healthy Aging, Nutrition, and Chronic Disease	Warm Hearth NRV Agency on Aging Community Health Center of NRV (FQHC) Tri-Area Community Health (FQHC)
Nutrition and Food Insecurity	Family Nutrition Program, SNAP-ED Rescue Mission Manna Food Pantry
Access to Care	VA Poverty Law Center Fralin Free Clinic Tri-Area Community Health (FQHC)
Housing Insecurity, Homelessness, and Health Outcomes	New River Community Action Homelessness Prevention Program To Our House

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David Whitfield

ebailey — Thu, 01 May 2025 12:46:01 +0000

David Whitfield ebailey Thu, 05/01/2025 - 08:46

David Whitfield

Healthcare Simulation Operations Specialist

Department/Discipline: Center for Simulation and Technology

Campus: Virginia

Email: dwhitfield@vt.vcom.edu

Mia Jimenez

ebailey — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 17:59:41 +0000

Mia Jimenez ebailey Tue, 04/01/2025 - 13:59

Mia Jimenez, BFA

Communications Graphic Designer

Office: 309 Knollwood

Department/Discipline: Communications, Marketing, Website and Publications

Campus: Virginia

Email: mjimenez@vt.vcom.edu

Sarah Tuthill

ebailey — Mon, 31 Mar 2025 13:01:57 +0000

Sarah Tuthill ebailey Mon, 03/31/2025 - 09:01

Sarah Tuthill

Administrative Assistant - Receptionist

Department/Discipline: Administration

Campus: Virginia

Email: stuthill@vt.vcom.edu

Jonas Rawlins

ebailey — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 14:25:00 +0000

Jonas Rawlins ebailey Wed, 03/12/2025 - 10:25

Jonas Rawlins, DO, FACP

Associate Vice President for International Education and Outreach and Associate Professor for Internal Medicine

Department/Disciplines: International and Appalachian Outreach, Internal Medicine

Campuses: Virginia, Auburn, Carolinas, Louisiana

Email: jrawlins@vt.vcom.edu

Kelly Thomas

ebailey — Wed, 12 Mar 2025 14:21:00 +0000

Kelly Thomas ebailey Wed, 03/12/2025 - 10:21

Kelly Thomas, MD

Discipline Co-Chair for Psychiatry

Department/Discipline: Psychiatry and Neuro–Behavioral Sciences

Campus: Virginia

Email: kthomas@vt.vcom.edu

Benjamin Feliciano

ebailey — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 16:08:07 +0000

Benjamin Feliciano ebailey Tue, 03/04/2025 - 11:08

Benjamin Feliciano

Clinical Site Coordinator - Roanoke/Salem

Department/Discipline: Clinical Affairs

Campus: Virginia

Email: bfeliciano@vt.vcom.edu

Akshita Patri

ebailey — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 15:46:41 +0000

Akshita Patri ebailey Tue, 03/04/2025 - 10:46

Akshita Patri

Healthcare Workforce Research and Data Analytics Specialist (NCAHD)

Department/Discipline: National Center for the Analysis of Healthcare Data

Campus: Virginia

Email: avenkatpatri@vt.vcom.edu

AARP Scholarship

ebailey — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 20:00:04 +0000

AARP Scholarship ebailey Mon, 03/03/2025 - 15:00

The recipient must demonstrate compassion and altruism in outreach or patient care. Preference will be given to a student who shows interest in practicing Geriatrics.

Non-renewable

The recipient must demonstrate compassion and altruism in outreach or patient care. Preference will be given to a student who shows interest in practicing Geriatrics.

Contact Name: VCOM Development

Mailing Address: 2265 Kraft Drive - Blacksburg , VA , United States 24060

Available to Virginia
Available to 3rd Year Students
Available to 4th Year Students

Patsy T Smith Memorial Medical Scholarship

ebailey — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 19:57:58 +0000

Patsy T Smith Memorial Medical Scholarship ebailey Mon, 03/03/2025 - 14:57

The Scholarship, created by Garnett Smith, was established as a Mother’s Day memorial to three significant women in his life, including his late wife, Patsy, who was passionate about improving rural and underserved medicine. Preference will be given to students from Southwest Virginia and students who are inspired and committed to medical outreach and underserved communities.

Non-renewable

Contact Name: VCOM Development

Mailing Address: 2265 Kraft Drive - Blacksburg , VA , United States 24060

Available to Virginia
Available to 2nd Year Students
Available to 3rd Year Students
Available to 4th Year Students