Service to the State
Social Responsibility to State
As the state's land-grant university, WVU has a social responsibility to the entire state of West Virginia. In the School of Medicine, we have the social and political will to be involved in the health and wellbeing of every citizen of the state. We made a conscious decision, more than a decade ago, to broaden our commitment to this responsibility, and to mobilize our students, our faculty and our resources in service to our state.
Our preference is to act, not just talk.
But we do not act alone. The School of Medicine understands the importance of community ownership, shared decision making, and the power of community volunteers in meeting the needs of the people of West Virginia through community service.
A statewide approach presents a number of issues. Students and faculty must be physically present for extended periods in places at great distances from our campus in order to have a real impact on the health of the people who live in these areas. At the same time, we expect our students to meet and exceed the academic and clinical standards of our curriculum. Our three campuses – in Morgantown, Charleston and Martinsburg – and WVU's wide network of rural health training sites and adjunct faculty help us bring our work to all parts of the state.
West Virginia's Health Issues Set Our Priorities
West Virginia has long suffered from disparities in disease, injury, health behaviors and health status. Under-served populations in rural areas, and poor or elderly citizens in every community, often are alienated from the health care system or find it difficult to approach.
There are special needs in the state's vast rural areas: access to care, transportation, isolation and shortages of health professionals.
All of our community service initiatives are organized either to provide direct support to people impacted by one or another of these health disparities, or to empower people and communities to achieve lasting changes that will reduce or eradicate these health issues.
Our Mission to Serve
WVU realizes that its commitment to service will not succeed, and will not endure, unless it is an essential part of our daily life as an institution. Community and rural service is a part of every student's curriculum. We have found that this not only strengthens our ties to the communities we serve, but exposes students to opportunities they may never have considered.
The School of Medicine's efforts are coordinated with similar initiatives in the University's other health professions programs. The statewide Rural Health Education Program provides an infrastructure that allows service projects to be initiated in any part of the state, and for us to gather feedback on their effectiveness.
Projects and Programs
CARDIAC (Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities)
The CARDIAC Project is a chronic disease risk surveillance and intervention initiative designed to combat the unacceptably high prevalence of heart disease and diabetes in West Virginia.
Learn more about CARDIACHCOP (Health Careers Opportunity Program)
HCOP is an academic summer enrichment program that helps students obtain the skills, abilities and knowledge base to become successful.
Learn more about the HCOPHSTA (Health Sciences & Technology Academy)
HSTA provides intensive academic enrichment emphasizing science and math for students from 9th through 12th grade, including laboratory experiences where students work with scientists and clinicians.
Learn more about the HSTAMUSHROOM (Multidisciplinary Unsheltered Homeless Relief Outreach of Morgantown)
Beginning in May 2005, Family Medicine Interest Group (FMIG) embarked on a community outreach program to the unsheltered homeless in the greater Morgantown community. Modeled after the "Operation Safety Net" program in Pittsburgh, our FMIG program is affectionately known as MUSHROOM - Multidisciplinary UnSheltered Homeless Relief Outreach of Morgantown.
Learn more about MUSHROOMPrevention Research Center
The West Virginia Prevention Research Center (WV PRC) is one of 37 Prevention Research Centers funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These PRC's are housed in universities across the country and share a focus on public health in community settings. WV PRC researchers and specialists are committee to conducting culturally-appropriate research that benefits the health of the people of Appalachia. Our research focuses on examining the underlying behaviors and social conditions related to tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle, and poor nutrition.
Learn more about the Prevention Research CenterRural Track Program
WV Healthy Start / HAPI Project
Services targeted to improve maternal well-being during pregnancy, postpartum and the interconceptional period.
Learn more about the WV Healthy Start / HAPI ProjectWVAHEC (West Virginia Area Health Education Centers)
The seamless integration of rural undergraduate health professions training programs with graduate training programs in primary care within rural underserved communities.
WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health
We are proudly committed to serving rural communities in West Virginia by coordinating rural health education and service opportunities across all WVU Health Sciences schools and programs in collaboration with the WV Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) including the management of houses for student use while on a rural rotation, supporting students from all health professions in their rural-oriented education and outreach efforts and supporting health professionals that serve as preceptors for WVU students completing community rotations through financial and faculty development initiatives.
Learn more about the WVU Institute for Community and Rural Health