Applications at VT Carilion School of Medicine Up 67 Percent

Reporter: David Tate

Roanoke, VA - Interest by future medical students in the Virginia Tech-Carilion School of Medicine is seeing a significant increase over its inaugural year.

So far, applications are up more than 67 percent.

In all, nearly 2,800 potential students have applied compared to more than 1600 the year before.

School President and Founding Dean, Dr. Cynda Johnson credits the school's approach to its curriculum, and word of mouth from the first class of 42 students for the success.

"We think that the physicians should be driving the discipline of medicine, which isn't always being physician led, and we think these students will be the kind of graduates who will be able to see the future and, as Virginia Tech says, invent the future," said Johnson.

The medical school and companion Virginia Tech Carilion Research Institute held a groundbreaking Saturday, nine months after the two began operations.