Dean's Message


A Pivotal Season

In April Virginia Tech President Tim Sands announced his plan to retire in several months.   President Sands had agreed to extend his contract through 2027, and the timing of his announcement surprised many members of the Virginia Tech community.    The process and timeline for recruiting Tim’s successor are evolving, as the VT Board of Visitors considers requests and proposals from the faculty senate and the governor’s office.  We look forward to a robust approach that balances efficiency with broad input from the university’s constituent groups.   

As dean of VTCSOM, I am grateful for all that President Sands has accomplished during his 12 years of service.  He took office in 2014, the same year that our founding class graduated.  He stewarded our transition in 2018 from a private medical school (public-private partnership corporation) to becoming Virginia Tech’s ninth college. And one memorable year, in honor of Morgan Dana Harrington’s legacy, President Sands accepted our invitation to play in the Docs for Morgan basketball game.

Over the past seven years, President Sands has supported VTCSOM’s enrollment growth strategy as well as renovation and leasing of the 1316 Jefferson Street building.  He made planning and construction of our new medical school building the university’s #1 capital planning priority, and approved strategic investments in our health systems and implementation science research program.  Each of these initiatives was supported through the work and advocacy of Virginia Tech’s Executive Vice President and Provost, Cyril Clarke, who transitioned from that office to become a special advisor to President Sands earlier this year.  I am delighted to report that Cyril has accepted our invitation to serve as our commencement speaker this year.

Transitions in leadership naturally create concerns about the future.  In conversations with VT’s Chief Operating Officer, Amy Sebring, and our new Provost, Julie Ross, I have been impressed by their shared commitment to assure continuity in our operations and strategic momentum through the presidential transition. I trust both leaders to make transparent, data-driven decisions after carefully considering input by the deans and the university’s other unit leaders.  Their commitment to VTCSOM is evident in the recent approval of our near-term enrollment growth funding plan, which will rely primarily on earmarked resources from the Commonwealth. 

The Commonwealth’s biennium budget is another important event occurring this season. When it is finally approved by July 1, it may include ongoing support for our operations as well as funding for a new building.   With added synergy from the $20 million Smith Family Scholarship endowment, the anticipated funding from the Commonwealth will enable us to enact in-state tuition for half of each class, including students from rural towns, and reduce their cost of medical education.  Over time, as the new building opens and we reach our envisioned growth target of 90-100 students per class, the number of out-of-state students will be the same as it is now, while the number of Virginians attending VTCSOM will grow substantially, setting the stage for more graduates matching to Virginia residencies or returning to practice in the Commonwealth.

Addressing the physician workforce shortage, nationally, in Virginia, and within our region, is just one of the motivations for growth.  Others include scaling the impact our graduates can make in their careers and communities.  The unique qualities they bring to VTCSOM and our ability to support their professional development create a synergistic impact, producing physicians who are well-qualified to lead systemic improvements in care and create valuable knowledge through their research.  

Across the faculty, staff, students, and alumni of VTCSOM, we are united in our vision of sustaining the most meaningful and differentiating aspects of a VTCSOM education, including small problem-based learning groups, early community and patient exposure, our robust research requirement, innovative identities curriculum, and enviable residency match outcomes.

Growing our enrollment slowly and carefully allows us to make the necessary adjustments to assure that the student experience is not diminished.   We are grateful to our health system partner, Carilion Clinic, for supporting the planning necessary for a smooth transition in enrollment.  Most importantly, we view each medical student as possessing a deep well of potential. We have made improvements in the curriculum and student support services that will help each student achieve their fullest potential, and we will reinvest the resources from enrollment growth to build new educational opportunities and programs, including advanced certificates, degrees, and career pathways.

With the leadership transition underway at Virginia Tech, and the important budget items pending decisions by the state legislature and governor, this is undoubtedly a pivotal season for the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine.  Fortunately, the milestones that greet us in May, including the graduation of our largest class to date, remind us of the essential role we play in the life of our community, university, state, and nation.

Sincerely,
Lee A. Learman
Dean
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine

Medical school launches first data science-focused center on immunology

The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine dedicated the Jeffrey Modell Center for Informatics and Data Science on Tuesday, April 21, marking a milestone for the institution and a first for the global Jeffrey Modell Foundation network.

The new center is the first in the foundation’s international network focused specifically on informatics and data science. Its designation signals a shift in how researchers approach immunology, using large-scale data and artificial intelligence (AI) to better understand immune disorders and improve patient care.
To read more, click here.

News Around Campus

Social Media

Events

  • 5/9- Commencement

Humanism

Our Humanism Note comes from Dr. Mark H. Grenawald this month. Please see the linked video for more:
"The result of consuming a healthier emotional diet is a healthier outlook on life, as demonstrated in our Press Pause this week by street musician Will Boyajian, the New York City subway performer offering all his earnings to those in need with his Hopeful Cases."

Congratulations

Several of our faculty members were recently recognized for authoring books over the past year. Drs. Jenn Cleveland, Andrew Binks, and Renee LeClair were honored for their textbook Microbiology, Pharmacology, and Immunology for Pre-Clinical Students, while Dr. Cynthia Morrow was acknowledged for authoring two books: Essentials of Public Health and Turnock’s Public Health: What It Is and How It Works.

Publishing

The following highlights a selection of recent publications from across the VTCSOM community:

Spotlight On Giving

On the evening of April 17, the historic Train Station in Roanoke was transformed into a space of profound gratitude and inspiration as we gathered for the 2026 VTCSOM Scholarship Reception. This annual highlight brought together our dedicated donors, faculty, and staff alongside the Dean’s Advancement Advisory Council to celebrate the incredible students who represent the future of medicine. The evening felt like a vital bridge between those who invest in our mission and the students currently navigating the rigors of their medical education. Amidst the networking and shared stories, the atmosphere remained focused on a singular, powerful theme: the enduring partnership between our community and the classroom.

A true highlight of the program was an address by Dr. Sid Smith, a proud Virginia Tech alumnus and valued member of our Advancement Advisory Council. Alongside his wife, Lucy, Dr. Smith has long championed our students through the Dr. Sidney C. Smith and Mrs. Lucy O. Smith Scholarship. He spoke movingly about the responsibility of "paying it forward," noting that scholarship support offers more than just financial relief—it provides students with the academic freedom to pursue their clinical passions without the weight of impending debt. Dr. Smith challenged our student recipients to carry this spirit of altruism throughout their professional lives, underscoring our school’s mission to remain a destination for the brightest medical minds, regardless of their financial background. It was a wonderful night that truly showcased the heart of the VTCSOM community.

Alumni Update

Pictured (From Left to Right): Dr. Sandy Fogel, Dr. Aubrey Knight, Dr. Chris Reed, Dean Lee Learman and Dr. Michael Nussbaum

In April, Dr. Chris Reed, VTCSOM Class of 2016, presented  “Anticoagulation Without Bleeding:  From Bedside to Bench and Back" as a Carilion Clinic Surgical Grand Rounds Research Conference Visiting Professor.  

Dr. Reed is currently an Assistant Professor in the Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery at Duke University.

Take Note

The medical student team led by Rachel Chiao and Lily Rose learned that their project has been selected for a national award through the AOA’s Medical Student Service Leadership Grant program. This is a notable achievement, as only one application per medical school is eligible to compete at the national level.

Their project, “Food Insecurity Intervention in the Roanoke Valley – Building a Sustainable Partnership,” has been awarded a $9,000 grant to be distributed over two years.

Rachel and Lily Rose led the proposal with support from Dr. Michelle Rockwell and Dr. Kris Rau. The project was originally initiated by M2 students Colby Mallett, Etta Hanlon, and Blaire Barton as part of a CCI class assignment, and they also contributed to the grant effort to help sustain the work.

Congratulations to the entire team!

Here is the support letter Dean Learman wrote which accompanied the submitted grant proposal:

I was excited to learn that a highly talented group of student leaders from VTCSOM were applying for a 2026 AΩA Medical Student Service Leadership Project Grant. The leadership team includes three second-year students (Colby Mallett, Etta Hanlon, and Blaire Barton) and two first-year students (Rachael Chiao and Lily Rose Bahrabadi). This mighty five-member team envisioned and then developed a bridge-building plan connecting two important community organizations in our region: Feeding Southwest Virginia (FSWV) and the Child Health Investment Partnership (CHIP). Their work inspired the leaders of both organizations to streamline the process of transporting food boxes from FSWV to CHIP, enabling CHIP to address food insecurity in the homes they visit to provide services. These students transformed an idea arising from their experience in a community-focused part of our Health Systems Science curriculum into a compelling proposal that brings resources to feed more children and their families, while incorporating leadership experience and grant-writing skills to support sustainability through other funding streams after the 2-year grant period ends. Their commitment to this work is extremely meaningful in light of their other responsibilities. In addition to the usual coursework, our curriculum includes a required longitudinal hypothesis-testing research project for all students that is developed with a faculty mentor in the M1 year. The additional commitment demonstrated in this proposal will advance these students' capabilities to graduate medical school not only as scientist physicians but also as systems citizens, setting the stage for future service and leadership. It is not unusual for students to also support community organizations, but making the effort to move an idea forward and transform the lives of the families served by CHIP is an exceptional commitment that clearly demonstrates their future leadership potential. Fortunately, their mentors have demonstrated the same commitment. Dr. Kristofer Rau, a basic science editor, supports multiple community organizations focused on the health and well-being of children. He has excellent relationships with FSWV and CHIP leadership, who regard him as a trusted colleague. Dr. Michelle Rockwell, a health services researcher in family and community medicine, directs the pre-clinical phase of our Health Systems Science curriculum and is skilled in project management and community engagement.

Based upon the potential impact of the proposal and inclusion of grant-writing skill development to promote sustainability, I am pleased to commit matching funds from the discretionary budget I use to support community engagement work. These funds may be used during the 2-year funding period, and the students may propose using unspent funds to extend the bridge to sustainability by 1-2 more years.

I appreciate your thoughtful consideration of this proposal.

Sincerely,
Lee A. Learman, MD, PhD
Dean, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine