Centenary/VCOM agreement offers preferred admission to medical school
Qualified Centenary College of Louisiana students will receive preferred admission to medical school as early as the end of their sophomore year under a new, unique agreement the College signed today with the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM). This partnership for preferred admission with Centenary is the first of its kind for VCOM.
“We are pleased to deepen our existing partnership with VCOM,” said Dr. Christopher Holoman, Centenary president. “We share a commitment to prepare outstanding students to serve the health care needs of our communities, and we look forward to growing this program and making the transition between our institutions seamless.”
In 2021, the two institutions partnered to offer guaranteed interviews. Several Centenary College students have benefited from that arrangement with VCOM. This new agreement allowing preferred admission demonstrates VCOM’s commitment to, and confidence in, Centenary pre-med students.
“At VCOM, our mission has always been to prepare community-focused physicians who will serve in rural and medically underserved areas,” Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, DO, FACOFP, president of VCOM. “This partnership with Centenary College reflects that commitment. By identifying and mentoring students early in their academic journey, we’re creating a pathway for passionate future physicians to return and serve the communities that need them most in Louisiana. Our Centenary alumni have proven to be high-achieving and successful medical students, and we look forward to welcoming more like them in the future."
Centenary alumna Colbee Duke (’22) is on track to graduate from VCOM-Louisiana in 2026. “Centenary was the perfect stepping stone for my journey to VCOM,” said Duke. “It helped me grow into an independent student capable of critical thinking and problem solving—both essential qualities for success in medical school.”
Rose Deshler (’24), also a Centenary alumna, says learning about VCOM gave her the confidence to pursue medicine. “Early on, I was not sure if I wanted to pursue medical school,” said Deshler. “However, during my time at Centenary, VCOM was introduced to me more than once, and it played a significant role in shaping my decision to become a physician. VCOM seemed attainable, sustainable, and like a place where I could do well.” Rose will graduate from VCOM-Louisiana in 2028.
VCOM is a doctoral-level osteopathic medical college that receives more than 14,000 applications for 650 seats, spread across its four campuses. Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, Dr. Karen Soul, signed the agreement for Centenary alongside Tooke-Rawlins, president of VCOM.
“Centenary College and the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine share a common passion for serving our communities and nation by training students and health care providers who have the knowledge and skills to deliver comprehensive, integrated preventative care and treatment,” said Dr. Soul. “This unique partnership truly transforms what it means to be a ‘pre-med’ undergraduate student by allowing students to begin taking concrete steps toward a career in osteopathic medicine as early as the end of their sophomore year. Together, Centenary College and VCOM will be central contributors to the quality of health care in northwest Louisiana and throughout the region.”
Founded in 2001, VCOM is a private non-profit osteopathic medical school in Blacksburg, Virginia. It has three branch campuses located in Spartanburg, South Carolina; Auburn, Alabama; and Monroe, Louisiana. VCOM provides state-of-the-art medical education and research that prepares globally minded, community-focused physicians who improve the health of people in rural and medically underserved areas. Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine, also known as DOs, are licensed in every state to practice the full scope of medicine: examination, diagnosis, writing prescriptions, performing surgery, and providing musculoskeletal manipulation.
The new agreement allows Centenary pre-med students who have achieved a 3.7 GPA in the appropriate pre-med courses at Centenary the opportunity for admission and waiving the MCAT requirement. The agreement also continues to allow for all students with a GPA above 3.4 who are recommended by the school to have the opportunity to interview, although the MCAT requirement remains.
The agreement allows admission based on academic achievement to students who are recommended by Centenary and VCOM faculty with the opportunity for admission while waiving the MCAT exam. Dr. Tooke-Rawlins expressed, “We recognize the rigor and quality of the Centenary pre-medical degree. So, if these students have the appropriate GPA and recommendations by faculty, we place more value in these attributes than a one-time MCAT exam outcome.”
To be eligible, students must meet all technical and general admission requirements, complete a set of required prerequisite courses, and maintain an overall science and cumulative GPA of 3.7. They are required to perform community and volunteer services, as well.
“As we formalize this partnership with VCOM, we celebrate more than just an opportunity; we are answering a vital call,” said Dr. Scott Chirhart, Centenary College’s dean of the School of Health Sciences. “By 2030, Louisiana is projected to be among the top three states facing the most severe physician shortages, particularly here in northwest Louisiana. Through this articulation agreement and preferred admission program, Centenary students who meet eligibility requirements will have a direct pathway to medical training and service at VCOM. This partnership helps recruit high-achieving students into a program designed to serve those who need care most, fulfilling not only personal ambition but a shared commitment to public impact.”
Cassandra Halford (’23) who will graduate from VCOM-Louisiana in 2027, shared how both institutions helped shape her medical journey.
“Centenary as well as the STEM professors prepared me for the fast-paced, intense nature of medical school,” said Halford. “Both Centenary and VCOM students are cooperative in their learning. We share a lot of information and resources beyond just studying together. When I was looking into an osteopathic school, the principle of self-healing through osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) appealed to the holistic approach that I was interested in. OMM is absolutely my favorite part of an osteopathic education because we are taught techniques that facilitate the body's ability to maintain and regulate itself.”
This agreement with VCOM is one of a growing list of graduate and professional partnerships providing Centenary students with preferred pathways to careers in medicine. These medical and allied health partnerships build on strengths of the College’s science degree programs while providing students new avenues to pursue in the healthcare industry.
To learn more about this partnership and Centenary’s School of Health Sciences, contact Dr. Chirhart at schirhart@centenary.edu or call 318-869-5209.