Overview
Inova Fairfax Hospital has been a teaching hospital for more than 45 years. Currently, there are 150 residents and approximately 110 medical students rotating through many of the hospital departments each month.
Building on this strong educational foundation, in 2005, the hospital expanded its educational offerings through a strategic partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, developing the first regional branch medical campus in Northern Virginia.
31 third-year and 31 fourth-year medical students attend the branch school located on Inova Fairfax Hospital’s campus. The combination of a diverse patient population, state-of-the-art hospital facilities and a committed teaching faculty has created an exceptional learning environment for medical students.
Mission
Our mission is to provide quality care and to improve the health of the diverse communities we serve in an academic environment.
- Our commitment includes sustaining a reputation of clinical quality and service excellence, the continuing education and advancement of our medical staff, growing health services to meet regional and community needs, and maintaining solid, durable relationships with our physicians.
- Our vision is to be among the premier institutions in the United States that educate medical students, residents and fellows to master the skills and systems required to become excellent clinicians, achieving the highest quality clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction for a diverse patient population.
- Because we are a community hospital, our students receive a unique, innovative educational experience in small, personal environments. Our faculty is comprised of national and international experts especially qualified to sculpt our students into the physicians they strive to become.
Documents for VCU Inova Campus:
Curriculum
The VCU School of Medicine Inova Campus is a clinical branch campus of the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, Virginia.
The Inova Campus takes twenty-four third year and twenty-four fourth year medical students each academic year. The smaller class size and extensive faculty provide students with a unique clinical education experience. Graduates from the Inova Campus cite the excellent small group teaching methods and the opportunity to work with the diverse Northern Virginia community patient population as major factors influencing their campus choice. Students may choose this Northern Virginia campus as an option for their third and fourth years during their M1 year enrollment period.
The third year curriculum follows the same academic calendar and format on both campuses. The year consists of seven clerkships: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, OB/GYN, Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Surgery. The fourth year experience for students includes their choice of electives on both the Inova and Richmond campuses, as well as opportunities for domestic, international and independent project electives.
See the Faculty section for a list of Clerkship Directors.
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Quality and Safety Course
The Inova campus with its smaller class size has the opportunity to bring the class together as a whole for several unique and innovative learning opportunities. Each third-year student participates in a five session course in quality and safety that spans the third-year. Areas focused on include assessing risks for medical errors, why peer review is important and understanding accreditation requirements. -
Cultural Competency Course
Also spanning the third-year students meet approximately five times with Dr. Steven Crossman to learn about what it means to be a culturally competent health professional. Students in this course not only learn about others and their cultures, but students get a great opportunity to learn about themselves and how they perceive others. -
Educational Grand Rounds
Students are also invited on the first Wednesday of every month to attend educational grand rounds where topics not addressed within the core teaching curriculum are addressed. A key focus here is on improving one’s teaching skills. Other topics covered recently include how to provide top-notch customer service, professionalism, identifying sleep deprivation in a healthcare provider, organ transplantation, finance for the physician and many others. This great learning opportunity was sighted by the ACGME as a best practice.
Family Medicine (4 weeks)
This four-week rotation covers the basic principles of Family Medicine: Caring for individuals in a community setting and understanding the epidemiology of the most common health issues affecting one’s clerkship community. Students learn 19 common complaints through comprehensive self-assessment exercises and complete an OSCE at the end of the month on one of the self-assessment cases. Students are issued a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) to use as resource to record clinical activities. Family Medicine also loans a laptop computer so that students may complete CD-ROM interactive cases and participate in electronic discussions. In addition, students create a self-directed project for the office and preceptor.
Internal Medicine (12 weeks)
The IM rotation at Inova campus consists of a 12 week rotation. Students spend four weeks working in ambulatory clinics. They are assigned to a primary preceptor who is typically a general internist. They focus on preventive issues and on long term management of chronic medical problems in ambulatory patients. In addition, the students also spend half-days every week rotating through subspecialty clinics which include Infectious Diseases, Gastoenterology, Nephrology and Cardiology. They also spend two afternoons with the nutritionists in the hospital.
The eight-week inpatient rotation is divided into two four-week blocks. The inpatient rotation is based on Inova-Fairfax Hospital. Students are part of a call team which typically includes a senior resident, one or two interns and an acting intern. They take overnight call including weekends on a every fourth day cycle. They admit and follow the patients until discharge. The students have the opportunity to participate in their own third year student morning report, Monday-Friday, where they present cases. Along with their teams, they also participate in daily noon conferences, chief of service rounds once a week and auscultation rounds once a week. The students have their core topic lectures at 2pm every Monday and Friday.
Neurology (4 weeks)
The Neurology clerkship seeks to educate medical students in the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with a wide variety of neurologic conditions. This is accomplished through direct patient contact, didactic lectures, interactive teaching sessions, assigned text and other reading and electronic media. During the one-month rotation, students work with the teaching faculty at the Alexandria Fairfax Neurology practice, where they spend time in an outpatient clinic as well as the neurology service at Inova-Fairfax Hospital. Students are also exposed to the indication for and basic understanding of tests and procedures frequently used in the evaluation of patients with neurological conditions including lumbar punctures, neuroimaging studies, electroencephalography and duplex carotid studies. Students are evaluated based on clinical performance and the NBME neurology shelf exam.
Obstetrics and Gynecology (6 weeks)
The Obstetrics and Gynecology rotation is a six-week rotation designed to give an overview of primary and tertiary care of women. The Inova Fairfax Hospital Clerkship is divided into antepartum, day float and night float, labor and delivery, emergency room experience, benign gynecological surgery, gynecology and ambulatory services. The students care for pregnant patients in the hospital and clinic, participate in vaginal and cesarean deliveries and follow patients after delivery. In addition to the labor and delivery experiences, day float and night float exposes students to gynecologic admissions and consults within the hospital. Gynecology incorporates office practice, ambulatory surgery, benign surgery and inpatients women’s care. Students participate in the assessment and management of women in the office, hospital and operating room.
Gynecologic Oncology rotation introduces students to tertiary care of cancers of the cervix, uterus, ovaries, vulva and vagina. Students see some of the case presentations of these diseases as well as their surgical and medical treatments. In addition to the informal teaching on these services, students are expected to attend didactic sessions and grand rounds. Students are evaluated by clinical performance and the National Board of Medical Examiners shelf exam.
Pediatrics (8 weeks)
The Pediatrics clerkship is an eight-week rotation of which four weeks is inpatient and four weeks are outpatient. During the inpatient month, the goals are to learn about the management of acute and chronic conditions that are treated in the hospital setting, to sharpen history taking and physical exam skills as they apply to children of different ages and to learn to write comprehensive admission notes including assessments and plans. For the outpatient month, two weeks are spent in the office of a community physician where students see well child visits and common outpatient complaints under the supervision of their preceptor and learn how a pediatric office functions. The remaining two weeks are divided between the newborn nursery, the pediatric emergency room and the subspecialty clinics. There is also a series of approximately 17 lectures which cover core topics in pediatrics in an interactive format.
The evaluation of students is based on their ward performance (40 percent), their outpatient work (20 percent), an oral exam based on three or four of 30 case scenarios which the students are given ahead of time (10 percent) and the written exam provided by the National Board of Medical Examinations (NBME) (30 percent).
Psychiatry (6 weeks)
The goal of the Psychiatry rotation is for students to become competent in the fundamentals of psychiatric diagnosis and treatment necessary for practice within a primary care setting, as well as preparation for those who plan to apply for a psychiatry residency. The clerkship represents a continuum of the development of the Behavioral Sciences curriculum. Students learn to recognize, diagnose and treat patients with various forms of psychopathology.
Students at the Inova Campus spend one month on the inpatient psychiatry service, two weeks on the psychiatry consultation-liaison services and one afternoon a week in the outpatient community mental health clinic adjacent to the hospital. Students will participate both in team learning modules as well as problem-solving case presentations linked to specific lectures. Students also participate in on-call experiences and electroconvulsive therapy. Student grades are based on their clinical evaluations, one final psychiatric admission write-up and OSCE, and a written shelf examination.
Surgery (8 weeks)
The goal of the Surgery Clerkship is to provide an experience in the principles and practices of surgery in eight weeks. Students spend four weeks on a general surgery rotation and four weeks on a surgical subspecialty or community surgery month. Students are expected to assume responsibility for patient care and participate in the evaluation of patients and the decision making process, further developing interviewing and physical diagnosis skills. Students are expected to read the required textbook, ask questions and participate actively in the learning process.
While on the general surgery rotation, students make a weekly case presentation to the chairman. There is a core curriculum lecture series available on the Surgery website, and a faculty present clinical, case-based discussion on these lectures on Mondays and Thursdays. Students are required to view on-line lectures as well as attend scheduled conferences, including weekly Grand Rounds and M&M (Kaizen) conferences. In addition, each service has conferences specific to their specialty.
The Inova Campus M4 clinical experience mirrors that of the Richmond Campus. M4 is an elective year with over 50 electives offered on the Inova Campus in addition to approximately 232 electives offered on the Richmond Campus. Students also have opportunities for domestic, international and independent project electives.
You will find the M4 year to be the most enjoyable and memorable year as you are able to concentrate on fine tuning your clinical skills and gain more experience in the areas of medicine you find most interesting. Our electives program is designed to provide students with the opportunity to plan a significant part of their educational experience. Electives are chosen by the student with the assistance and approval of an assigned faculty career advisor. Students may choose electives to strengthen their knowledge in areas they feel deficient, to explore areas of particular interest, or to add new dimensions to their base of knowledge and experience.
The year is divided ino 12 four-week periods. There are Acting Internships, Advanced electives and a two week Capstone Course. Students need to pass Step 2 Clinical Skills and Clinical Knowledge exams and have a passing grade on an Inter-professional Assignment. An acting internship is a clinical experience (completed at VCU or affiliated hospital system - i.e. Inova) in which the medical student is expecteed to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and attitudes expected of a first year resident. All students must complete 2 acting internsihps. One must be an "inpatient ward" acting internship (labeled "AI" in M4 elective catalogue). The other must be an "intensive care" acting internship ("ICU" in the title in M4 elective catalogue exception: emergency medicine).
View the current M4 Electives.
Electives for Visiting Medical Students
A limited number of electives are available for students from other U.S. and Canadian LCME (Liaison Committee on Medical Education) accredited schools and Osteopathic schools, who have completed their junior year of clinical work and all required clerkships.
All visiting students must submit the following information in addition to a completed application form and application fee through VSAS (Visiting Student Application System - system of the Association of American Medical Colleges, AAMC):
- A letter of good standing from your institution
- This should include proof of HIPPA and OSHA training
- Two letters of recommendation
- Specifically recommending you for the elective rotation you are applying
- An official transcript of the students clinical performance to date
- A current CV provided by the student detailing the level of responsibility and breadth of experience in regards to the students desired clinical rotation
- A narrative explaining your interest in the specific rotation at Inova
- Proof of Student Malpractice Liability Insurance in the amounts of $2,250,000 Million INDIVIDUAL / $6,750,000 AGGREGATE (subject to Virginia minimum requirements)
- Proof of your own Personal Health Insurance Coverage (copy of front and back of card)
- Up to date immunizations
- Proof of passing USMLE Step 1 (MD Students), or COMLEX (DO Students)
- Photograph
- Social Security Number, Canadian SIN, or Visa Number
- English proficiency
It should be noted that VCU Inova Campus students have first priority for all Inova Campus electives and we try to accommodate extramural student requests for dates and disciplines whenever possible.
Due to the timing of preparing the schedules of our own students, extramural applications will NOT be accepted prior to June 1st. The catalog will be available for viewing by May 1st.
For more information, contact:
Amy Unger
Student Services Manager
Phone: 703-776-3249
E-mail: amy.unger@inova.org
Facilities
The VCU School of Medicine – Inova Campus is located in the Claude Moore Health Education & Research Center on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus.
The VCU School of Medicine – Inova Campus is located in the Claude Moore Health Education & Research Center on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus; Inova’s flagship hospital. As part of our educational vision, we established the Claude Moore Health Education & Research Center, which features 11,000 square feet of modern space dedicated to the educational needs of our highly valued VCU students.
Lecture rooms are equipped with video conference technology allowing students’ access to the Richmond Campus in the areas of team based learning plus the entire spectrum of student affairs and student life issues. Students have 24 hour access to computer labs and a study lounge area. The center is proud to offer high-tech information technology that allows traveling students who may live outside of the region to receive a seamless medical education from anywhere in Virginia.
The Inova Center for Advanced Medical Education (ICAMS), located one floor above the VCU-Inova Campus suite, and the Advanced Surgical Technology and Education Center (ASTEC), located in the Dept of Surgery, enable students to participate in hands-on experiences and learn through simulation.
The Inova Center for Advanced Medical Simulation (ICAMS) and the Advanced Surgical Technology and Education Center (ASTEC), both located on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus, work collaboratively to provide medical and surgical teaching, simulation, and training. ICAMS and ASTEC offer everything from low-fidelity procedural simulations, high-fidelity patient simulations, and standardized patient encounters to communication, team-based training, workflow and handoff training. They provide educators with a safe learning environment to teach and evaluate students on various procedures as well as interpersonal and communication skills. The VCU-Inova Campus is dedicated to improving patient safety and quality of treatment through focused teaching, simulation, and training for the diverse community that we serve.
The Inova campus maintains a growing simulation lab containing a variety of medical and surgical trainers. The simulation lab enables students to utilize realistic hands-on training in coordination with their in-depth classroom studies. Medical and surgical simulation gives educators a way to safely and practically teach and test students on various procedures. The VCU Inova campus is dedicated to improving patient safety and quality of treatment through focused teaching, simulation, and training.
Utilizing the latest technologies, the Inova campus provides faculty & students with comfortably-sized lecture rooms equipped with video conference capabilities. These are versatile rooms that not only hold lectures, special presentations, and classes, but also give students access to the Richmond Campus in the areas of team-based learning, important curriculum meetings, and the entire spectrum of student affairs and student life issues. The lecture rooms provide students the ability to participate in the extraordinary opportunities at the Inova campus while staying in full contact with Richmond.
The conference room can be used for multiple functions ranging from classes, lectures, various committee meetings, presentations, and off-site video conferences. Utilizing state-of-the-art video and audio conference capabilities, students, staff, and faculty members find this room to be the preferred meeting place for small group events. The conference room allows for a more focused and personal one-on-one meeting place with the same high-quality technological capabilities as our other lecture rooms.
Students can find a quiet environment to study, research, and browse the internet in our computer lab. Access to the VCU intranet and Inovanet can be reached or students may bring in their laptops and connect to Wayport WiFi access for personal use. Fully equipped with medical texts, copy machine, and printer, students can find a variety of uses for the computer lab 24 hours a day, allowing students to set up group meetings or study dates when it best fits their busy schedules. The computers stay well-maintained and up-to-date.
The student lounge is a comfortable environment equipped with spacious seating, workstations, and connections to both Inovanet and WiFi wireless access. The lounge also includes basic necessities for busy, hardworking students such as a kitchen, vending machines, coffee machine, and a Television / DVD Player. In the lounge, students can find the perfect spot to meet with peers, work on projects, relax between classes, have lunch, or study for upcoming exams.
Match Results
Anesthesiology
- Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (DC)
- University Washington Affiliate Hospitals
- University Maryland Medical Center
Emergency Medicine
- University Texas Medical School – Houston
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System VA
- Washington Hospital Center - DC
Family Medicine
- NYP Hosp-Columbia Univ Med Ctr - NY
- Hershey Med Ctr/Penn State – PA
- Bon Secours Health System – VA
- VCU-Fairfax Family Medical Residency – VA
Internal Medicine
- Eastern VA Med School - VA
- Georgetown University Hospital – DC
Medicine-Preliminary
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System VA
- Washington Hospital Center – DC
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System VA
Medicine-Preliminary/Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System VA
Obstetrics/Gynecology
- Carolinas Med Center – NC
- Cooper Hospital-University Medical Center – NJ
Ophthalmology
- Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Pediatrics
- Case Western/Univ Hosp Case Med Ctr - OH
- Vidant Med Ctr/East Carolina Univ – NC
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Rutgers- R W Johnson Medical School – NJ
Plastic Surgery - Integrated
- UC San Diego Medical Center – CA
Psychiatry
- Thomas Jefferson University – PA
- University of Virginia
Radiology-Diagnostic
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System VA
Surgery - Preliminary
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System VA
Anesthesiology
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
- NYP Hospital - Columbia University Medical Center (NY)
- Johns Hopkins Hospital (MD)
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VA)
- NYU School of Medicine (NY)
Family Medicine
- Chippenham Medical Center (VA)
- Riverside Regional Medical Center (VA)
- VCU - Fairfax Family Medical Residency (VA)
Internal Medicine
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Moses H Cone Memorial Hospital (NC)
- University of Southern California (CA)
- Scripps Mercy Hospital - San Diego (CA)
- George Washington University (DC)
Neurology
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
Obstetrics/Gynecology
- (2) INOVA Fairfax Hospital (VA)
Ortho Surgery
- Marshall University School of Medicine (WV)
Pediatrics
- (2) Childrens National Medical Center (DC)
- University of California Irvine Medical Center (CA)
Psychiatry
- Jackson Memorial Hospital (FL)
- University of Michigan Hospitals - Ann Arbor (MI)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- University of Maryland (MD)
Transitional
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
Anesthesiology
- Hershey Medical Center / Penn State (PA)
- University of Utah Affiliated Hospitals (UT)
- University of California Davis Medical Center (CA)
Family Medicine
- Jackson Memorial Hospital (FL)
- University of Virginia (VA)
Internal Medicine
- Jackson Memorial Hospital (FL)
- (2) INOVA Fairfax Hospital (VA)
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VA)
Neurology
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Einstein/Beth Isreal Medical Center (NY)
- Stony Brook Teaching Hospitals (NY)
Obstetrics/Gynecology
- University of Virginia (VA)
- University of Louisville School of Medicine (KY)
- Washington Hospital Center (DC)
- University of Connecticut School of Medicine (CT)
Ortho Surgery
- Marshall University School of Medicine (WV)
Pediatrics
- (2) INOVA Fairfax Hospital (VA)
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VA)
Psychiatry
- Harbor-UCLA Medical Center (CA)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- Staten Island University Hospital (NY)
Surgery-General
- Union Memorial Hospital (MD)
- Washington Hospital Center (DC)
Anesthesiology
- University of Virginia (VA)
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
- UMDNJ - R W Johnson (NJ)
Dermatology
- Rhode Island Hospital / Brown University (RI)
Emergency Medicine
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
- Ohio State University Medical Center (OH)
Family Medicine
- (2) University of Virginia (VA)
- West Virginia University School of Medicine (WV)
- Harbor - UCLA Medical Center (CA)
- May School of Graduate Medical Education (MN)
- Chippenham Medical Center (VA)
Internal Medicine
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
- Kaiser Permanente - Los Angeles (CA)
- George Washington University (DC)
- University of Maryland Medical Center (MD)
Medicine - Preliminary
- Pinnacle Health Hospitals (PA)
- University of Maryland - Mercy Medical Center (MD)
- Greenwich Hospital (CT)
- UC Irvine Medical Center (CA)
- Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (NC)
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
- MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center (MD)
Neurology
- Boston University Medical Center (MA)
- Tufts Medical Center (MA)
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
- Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (NC)
Obstetrics/Gynecology
- Washington Hospital Center (DC)
- George Washington University (DC)
Ophthalmology
- George Washington University (DC)
Orthopaedic Surgery
- St. Lukes - Roosevelt (NY)
Pediatrics
- Virginia Commonwealth University Health System (VA)
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Carolinas Medical Center (NC)
- Harbor - UCLA Medical Center (CA)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center (NC)
Surgery-General
- Union Memorial Hospital (MD)
Surgery-Preliminary
- Riverside County Regional Medical Center (CA)
- University of Denver (CO)
- Maine Medical Center (ME)
Transitional
- UPMC Mercy Hospital (PA)
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
- Riverside Regional Medical Center (VA)
Urology
- Maine Medical Center (ME)
Anesthesiology
- University of Rochester / Strong Memorial (NY)
Family Medicine
- VCU - Fairfax Family Medical (VA)
- Chippenham Medical Center (VA)
- Texas A&M / Scott & White (TX)
- Providence Hospital (DC)
Internal Medicine
- University of Maryland Medical Center (MD)
- Duke University Medical Center (NC)
- California Pacific Medical Center (CA)
- (2) Thomas Jefferson University (PA)
- Wester Virginia University School of Medicine (WV)
- Rhode Island Hospital / Brown University (RI)
- UMDNJ / New Jersey Medical Center (NJ)
- Carilion Clinic / VA Tech Carilion (VA)
Neurological Surgery
- University of California Davis Medical Center (CA)
Neurology
- NYMC / Westchester Medical Center (NY)
Obstetrics/Gynecology
- White Memorial Medical Center - LA (CA)
- Northwestern McGaw / NMH / VA (IL)
- George Washington University (DC)
- Carilion Clinic / VA Tech Carilion (VA)
Ortho Surgery
- University of North Carolina Hospitals (NC)
Pediatrics
- Tulane University School of Medicine (LA)
Psychiatry
- Baystate Medical Center (MA)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- University of Florida College of Medicine / Shands Hospital (FL)
Surgery-General
- University of Nevada Affiliate Hospitals (NV)
Transitional
- UPMC Mercy Hospital (PA)
Anesthesiology
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (MA)
- Mt. Sinai Hospital (NY)
- University of Virginia (VA)
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (PA)
- Stony Brook Teaching Hospitals (NY)
Emergency Medicine
- Yale - New Haven Hospital (CT)
- Staten Island University Hospital (NY)
- North Shore University Hospital (NY)
Family Medicine
- VCU - Fairfax Family Medical (VA)
- University of Maryland Medical Center (MD)
- Providence Hospital (DC)
- Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (MA)
Internal Medicine
- University of Maryland Medical Center (MD)
Medicine-Preliminary
- Johns Hopkins University / Sinai Hospital (MD)
- University of Maryland Medical Center (MD)
- St. Vincent Hospital - Worcester Medical Center (MA)
- George Washington University Hospital (DC)
Neurology
- University of Virginia (VA)
Obstetrics/Gynecology
- Stanford University (CA)
Ophthamalogy
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
Pediatrics
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
- San Antonio Military Medical Center (TX)
Psychiatry
- University of Southern California (CA)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- Emory University School of Medicine (GA)
- University of Maryland Medical Center (MD)
Surgery-General
- Inova Fairfax Hospital (VA)
- St. John Hospital (MI)
Transitional
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Lehigh Valley Hospital (PA)
- Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (VA)
- Christiana Care (DE)
Anesthesiology
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
- UMDNJ (NJ)
Child Neurology
- Johns Hopkins Hospital (MD)
Dermatology
- Einstein/Montefiore Medical Center (NY)
Emergency Medicine
- Allegheny General Hospital (PA)
Internal Medicine
- Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center (MD)
- Cedars-Sinai Medical Center (CA)
- University of California Irvine Medical Center (CA)
- Brooke Army Medical Center (TX)
- UMDNJ (NJ)
Medicine-Prelim
- Johns Hopkins University/Sinai Hospital (MD)
- St. Lukes-Roosevelt Hospital Center (NY)
- University of California San Francisco-Fresno (CA)
- Brookdale University Hospital & Medical Center (NY)
Medicine-Prelim/Neurology
- Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University (RI)
Neurology
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Rhode Island Hospital/Brown University (RI)
Neurological Surgery
- University of Maryland Medical Center (MD)
Orthopaedic Surgery
- University of California San Francisco-Fresno (CA)
Otolaryngology
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital (MO)
Pediatrics
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
- University of Connecticut Health Center (CT)
- Eastern Virginia Medical School (VA)
Physical Medicine & Rehab
- Harvard/Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital (MA)
Psychiatry
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- Barnes-Jewish Hospital (MO)
- University of Washington Affiliate Hospitals (WA)
- Eastern Virginia Medical School (VA)
- Thomas Jefferson University (PA)
Surgery-General
- Inova Fairfax Hospital (VA)
- University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics (IA)
Surgery-Prelim
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
Transitional
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (CA)
- Riverside Red Medical Center (VA)
- UPMC Mercy Hospital (PA)
Anesthesiology
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
Emergency Medicine
- University of Florida (FL)
Family Medicine
- Providence Hospital (DC)
- Franklin Square Hospital (MD)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
- Fairfax Family Practice (VA)
Internal Medicine
- Huntington Memorial Hospital - University of Southern California (CA)
- Mayo Clinic (MN)
Masters of Public Health
- Harvard University (MA)
Neurology
- Albert Einstein Beth Israel Hospital (NY)
OB/GYN
- Reading Hospital - Penn State University (PA)
Orthopedic Surgery
- St. Luke's Hospital - Temple University (PA)
Pediatric Neurology
- University of California (CA)
Pathology
- Pitt County Memorial Hospital - East Carolina University (NC)
Pediatrics
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
- (2) Inova Fairfax Hospital (VA)
- University of California (CA)
- Yale University - New Haven Hospital (CT)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- Yale University - New Haven Hospital (CT)
- University of Virginia (VA)
Medicine-Preliminary
- Franklin Square Hospital (MD)
- Englewood Hospital - Mt. Sinai School of Medicine (NJ)
Transitional
- Carilion Clinic (VA)
- University of Hawaii (HI)
Anesthesiology
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Caritas St. Elizabeths Med Center (MA)
- Loma Linda University (CA)
- Drexel University (PA)
Emergency Medicine
- (2) Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
- Johns Hopkins University (MD)
- George Washington University (DC)
Family Medicine
- Darnall Army Medical Center (TX)
Family Medicine/Psychiatry
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
Internal Medicine
- Stanford University Program (CA)
- Temple University Hospital (PA)
- Northwestern (IL)
- University of Pittsburgh (PA)
Neurology
- New England Medical Center (MA)
- University of Maryland (MD)
Pathology
- University of Maryland (MD)
Pediatrics
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- Emory University (GA)
- Children’s Mercy Hospital (MO)
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- VA Greater LA Health System (CA)
Radiation Oncology
- University of Buffalo (NY)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- Yale (CT)
Surgery
- Henry Ford HSC (MI)
Medicine-Preliminary
- Caritas St. Elizabeths Med Center (MA)
- University of California Irvine (CA)
- University of Buffalo (NY)
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- New York Hospital Queens (NY)
- George Washington University (DC)
- Washington Hospital Center (DC)
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
Transitional
- Inova Health System/Georgetown (VA)
Anesthesiology
- Georgetown University Hospital (DC)
- University of Arkansas (AR)
- University of Southern California (CA)
- Stroger Hospital (IL)
- Johns Hopkins (MD)
Family Medicine
- Lancaster General Hospital (PA)
Internal Medicine
- (2) George Washington University (DC)
- Rush University Med Center (IL)
- Duke University Med Center (NC)
Neurology
- Baylor (TX)
- University of California-Davis (CA)
Neurosurgery
- Virginia Commonwealth University (VA)
OB/GYN
- Baylor (TX)
- Franklin Square Hospital (MD)
- Albany Medical Center (NY)
- UMDNJ (NJ)
Orthopaedic Surgery
- Walter Reed (DC)
Pediatrics
- University of North Carolina (NC)
Psychiatry
- University of Maryland (MD)
Radiology-Diagnostic
- Yale (CT)
- University of Southern California (CA)
Surgery
- Washington Hospital Center (DC)
- Western Pennsylvania Hospital (PA)
Medicine-Preliminary
- University of Hawaii (HI)
- Washington Hospital Center (DC)
- Kaiser S California (CA)
- Union Memorial Hospital (MD)
Transitional
- Inova Health System/Georgetown (VA)
Taking you where you want to go, physically, mentally and spiritually.
The maintenance of wellness throughout the clinical years of training is of paramount importance – the tools acquired now will help you to ingrain life long habits and promote well being to your patients. During your third and fourth years in medical school while on the VCU Inova campus you will find a little extra support through the GPS Student Wellness program. A key component to the success is the involvement of students in the planning, programs, and promotion of wellness. The student wellness committee has student officers from each class who serve as student ambassadors for wellness.
Some of our programming includes:
- Monthly Personal Growth programs i.e. healthy eating, conflict resolution, juicing for life, laughter yoga, mindfulness programs
- Women with scalpels (mentorship lunch for female students pursuing demanding specialties such as general surgery and ob/gyn, balance hectic lifestyles with the many rolls and hats that women wear i.e. caregiver to parents, children)
- Private and confidential Student health and mental health services
- Phenomenal fitness facility partner
- Wellness Challenge at the student gym facility where fitness prizes are awarded each semester
- Community service opportunities i.e. Medical Futures Program
We are a family at the Inova Fairfax Campus. In order to promote the feeling of community:
GPS Student Wellness Web site: Students can participated in GPS student wellness challenges, find resources and communicate regarding share interests in community events via GPS Student Wellness web page.
Family lines: As an incoming third year VCU Inova medical student, you will be assigned an older 'sibling' as a mentor from the class immediately ahead of you. This student mentorship assists with transition to clinical years (orientation, survival tips on wards) and relocation to Northern Virginia
Team Building Event: Entire class attends a team building retreat at Adventure Links located at Hemlock Overlook. This out door program offers progressive and specialty events that hinge off an intense training adventure. The team building is designed to synchronize the strengths, opportunities and collaboration of the human element helping students bond as a team. The goals of this team building are to include meeting expectations, demands, and deadlines. Adventure Links team building event provides an experiential, tangible platform from which to understand and apply team dynamics.
Under the leadership of the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Director for GPS student wellness and third and fourth year student representatives the GPS program is designed to provide a healthy balance to your medical school experience.
Please feel free to contact any one in the GPS Student Wellness program.
Dr. Samantha Buery-Joyner
Samantha.buery@inova.org
Dr. Homan Wai
homan.wai@inova.org
Amy Unger
Amy.unger@inova.org
You won’t get lost in our program. Our students enjoy the small class sizes with opportunities for one-on-one mentoring. Clinical training with patients at Inova Fairfax Hospital is conducted in an observed, structured environment. Our faculty, which includes experts from around the world, focuses on evidence-based medicine and outcomes. They represent numerous specialties including organ transplantation, cardiovascular care, liver diseases, cancer, the neurosciences and trauma. In addition, our executive leadership team will instruct students on a full spectrum of quality assurance-based system management.
Hear what Charles Bongiorno, class of 2008, had to say about his experience.
Inova Fairfax Hospital, home to the VCU School of Medicine – Inova Campus, is consistently ranked as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News and World Report. Home to Northern Virginia’s only Level 1 trauma center, Inova Fairfax Hospital also boasts the fifth busiest obstetrics program in the nation. Its patient population reflects the rich cultural diversity of the surrounding community. Located just minutes from our nation’s capital, Fairfax County is home to citizens from around the globe. As a result, our students have the opportunity to learn about a wide range of illnesses.
Hear what Sumbul Ahmad-Desai, class of 2008, felt about Inova Fairfax Hospital as a place to study medicine.
Our students and residents come from around the world, and opportunities for networking and learning from one another abound. We understand that there is a natural link between research and education. For that reason, we offer interested students the chance to participate in innovative research and to publish. These advantages paired with excellence in teaching have helped our students enter residencies in competitive fields at prestigious institutions such as Yale, Duke, Baylor and Johns Hopkins.
Hear what Kristen Bennet, class of 2008, had to say about how VCU School of Medicine—Inova Campus helped her excel.
As part of our educational vision, we established the Claude Moore Education Center, which features 11,000 square feet of modern space dedicated to the educational needs of our highly valued VCU students. This state-of-the-art center includes both medical and surgical simulation centers, enabling students to learn through hands-on experience. In addition, the center is proud to offer state-of-the-art information technology that allows students who travel or live outside of the region to receive a seamless medical education from anywhere in Virginia.
You couldn’t ask for a better place to live and study than in the Washington metro area. You’ll enjoy the area’s many museums, historical landmarks, art galleries, multi-cultural dining, entertainment and shopping. And getting around is easy. Public transportation is inexpensive and convenient via the area’s vast Metro rail system.
Office Address
Office Address information for VCU School of Medicine INOVA campus
VCU School of Medicine—Inova Campus
Inova Fairfax Hospital
Address: 3300 Gallows Road
Falls Church, Virginia 22042-3300
Phone: 703-776-6699
Fax: 703-776-2114
E-mail: VCUMEDINFO@inova.org
Please fax confidential info to 703-776-4395.
Craig Cheifetz, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Assoc. Dean for Medical Education at Inova Campus
Craig Cheifetz, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Assoc. Dean for Medical Education at Inova Campus
Office of Undergraduate Medical Education
Phone: 703-776-3720
Fax: 703-776-4395
Email: craig.cheifetz@inova.org
Address/Location:
Inova campus, Inova Fairfax Hospital, 3300 Gallows Road, Falls Church, VA
Alicia Freedy, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Assistant Dean for Curriculum
Alicia Freedy, M.D., F.A.A.P.
Assistant Dean for Curriculum
VCU School of Medicine INOVA campus
Phone: 703-776-6190
Samantha Buery-Joyner, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
Samantha Buery-Joyner, M.D., F.A.C.O.G.
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
VCU School of Medicine INOVA campus
Phone: 703-776-3080
Alyssa Thurman
Curriculum Office Manager
Alyssa Thurman
Curriculum Office Manager
VCU School of Medicine INOVA campus
Phone: 703-776-2729
Fax: 703-776-4395
Email: alyssa.thurman@inova.org
Amy Unger
Student Services Manager
Amy Unger
Student Services Manager
VCU School of Medicine INOVA campus
Phone: 703-776-3249
Email: amy.unger@inova.org
Sarina Petrocelly
Faculty Affairs & Academic Research Coordinator
Sarina Petrocelly
Faculty Affairs & Academic Research Coordinator
VCU School of Medicine INOVA campus
Phone: 703-776-4485
Email: sarina.petrocelly@inova.org
Gregory Trimble, M.D.
Assistant Dean for Faculty
Gregory Trimble, M.D.
Assistant Dean for Faculty
VCU School of Medicine INOVA campus
Phone: 703-776-2327
Kristi Fitzpatrick
Administrative Manager
Kristi Fitzpatrick
Administrative Manager
VCU School of Medicine INOVA campus
Phone: 703-776-3153
Email: kristi.fitzpatrick@inova.org
INOVA Faculty
A listing of Clerkship Directors is below.
Ambulatory
Carolyn F. Davis, M.D.
Clerkship Director
Ambulatory
Phone: 703-776-6699
Family Medicine
Samuel M. Jones, M.D.
Chairman, Department of
Family Medicine
Phone: 703-391-2020
Marjorie Hermes, M.D.
Clerkship Director
Family Medicine
Phone: 703-391-2020
Internal Medicine
Zobair M. Younossi, M.D.
Chairman, Department of Internal Medicine
Inova Health System
Phone: 703-776-2580
Homan Wai, M.D., FACP
Clerkship Director
Internal Medicine
Phone: 703-776-3582
Dr. Meena Raj, M.D.
Associate Clerkship Director
Internal Medicine
Phone: 703-776-3582
Neurology
James M. Ecklund, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Chairman, Department of
Neurology
Phone: 703-776-7998
Andrew "Drew" Falconer, M.D.
Clerkship Director
Neurology
Phone: 703-845-1500
Aanchal Jain
Associate Clerkship Director
Neurology
Phone: 703-845-1500
OBGYN
George L. Maxwell, M.D.
Chairman, Department of
OB/GYN
Phone: 703-776-6040
Emily Marko M.D, F.A.C.O.G.
Clerkship Director
OB/GYN
Admissions Committee Liaison
Phone: 703-776-4094
Francine McLeod, M.D.
Clerkship Director
OB/GYN
Phone: 703-531-3000
Pediatrics
David P. Ascher, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.A.P.
Chairman, Department of Pediatrics
Inova Health System
Phone: 703-776-6041
Natalie G. McKnight, M.D.
Clerkship Director
Pediatrics
Phone: 703-776-6545
Komal Bajaj, M.D.
Associate Clerkship Director
Pediatrics
Phone: 703-776-6545
Meredith Carter, M.D., F.A.A.P.
M4 Director
Pediatrics
Phone: 703-776-6545
Darshita P. Bhatia, M.D.
Associate Clerkship Director
Pediatrics
Phone: 703-776-6567
Psychiatry
Thomas N. Wise, M.D.
Chairman, Department of
Psychiatry
Inova Health System
Phone: 703-776-3626
Carol B. Perez, M.D.
Clerkship Director
Psychiatry
Phone: 703-969-0781
Surgery
John J. Moynihan, M.D.
Interim Chairman,
Department of Surgery
Inova Health System
Phone: 703-359-8640
Sharon Bachman, M.D.
Clerkship Director
Surgery
Phone: 703-776-3427
Hani Seoudi, M.D.
Associate Clerkship Director
Surgery
Phone: 703-776-2274