Strategic Plan 2026-28

I - Innovative Research and Discovery

Goal Champion: Dr. Fadi Salloum

• Goal One: Support the recruitment, retention and development of exceptional researchers at all career stages.
• Goal Two: Provide infrastructure and resources to efficiently support and promote team-based science across the enterprise.
• Goal Three: Expand and diversify portfolio of federal and other research funding to sustain and grow the research enterprise.
• Goal Four: Align and streamline bench-to-patient successes to meet and exceed the dynamic needs of patients within the VCUHS.

M - Meaningful Education and Training

Goal Champions:

• Dr. Luan Lawson (Undergraduate Medical Education)
• Dr. John Delzell / Dr. Nicole Karjane (Graduate Medical Education)
• Dr. Michael Grotewiel (Graduate Education)

Undergraduate Medical Education

• Goal One: Deliver a cohesive and dynamic curriculum that integrates basic, clinical and health systems sciences through active, experiential learning.
• Goal Two: Promote personalized professional identity formation through tailored academic and para-curricular programs.
• Goal Three: Promote personalized professional identity formation through tailored academic and para-curricular programs.
• Goal Four: Cultivate a learning environment that fosters student well-being and a sense of meaning in medicine through intentional professional identity formation grounded in humanism and a culture of service.

Graduate Medical Education

• Goal One: Education and Research - Cultivate a dynamic and well-rounded faculty to support the next generation of learners and leaders in medical education.
• Goal Two: Community Collaboration - Integrate graduate medical education into the broader VCUHS community by expanding partnerships with rural-based facilities and equipping their providers and staff to effectively work, teach and collaborate with housestaff.
• Goal Three: Workplace Wellness - Enhance resident and fellow wellness by fostering professionalism in the clinical learning environment, improving access to comprehensive support resources and cultivating a culture that is respectful, inclusive and equitable.
• Goal Four: Patient-Centered Care - Ensure patient care is consistently safe, skilled and kind through effective training, supervision and feedback of housestaff.

Graduate Education

• Goal One: Modernize and expand enrollment in our graduate programs to meet the needs of today's and tomorrow's learners.
• Goal Two: Develop a holistic, dynamic, coherent and broad communication strategy that articulates VCU SOM's distinctiveness as a research and clinical training institution to prospective learners, faculty and staff.
• Goal Three: Establish VCU School of Medicine as the premier talent pipeline for the Virginia biotech and life sciences industry.

P- Patient-Centered Clinical Excellence

Goal Champion: Dr. Scott Stringer

• Goal One: Foster a culture of professionalism, collegiality and excellence that empowers faculty, staff and learners to find purpose, pride and joy in advancing our shared mission.
• Goal Two: Build cross-disciplinary teams and programs that integrate education, research and clinical care across departments and entities.
• Goal Three: Establish VCU School of Medicine as the premier talent pipeline for the Virginia biotech and life sciences industry.

A- Advancing Strategic Philanthropy

Goal Champion: Niles Eggleston

• Goal One: To empower the next generation of physicians by making medical education more accessible and impactful through philanthropic investments that will raise $30M over the next three years in commitments (endowed, current use and planned gifts) to fund scholarships and to support students.
• Goal Two: To establish $100M in dedicated funds over the next three years for pioneering research to address the most pressing health issues of our time.
• Goal Three: To increase funding by $40M over the next three years for endowed faculty chairs, professorships and recruitment funds to attract and retain distinguished clinicians and researchers with world-class expertise to our institution.

C- Culture, Community, People and Leadership

Goal Champions: Dr. Aimee Grover, Paul Peterson

• Goal One: Foster an environment in which faculty and staff feel included, valued and connected to the mission of the School of Medicine.
• Goal Two: Cultivate leadership capacity at all levels across the School of Medicine as measured by gains in manager effectiveness, bench strength, internal mobility and adoption of core leadership behaviors.
• Goal Three: Create a culture of shared accountability in which individuals uphold high standards of professionalism and the School of Medicine supports them by providing the optimal systems, tools and support needed to succeed.

T- Thriving Financial Stewardship

Goal Champions: Paul Peterson, Jeff D'Ambrosio

• Goal One: Strengthen and sustain the School of Medicine's strong financial position by aligning with and supporting departments and IMPACT areas to achieve our strategic goals.
• Goal Two: Foster a service-oriented culture to improve transparency and strengthen the partnerships between finance and key stakeholders across the institution.