VCU School of Medicine

Chris describes four to six hours of lecture a day, mostly taught by clinicians, which keeps everything in clinical perspective; maybe a third of the class attends live. Required afternoon sessions twice a week bring small groups and mock patient workups.

Exams lean on two-step questions that test understanding rather than recall, so Chris focused on learning concepts really well the first time through.

Starting early in second year, students can join clinicians on house calls across Richmond, visiting patients who can't make it to a hospital or clinic.

Seeing patients' homes and neighborhoods taught Chris that good care has to fit each patient's reality: some can't afford medications, some can't read, and some have no way to get to appointments.

VCU Medical Center is a high-acuity academic hospital and a Level 1 trauma, stroke, burn, and comprehensive cancer center. Third-years also rotate at the Richmond VA Medical Center, Riverside Regional Medical Center, and other sites across the region.

Applicants with an MCAT above 503 and a GPA above 3.3 are invited to complete a secondary application.

VCU sits in the heart of Richmond, a city rich in history and culture and also marked by poverty and racial inequity, which pushes students to care for people from all walks of life.

A self-described history buff, Chris loves Richmond's past, its bars and food, and the scale of a small city.