Carolinas

Chelsea Porter

ebailey — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 20:02:04 +0000

Chelsea Porter ebailey Wed, 07/30/2025 - 16:02

Current Practice Location: West Africa

Other: Dr. Porter is currently working in West Africa where she is receiving training in obstetric fistula repair to help in her practice there. She works at a health center that specializes in caring for women with obstetric fistulas and people with leprosy. The center also provides obstetric care, child vaccinations and long term care for complicated wounds and burns. Dr. Porter’s passion is caring for vulnerable people and empowering them with education.

Personal: Dr. Porter enjoys a good run, experimenting in the kitchen, dancing, singing and telling people about the hope they can find in Jesus.

Advice for a student aspiring to study medicine: The road is long but worth it! Don’t forget why you started on the journey. Remind yourself often that it is a privilege to be a doctor and to receive the education necessary to care for people at their most vulnerable moments. Pray often. Laugh often. Don’t give up.

Advice from Dr. Porter

Chelsea Porter, DO

Graduated: Class of 2016

Campus: Carolinas

Prior School: Samford University

Degree: BS – Biology

Hometown: Plant City, FL

Alumni

Residency: Via Christi Family Medicine

Specialty: Family Medicine

Rajavi Parikh

ebailey — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 19:48:57 +0000

Rajavi Parikh ebailey Wed, 07/30/2025 - 15:48

Fellowship: Atrium Health in Charlotte, NC

Advice for a student aspiring to study medicine: “Be enthusiastic and engaged. Be prepared for anything and ask insightful questions. Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. Even if you think something is not possible, better to try and fail than to never try and always wonder ‘what if?’. “

Advice from Dr. Parikh

Rajavi Parikh, DO

Graduated: Class of 2015

Campus: Carolinas

Prior School: University at Buffalo, SUNY

Degree: MS – Biological Sciences

Hometown: West Seneca, NY

Alumni

Residency: Chief Resident of her class at New Hanover Regional Medical Center

Specialty: Vascular Surgery

Jamie Beckman

ebailey — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 12:09:25 +0000

Jamie Beckman ebailey Wed, 07/30/2025 - 08:09

Advice: To “Always study for the patient, not the examination.”

Personal: Dr. Beckman enjoys spending time with his dog, Maverick, watching Minor League Baseball, cooking, and practicing woodwork in his free time!

Check out the video below for advice from Dr. Beckman!

Jamie Beckman, DO

Graduated: Class of 2020

Campus: Carolinas

Prior School: University of Arizona

Degree: MS in Physiology

Hometown: Sioux Falls, SD

Alumni

Residency: Ophthalmology at Beaumont Health in Detroit, MI.

Specialty: Ophthalmology

�鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas Fall Open House

ebailey — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 17:28:02 +0000

�鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas Fall Open House ebailey Tue, 07/29/2025 - 13:28

�鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas Fall Open House

Tags: open house

Find out how we are inspired to make a difference in our communities and beyond.

Please join us to:

Learn about our innovative and integrated curriculum and the osteopathic profession
See Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine (OMM) in practice
Meet and talk with current students and faculty

Register

Campus: Carolinas

When: October 10, 2025 12:00pm to 3:30pm EDT

Gentry Watson

ebailey — Mon, 14 Jul 2025 19:22:57 +0000

Gentry Watson ebailey Mon, 07/14/2025 - 15:22

Gentry Watson

Information Technology Technician

Department/Discipline: Information Technology

Campus: Carolinas

Email: gwatson@carolinas.vcom.edu

Director for Medical Education (MHSA)

lwillis@auburn.vcom.edu — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 21:07:29 +0000

Director for Medical Education (MHSA) lwillis@auburn… Mon, 07/07/2025 - 17:07

Job Summary:

The candidate will supervise and facilitate the daily operations of Medical Education for the Master of Health Science in Anesthesia (MHSA) Program which supports faculty classroom instruction and testing. The position will require significant interaction with both students and faculty, and an amicable professional demeanor is essential. The position serves as primary liaison between the Master of Health Science in Anesthesia Program and the Medical Education department of �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ� and Bluefield University.

Salary Range: $66,000 - $78,000

Required Qualifications:

Education: Master’s degree in Education or related field
Licensure or certification: N/A
Experience: Experience working in an institute of higher education

Skills required for this position include:

Excellent interpersonal and communications skills
Strong team player
Commitment to company values
Basic computer proficiency
Proficiency in word processing and MS Office Suite

Preferences are given to candidates who have experience with Scholar or similar course management software, graphic skills and web design.

The successful candidate will be subject to a criminal history background check.

Regular, reliable, or predictable attendance is an essential function of the job.

Campus: Auburn, Carolinas

Status: Administrative Staff Positions

View complete job description (PDF)

�鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas Names Building in Honor of Transformational Gift

aostroth@vt.vcom.edu — Wed, 11 Jun 2025 20:13:00 +0000

�鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas Names Building in Honor of Transformational Gift aostroth@vt.vcom.edu Wed, 06/11/2025 - 16:13

�鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas Names Building in Honor of Transformational Gift

Gail Lott (left) and James Edinger, DO, stand in front of the �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas main building, which now bears their names.

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�鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas has named its main educational building in honor of a transformational $8 million gift from G. Gail Lott, MEd, and James R. Edinger, DO. The gift, made possible by the donation of the couple’s beachfront home, marks the largest gift in the college’s history. Their generosity will significantly enhance the college’s ability to provide high-quality medical education at its Carolinas campus.

“This gift of their beachfront house is not just a property donation; it's an investment in people, education, and healthier communities,” said John G. Rocovich Jr., chairman of the �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ� Board of Directors, during the June naming ceremony.

The couple had esteemed careers at Orangeburg Regional Hospital, where they met in 1981. Lott—a native of Blackville, South Carolina, a small, rural agricultural community—had a remarkable 40-year career at the hospital, where she served as supervisor of the Blood Bank, Donor Center, and Transfusion Services. During her time there, she demonstrated unwavering commitment to patient care and clinical excellence.

“We are thrilled to support �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas in its mission to educate future physicians,” said Edinger. “This investment reflects our belief in the transformative power of education and our dedication to empowering health care professionals to serve our community with excellence.”

Dr. James Edinger

Dr. Edinger, originally from Reading, Pa., earned his undergraduate degree from Albright College in 1973 and his medical degree from Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1976. He completed a rotating osteopathic internship at Metropolitan Hospital in Philadelphia and a four-year residency in diagnostic radiology at Duke University Medical Center, becoming the first DO to train at Duke in any specialty.

Certified by the American Board of Radiology, Edinger practiced as a diagnostic radiologist at Orangeburg Regional Hospital from 1981 to 1998, reading a lifetime of images during those 17 years. He also served for 10 years on the South Carolina Board of Medical Examiners, contributing to the advancement of medical standards and professional oversight in the state.

The couple shares a deep commitment to rural health care and underserved communities in South Carolina. Though now retired, they remain passionate about improving medical education and health outcomes in the state.

This remarkable couple approaches everything they do with passion and purpose—their love of the outdoors and hiking, their devotion to animals and nature, and their enthusiastic pursuit of building an extensive collection of bronze sculptures. Their home reflects their love of art and antiques, and their gift reflects their belief in accessible healthcare.

“This gift is more than a financial contribution,” said Dr. Matthew Cannon, dean of �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas. “It is a profound investment in our medical students, in our graduates who practice medicine in South Carolina, and in improving access to health care across the state.”

�鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas Dean Matt Cannon

Their donation will establish:

The G. Gail Lott, MEd, and James R. Edinger, DO Educational Building, a 70,000-square-foot facility on �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�’s 20-acre campus in downtown Spartanburg. The building includes lecture halls, a state-of-the-art anatomy lab, physical exam and osteopathic manipulative medicine training labs, a library, and student study and lounge spaces. The Simulation and Technology Center features high-fidelity human simulators, standardized patient rooms, surgical and ICU suites, radiology simulation, and more.
The G. Gail Lott, MEd, and James R. Edinger, DO Endowed Scholarship Fund, which will provide four need-based scholarships annually to South Carolina students committed to practicing in rural or medically underserved areas.
The G. Gail Lott, MEd, and James R. Edinger, DO Educational Building and Campus Beautification Endowment Fund, which will support ongoing maintenance and aesthetic improvements to the campus.
The G. Gail Lott, MEd, and James R. Edinger, DO Nutrition Endowed Fund, which will support nutrition education, research, and public health initiatives addressing issues such as obesity and diabetes.

Lott and Edinger are dedicated philanthropists, making significant gifts to other communities that matter to them. They established a scholarship fund for medical students affiliated with Park Road Presbyterian Church in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, and contributed to the Dr. Reed P. Rice Fund at Duke University in honor of the former head of gastrointestinal radiology.

“Giving back to others has been ingrained in my husband and me by our parents,” said Lott. “Jim and I have been deeply blessed, and we believe in giving back while we are still living. “We are both very frugal and conservative, which has allowed us to be generous with our blessings.”

Dr. Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, president of �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�, also expressed her gratitude: “Your names will forever be woven into the identity of our medical school—on the building that bears your names, in the lives of students who otherwise may not have had a path to a medical degree, and in the countless patients who will one day be cared for by the doctors trained in these halls.”

The couple’s legacy of leadership, education, and service will inspire future generations of health care professionals. Their generosity will help �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas continue its mission to educate physicians who serve in rural and underserved communities across South Carolina.

Gail Lott (left) and Dr. James Edinger stand outside the home they donated to �鶹��ƷAƬ��ѹۿ�-Carolinas. Photo by Lisa Staff.

Dr. Edinger (left) with Gail Lott during the naming cermony. Photo by Elvia Resendiz Photography.

G. Gail Lott, MEd, and James R. Edinger, DO, Educational Building. Photo by Elvia Resendiz Photography.

giving

Carolinas

By Amy Ostroth -

Simulation Center Coordinator

jvharris — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 15:13:50 +0000

Simulation Center Coordinator jvharris Mon, 06/09/2025 - 11:13

Working under the supervision of the Associate Dean of Simulation and Educational Technology, the full-time Simulation Center Coordinator performs a wide range of administrative and office support activities for the department. The coordinator will provide quality administrative support by displaying sound judgment, accuracy, diplomacy, confidentiality, and discretion. The duties include maintaining purchase orders, department finances, inventory items, maintaining logistical support for research projects and sub-departmental surveys. This positions assists the Associate Dean of Simulation and Educational Technology with the organizing ongoing research projects. This position coordinates the ultrasound program, including an elective course for fourth year osteopathic medical students.

Salary Range: $40,000 - $42,000

Campus: Carolinas

Status: Classified Staff Positions

View complete job description (PDF)