Published: Monday, December 15, 2014 at 1:05 p.m. Last Modified: Monday, December 15, 2014 at 1:05 p.m.

The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine has named a new president.

Dr. Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, previously dean of the Spartanburg VCOM campus, will take the reins of the college system after the retirement of founding president James Wolf. Tooke-Rawlins was the first dean of the college when it was established in 2001 in collaboration with Virginia Tech.

Tooke-Rawlins has focused most of her career on the promotion of rural health, osteopathic medicine and care for medically underserved populations, according to a written statement from the college. Under her leadership, VCOM has graduated more than 1,300 graduates, with more than 60 percent entering the field of primary care and more than 61 percent practicing in Appalachia.

As president, my focus will move from assuring the academics to assuring the success and consistency of our campuses overall. I plan to focus much of my efforts in the coming year on growth our research programs and research collaborations, and growth of our student scholarships, Tooke-Rawlins said in the statement.

Tooke-Rawlins is a graduate of Truman University and Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, and is board certified in family medicine and emergency medicine. She serves on the Southwest Virginia Healthcare Authority and the Virginia governor's new task force on prescription drug abuse, and is a member of the Board of Governors for the American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine.

Read the original here:

Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine names Tooke-Rawlins president