School of Medicine

West Virginia University President Gordon Gee delivered his annual State of the University Address to students, faculty and staff gathered virtually and in person at the College of Law Monday (Oct. 3).

Researchers in the West Virginia University School of Medicine are using a customized stove in the Inhalation Facility to safely examine the harm that burn pit exposure can do. The stove burns pellets the School of Forestry has made to resemble the composition of burn pits at Iraq’s busiest military bases.

Research has shown that prevention programs are effective at reducing risk of substance use and addiction, and the prevalence of drug use increases rapidly during adolescence and the transition to young adulthood. To support this population through these critical development years, West Virginia University has launched Regional Transition Navigator services.

A new operating room at West Virginia University is providing an interactive educational experience to learners of all skill levels – from medical students to surgical faculty, part of the WVU Health Sciences David and Jo Ann Shaw Center for Simulation Training and Education for Patient Safety (STEPS).

West Virginia University’s efforts in education and training, innovative research and treatment options are creating a shift in the substance use recovery rate from possible to probable.

Maintaining a sharp focus on the unique needs of rural, underrepresented West Virginia University students, the Office of Student Success welcomes its first cohort of Mountain Scholars this fall. The Mountain Scholars Program is designed to create a culture of support for incoming first-year students from rural areas of West Virginia as they work toward academic success while also preparing them for jobs in the Mountain State.

Being sedentary is a cardiovascular-disease risk factor that’s distinct from not getting enough exercise. Prolonged bouts of sitting can cause cardiovascular harm, even in healthy people. Bethany Barone Gibbs, a researcher with the WVU School of Public Health, is studying how sedentary behavior and pregnancy may raise a woman’s cardiovascular-disease risk.

For the fiscal year from July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022, WVU Foundation data shows 20,206 donors – including 9,360 alumni – made 39,347 gifts totaling $213.8 million. This total is second only to $270.1 million donated in fiscal year 2021. The gifts will benefit education, health care and prosperity to make a positive impact across the Mountain State and beyond for years to come.

The prevalence of gender diversity is largely unknown, especially in rural areas. To fill that knowledge gap, researchers at WVU with colleagues at other institutions surveyed junior high and high school students in rural Appalachia about their gender identity. More than 7% of young people surveyed shared a gender identity that did not fully align with the sex they were assigned at birth, findings that appear in JAMA Pediatrics.

The return of FallFest highlights a packed Welcome Week at West Virginia University which begins Thursday, Aug. 11, and continues through the start of the fall semester Wednesday, Aug. 17. New events include a pool party for all students at the Student Rec Center Aug. 13 and a service project to benefit the West Virginia United Way Collaborative during Monday Night Lights for first-year students Aug. 15.