C. H. Mitch Jacques, MD, PhD, Dean of the West Virginia University Health Sciences Center Eastern Division retired on June 30, 2012. Dr. Jacques has served the State of West Virginia and its people for more than 19 years, both as a physician and as an instructor.
Dr. Jacques was the only WVU School of Medicine faculty member who served at all three School of Medicine campuses. From 1993-96, he was the Chair for the Department of Family Medicine Charleston, from 1996-2004, he was the Department of Family Medicine Chairman in Morgantown and from 2004-2012, Jacques was the Dean for the School of Medicine Eastern Division.
Much has changed during Jacques’ tenure at the Eastern Division. What was once a small clinical operation with two clinical office sites, focusing mostly on primary care and a handful of faculty physicians, has now become six clinical sites, with 48 physician faculty members – including two surgical clinics, an oncology clinic, and a cardiology clinic. The Family Medicine rural residency program at Harpers Ferry has grown 20%, otolaryngology and obstetrics residents from Morgantown now rotate at City Hospital as part of their education, and two fellowship programs were begun in the Eastern division – the State’s only geriatrics fellowship and a family medicine hospitalist fellowship.
The educational pipeline flow from high school students to health professions education students has been improved with several programs that emphasize health education as a career choice. The WVU HSC Eastern Division works with Shepherd University to provide students the opportunity, guidance and mentorship to achieve their academic potential in health professions education – especially for those who aspire to graduate level health professions education. Interdisciplinary education efforts have also increased the number of pharmacy students completing experiential rotations in the Eastern Panhandle and added another pharmacy faculty member.
The first group of medical students who attended the Eastern Division regional campus graduated in May 2005. Since that date more than 80 students have graduated and many have returned to practice in the Eastern Panhandle. During that same period, the WVU Harpers Ferry Rural Family Residency has graduated 37 residents and fellows. Of that group, more than half the physician graduates are practicing in West Virginia, with 15 physicians practicing in the local region.
“Dr. Jacques was a valued colleague who provided wise stewardship for the Eastern Division during a time of great changes. He will be missed not only by the people in our division, but also by those in the community,” commented Aaron Henry, Vice President for Administration.
In addition to his work as Dean, Dr. Jacques maintained a clinical practice two days per week, saw patients at a local nursing home, provided volunteer medical services at a free clinic every month and was an active member of the WVUH-East board of directors.
