Health Care Heroes

Educating health care workers is crucial in addressing the challenges faced by West Virginia’s diverse and often underserved populations. Comprehensive education programs provide essential knowledge and skills, enabling health care professionals to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care close to home.

Blue Ridge Community and Technical College 

Blue Ridge Community and Technical College (CTC) is proud of its Associate of Science in Nursing degree. With nearly 100% placement and the National Council Licensure Examination pass rates of over 90%, this program prepares the next generation’s nurses. Nursing students have access to several scholarships and funding opportunities. In partnership with local medical facilities, students receive the highest level of clinical education. The program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing. Blue Ridge CTC’s nursing program is working to address the current nursing crisis and prepare for the future nursing need.

Bluefield State University

Bluefield State University strengthens West Virginia’s health care workforce through its radiologic technology and sonography programs. Radiologic technology boasts 100% American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) exam pass rates and job placement. Sonography offers flexible two-year and four-year degree options. Both programs produce highly skilled graduates ready to fill critical imaging roles across West Virginia and beyond. Students seeking a degree that launches a rewarding career in medical imaging should explore the opportunities at Bluefield State.

BridgeValley Community and Technical College

BridgeValley Community and Technical College’s Healthcare Management curriculum prepares students for management roles in a health care system that is rapidly changing from one focused on episodes of treatment for acute disease to lifelong health maintenance and wellness promotion. The program is intended for health care workers who need new knowledge and skills to compete in the changing health care marketplace. The health care workforce is set to grow by 29% over the next 10 years. The program offers pathways to a baccalaureate and master’s degree for future learning and growth.

Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College

Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College is offering an LPN-to-RN Hybrid Bridge program. This program will accept a cohort of 10 students, providing them with an accelerated opportunity to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Nursing degree over three semesters. Coursework will be completed online with the clinical portion comprising a combination of online, simulation and in-person components. This program leverages LPNs’ existing knowledge and skills to help them advance to the RN level. It aims to enable these students to provide excellent patient care, increase their earning potential and open doors for advancement and leadership roles.

Photo by Fairmont State University.

Fairmont State University

Fairmont State University’s M.S. in Healthcare Management is a 36-credit graduate program that offers health informatics and post-acute care licensure specializations. Since 2022, 13 of its 41 graduates have become licensed nursing home administrators working in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. This is the only master’s program in the U.S. that has such a collaboration with a state Nursing Home Administrator’s Licensing Board. Courses are online with a flat per-credit rate for all students despite residency. A 15-hour graduate certificate in health care management is also available. Content delivery is designed to be rigorous and relevant yet adapted to work-life balance. The master’s program has rolling admissions.

Glenville State University

Glenville State University’s (GSU) new Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences program will be available to students beginning in Fall 2025 and is designed to provide a smooth transition into the respective degrees in medicine and allied health. Concentrations include pre-medical, pre-dental, pre-pharmacy, pre-physician’s assistant, pre-physical therapy, pre-occupational therapy, pre-chiropractic and pre-athletic training. Dean of Health Sciences Dr. Kevin Evans has worked to develop memorandums of understanding with professional schools in each concentration to ensure that upon graduating with a 3.0 or higher cumulative GPA, GSU students will have guaranteed spots waiting for them.

Photo byMarshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.

Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine

Physicians often practice where they train. With 300 resident physicians and fellows in 28 programs, the Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine is providing a pipeline of health care providers with advanced training in primary care, specialty care and rural medicine to directly address the needs of our state and the Appalachian region. In collaboration with Logan Regional Medical Center, Marshall’s Rural Surgery Residency Program received initial accreditation from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education as the nation’s first and only officially designated, separately accredited rural residency training program.

Pierpont Community & Technical College

Pierpont Community & Technical College’s Medical Laboratory Technology program plays a vital role in strengthening West Virginia’s health care infrastructure by producing skilled laboratory professionals equipped to meet the unique challenges of rural and community health care. When most people think about health care, they think about direct patient care, but there’s a whole other world behind the patient and health care providers: the medical laboratory. Laboratory professionals and diagnostic testing are essential for accurate disease diagnosis and treatment as 70% of medical decisions are based on laboratory test results.

Photo by Shepherd University.

Shepherd University

The Shepherd University School of Nursing’s Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program offers two specialized tracks: Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). This program is designed to prepare advanced practice nurses with the knowledge, clinical skills and leadership abilities to excel in complex health care environments. The FNP track equips students to provide comprehensive primary care, while the PMHNP track focuses on mental health assessment and treatment in diverse patient populations. Emphasizing evidence-based practice, health care policy and patient-centered care, Shepherd’s DNP program fosters impactful leaders who improve health outcomes in their communities.

Southern West Virginia Community & Technical College.

Southern West Virginia Community & Technical College

Southern West Virginia Community & Technical College’s nursing program is designed to prepare graduates to practice as registered nurses once licensure requirements are met. The Associate Degree Nursing Program prepares students or professional nursing practice while providing a knowledge base for career mobility and further academic study. The program is committed to providing accessible, high-quality nursing education to meet the diverse and changing needs of individuals of all ages in various health care settings. The curriculum emerges from the seven core values identified by the National League of Nursing: caring, diversity, ethics, integrity, patient-centeredness, excellence and holism.

University of Charleston

The University of Charleston (UC) radiologic science bachelor’s degree program is one of only 50 accredited programs in the country, designed to help meet the growing demand for medical imaging staff. It offers a challenging didactic education while providing nearly 1,250 hours of clinical experience. UC has two energized laboratories, one being a brand-new, state-of-the-art digital imaging radiographic room. Students have opportunities for advanced education and multi-credentialing in specialized imaging modalities. Graduates can take the ARRT registry exam and, upon successful completion, are recognized as registered radiologic technologists. UC also offers an associate degree program at its Beckley location and an associate to bachelor’s degree program.

Photo by West Liberty University.

West Liberty University

West Liberty University’s Speech Pathology and Audiology program offers a unique academic experience where classroom instruction meets live clinical opportunities both on and off campus. Students work alongside licensed clinicians to provide comprehensive support in person or via telehealth for children, adults and families with a variety of speech, language, hearing and communication needs. The program serves the community through literacy and outreach programs as well as free speech and hearing screenings. The low-cost clinic houses state-of-the-art augmentative communication devices, a biofeedback and voice analysis lab, hearing aid lab and a neurodegenerative disorders evaluation room, which includes a Tovertafel Table.

West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine

The West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine’s (WVSOM) new Finding Health curriculum focuses on wellness, nutrition, exercise, lifestyle and preventive medicine. The curriculum provides a more realistic academic schedule with breaks to promote students’ mental health. Burnout is an issue that affects medical students and physicians alike, and WVSOM’s new approach is intended to make medical school kinder and gentler while still producing outstanding physicians. It also instills the importance of wellness in students so they can educate their future patients about maintaining healthy lifestyles. WVSOM is proud to stand at the forefront of a bold approach that it believes represents the future of medical education.

West Virginia State University

West Virginia State University (WVSU) has launched a new Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) hybrid degree program. The new WVSU LPN to BSN Hybrid Bridge Program is designed as a pathway for licensed practical nurses who desire to obtain a BSN degree. The program will feature a combination of online and face-to-face classes to allow for greater flexibility in addition to clinical rotations in acute care and community-based agencies. The baccalaureate degree program in nursing at WVSU is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education

Photo by West Virginia University at Parkersburg.

West Virginia University at Parkersburg

Equipping students with hands-on clinical training and a comprehensive foundation in health sciences, WVU Parkersburg prepares graduates to meet pressing health care needs in West Virginia. With flexible pathways from LPN to RN, as well as an affordable, accessible online BSN, students can advance their careers at every stage while continuing to learn in diverse health care settings. With a focus on community health, patient care and critical thinking, the curriculum emphasizes rural health challenges and prepares students to make an immediate impact in local communities. Through partnerships with area hospitals that provide generous student scholarships, graduates are ready to step into essential roles in West
Virginia’s health care workforce.

West Virginia University Potomac State College

The West Virginia University (WVU) School of Nursing aims to educate nursing leaders. At its five campus locations—Beckley, Bridgeport, Charleston, Keyser and Morgantown—and online, the WVU School of Nursing provides both undergraduate and graduate programs to help students achieve their goals. Both baccalaureate-prepared and advanced practice nurses are needed to help meet the health care needs of West Virginia. Graduates who are equipped with their BSN are not only prepared to provide excellent patient care but are also well prepared to pursue higher levels of education and advanced practice.

Photo by West Virginia Wesleyan College.

West Virginia Wesleyan College

The Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling (CMHC) at West Virginia Wesleyan College aims to train exceptional counselors in the John Wesley tradition of doing all the good you can. Under the leadership of Dr. Jen Randall Reyes, the program features an addiction counseling certificate that meets West Virginia’s alcohol and drug counselor credentialing requirements and provides a pathway to advanced certification. This certificate can be completed as a standalone program or as part of the 60-credit CMHC Master’s Program. Supported by Aetna Better Health of West Virginia and Community Care, the program addresses the urgent need for solutions to the opioid epidemic in Appalachia.

Wheeling University

The Wheeling University BSN program educates students to be vital health care providers. The small class sizes offer learning strategies that provide students with the critical thinking skills to perform in real-life scenarios. The program’s simulation lab allows students to perfect nursing skills prior to graduation. Students gain practical experience at clinical rotations where theory is applied in health care facilities. The program impacts health care in West Virginia by instilling its mission of service to others.