LEWISBURG, W.Va. (WVDN) – The Robert C. Byrd Clinic, located on the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (WVSOM) campus, will become WVSOM Health on July 1.
Discussions about a comprehensive rebranding initiative to more clearly align the clinic with WVSOM’s academic mission and to solidify the clinic’s central role as the institution’s primary clinical training site took place in January. The WVSOM Board of Governors approved the implementation plan to restructure the Robert C. Byrd Clinic at its March 27 meeting.
“The transition of the Robert C. Byrd Clinic to WVSOM Health is a milestone in the histories of both institutions,” said WVSOM President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D. “The restructuring and rebranding of the clinic will better align the missions of both organizations to enhance patient care and education of WVSOM medical students. I look forward to a new era of health care in the Greenbrier Valley.”
The transition reflects an important milestone in shared efforts to strengthen the clinic’s long-term viability and to more fully integrate it into WVSOM’s academic clinical enterprise. Since the clinic first opened in 1976, at the time named the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine Clinic and located elsewhere on WVSOM’s campus, it has served as a faculty practice and teaching site for WVSOM professors and students.
The clinic has always identified a need for primary care services in Greenbrier County and has been committed to providing that care. It also remains a vital component of WVSOM’s curriculum for students on clinical rotations and graduates in residencies.
WVSOM Health will be the name of the unified clinical enterprise of WVSOM. The ongoing implementation plan reflects work across four key pillars: transitioning the clinic to WVSOM Health through rebranding and identity alignment; modernizing clinical practice structure to support sustainability, equity and faculty retention; strengthening educational integration, residency training and community service partnerships; and establishing a stable, long-term financial framework that supports the clinic and WVSOM’s academic mission.
Hilary Hamric, D.O., WVSOM’s associate dean of clinical education and the chair of the clinic’s Board of Directors, said the clinic began as a place where WVSOM faculty could provide quality care to the community.
“Over time, the clinic has evolved alongside changes in health care, but its mission has remained the same: to serve as an exceptional site for patient care that naturally integrates teaching and learning. Those working within the clinic, along with its Board of Directors, remain committed to fostering academic growth, compassionate, high-quality care and a supportive environment that values employees and patients,” Hamric said. “We believe the clinic is on a strong path toward continued success, and an important part of that journey is the transition of the Robert C. Byrd Clinic into WVSOM Health. We are excited about the future and the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Since its relocation to the northern part of WVSOM’s campus and name change to the Robert C. Byrd Clinic in 1997, the clinic has added critical services to meet the local needs of patients in a rural care setting. With more than 40 physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and physician residents, the clinic offers a range of primary care services including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, osteopathic neuromusculoskeletal medicine, behavioral health, acute and same-day care, diabetes education and lifestyle medicine, medical acupuncture, social services and culinary medicine.
Leslie Bicksler, WVSOM’s chief human resources officer, led the transition team. She said the initiative represents an important step in strengthening the connection between clinical operations and educational mission.
“During the past year, both organizations have worked in close partnership to ensure a thoughtful and seamless transition to WVSOM Health. This transition strengthens the clinic as WVSOM’s academic clinical program, creating a more integrated environment for education, patient care and community service,” Bicksler said. “At its core, this effort is about our students and our community.”
While patients will notice the clinic’s new name and identity, patient care will remain uninterrupted.
Mary Page Nemcik, who will serve as the executive director of WVSOM Health, said the growth of the clinic will continue to benefit all patients seeking care.
“The rebranding to WVSOM Health reflects more than a new identity. It marks the clinic’s evolution to an academic clinical enterprise where patient care, education, enhanced technology and the distinct whole-person philosophy of osteopathic medicine come together to improve patient outcomes, broaden access and shape the next generation of rural physicians,” she said. “The formal alignment with WVSOM strengthens our commitment to patient-centered care with a renewed focus on clinical excellence, innovation, research and community engagement.”
Photo Caption: (L to R) Justin McAllister, WVSOM VP of Finance and Facilities; Hilary Hamric, D.O., Associate Dean of Clinical Education; James Nemitz, Ph.D., WVSOM President; Mary Page Nemcik, WVSOM Health Executive Director, Gail Swarm, D.O. WVSOM Vice President of Academic Affairs/Dean; Christopher Wood, D.O., WVSOM Department Chair Clinical Sciences; Leslie Bicksler, WVSOM Vice President Human Resources.
