WVU Health Sciences serves as the academic and clinical backbone of West Virginia’s healthcare system, educating the state’s future health professionals, advancing groundbreaking research, and expanding access to high-quality care in every region.
As the academic center of the state’s largest integrated health network, WVU Health Sciences brings together education, research, and clinical training to ensure West Virginia has the physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, public health professionals, and allied health workers needed to meet both current and future healthcare demands.
The impact of WVU Health Sciences on workforce development is unmatched. More than 70% of West Virginia’s practicing physicians received part or all their education or training through WVU. This pipeline extends across multiple health professions, with a substantial share of the state’s nurses, pharmacists, dentists, and public health leaders also trained through WVU programs. Graduates of WVU Health Sciences are significantly more likely to remain in West Virginia to live and practice, reinforcing the university’s central role in expanding healthcare access, strengthening local economies, and supporting community well-being.
A core pillar of this mission is WVU’s long-standing commitment to rural health. Through the Rural Track Program, immersive clinical rotations across the state, and deep partnerships with community hospitals and clinics, WVU Health Sciences ensures students gain hands-on experience serving rural and underserved populations areas that often face the most acute provider shortages. These programs prepare future clinicians with the skills, cultural competency, and adaptability required to deliver high-quality care close to home, helping stabilize rural hospitals and improve continuity of care across the Mountain State.
Beyond education, WVU Health Sciences is a catalyst for innovation and discovery. Faculty, researchers, and students lead transformative work in cancer, neuroscience, cardiology, behavioral health, and other critical fields, translating scientific breakthroughs into real-world clinical solutions. By integrating rigorous training with cutting-edge research, WVU Health Sciences elevates healthcare quality, drives scientific advancement, and sustains a homegrown workforce that anchors hospitals and clinics statewide.
In FY24, WVU Health Sciences generated $811.5 million in total economic impact, including $240.8 million in direct spending on salaries, operations, and capital projects and $570.7 million in indirect and induced activity as spending circulated through local economies. WVU Health Sciences supported 7,377 jobs statewide, including 3,276 direct positions and 4,101 additional jobs created through economic ripple effects, while helping address workforce shortages across hospital networks and public health agencies. Its activities also generated $40.6 million in state and local tax revenues, reinforcing West Virginia’s fiscal stability and demonstrating the central role of WVU Health Sciences in building a healthier, stronger state.