Is housing available?
You are responsible for your own housing and transportation to the campus. There is an apartment complex to the immediate west of the INOVA hospital that has agreed to give a discount on monthly rent to VCU students.
Do the Inova students have access to the faculty?
Students will have in person access to the faculty members located on the Inova Campus. There is currently an Assistant Dean and two other full-time faculty located on the Inova Campus. Faculty members on the MCV campus will be accessible via telephone, teleconference or email.
Do the Inova students have access to many of the hospital employees' amenities (Ex. day care)
This is very unlikely. In order to have access, you must be an employee of Inova and there is a long wait list for openings. However students will be able to access other employee benefits such as membership in the Credit Union.
Is there a bookstore on the Inova campus? Will students be able to use resources in the Inova Health Sciences library?
There are a number of options to order text books - Health Sciences Library, online and others. Textbooks can be ordered online and delivered fairly quickly. The Health Sciences Library can provide assistance in ordering textbooks. Additionally, a master copy of each required text will be provided for student access.
What are the inclement weather procedures for the Inova campus and the School of Pharmacy.
Although the weather may be different, if classes are canceled in northern VA, it is best to view the class session held in Richmond. An inclement weather hotline will also be established.
Will the Inova campus experience be equivalent to the MCV campus ?
Yes, the site must demonstrate to ACPE that the programs are equivalent. There was an ACPE accreditation visit to the VCU campuses in Richmond and Inova in the the Fall of 2008 and the School was fully accredited for six years.
How are exams given? How will we take exams administered from MCV campus faculty?
Exams will be distributed to Inova campus faculty for distribution to Inova campus students. Exams will be taken at approximately the same time on both campuses.
When will the fall semester schedule be available?
The fall semester schedule is usually available in early May to late June.
What are the costs of the program?
The cost of living is higher in Northern VA so fees are adjusted to reflect the differences. For 2009-10 tuition and fees for Inova are approximately $1380/year less than in Richmond.
Is financial aid going to be available? Will it help out with the extra expenses?
For Inova students, financial aid will be available and a difference will be calculated to reflect costs of living.