WVU Health Sciences Center Eastern Division

11/21/2025

Meet Andrea Hincapie-Bendeck!

Hometown: Bronx, NY

Graduation Year: 2026

Hobbies: Gardening & playing video games

Areas of Interest: Trauma & Critical Care

Clubs & Student Organizations: Medical Spanish Club, Medical French Club, Project MUSHROOM, Culinary & Lifestyle Medicine Track & volunteer at Health Right Clinic

Why I Chose Medicine: "My decision to pursue medicine was cemented by the appeal of a career that requires continuous intellectual engagement alongside fundamental human service. It's the constant challenge of mastering a complex science while simultaneously honoring the patient's individual experience and dignity that keeps me committed."

11/17/2025

Students and faculty at the West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Eastern Campus are connecting with local community members through a series of educational events called Mini Med School.

Students and faculty at the West Virginia University School of Medicine’s Eastern Campus are connecting with local community members through a series of educational events called Mini Med School.

11/13/2025

During his visit to the Eastern Campus, Health Sciences Chancellor and Executive Dean Clay Marsh, M.D., took the time to meet with our Internal Medicine Residents during lunch at Berkeley Medical Center. During this lunch, he spoke with the residents about their goals as members of the program’s inagural cohort.

It’s always great seeing you on our campus, Dr. Marsh!

11/10/2025

Meet Ben Merzouk!

Hometown: Martinsburg, WV

Graduation Year: 2027

Hobbies: Skiing, learning about history & spending time with my wife

Areas of Interest: Pediatric surgery with an interest in public health, quality improvement, health policy, & teaching future healthcare workers

Clubs & Student Organizations: Volunteer with Project MUSHROOM & Good Samaritan Free Clinic

Why I Chose Medicine: “I've always seen being a physician as the best way to help others in my community. I was able to shadow a doctor while I was in high school and observed them diagnose a patient, which solidified my decision to pursue a career in medicine."

11/06/2025

“What initially drew me to this program was the combination of a community-based clinical experience with the academic structure and resources of a university program. The location was also ideal for me, and when I visited the campus myself, I was struck by how genuinely invested leadership and everyone else involved were in the success of this program. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, and that experience solidified my decision to train in Martinsburg.”

To hear Dr. Gebeyehu's full story and learn more about the Berkeley Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency Program, click the link below:

“What initially drew me to this program was the combination of a community-based clinical experience with the academic structure and resources of a university program.”

10/17/2025

Meet Kate Schwartzman!

Hometown: Pittsburgh, PA

Graduation Year: 2027

Hobbies: Biking, traveling, enjoying the outdoors and spending time with friends and family

Areas of Interest: Surgery & OB-GYN

Clubs & Student Organizations: WVU School of Medicine Research Interest Group, Curriculum Committee, WVU Health Right, & CATALYST

Why I Chose Medicine: “I chose to pursue a career in medicine because I find purpose and joy in connecting with people and working hard to develop a knowledge base so I can help as many patients as possible.”

10/03/2025

Meet Emma Coyne!

Hometown: Georgetown, PA

Graduation Year: 2026

Hobbies: Hiking, reading fantasy novels, playing pickleball, and spending time with my friends and husband

Areas of Interest: Psychiatry

Clubs & Student Organizations: Vice-President of Orthopedic Surgery & Emergency Medicine Interest Groups, Outreach Coordinator for Project Linus, Eastern Campus Class President

Why I Chose a Career in Medicine: "I chose medicine because I am inspired by the power of connection, the depth of medical knowledge, and the healing that comes from understanding. Psychiatry allows me to integrate all three of those elements into patient care.”

09/29/2025

“I’ve always wanted to train in a community-based healthcare setting where relationships with patients and colleagues feel both personal and meaningful. This program offers exactly that with how integrated it is within the eastern panhandle community, allowing us to make a direct impact on the lives of patients across the region.” - Anisha Dangol, M.D.

To hear Dr. Dangol's full story and learn more about the Eastern Internal Medicine Residency Program, click the link below:

“Being a member of the inaugural class means we get to be a part of something from the very beginning and help build it from the ground up. Our voices take on an added importance as we provide feedback to help shape the program for future residents over the years to come.”

09/23/2025

Meet Cassidy Vail!

Hometown: Shoreham, NY

Graduation Year: 2027

Hobbies: Playing music and restoring old vehicles

Areas of Interest: Surgery and Critical Care with a special focus in global surgery and expanding access to care

Clubs & Student Organizations: President Emeritus of the Global Health Club

Why I Chose a Career in Medicine: “I chose to be a physician so I can be in a position where I can help patients in need regardless of any economic or geographic barriers.”

09/23/2025

For Ryan McCarthy, M.D., internal medicine is more than a specialty. It is a calling rooted in building trust, preventing illness, and walking beside patients through the seasons of their lives.

As an associate professor of internal medicine and program director of the WVU School of Medicine Eastern Internal Medicine Residency Program, he is shaping the next generation of physicians while staying deeply connected to the community he serves.

09/17/2025

WVU Medicine celebrated a major milestone on Tuesday, Sept. 16, with the groundbreaking of a new patient tower at Berkeley Medical Center, the centerpiece of a historic $260 million investment to expand healthcare access in the Eastern Panhandle.

09/15/2025

Faculty members from the School of Medicine’s Eastern Campus represented the campus at a pair of major medical conferences last week.

• Richard Ward, M.D.; Samantha Deamer, Psy.D.; and Alyssa Eversmeyer gave two presentations, “Subtle Changes with Big Impact: Moving Along the Continuum of Integration” & “Integrating Behavioral Health in a Rural Health Clinic and Rural Family Medicine Curriculum” at the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Conference on Practice & Quality Improvement, hosted Sept. 8-10 in Pittsburgh.

• Brittany Galucki, D.O; Madison Humerick, M.D.; and Emily Carrell M.D.; gave a presentation titled “Expert Panel: Rural Street Medicine” at the 21st Annual International Street Medicine Symposium, hosted Sept. 10-12 in Hilo, Hawai’i

Congratulations again for proudly representing our campus on the national stage!