LECOM and Villa Maria Academy Partnership

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) and Villa Maria Academy (VMA) have established an educational partnership, the second between LECOM and a high school.  The two schools are working together to develop educational programs that encourage VMA graduates to pursue programs in the health professions.   

Representatives from both schools signed an agreement confirming a joint pledge to encourage VMA students to study the sciences.  Geri Cicchetti, Villa Maria President; Sister Carol Morehouse, Interim Principal; Dr. Silvia M. Ferretti, D.O., LECOM Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs; Dr. Donald Tuttle, Pharm.D., Dean of School of Pharmacy; and Dr. Hershey Bell M.D. Associate Dean for Faculty Development and Evaluation signed the agreement, establishing a cooperative affiliation program. 

“We’re very excited about the educational opportunities for our students and we look forward to this partnership with LECOM,” Cicchetti said. 

LECOM encourages students to study science and to continue their studies to become physicians or pharmacists.  LECOM will partner with VMA to develop educational programs that will challenge the students’ science skills and prepare them for health professions.     

With VMA, LECOM hopes to expand a pharmacy technician program that introduces high school students to community pharmacy and opens the door to jobs with local drugstores.  LECOM will reintroduce a summer high school medical education program with the assistance of VMA.  This program will show students how physicians diagnose patient cases and allow teams of students to study their own patient cases.

 “We look forward to this agreement and supporting the students of Villa Maria Academy as they pursue a career in health professions,” Tuttle said.

This cooperative affiliation encourages Villa Maria students to investigate and experience classes in the sciences as well as pursue careers in health professions. 

“While this is about a partnership between VMA and LECOM, it’s ultimately about serving the Erie Community.  By encouraging and supporting our own high school students, we’ll ensure that Erie’s health care needs will be served in the decades to come,” Bell said.

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