HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Marshall University and its Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine selected six high school seniors from across West Virginia as its final class of students for the B.S./M.D. program.  

Established in 2015, the B.S./M.D. program was designed to provide a streamlined pathway for high-achieving West Virginia students to complete both their Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medicine degrees in just seven years. 

“After 10 years of welcoming talented students from across the state into medicine, this program has successfully helped build a pipeline of future physicians dedicated to serving West Virginia,” said Jennifer T. Plymale, associate dean of admissions and special programs for the School of Medicine. “Our graduates are already making an impact in communities across the region, and we are excited to welcome our final cohort as they begin their journey at Marshall.” 

The following students have been accepted into the program and will begin their undergraduate coursework at Marshall this fall.   

• Vinu Chandrasekar: George Washington High School (Kanawha County) 

• Sophia D’Eramo: Parkersburg Catholic High School (Wood County)

• Tristan Hornbuckle: Huntington High School (Cabell County)

• Kinsey Mounts: Westside High School (Wyoming County) 

• Payton Waters: Parkersburg South High School (Wood County) 

• Sydnie Wolfe: Chapmanville Regional High School (Logan County) 

The final class joins 32 B.S./M.D. students currently enrolled in medical school and 25 in the undergraduate portion of the program. Since its inception, the program has produced 23 graduates who have gone on to train in highly competitive residency programs across the country, with many choosing to return to West Virginia to practice medicine. 

The Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine is phasing out the current B.S./M.D. program to further cultivate dual MA/MS-MD degree programs in emerging fields like health informatics, health care cybersecurity, social media medical journalism and biomedical engineering to equip future physicians with the skills needed for an evolving health care landscape. 

Date Posted: Tuesday, March 25, 2025