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Did you know that the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine (91�㽶��Ƶ) is a great place to work?

The institution has been recognized for the eighth time as one of the best schools in the nation to work for, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education’s annual report on academic workplaces. 91�㽶��Ƶ is also included on the publication’s Honor Roll, a distinction awarded to institutions that are cited most often across all recognition categories.

91�㽶��Ƶ was recognized in nine categories:

• Collaborative governance
• Compensation and benefits
• Confidence in leadership
• Facilities, workspaces and security
• Job satisfaction
• Professional/career-development programs
• Respect and appreciation
• Teaching environment
• Tenure clarity and process

Leslie Bicksler, 91�㽶��Ƶ’s vice president of human resources, said that news of the recognition, even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, is a testament to the value each employee brings to providing medical education to students.

“This year, more than ever, it’s comforting to know that our employees are committed to 91�㽶��Ƶ’s mission and confident in recognizing we have their best interest in mind,” she said. “Even during a pandemic, our employees know that their work is meaningful and important — and they know that they are important to us. It takes everyday actions, some big and some small, by employees to make a school a great place to work, and we couldn’t be happier that our employees acknowledge that.”

91�㽶��Ƶ President James W. Nemitz, Ph.D., echoed Bicksler’s sentiment.

“Each person at 91�㽶��Ƶ understands that the work they do plays an important role in educating future physicians. Our medical school makes it a point to let employees know they are valued for their contributions,” he said. “We want to foster an environment where people are excited to come to work and are passionate about meeting the mission of the school. I think we’ve done that, and continue to do that, as is evidenced by our faculty and staff recognizing 91�㽶��Ƶ in so many different categories.”

The main factor in determining recognition was employee feedback through The Chronicle’s survey. 91�㽶��Ƶ was one of 221 institutions that participated. The school currently employs 298 people.

Richard Boyer, senior consultant at ModernThink, the strategic human capital consulting firm that administered the survey and analyzed its results, said the institutions recognized in this year’s program are united in their commitment to organizational culture, even in the face of a worldwide pandemic.

“The institutions participating in the 2020 Great Colleges to Work For program deserve special kudos for their commitment to being good stewards of institutional culture and workplace quality,” he said. “In the face of unprecedented uncertainty, their commitment to faculty and staff engagement never wavered. Institutions recognized in this year’s program as ‘Great Colleges to Work For’ prove that it is possible to be a great workplace even in the face of disruption, uncertainty, and limited resources.”