Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine in Fayetteville receives $1M

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — The Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine in Fayetteville has received a $1 million commitment, officials said Tuesday.

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According to Cape Fear Valley Health, the $1 million will be provided by Dr. Pankaj K. Vyas, an internal medicine physician and founder, chief executive officer and medical director of Eastern Carolina Medical Center in Benson.

“I had the remarkable opportunity to spend an afternoon with Dr. P.K. Vyas at his office in Benson,” said Dr. Hershey Bell, the dean of the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine, in a statement. “Not only was I able to observe his commitment to patient care in his community, but also his dedication to supporting every aspect of that community.

“His generosity reflects the values at the heart of our medical school’s mission and will help educate future physicians while strengthening the communities they will one day serve,” Bell continued in his statement.

One half of the commitment, $500,000, will support start-up operations at the medical school. Two of the school’s learning centers will be named the Harnett County Room and the Sampson County Room in honor of the communities where Vyas cared for patients, according to Cape Fear Valley Health.

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Officials said the remaining $500,000 will establish the Dr. Pankaj K. Vyas Scholarship, an endowed scholarship providing financial assistance to students at the medical school. The scholarship will offer up to $5,000 annually for four years for eligible students.

According to Cape Fear Valley Health, the scholarship also establishes the Vyas Pathway Program, which helps participants prepare for medical careers by providing them with health care exposure, enrichment opportunities, pre-medical counseling and preparation, and courtesy medical school interviews.

“My gift to the Methodist University Cape Fear Valley Health School of Medicine is an investment in the future of the communities that have given me so much throughout my life,” Vyas said in a statement.

“By supporting the education and training of future physicians, I hope to encourage students to build their careers here, providing compassionate, high-quality care to the people and places I love,” he continued in his statement. “It is my wish that this gift helps strengthen our local health care workforce and ensures these communities continue to thrive for generations to come.”

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