Institute of Occupational & Environmental Health

General Information about WVU and the Health Sciences Center:

West Virginia University is a land grant institution, established in 1867, and is the largest college in the state, with an enrollment of approximately 19,500 undergraduates and 6,500 graduate students. WVU has 15 colleges and professional schools including the College of Arts and Sciences, School of Business and Economics, College of Engineering and Mineral Resources, College of Law, and a Health Sciences Center comprised of Dental, Nursing, Pharmacy and Medical schools.

West Virginia University is located in a picturesque setting in the hills of northern West Virginia, five miles from the Pennsylvania border. Morgantown is a small city of approximately 58,000 people (which includes WVU students), and WVU is a dominant influence in the life of the community. These features allow a combination of the best features of rural and urban living. The state has one of the lowest crime rates in the nation and a low cost of living. Morgantown is located in the Appalachian highlands on the banks of the Monongahela River. This area is hilly, green and lovely, and has a moderate climate. Outdoor sports are popular in the area with hiking, biking, white water rafting and skiing having many enthusiasts. Cheat Lake and Cooper's Rock State Park and Forest lie just outside of town and provide many recreational opportunities. West Virginia University competes in Division I athletics in the NCAA. Athletic facilities are available for intramural sports and recreational activities. Artistic and cultural events are presented by the excellent performing arts departments and by visiting groups. The modern Creative Arts Center provides a facility for presentations of the performing arts. Further shopping and cultural activities are provided by our proximity to major metropolitan centers.

Pittsburgh is the nearest large city, about a 90-minute drive north on Interstate 79. Washington, DC is a 4-hour drive to the east. Direct air service to both Pittsburgh and DC is provided from Hart Field in Morgantown.

Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center:

The Health Sciences Center is West Virginia's foremost health care institution, offering a full range of medical and dental services. Services at the Health Sciences Center are provided by more than 300 University physicians, dentists, and other health care professionals.

A $200 million construction phase on the Health Sciences Center campus has provided state-of-the-art facilities: new medical, psychiatric, and rehabilitative hospitals, a regional cancer center, and the Physician's Office Center for outpatient services.

The Health Sciences Center complex consists of the Health Sciences Building (housing the Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Dentistry). Ruby Memorial Hospital, the Mary Babb Randolph Cancer Center, the Physicians Office Center, Chestnut Ridge Psychiatric Hospital and the HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital. A division of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) is located adjacent to the Health Sciences Center complex and concentrates on respiratory health problems.