A rotary injection valve used in chromatography includes a stator having a stator sealing surface and a sample load channel disposed inside the stator body below the stator sealing surface. The valve can have a reduced number of ports thereby allowing faster integration of the valve into a chromatographic system. Flow restriction is reduced compared to valves that use an external sample loop for a similar volume of sample. The lack of stator ports for the sample load channel eliminates the potential for carryover created by external valve couplings. Another advantage is the reduction of surface wear achieved by locating the sample load channel below the stator sealing surface.