Summer break provides pause for reflection
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues!
I welcome you to the mid-summer edition of our CVHEC newsletter. We hope you are having a restful and enjoyable summer and taking time to recharge and prepare for the upcoming fall semester.
This time of the year we try to step back, take a breath and highlight the great work that has been taking place on our member campuses by the dedicated faculty and staff.
As you visit the entries, you will get a sense of the efforts across the Central Valley in the last six months to improve access, retention and completion of students at our CVHEC member institutions in the region.
We also acknowledge ongoing transition in the region’s higher education scene with CEO changes at WHCCD, Porterville College, Fresno City College and Clovis Community College. One of those changes is the departure of Dr. Claudia Habib who left her Porterville presidency this month for the Ventura College presidency. We thank President Habib for her service to her students and to the CVHEC board.
All the best Claudia …as well as to Dr. Kristin Clark whose retirement as chancellor of WHCCD takes effect Aug. 8. We are especially appreciative of her service as the chair of the CVHEC board the past few years. We said our goodbyes to Kristin at our recent board executive committee meeting and also at a farewell reception for her July 26 at Lemoore College.
Speaking of the board, members should have received detailed info about our upcoming quarterly meeting in early September. If you have not received anything, please do contact Angel Ramirez at centralvalleyhec@gmail.com ASAP.
Finally, please allow me to close this summer message with a Happy Birthday greeting to … US! It was on Aug. 5, 2002 that CVHEC became formally incorporated under the leadership of then Fresno State President John D. Welty. Watch for more about our history in the near future.
We hope you enjoy our newsletter and continue enjoying your summer.
Fresno State’s program to help meet unprecedented need for
new teachers in California planned for Summer 2025 launch
Two California State University (CSU) campuses are the first universities in California to receive approval to start offering teacher preparation programs for the new PK-3 Early Childhood Education Specialist Instruction Credential: San José State and Fresno State, a member of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium.
To date, the San Diego County Office of Education and Riverside County Office of Education are the only other institutions that have received approval by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC).
“As home to the largest teacher preparation program in California and among the largest in the nation, the CSU is proud to once again lead the way in producing teachers that will change the trajectory of our children’s lives and elevate the early childhood education workforce,” says Shireen Pavri, Ph.D., assistant vice chancellor of Educator & Leadership Programs at the CSU Chancellor’s Office. “We are thrilled about the potential of this new PK-3 early childhood education credential to provide a strong and equitable early learning foundation for our youngest and most diverse learners in the state.”
California’s phase-in of universal transitional kindergarten has triggered the unprecedented need to expand the early teaching-learning workforce in the state. Answering California’s call for 12,000 to 15,000 new teachers by 2025-26, the CSU and its campuses have fast-tracked the development of PK-3 Credential programs. The PK-3 Credential, which authorizes graduates to teach children in pre-kindergarten (PK) through 3rd grade, aims to produce qualified teachers who have the necessary skills to provide age-appropriate and culturally responsive instruction. Different from a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential, the PK-3 Credential requires child development/early childhood education coursework that is specific to the development of a young child and how they learn.
San José State will offer its PK-3 Credential programs beginning this fall, while Fresno State is slated for a Summer 2025 start. Seventeen additional CSU campuses, as well as CalStateTEACH—the CSU’s fully online program—are in various stages of developing their PK-3 Credential programs for approval by the Commission on Teaching Credentialing. Each program is being expertly designed by faculty across several disciplines to produce educators who are specialized in using developmentally appropriate practices to teach young multilingual and multicultural children in inclusive settings.
The CSU prepares 48.9% of the state’s teachers and awards approximately 5,200 California teaching credentials annually. To learn more about the CSU’s efforts in preparing California’s future educators, visit the Educator and Leadership Programs website.
SEE: CSU press release
INFO: Strategic Communications and Public Affairs (562) 951-4800
About the California State University
The California State University is the nation’s largest four-year public university system, providing transformational opportunities for upward mobility to more than 450,000 students from all socioeconomic backgrounds. More than half of CSU students are from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds, and more than one-quarter of undergraduates are first-generation college students. Because the CSU’s 23 universities provide a high-quality education at an incredible value, they are rated among the best in the nation for promoting social mobility in national college rankings from U.S. News & World Report, the Wall Street Journal and Washington Monthly. The CSU powers California and the nation, sending nearly 127,000 career-ready graduates into the workforce each year. In fact, one in every 20 Americans holding a college degree earned it at the CSU. Connect with and learn more about the CSU in the CSU newsroom.
Armstrong to serve as FCC interim,
Chahal is Clovis interim
The State Center Community College District announced two interim presidential selections in the wake of Fresno City College President Robert Pimentel’s appointment as West Hills Community College District chancellor in June:
Dr. Monica Chahal
Dr. Kim Armstrong
• Dr. Kim Armstrong will serve as the acting president of Fresno City College. Dr. Armstrong, currently serving as the president of Clovis Community College, will bring her wealth of experience and her extensive leadership qualities to continue the excellent work at Fresno City College.
• Dr. Monica Chahal, vice president of Instruction at Clovis Community College, will step into role of Interim College President with Dr. Armstrong’s transition to Fresno City College. Dr. Chahal’s dedication to educational excellence and student success makes her well-equipped for this interim leadership position.
Also, the Fresno City College Vice President of Administrative Services, Dr. Omar Gutierrez, has been appointed as the Chief Business Officer at Southwestern College in Chula Vista. Ms. Glynna Billings will assume the role of Interim (Provisional) Vice President of Administrative Services at Fresno City College until the position is advertised and filled. Ms. Billings currently serves as District Accounting Manager, where she supervises State Center’s accounts payable, payroll, and other vital financial operations.
The District will open the position of Interim Vice President of Instruction at Clovis Community College for which internal candidates across the District may apply.
State Center Chancellor Dr. Carole Goldsmith said, “I have full confidence in our leadership team and the entire District as we navigate these transitions and continue our mission of providing quality education and support to our students. These strategic appointments reflect the District’s deep commitment to maintaining positive momentum and our focus on advancing equitable student access and achievement across the district. We are fortunate to have such talented and versatile individuals in our District.”
In the “What the CV-HEC is Happening” Blog for our summer 2024 special edition, Dr. John Spevak presents an observation about the value of a higher education. Dr. Spevak, […]
The WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) has reaffirmed Accreditation of California Health Sciences University for a period of six years, Dr. Florence T. Dunn, CHSU founding president announced July 18.
To mark the accomplishment, CHSU will hold an Accreditation Celebration Sept. 10 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine in Clovis. The open house event will include Simulation Center tours, refreshments and other activities.
“Our university, medical school, master’s program, and simulation center are all accredited by their respective accreditation agencies,” President Dunn said. “We have invested many years, and an incredible amount of work towards achieving these important goals.”
The formal invitation with details will be forthcoming, said Richele C. Kleiser, vice president of Marketing & Communications (rkleiser@chsu.edu).
Also see:
CVHEC appoints Arrellano new admin specialist
Joining the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium core team is Priscilla Victoria Arellano, who was named the consortium’s fulltime administrative specialist effective June 10.
She will oversee and provide high-level support in all consortium administrative needs, budgeting and special events/meetings, said Ángel Ramírez, CVHEC finance and operations manager, as well as provide support to Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director.
An experienced professional in medical administrative services, Arellano said she welcomes the challenges of translating her experience to the educational field and contributing to furthering the consortiums’ mission of increasing the degree attainment rate of the Central Valley’s nine-county region from San Joaquin to Kern.
“I am especially enthusiastic about this new journey with an organization that brings together college executives and educators who are helping residents of our valley get a college education and improve their lives,” said Arellano. “I enjoyed working with medical professionals the past six years and all they do for healthcare. Now I look forward to applying that experience at CVHEC working with educators and all they do for higher education in our area.”
Ramirez said the addition of Arellano is a major organizational step as the consortium’s work continues to expand.“We are impressed with the extensive experience Priscilla brings from the medical field and look forward to her completing our team,” he said. “We are only a month in, and I can already feel the relief of having her onboard full-time.”
He also extended heartfelt gratitude to outgoing admin specialist Priscila Villanueva who worked parttime for the consortium since 2018.
“We now call her our first Priscila and we are forever grateful for the crucial role she played, even in a part-time capacity, helping launch the new direction CVHEC has undertaken in recent years,” Ramirez said. “I am sure we will continue to see her around, once a CVHEC-er always a CVHEC-er.”
Among the many dignitaries participating in the historic UC Merced Medical Education Building groundbreaking May 14 with Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz were Dr. Ivan Gomez of UCSF Fresno, Dr. Angel Reyna, president of Madera College, Dr. Kenny Iban of UCSF Fresno and Dr. Rosa Manzo of UC Merced who will be the first faculty member hired for the B.S. to M.D. Pathway, SJV PRIME+ Program.
Special edition: medical education
CVHEC members delivering medical doctor degrees to
produce more healthcare professionals for our region
Greetings CVHEC friends and colleagues!
First, let me congratulate our consortium members – 28 colleges and districts across the Central Valley — for completing another spring semester highlighted by the always joyous commencement season. It has been delightful seeing all the media reports on your graduations.
Now, it is my pleasure to present you this month’s special issue of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium e-Newsletter that focuses on the universities and medical schools in our membership delivering medical education and training leading to medical doctor degrees that will counter the shortage of healthcare professionals in our Central Valley region.
Our three main stories feature California Health Sciences University (CHSU), the University of San Francisco School of Medicine, Fresno Campus, (UCSF Fresno) and the University of California, Merced.
In the CHSU article, you will learn about the newest medical school in the Central Valley that just celebrated its first commencement, graduating 66 new Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine. Established in 2020, and based in Clovis, the medical school – now with 500 students – recently received a full seven-year accreditation. And fittingly, our CVHEC board member, Flo Dunn, was recognized with an honorary doctorate degree for her service as the CHSU founding and current president. Congratulations Dr. Dunn!
You will also read about the exciting initiatives being delivered by the University of California San Francisco Fresno campus creating pathways to the medical field for students in the Central Valley including an update on the California Medical Scholars Program. Among those initiatives are the new SJV-MedBridge pathway for community college students, the recently launched SJV PRIME+ Baccalaureate-to-MD pathway in collaboration with UC Merced, UCSF Fresno residency and fellowship training programs, and UCSF Fresno’s robust continuing medical education portfolio as well as its efforts in mental healthcare training.
In the UC Merced contribution, the medical education program has developed over the years to help breach the shortage of physicians and other health care professionals in the Central Valley with its most recent exciting development: the groundbreaking for the new Medical Education Building held earlier this month. Slated for completion in fall 2026, the new facility will house the SJV PRIME+ Baccalaureate-to-MD pathway mentioned above in addition to other efforts UC Merced is pursuing to create cohorts of students and direct many of them into the medical field in the region to help address the shortage of medical professionals.
And, as National Mental Health Awareness Month comes to a close this week, we are pleased to present a community perspective in this medical education movement with our monthly “What the CV-HEC is Happening Blog” by Juan Garcia, Ph.D, executive director of Integral Community Solutions Institute (known as Community Counseling Services). Dr. Garcia articulates this non-profit organization’s work addressing mental healthcare in underrepresented communities in partnership with CVHEC members UCSF Fresno and Fresno State through the Bienestar Wellness Early Intervention Program.
In closing, we extend a special thank you to West Hills Community College District Chancellor Kristin Clarke, Taft Community College Superintendent/ President Brock McMurray and Porterville College President Claudia Habib for their service to the students of the Central Valley during their tenure as higher education leaders in the region. Chancellor Clark and President McMurray will be retiring and entering the next phase of their lives while Dr. Habib will be taking the presidency at Ventura Community College. We wish them all well. They will always be part of the CVHEC family.
Thanks again to you and your institutions that have brought statewide and national attention to the Central Valley.
We look forward to meeting and welcoming new CEOs in the region at our next CVHEC Board of Directors meeting tentatively set for August when we also will introduce new intersegmental regional initiatives we will be launching in the near future.
Thank you for reviewing this special edition showcasing some of our CVHEC member institutions efforts combatting the historical shortage of health professionals in the Central Valley. Have a great summer 2024!
UCSF Fresno: expanding access to
medical school degrees for Central Valley students
BY BRANDY RAMOS NIKAIDO
Office of Communications — University of California San Francisco Fresno Campus
The UCSF School of Medicine Fresno Regional Campus (UCSF Fresno) extends the reach and impact of the top-ranked UCSF School of Medicine to Fresno, the San Joaquin Valley, and Central California. UCSF Fresno’s mission is to improve health in the region, state, and beyond through teaching, patient care, research, and public service and community partnerships. This includes a commitment to providing high-quality medical education in the region and expanding access to a medical school degree for Valley students.
A great need exists for both primary and specialty physicians in California. In the San Joaquin Valley, the need is even more urgent. There are 47 primary care physicians in the San Joaquin Valley per 100,000 population, in contrast to the recommended 81.
The path to becoming a practicing physician is long and rigorous, taking 11 years or more after high school, depending on the specialty. UCSF Fresno is involved at almost every step of the way – from our longstanding Doctors Academy for high school students who are interested in medical careers, the new SJV-MedBridge pathway for community college students, the recently launched SJV PRIME+ Baccalaureate-to-MD pathway in collaboration with UC Merced, UCSF Fresno residency and fellowship training programs, and UCSF Fresno’s robust continuing medical education portfolio.
To better coordinate and increase the success of existing pathway programs, in summer 2022, UCSF Fresno established the Office of Health Career Pathways (OHCP) within the Department of Undergraduate Medical Education. OHCP provides administrative oversight to all UCSF Fresno pathway programs.
Thanks to long-standing partnerships, state funding, and new collaborations, including with UC Merced, Fresno State, and Valley community colleges, UCSF Fresno is widening the path for local students to become physicians and serve the region that they call home.
UCSF Fresno Doctors Academy
With a focus on addressing the increasing health professional shortage, the Doctors Academy program was established in 1999, by Katherine A. Flores, MD. The program began as a partnership between UCSF Fresno, Fresno Unified School District, and the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools. The first graduating class from the Doctors Academy was in 2003 from Sunnyside High School. The first Caruthers High School graduating class followed in 2010. Middle school programming was introduced through the Junior Doctors Academy program and currently has four school sites that host the program, including Caruthers Elementary, Kings Canyon Middle School, Sequoia Middle School and Terronez Middle School. The UCSF Fresno Doctors Academy programs continue as a partnership with contracting schools. Students from disadvantaged backgrounds are highly encouraged to apply.
All graduating students in the Doctors Academy programs at Sunnyside and Caruthers High Schools received admission to post-secondary institutions. Several Doctors Academy graduates are medical students in the SJV PRIME and three have been accepted into the SJV PRIME+.
“The dedication and commitment from our school sites and community partners are the catalysts that allow us to offer students and their families a wide range of services and opportunities for academic excellence and clinical mentorship experiences,” said Dr. Flores.
“It is because of the collaborative efforts of these strong partnerships that the Doctors Academy students continue to attain their academic goals and are successful applicants to colleges and universities, most with continued aspirations to enter a health profession. We are extremely proud of all our students’ accomplishments and look forward to having them join our Central Valley’s health care provider team in the future.”
San Joaquin Valley Med-Bridge (SJV-MedBridge)
San Joaquin Valley-MedBridge (SJV-MedBridge) is an outreach-focused program that connects community college students in the San Joaquin Valley to the resources, avenues, and mentors that will help them reach their goals and further allow them to explore the world of medicine.
SJV-MedBridge was developed by UCSF Fresno and launched in the fall of 2023, with the encouragement and support of Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Executive Director Ben Duran, EdD, and in partnership with Fresno State, community colleges in the San Joaquin Valley, California Health Sciences University, and multiple medical education programs.
The program was made possible through Senate Bill 40, which was proposed by Sen. Melissa Hurtado (then D-14) in 2021. A native of Sanger, Sen. Hurtado (SD 16) helped fund the establishment of the California Medicine Scholars Program, which is administered by the Foundation for California Community Colleges.
SJV-MedBridge aims to extend and highlight access to various workshops related to medicine and support transfer efforts from community colleges to four-year institutions. The program also encourages and provides networking opportunities to and with experts in the pre-medical community, while fostering a community-focused environment for individuals with a shared interest and passion for medicine.
Each month, students participate in a virtual session and an in-person session, including a simulation day at UCSF Fresno where they learn about CPR, wound care, and ultrasound.
Currently in its first year, the program has enrolled two cohorts for a total of 102 community college students from across eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley.
“We try to eliminate as many barriers as possible to get into SJV-MedBridge,” said Sydney Farnesi, program supervisor. “Qualifications include interest in medicine and completion of 12 units in community college within the San Joaquin Valley. We specifically look for students who do not have a previous bachelor’s degree.”
The goal for SJV-MedBridge is to enroll 50 students each year. Current community college students in the San Joaquin Valley who are driven and seek opportunities to advance into the medical field with a goal of becoming a physician are encouraged to apply to the program. Applications for the next cohort will open in the Summer of 2024.
UCSF San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education
The UCSF San Joaquin Valley Program in Medical Education (SJV-PRIME) is a tailored track at the UCSF School of Medicine for students from the Valley who are committed to working with underserved populations in the region at the individual and community levels.
SJV PRIME started in 2011 as a partnership among the UC Davis School of Medicine, UC Merced, UCSF School of Medicine, and UCSF Fresno, with UC Davis serving as the degree-granting institution. UCSF became the degree-granting institution in 2018.
Students in the second class of the UCSF SJV PRIME took part in the 2024 Match, gathering with loved ones, faculty, and staff at a breakfast celebration on March 15 at UCSF Fresno to open the envelopes that would reveal the next step on their paths to becoming physicians.
Match Day takes place annually on the third Friday in March and is the time when soon-to-be medical school graduates across the United States simultaneously learn where they will spend the next several years conducting residency training (the hands-on clinical training under faculty supervision that is required prior to practicing independently).
Seven of the eight SJV PRIME students who participated in this year’s Match will continue their medical education at University of California campuses. Two will stay at UCSF Fresno in Emergency Medicine.
The UCSF Fresno medical residency programs that participated in the National Resident Matching Program received 8,305 residency applications and conducted 1,067 residency interviews for 75 available residency positions.
“We are very excited for our second class of SJV PRIME students on National Match Day,” said Loren Alving, MD, director of UCSF SJV PRIME. “These students are from the Valley, completed two and a half years of medical school in the Valley, and are committed to serving in the Valley. We look forward to great things from them and to one day welcoming them as faculty and as colleagues once they finish their residency and fellowship training.”
SJV PRIME students possess a common desire to provide care and to give back to the communities where they grew up. They also share a calling to promote health equity and mentor Valley students who follow in their footsteps, just as they were mentored.
UCSF Fresno is committed to developing an outstanding physician workforce that reflects Valley communities and improves patient care and access in the region and state. It has long been established that two factors play an essential role in determining where physicians practice: 1) where they grew up, and 2) where they complete their medical education.
By offering Valley students opportunities to complete medical education and training in the San Joaquin Valley, we increase the likelihood they will stay here to practice where they are needed most. Our goal is to recruit, train, and retain highly skilled clinicians and patient advocates for the Valley. UCSF Fresno is the most significant regional contributor to the physician workforce.
Many of our graduates stay in the Central Valley to provide care, continue their education, and teach the next generation.