MEMBER NEWS: Consortium members earn Wall Street Journal rankings

Several members of the CVHEC earned accolades in the WSJ rankings recently topped by UC Merced listed No. 1 for social mobility: California State University, Stanislaus came in second on the list of the top schools for social mobility; Fresno State was No. 4. and Fresno Pacific University was No. 14.

UC Merced is No. 1 university for social mobility in the US, new study says.  

 

BY FERNANDA GALAN

Merced Sun-Star

SEPTEMBER 09, 2024 3:19 PM

 

 

UC Merced is the No. 1 university in the nation for social mobility, according to new college rankings.

The Wall Street Journal recently teamed up with research partners College Pulse and Statista to rank the 2025 Best Colleges in the U.S., rating the top 500 universities in the United States.

In addition to awarding schools overall scores, the Wall Street Journal and College Pulse ranked universities based on best value, best salaries, student experience and social mobility.

“The WSJ/College Pulse Social Mobility ranking … rewards universities that take in the highest proportion of students coming from lower-income families,” the Wall Street Journal said, “while maintaining high graduation rates and having a positive impact on graduate salaries and minimizing the costs of attending the college.”

“At UC Merced, we routinely say that we don’t do what we do for rankings, but when you excel others will always take notice,” university Chancellor Juan Sánchez Muñoz said in a Sept. 4 news release. “We hope this recent acknowledgment will be yet another opportunity for people to learn about the exceptional culture of student success that has taken root at UC Merced.”

WHY IS UC MERCED NO. 1 FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY?

UC Merced landed at top of the WSJ/College Pulse Social Mobility ranking with a score of 86.8 out of 100

The university was No. 18 on the overall list of Best Colleges in the U.S. with a score of 84 out of 100, up from No. 59 in 2023.

According to the Wall Street Journal, it costs $13,450 per year on average to attend UC Merced, including tuition, fees, room and board and books and supplies.

However, the value added to graduates’ median salary attributable to them attending UC Merced is $33,874, the Journal found.

 

UC Merced has a variety of programs that have helped students excel academically, including the Center for Educational Partnerships and the Fiat Lux Scholars program.

The Center for Educational Partnerships works with Central Valley schools serving students in kindergarten through 12th grade help kids become “college and career ready,” UC Merced said on its website, while the Fiat Lux scholars program focuses on providing first-generation college students with academic success and housing options.

The university also partners with College Track, an organization that helps students from low-income community get their bachelor degrees.

 

About 60% of the student body of UC Merced is comprised of Pell grant-eligible students who have exceptional financial needs, and 65% are first-generation college students according to the news release on Sept 4.

HOW DID OTHER CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITIES RANK?

 

California State University, Stanislaus, in Turlock came in second on the list of the top schools for social mobility.

California State University, San Bernardino, took third place, while Fresno State was No. 4. California State University, Los Angeles, rounded out the top five.

Elsewhere in the Central Valley, California State University, Sacramento, landed at No. 13, while Fresno Pacific University was No. 14 and UC Davis was No. 32.

WHAT ARE THE TOP 10 UNIVERSITIES FOR SOCIAL MOBILITY?

 

These are the top 10 universities in the nation in terms of enhancing students’ social mobility, according to Wall Street Journal and College Pulse:

 

  1. UC Merced
  2. California State University, Stanislaus
  3. California State University, San Bernardino

 

  1. Fresno State
  2. California State University, Los Angeles
  3. Florida International University in Miami
  4. California State University, Long Beach
  5. Baruch College in New York
  6. California State University, Northridge

 

  1. California Polytechnic State University, Pomona

 

HOW DID WALL STREET JOURNAL COME UP WITH ITS RANKINGS?

 

The Wall Street Journal partnered up with College Pulse and Statista to rank schools using “the latest data available for analysis, it said.

 

In the social mobility category, schools were scored based on the following components:

 

Social mobility salary impact

Social mobility graduation rate impact

See:

Merced Sun-Star article

UC Merced press release: UC Merced Ranked No. 1 in the Nation for Social Mobility, No. 18 Overall

Fresno State News press release: Wall Street Journal ranks Fresno State in top five nationally for social mobility

Stanislaus State press release: Stanislaus State Ranks No. 24 in the Nation on Wall Street Journal’s 2025 Best Colleges

NEWS RELEASE: Durán joins Aug. 20 panel examining new PPIC findings

New PPIC report shows the San Joaquin Valley with lowest

college enrollment and completion rates in the state

Panel to discuss strategies for strengthening college-going pathways in the valley

 

UPDATE AUG. 15  (Public Policy Institute of California):

» Read the report

» Read the policy brief

REGISTER – PPIC Panel Aug. 20

 

Dr. Benjamín Durán, executive director of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium, will join a virtual panel of experts discussing a new report to be released next week by the Public Policy Institute of California, “Pathways to College Completion in the San Joaquin Valley,” showing California’s San Joaquin Valley has the lowest college enrollment and completion rates in the state.

The panel, set for Tuesday, Aug. 20 from 11 a.m. to noon, is presented by PPIC and will explore how institutions, educators and policymakers can expand support for college-going pathways in the valley.

Joining Dr. Durán on the panel — moderated by Dr. Olga Rodríguez, director of the PPIC Higher Education Center and a senior fellow at PPIC — will be Dr. Orquidea Largo, associate vice chancellor and chief outreach officer for the Center for Educational Partnerships, University of California, Merced; and Tressa Overstreet, executive director of College & Career Readiness for the Fresno Unified School District. (See detailed bios on the PPIC event page).

The report, which PPIC will release Aug. 15, notes that “with its youthful, diverse, growing population; expanding economy; and robust regional networks, the San Joaquin Valley could be on the verge of dramatic improvements in college enrollment and completion.”

Durán said PPIC’s work helps shed light on an issue CVHEC has tackled head-on since its inception 22 years ago this week.

“We applaud PPIC for undertaking this valuable work focusing on ongoing issues and barriers we sometimes encounter that too often still impede student success,” Durán said.

“It is important for valley educators to continuously confront these barriers and address the value of creating meaningful pathways such as dual enrollment courses supported by wrap-around services like our Math Bridge Program and to implement initiatives like our Transfer Project that complement those pathways, all leading to more student success.”

A question/answer session the final 15 minutes will close the PPIC panel. To submit questions:  ppiceventquestions@gmail.com

Registration is now available for the free Zoom event.

The PPIC research and its panel event are supported with funding from College Futures Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Sutton Family Fund.

 

For report and panel event questions:

PPIC EVENT CONTACT: Sal Beeby, events associate (415.291.4426)

PPIC MEDIA CONTACT: Steven Bliss, director of Digital Strategy (415.291.4412)

 

CVHEC Media Contact (for Dr. Durán): Tom Uribes, cvhecommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu (559.348.3278)

MEMBER NEWS: CSU PK-3 Early Childhood Credential Programs – Fresno State one of first approved

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 approv​al 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.  

 

BOARD NEWS: Dr. Pimentel is first Latino named WHCCD chancellor

Read more

BOARD NEWS: SCCCD announces interim presidents at Fresno City and Clovis Community Colleges

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.”

MEMBER NEWS: CHSU Accreditation Celebration set for Sept. 10

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: 

CHSU Newsroom

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): CHSU – opportunity to attend an accredited medical school in Central Valley

 

SPOTLIGHT ON CVHEC: Priscilla Arrellano

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.”

 

See BIO-Priscilla Arrellano

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): UCSF Fresno expands access

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.

 

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): UC Merced – ‘building the middle’

Read more

MEDICAL EDUCATION (MAY 2024): CHSU – opportunity to attend an accredited medical school in Central Valley

 The historic inaugural California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) Class of 2024.

CHSU: successful match rate and

historic inaugural commencement

ceremony held for 66 new physicians 

 

BY RICHELE C. KLEISER
Vice President, Marketing & Communications – California Health Sciences University

With recent commencement exercises for its inaugural class of 2024, the California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) concludes a dynamic academic year as the first university of its kind in the Central Valley offering a local option for medical school and a master’s in biomedical sciences to help remedy the shortage of health care services provided in the Valley.

The spring semester alone was filled with celebrating key milestones and achievements most notably Match Day March 15 when the inaugural class of 2024 achieved a remarkable 100 percent residency match rate (medical students learn the residency specialty program they will start after completing medical school).

The university also received news of achieving a seven-year accreditation for the medical school; the first cohort of Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences students graduated May 18; and college’s first doctoral medical degrees were conferred on 66 graduates at the CHSU-COM Commencement and Hooding Ceremony May 19.

Also at the commencement, CHSU Founding President Florence Dunn was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in recognition of her leadership, dedication and service to the university by Dr. John Welty and Dr. Kristin Clark, founding chair and vice chair of the CHSU Board of Trustees, respectively. (President Dunn is a member of the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Board of Directors, Chancellor Clark is the current chair of the CVHEC board and Dr. Welty, president-emeritus of Fresno State, is CVHEC’s founder and former chair of the board).

Dr. Teresa Hubka, president-elect of the American Osteopathic Association delivered the commencement keynote held at the Save Mart Center.

“The inaugural graduating class of CHSU medical students is significant because it shows local students that they can become doctors without leaving home to study and train,” President Dunn said. “We hope the opportunity to go to an accredited medical school in the Central Valley will encourage and inspire many others to become physicians.”

Accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), California Health Sciences University now has about 500 medical students in attendance and plans to grow to approximately 600 medical students in the next year. In addition to the inaugural class of 2024 medical students graduating this month, the CHSU will matriculate its fifth cohort of about 150 students in July.

The university also offers a one-year Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MSBS) program at its College of Biosciences and Health Professions with many of those who graduated this month already receiving acceptance into the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine and other medical and dental schools.

The significance of the Inaugural Match Day is worth emphasizing. The festive occasion where the medical students, with loved ones in attendance, opened envelopes revealing the residency specialty program they will start after completing medical school marks the start of each physician’s career with post-graduate medical training.

In a nationwide process that is highly competitive, CHSU-COM’s 65 fourth-year medical students were matched with a wide variety of residencies, including 34 percent located in the Central Valley and 65 percent who will complete their residency in Primary Care, which includes family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics.

“Achieving a 100 percent match rate for our inaugural medical students is extraordinary and we are so proud of these future physicians,” said John Graneto, DO, dean of CHSU’s College of Osteopathic Medicine. “Having such a large number of CHSU graduates complete residencies locally, especially in primary care specialties, is an important part of our mission and will help underserved populations have more equitable access to health care.”

Shortly after came the good news that CHSU-COM was granted a seven-year accreditation by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA). COCA is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as the accreditor of colleges of osteopathic medicine.

The college had been working towards full accreditation since its inception in 2020 when it unveiled the newly constructed, state-art-of-the-art facility and welcomed the first cohort of medical students.

Based in Clovis, with gorgeous views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the three-story College of Osteopathic Medicine building incorporates innovative technology throughout. The facility features large classrooms, an Osteopathic Skills lab, a library, plentiful private and collaborative study spaces, a spacious student lounge with Teaching Kitchen, and a Simulation Center.

The Simulation Center includes an inpatient area that resembles a hospital environment and an outpatient area that is like a clinic or doctor’s office. The innovative Simulation Center was meticulously planned to maximize interactive learning. CHSU’s 110-acre campus site provides plenty of space for decades of expansion. The campus could ultimately approach 2,000 students and nearly 300 faculty and staff. Further development of the campus will occur in multiple phases, as new programs and colleges are added for postgraduate health education.

“This accreditation achievement has been long anticipated and brings a sense of pride to the Central Valley,” said Dr. Graneto. “We can now offer local students the opportunity to earn a doctorate degree at an osteopathic medical school that is held to the same high standards as other programs and stay close to home to serve our community.”

To stay up to date with the latest CHSU-COM news and events, visit the university’s website at chsu.edu or follow along on social media: Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn

See:

 

CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine earns seven-year Accreditation – ABC30

California Health Sciences University Celebrates Inaugural Doctors Graduation Ceremony

Sixty-six graduating doctors recognized from California Health Sciences University

 

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