Two universities that share a mission of increasing opportunities to serve students and communities in California’s Central Valley are joining forces to increase the number of locally educated doctors in the region and improve the health of all its residents.
Fresno Pacific University and California Health Sciences University have signed an agreement guaranteeing interviews for admission to qualified traditional undergraduate students from FPU annually to the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine Future DOctor Program.
This four-year graduate program provides FPU students with a pathway to a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree. “Pathway programs such as this, prove a clear path for high school students and college students trying to navigate their way towards achieving acceptance to our local medical school,” said John Graneto, DO, M.Ed., dean of the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.
With its structured plan, personalized guidance and guaranteed interview opportunities, CHSU’s Future DOctor Program can help achieve students dreams while staying close to home. “The partnership between CHSU and FPU connects our students and their passion with an exceptional medical school opportunity right in our back yard. It’s opportunities like these that make FPU #1 in social mobility and connects to the health needs of our community,” said Quention Kinnison, Ph.D., dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at FPU.
The six Central Valley counties—Merced, Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern—share large populations of underserved groups and a chronic shortage of physicians. FPU has nearly 2,900 undergraduate and graduate students studying on five campuses in Fresno and other Valley communities. CHSU, with 600 students, is based in Clovis.
“FPU and CHSU desire to create and to cooperate in a program in which qualified students who meet the criteria and requirements are offered acceptance to CHSU by following a rigorous distinct academic protocol and by demonstrating high achievement,” according to the program Memorandum of Understanding.
To be considered for the program, FPU traditional undergraduate students must:
- Meet all general CHSU admission requirements
- Be on track to complete all required courses before graduation from FPU
- Maintain both a science and overall GPA of at least 3.20
- Score at or above the 50th percentile on the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT)
- Complete at least 50 health care volunteer, community service or shadowing hours
More at fpu.edu/chsu