A New Medical School Launches in California

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif., Feb. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The California University of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine (CUSM School of Medicine) proudly announces its approval for preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The University will welcome its first incoming medical school class this August.

The CUSM School of Medicine, a private, not-for-profit medical school, was created with a mission to improve healthcare by training exceptional physicians with a special dedication to serving underserved areas, especially in areas like the Inland Empire of Southern California where the school will be established. 

The Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity with a mission to improve healthcare through educational and charitable initiatives, funded the establishment of CUSM.  Prem Reddy, MD, founder of Prime Healthcare and the Prime Healthcare Foundation, believed that the establishment of a medical school could provide the greatest positive impact on healthcare for generations by addressing growing health disparities, disease burden and the national physician shortage. Dr. Reddy, through the PHF and his family foundation, has committed more than $60 million towards the establishment of CUSM.

"It has been a dream come true to establish a medical school sincerely believing that education and healthcare can profoundly improve the lives of others," said Dr. Reddy, the Founder and the Chairman of the CUSM Board of Trustees. "It is a great privilege to help students shape the future of healthcare through dedication to clinical excellence and compassionate care."

Dev GnanaDev, MD, a prominent surgeon and past President of the California Medical Association and past Medical Director of Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC), a 456-bed teaching hospital operated by the County of San Bernardino, shared a similar vision of establishing a medical school in the Inland Empire. "Our new school will have a lasting impact not only on the current shortage of physicians and limited medical school slots in our state, but also on the wellness of those in our community," said Dr. GnanaDev, founding president of CUSM. "The medical school's affiliation with ARMC, where I've practiced for more than 37 years, provides an exceptional clinical training ground for future physicians. I thank Dr. Reddy, Prime Healthcare Foundation, the County of San Bernardino and our amazing faculty for making all of this possible." 

"The mission of the Prime Healthcare Foundation has been to improve healthcare through education and service," said Kavitha Bhatia, MD, Chair of the Prime Healthcare Foundation and Vice Chair of the CUSM Board of Trustees. "The establishment of CUSM will create a lasting contribution to the health and wellness of communities through excellence in education, research, clinical practice and a special dedication to the care of the underserved."

In addition to its founding by the Prime Healthcare Foundation, CUSM has received support throughout the local community including the County of San Bernardino, ARMC, the City of Colton, an affiliation with Claremont Graduate University (a member of the prestigious Claremont Colleges) and prominent members of the community on the CUSM Board of Trustees.

The San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors and ARMC joined in the noble mission of establishing a world-class school of medicine by contributing $10 million to support CUSM. "This public-private partnership with the County of San Bernardino addresses the need for a medical school in one of the most economically challenged, underserved communities in Southern California. This partnership is another step forward for the future of our County and a great pathway to success for our children," said Robert Lovingood, the Chairman of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

"We expect the CUSM affiliation with ARMC to attract physicians who are seeking university-based research, teaching and clinical practice," said ARMC Director William Gilbert. "ARMC is building a culture that attracts those who are eager to practice and study. CUSM's community-oriented mission and vision of encouraging graduates to practice medicine in underserved areas will help support this culture, ultimately benefiting patients in the Inland Empire and beyond."

Dr. Reddy, Dr. GnanaDev and the CUSM Board of Trustees recruited Dr. Robert Suskind to serve as the Founding Dean of CUSM School of Medicine. Dr. Suskind, a prominent educator and founding dean of medical schools in Texas and Northern California, led the recruitment of exceptional faculty of MDs and MD/PhDs that align with the university's uniquely integrated, active-learning, student-centered curriculum.

"I am grateful to the LCME for their vote of confidence in our mission and vision for CUSM," said Dr. Suskind. "Receiving accreditation is a major milestone for both the institution and the surrounding communities and provides the opportunity to really start making a difference in the Inland Empire of California."

CUSM will be committed to teaching the importance of improving the health and healthcare needs of underrepresented and underserved communities, such as San Bernardino County. The medical school has already been recognized for its progressive curriculum.  The clinically integrated, systems-based curriculum emphasizes clinical reasoning with the goal of creating a more balanced and relevant learning experience for future physicians.

For more information on the new CUSM School of Medicine, please visit www.calmedu.org

SOURCE California University of Science and Medicine, School of Medicine

Related Links

http://www.calmedu.org