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The California University of Science and Medicine School of Medicine Achieves
Preliminary Accreditation, founded by the Prime Healthcare Foundation
(San Bernardino, CA – February 20, 2018) – 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.” 2
“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
http://www.calmedu.org/.