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About CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM)
The California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) is the first program of its kind in the Central Valley. The CHSU medical school hopes to recruit, train, and retain physicians to serve the local community, especially the underserved population.
The American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) has granted the California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) the accreditation status of Accreditation, effective April 4, 2024. This accreditation action is valid for seven years. The CHSU-COM’s next comprehensive site visit will be held in the academic year 2030-2031. The COCA is the only accrediting agency for pre-doctoral osteopathic medical education recognized by the United States Department of Education.
John Graneto, DO, MEd, serves as Vice President of Health Affairs and Dean of the CHSU College of Osteopathic Medicine.
“Our medical school at California Health Sciences University has the distinction of being the third College of Osteopathic Medicine in California. Osteopathic physicians are more likely to work in underserved areas and tend to enter primary care practices in great need, such as family and internal medicine, pediatrics, and obstetrics. With the shortage of Central Valley physicians, CHSU medical school graduates makes a huge impact on the community delivering much needed health care,” says Dr. Graneto.
Students in the CHSU-COM four-year Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) program spend the first two years learning from a modified, two-pass systems-based curricular model. Realistic patient scenarios with scientific principles, problem-solving, active-learning, and clinical practice are integrated throughout the curriculum. Other unique curricular components include medical knowledge, osteopathic manipulative medicine, clinical skills, nutrition as medicine, and patient-centered care.
In years three and four, CHSU-COM students gain hands-on experience through clinical clerkships in regional hospitals, clinics, and health care facilities with qualified health care providers. Students rotate through 4- to 8-week clerkships in family medicine, internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, behavioral medicine, emergency medicine, and more.
With gorgeous views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the three-story College of Osteopathic Medicine building opened in 2020 and 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.
The CHSU-COM welcomed its inaugural class of medical students in July 2020, and it celebrated 66 graduates in May 2024. The inaugural class of 2024 had a 100% residency match rate, with 34% matching in the Central Valley and 65% matching in primary care specialties. CHSU medical students represent our diverse region, with over 30% being from the Valley and over 80% from California. CHSU-COM’s approved class size is 150 students, enabling the college to have approximately 600 medical students enrolled at any time.
About California Health Sciences University (CHSU)
California Health Sciences University (CHSU) is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Founded in 2012 by the Assemi family, CHSU offers a local option for medical school and seeks to help remedy the shortage of health care providers in the Central Valley. CHSU students and faculty can enjoy a relatively affordable cost of living for California and plentiful career opportunities in the Central Valley.
CHSU currently offers a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program (DO degree) and a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MSBS) program.
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.