This year, more than 630 new and returning medical students are back on campus, with 162 of them part of the Class of 2029.
For first-year student Brittney Garcia, she could feel that first day feeling as she walked into her first class at CHSU.
"I'm feeling really nervous, but also really excited and a little overwhelmed," said Garcia.
Garcia joins CHSU's Class of 2029. She earned her bachelors and minor degrees at Fresno State in 2023. After working two years as an ophthalmology assistant, she is now furthering her education.
"I really like that CHSU is in the area. It's in the Valley," said Garcia. "It serves students in the Valley, and I like that they kind of gear us towards working in the Valley later on because that's what I want to do."
CHSU says 44% of this new cohort is from Central California, with 90% coming from around the state.
The university hopes that the students who learn and grow here will continue their careers in the region
"I know that they Valley is very underserved," said Garcia, "That takes on different challenges beyond just being a regular doctor."
For Brittney, whose hometown is in Porterville, chasing her dreams in healthcare started when she would help her dad on the weekends, working in the fields. She saw how the hard labor could take a toll on the body.
"I saw what that meant for people older than me who had been working there longer," said Garcia. "I heard them talking to each other about home remedies, talking about how they can't see a doctor. It would be months or years out until they could see somebody."
The university says more than 3,300 students applied to CHSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine, with hundreds of applicants interviewed for fall 2025 admission.
While Brittney is still exploring what her career path will look like, she knows that her goal is to bridge the medical gap.
"If I can take on some of that burden, some of that work, it would really help the community and it would help us get more care out there and people would be healthier," said Garcia.
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