Valley's first medical school quickly taking shape

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The Valley's first medical school is quickly taking shape. Some local aspiring doctors will actually be able to stay home and attend California Health Sciences University to further their education.

CHSU has graduated two pharmacy classes but still awaits full accreditation.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine won't open for another year but has been drawing applications from across the U.S.

A three-story building in Clovis stands tall in the Valley's push to grow its own health professionals. It will be done in December.

In July of 2020, 75 students will be the first to enroll in the College of Osteopathic Medicine atCalifornia Health Sciences University. It's hoped the school can ease the area's "brain drain."

"We think that there is an abundance of people from the Valley who are qualified and are eager to stay here and go to medical school and that's right in our mission. That's what we would really like to have," said CHSU Medical School Dean, Dr. John Graneto.

Dr. Graneto said the medical school would go through apre-accreditation review in October.

He added students would use an advanced simulation center to learn how to treat issues affecting joints, muscles, and the spine.

"We're partnered with Case Western Reserve University out of Cleveland to use their licensing of their holographic anatomy," he said.

Every year thousands of California residents leave the state to attend medical schools around the country.

"We need to capture some of them here so that if they are trained here and they're from here, they'll most likely stay here and practice when they're done," Dr. Greneto explained.

As for the Pharmacy School, The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education indicated in a recent review said, "standards found to be less than expected for a developing program."

The Dean of Pharmacy, Dr. Wendy Duncan, said in a statement to Action News, "We have met 23 of the 25 ACPE accreditation standards and we are still progressing towards the final two."

The final two areas involved Organization and Governance and Practice Facilities.

The pharmacy school retained its "candidate" status, so students have the same rights of a fully accredited program. That includes graduation and eligibility for residencies.

CHSU's next Pharmacy School review will occur in the Spring of 2020.