The College of Podiatric Medicine (CPM) at Western University of Health Sciences is a podiatric medical school based in Pomona, California. It is one of nine podiatric medical schools in the United States. The school was founded in 2009 with an inaugural class of 38 students.
CPM offers a four-year professional degree program leading to the degree Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM). The Founding Dean, Lawrence B. Harkless, DPM, joined the College in 2007, after serving for over 30 years as the Chairman of the Division of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery of the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio Texas.
The College of Podiatric Medicine is one of nine colleges at Western University of Health Sciences. The class of 2013 recently achieved a 100% pass rate on part 1 of the American Podiatric Medical Licensing Exam, which was the second time this pass rate has ever been achieved at a podiatry school.
Mission
The mission of the college is "to create a standard of academic excellence for the advancement of podiatric medicine."
History
The College of Podiatric Medicine was founded in 2009 at Western University of Health Sciences. The inaugural class consisted of 38 students; the college currently has about 100 students. In November 2012, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education granted the college full accreditation.
In 2010, Osteomed, a small bone implant device company, donated the first of five $20,000 payments to a scholarship fund for podiatry students at Western University of Health Sciences. The donation marked the start of the college's first endowed scholarship fund.
Curriculum
There are two optional programs offered to podiatry students at WesternU. An Intensive Summer Anatomy Course is available for students that have an interest in anatomy, and the Summer Medical Sciences Preparatory Program is offered to students interested in an introduction to gross anatomy, biochemistry, and osteopathic manipulative medicine.
First and second year podiatry students take the same courses as the osteopathic medical students from the medical college on campus. The first two years of coursework focus on the basic sciences with a systems-based approach to basic clinical sciences. Subjects include biochemistry, pharmacology, immunology, hematology, oncology, neuroscience, psychiatry, rheumatology, endocrinology, cardiology, nephrology, pulmonology, reproductive medicine, dermatology, and gastroenterology.
The curriculum at the College of Podiatric Medicine includes Interprofessional Education (IPE), a program that involves 9 colleges at WesternU. The IPE program aims to demonstrate an understanding of other health professions and to provide and promote a team approach to patient care and health care management, leading to improved patient care. While a debate exists on the effectiveness of interprofessional education in encouraging collaborative practice, IPE is becoming a more common component of medical school curriculum in the United States, and many groups, including the World Health Organization, view it as a means of reducing medical errors and improving the health care system.
Third and fourth year students complete clinical rotations through many of the local hospitals, such as Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Riverside County Regional Medical Center, Olive View - UCLA Medical Center, Downey Regional Medical Center, and Veterans Administration facilities. The rotations provide hands-on experience in various specialties of medicine, including internal medicine, family medicine, emergency, pediatrics, surgery, cardiology, anesthesia, orthopedics, and podiatric medicine. Students also have the option of pursuing clinical rotations outside of California for their fourth year.
Students at CPM may choose to complete a master's degree in addition to their Doctor of Podiatric Medicine. There is currently only one program offered; a Master of Science in Health Sciences (MSHS), which takes 5 years to complete.
Accreditation
The College of Podiatric Medicine is fully accredited by the American Podiatric Medical Association's Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME), an independent, specialized accrediting agency.
Western University is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The WASC Accrediting Commission granted approval of the substantive change proposal for the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine on December 8, 2008.
Notable Faculty
- Lawrence B. Harkless, DPM, FACFAS, MAPWCA.
- Lester Jones, DPM, MS Ed.
- Robert Christman, DPM, EdM.
- Mathew Wedel, Phd.
- Kathleen Sattersfield, DPM, FACFAOM, MAPWCA.
- Aksone Novoung, DPM, FACFAS.
- Jonathan Labovitz, DPM, FACFAS.
See also
- Western University College of Veterinary Medicine
- Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine - California campus
- Western University College of Osteopathic Medicine - Oregon campus