WesternU - College of Podiatric Medicine

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 a 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.

CPM is one of nine colleges at Western University. 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.

Curriculum

First and second year students are integrated with the DO students for their core classes. The first two years focus on the basic sciences, and a systems-based approach to basic clinical sciences.

An Intensive Summer Anatomy Course is available for students that have an interest in anatomy. Students that take this course over the summer before their first year are not required to take the fall session anatomy course, and they may serve as anatomy facilitators, helping faculty guide the students through their daily lab sessions. The Summer Medical Sciences Preparatory Program is offered to students interested in an introduction to gross anatomy, biochemistry, and osteopathic manipulative medicine.

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-based approach to patient care and health care management, leading to improved patient care (Pumerantz). Medical errors associated with poor communication and a fragmented health care system contribute to as many as 98,000 patient deaths per year. In 2010, the World Health Organization submitted a “call for action to policy-makers, decision makers, educators, health workers, community leaders and global health advocates to take action and move towards embedding interprofessional education and collaborative practice in all of the services they deliver.”

Third and forth year students do clinical rotations through many of the local hospitals, such as Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.

Accreditation

Western University of Health Sciences is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The College of Podiatric Medicine has applied for accreditation to the Council on Podiatric Medical Education (CPME), an independent, specialized accrediting agency.

WASC Accrediting Commission granted approval of the substantive change proposal for the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine on December 8, 2008. Full accreditation by the CPME is expected fall 2012.