Pathway for Community College Students to the Medical Field California Medicine Scholars Program-SJV: a collab of UCSF Fresno and CVHEC members
A valley wide collaborative by Central Valley Higher Education Consortium partners and Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Sanger) has led to a major accomplishment for the Central Valley with the launch this summer of theCalifornia Medicine Scholars Programand the designation ofthe University of California, San Francisco - Fresnoas one of four Regional Hubs of Healthcare Opportunity (RHHOs) in the state.
Established under Senate Bill 40, CMSP is designed to pave the pathway to medical school for community college students, increase the numbers of underrepresented minority physicians and result in more physicians and allied health professionals in the region.
The budget bill signed in June by Governor Newsom includes $9,975,000 to establish the regional pipeline system for community college students who want to go to medical school.
Sen. Hurtado cited a healthcare provider shortage in the Central Valley and credited CVHEC for rallying leaders of the Consortium -- made up of 30 institutions of higher education in the nine-county region from Stockton to Bakersfield -- to support UCSF-Fresno as one of the state’s four hubs authorized by the legislation.
“The Central Valley is experiencing a healthcare provider shortage,” Sen. Hurtado said. “Patients face longer than average wait times to see a physician and have to drive long distances to access the nearest hospital.
"Thanks to the hard work of Dr. Duran and the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium on the passage of the California Medicine Scholars Program, many students in the Valley will be given the opportunity to live their dream and attend medical school...”
Welcome to the fall semester as students, faculty and staff return to in-person learning at our CVHEC campuses throughout the Central Valley.
As we all approach the 2022-23 academic year with renewed energy and enthusiasm, we are dedicating a portion of this edition of the CVHEC e-newsletter to the good work of the medical healthcare partners in the Consortium.
We are delighted to announce the establishment of the California Medicine Scholars Program (SJV-CMSP) hub in Fresno, one of four hubs in California authorized by the Senate Bill 40, authored by our very own Senator, Melissa Hurtado, (D-Sanger Hurtado). The budget bill, signed in June by Governor Gavin Newsom, includes $9,975,000 to establish a regional pipeline system for community college students who want to go to medical school.
Dr. Kenny Bahn of the UC San Francisco Medical School - Fresno headed a team to develop the application for funding and collaborated with CVHEC partners, California Health Sciences University and regional community colleges that will feed the medical pathways in the valley. Valley wide collaborative efforts will hopefully lead to more physicians and allied health professionals settling in the region ...
This fall, we unveil phase one of our renovated Central Valley Higher Education Consortium website which we hope will be easier to navigate as we showcase the work of the Consortium throughout the valley.
We will be featuring a different piece of our website as we continue to build it out in hopes of showcasing it as a resource for our members, colleagues and partners.
This month, we feature the professionals and experts who are carrying out the CVHEC mission. On the “About CVHEC” page, you can meet our CVHEC Board of Directors – the presidents and chancellors of our 30 members of higher education in the Central Valley’s nine-county region from Stockton to Bakersfield as
well as the core staff that includes several former educational leaders who now serve as CVHEC regional coordinators/liasions.
Also, see our CVHEC News web page that is being finalized this fall featuring our newsletter stories and press releases where news media can connect with us as well as the members of our CVHEC PIO/Communicators Committee, consisting of the communications professionals handling media relations at each of the 30 campuses.
Our new calendar will keep you up-to-date on CVHEC and other higher education events on our radar. For considerations and modifications to our calendar please email centralvalleyhec@gmail.com.
This month’s “What The CV-HEC Is Happening” Blog features a guest vlog with Dr. Mike Farr, an alumnus of CVHEC-member California Health Science University when he was featured on GVWire's “Unfiltered” weekly virtual talk show May 24 hosted by Darius Assemi, president of Granville Homes in Fresno.
Dr. Farr shared his experience as one of the first medical students in the CHSU leading to his career in two positions presently: as a retail pharmacist for Walgreen’s and as a clinical pharmacist for Integrated Prescription Management. He served as CSHU student body president and was conferred the Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree with 62 graduates at CHSU’s first Graduation CeremonyMay 19, 2018. Dr. Farr touts the value of having a medical school in the Central Valley.
The winning video submission entitled “Sentido de Pertenencia” – a sense of belonging – created by student ambassador Jennifer Hernandez features recent alumna Marisela Maciel, an immigrant and mother of three children.
The award announcement was live streamed by Lumina, a Central Valley Higher Education Consortium partner, during a special watch party on campus where Madera Community College President Ángel Reyna joined several campus
and community members who erupted in joy when Madera was revealed as the winner from out of 10 finalists nationwide.
The goal of The Million Dollar Community College Challenge grant is to help community colleges position their brand to gain the attention of adults who often have competing demands but could benefit greatly from a college degree, credential or certificate.
“Sentido de Pertenencia is a belonging that instills pride, bolsters confidence and creates opportunity,” said Dr. Reyna, who sits on the CVHEC Board of Directors representing California’s newest community college ...
CVHEC member California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) welcomed its new and returning medical students to campus for in-person learning July 25 including the incoming Class of 2026 which is the third and largest cohort to date at the college with 156 new student doctors beginning their first year of medical school. These three members of the 2024 cohort were among 350 students setting foot on the Clovis campus for the fall. (MORE)
REMINDER: 2022 CVHEC
Mini-Grant AppsAvailable
Applications for the next Central Valley Higher Education Consortium 2022 Mini-Grant cycle are now being accepted and will continue until funds are allocated.
Higher Education News
UC System Admits Record Number of Freshmen From California The University of California system admitted a record number of first-year students who are state residents, The Los Angeles Times reported. The system extended admissions offers to 85,268 first-year applicants living in the state for fall 2022, according to preliminary data released on Wednesday. Applicants from underrepresented backgrounds make up 44 percent of that group, 37,377 students, an all-time high for the system. See Inside Higher Ed (Aug. 11, 2022).
Basic needs at the California community colleges Students attending California’s 115 on-campus community colleges are now able to get help with their basic needs from a basic needs center and coordinator. See EdSource (Aug. 11, 2022).
PPIC Report: Community College English in California’s New Era of Student Access The Public Policy Institute of California, a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank, has issued the second in a two-part report first released in December on the effect of AB 705 on completion of gateway math courses as of fall 2020. This second report focuses on the effect of AB 705 on the outcomes of students taking English courses for the first time. See PPIC Report(August 2022).
As we all approach the 2022-23 academic year with renewed energy and enthusiasm, we are dedicating a portion of this edition of the CVHEC e-newsletter to the good work of the medical healthcare partners in the Consortium. 
GVWire's “Unfiltered” weekly virtual talk show May 24 hosted by Darius Assemi, president of Granville Homes in Fresno.
