In 1990, the Physician Assistant program was established at what was then the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific (COMP) in response to a growing demand for primary care providers across the western United States.

Thirty-five years later, Western University of Health Sciences’ Department of Physician Assistant Education stands stronger than ever. While the program continues to evolve, it remains rooted in its original mission: to prepare highly competent, compassionate physician assistants who lead in health care, service and community engagement.

“Since 1990, when our program first earned accreditation, we’ve been on an incredible journey—one fueled by a clear mission and an extraordinary community,” said Department of PA Education Chair and alumna Amber Singletary, DMSc, MSHS, PA-C ’00. “What began as a vision for preparing highly competent, compassionate physician assistants has grown into something even more powerful: a legacy.”

Read the full story: WesternU College of Health Sciences celebrates 35th anniversary of the PA program | WesternU News

The first National Institutes of Health grant for Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Graduate Nursing focuses on community health and developing nurse scientists.

WesternU CGN’s Training Community-Engaged Research Teams (T-CERT) program will provide direct one-year educational research training experiences to 80 nurse-scientists over two cohorts, resulting in the creation of a T-CERT Toolkit to increase the reach and impact of this program throughout the nation.

The Principal Investigator is CGN Dean Mary Lopez, PhD, RN, and the co-investigators are WesternU Senior Vice Provost of Academic Affairs Bradley Henson, DDS, PhD, and CGN Associate Professor Lucian O’Connor, PhD, MA. The funding is for $751,639 through the National Institute of Nursing Research over three years.

Read the full story: WesternU College of Graduate Nursing receives NIH grant to develop nurse scientists | WesternU News

Western University of Health Sciences’ College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific-Northwest (COMP-Northwest), which is in the process of transitioning to its new name, the Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine, held the inaugural A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship on Aug. 16, 2025. The event featured guest speakers Nalini Velayudhan, DO, who led an engaging workshop on the significance of narrative medicine, and Brian Loveless, DO ’02, who provided hands-on training. 

Bringing together health care professionals, scholars, and advocates of patient-centered care, narrative medicine strengthens clinical practice by fostering close listening, reflective thinking, and collaborative communication.

Narrative medicine is an approach to health care that uses the power of storytelling to deepen understanding between patients and providers. Through the thoughtful analysis of patients’ stories, it enhances teamwork, improves care quality, and empowers patients to take an active role in their health journey. 

Read the full story: WesternU COMP-Northwest’s inaugural A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship encourages patient-centered care through narrative medicine | WesternU News

WesternU Recruitment proudly represented Western University of Health Sciences’ two campuses, eight colleges, and more than 27 graduate health professions programs at the UC Davis Pre-Health Conference – the nation’s largest pre-health conference.

Throughout the event, the team connected with hundreds of aspiring health professionals through mixers, workshops, panels, and exhibit sessions, sharing insights about WesternU’s humanistic approach to health care education. By engaging with diverse groups of prospective students, the recruitment team strengthened WesternU’s presence among pre-health audiences and highlighted the university’s mission to prepare compassionate leaders who serve the clinical, professional, and social needs of their communities.

After more than 28 years of dedicated service, Richard Applebee, Senior Network Architect in Information Technology, will retire on Oct. 31, 2025. Richard began his WesternU journey on Oct. 14, 1997 as the University’s Telephone Administrator, later joining the Banner team to help launch the campus-wide Banner system before moving into Network Operations, where he has served as a Network Architect ever since.

Over the years, he has supported numerous infrastructure projects, including two campus-wide network replacements and the opening of major facilities such as the PLC, VMC, VCC, HEC, PCC, Hills Wellness Center, Rancho Mirage, COMP-Northwest, and Anderson Tower. A proud Dodgers fan, Richard has been a constant source of expertise, humor, and team spirit in IT.

Please join us for a retirement celebration in his honor from 2-3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, on the third floor of Anderson Tower. All are welcome to stop by, share memories, and wish him well as he begins his next journey.