A Message from President
David Carlisle
On behalf of the entire CDU family, I would like to thank the LCME accreditation team for their site visit to our campus. This is a momentous occurrence for our University, one of the most important occasions in our 56-year history. Your site visit has further pointed out how much we are committed to our mission of eradicating health disparities and providing a pathway to a better life for all people living in today’ s world.
I want to unequivocally state that the proposed 4-year MD program has the highest level of support from myself and senior campus administrators, as well as from our distinguished Board of Trustees. The presence of the new medical school will change the cultural landscape of the surrounding community in many more ways than providing medical care.
I am heartened by the progress of the team charged with bringing the proposed project to execution. I am in continuous frequent communication with Dean Prothrow-Stith, Senior Vice President Minniefield, Vice President McLaney, and many others referenced in this edition of the COM newsletter. They collectively have demonstrated their appreciation of the level of complexity and hard work that this project will take.
This 4-year MD program also represents the type of ongoing investment that CDU and its partners are willing to make for the benefit of training the numbers of new physicians so sorely needed in our community. From its inception, the State of California has been a major contributor to the University’ s operating activities by providing legislative support for the idea of a 4-year MD program dating back to 2006. That support was culminated by a $ 50 million grant by Governor Gavin Newsom and the State Legislature in 2021.
As happens, the energy and initiative undertaken has resulted in a wide array of support. Los Angeles County, our longtime partner, has made substantial financial contribution as well as facilitated residency training at their various facilities.
We have made many new friends along the way in various guises including significant major foundation grants, as well as large contributions and pledges from individual donors. These supporters see how well we have planned this prosed project as a permanent institution.
We appreciate the faith and confidence that the LCME has shown by assigning its accreditation team to the site visit. We are in this project for the long term.
Sincerely,
David M. Carlisle, MD, PhD President
CDU College of Medicine | PG. 2