Program areas at CDU
The University has 437 faculty members, 91 full-time and 346 part-time. The college of Science and health (cosh) has 25 full-time faculty and 27 part-time faculty. Cosh student enrollment for fall 2021 stood at 333. The college of Medicine (com) has 45 full-time active faculty and 241 part-time and clinical faculty members. Approximately 50% of the com faculty members have dual appointments with ucla. Current com student enrollment consists of 138 students, and 53 medical residents. The school of nursing (son) has 99 faculty members, 21 full-time and 78 part time. Son enrollment consists of 451 graduate students and 92 undergraduate students.
Academic & institutional support: the University offers 23 academic programs organized into three colleges: 1) the college of Science and health which features masters of public health, physician assistant and biomedical sciences,one associate and five bachelors degree, and two certificate programs; 2) the college of Medicine which is comprised of six programs - the Drew/ ucla medical education program, continuing medical education program, and four graduate medical education programs, and 3) the mervyn m. dymally school of nursing with two bachelors one master of Science degrees, two post-masters certificate programs, and a doctor of nursing practice program.
Research: the University's research portfolio has achieved national recognition, particularly in advancing medical solutions to meet the unique health care needs of undeserved communities. Diabetes, hypertension, cancer, reproductive health, chronic kidney disease, neuro-psychiatric disorders and hiv/aids are just a few of the areas where Charles R. Drew University researchers, faculty and staff members make a difference. Our nationally and internationally renowned researchers are breaking new ground, integrating research advances into the basic sciences and setting new standards in healthcare disparities research for underserved communities. Research activities at the University encompass the entire spectrum of research endeavors, from molecular biologists discovering genes which identify patients at increased risk for breast cancer and clinical researchers studying advanced pharmacologic treatment of diabetes and hypertension, and epidemiologists assessing risk factors for blindness in diverse populations to assisting and helping train medical providers, equip hospitals and clinics, and testing people for hiv in countries as far as zambia. Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is engaged as a true research partner locally with nationally recognized research intensive institutions, such as the University of California - los angeles and the rcmi cc. From over 3,000 nihfunded institutions, the University ranks in the top 7% for the level of funding received and is in the top 50 private research universities as rated by the center for measuring University performance. In 2020, a team of cdu researchers led by dr. jay vadgama, partnered and received funding from the fred hutchinson cancer research center and the pharmaceutical company sanofi pasteur to conduct covid-19 clinical trials at cdu's axis funded clinical & translational research center (ctrc). Since 2020, since 2021, cdu's u54 axis center, led by dr. jay vadgama, secured four covid-19 related supplements to collaborate with our communities in south los angeles to be engaged in covid-19 testing, tracing, prevention, and treatment opportunities. In 2022, cdu research enterprise Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science research enterprise and the pharmaceutical company novartis reached an agreement for 10 years of support for $5.7 million under the beacon of hope initiative.
Charles R. Drew University is actively committed to training future generations to make a difference through a number of novel and innovative youth education "pipeline programs" which are unique among medical education programs in southern California. The pipeline programs have two important goals: expose urban minority students to Science studies while helping them develop a strong interest in Science and research, and improve opportunities for urban minority students who wish to pursue careers in Medicine and Science. The programs are a series of educational steps that establish an academic continuum in medical education. The academic continuum starts at preschool with the saturday Science academy (ssa) programs, including the ssa junior white coat ceremony, and extends upward through the lincoln-drew elementary school (grades k-6). Lincoln-drew middle school (grades 7 through 9) and the king/drew magnet high school of Medicine and Science (grades 10 through 12). The white coat ceremony is a nationwide medical school activity to signal the transition of medical students from book learning and lab work to the world of clinical practice and direct interaction with real patients. The ssa junior white coat ceremony seeks to embrace the spirit of this exercise through encouraging students to commit to lifelong learning.