Arkansas Colleges of Health Education

What is the history of Arkansas Colleges of Health Education?

Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) is a private, graduate-level health professions institution in Fort Smith, Arkansas. It developed around the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM), which welcomed its first class in 2017 and graduated its first class in 2021.

ACHE subsequently expanded beyond medical education to offer other health professions programs, including occupational therapy and physical therapy. That history matters for applicants: ACHE is organized around professional training rather than the broad undergraduate curriculum, residence-hall system, and intercollegiate sports commonly associated with a traditional four-year college.

What are the faculties and departments at Arkansas Colleges of Health Education?

ACHE's academic organization centers on health professions programs. Its Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine awards the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree; ACHE also offers graduate-level education in occupational therapy and physical therapy through their respective schools.

These programs prepare students for different professions and have separate curricula, clinical requirements, application processes, and accreditation considerations. Applicants should use the current catalog for their intended program to check its credential, prerequisites, clinical placements, graduation requirements, and eligibility for the relevant licensing examination. ACHE is not a conventional destination for someone seeking a general associate or bachelor's degree.

What is the location of Arkansas Colleges of Health Education?

ACHE is in Fort Smith, in western Arkansas near the Oklahoma border. Its Fort Smith location gives students access to a regional city while placing professional training and clinical experiences within a wider network of health care settings.

Applicants should consider transportation alongside the campus address. Clinical assignments may be away from the main campus, and a student's commute can change over the course of a program. Someone comparing apartments should therefore ask their school where required classes, laboratories, and clinical rotations typically take place - not just how far a property is from campus.

What is the mission and vision of Arkansas Colleges of Health Education?

ACHE states an educational purpose focused on training health professionals and addressing health care needs, particularly in Arkansas and the surrounding region. Its development from an osteopathic medical college into a broader health professions institution reflects that stated priority.

For applicants, the practical question is how that purpose appears in a specific program: its curriculum, clinical education, community activities, and approach to underserved patients. A stated mission describes institutional intent; it does not, by itself, establish an individual graduate's job placement or the availability of a particular clinical assignment.