Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

What is the history of Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science?

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) was founded in 1966 to expand health-professions education and address shortages of health care in underserved Los Angeles communities. Its establishment followed the 1965 Watts uprising and reflected a broader effort to improve access to medical training and care in the area.

The institution is named for Dr. Charles R. Drew, the physician and researcher whose work advanced blood banking. It began as a postgraduate medical school and later expanded into undergraduate, graduate, nursing, and other health-professions education. For many years, its medical training was closely associated with a joint program involving the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. CDU subsequently developed its own four-year MD program, which enrolled its first class in 2023. That distinction matters to applicants: the joint UCLA-CDU pathway and CDU's own MD program are not the same admissions route or degree program.

What are the faculties and departments at Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science?

CDU is a specialized health-sciences university rather than a broad-based college. Its academic organization includes the College of Medicine, the College of Science and Health, and the Mervyn M. Dymally College of Nursing.

Programs span undergraduate preparation and professional training. Representative fields include biomedical sciences, public health, nursing, physician assistant studies, and medicine. Credentials, prerequisites, clinical placements, and application systems differ substantially by program. A student considering a bachelor's degree in a health field should not assume that its admissions requirements or tuition match those of an MD, nursing, or other graduate program.

Clinical education and community health research are important parts of CDU's academic identity. Applicants comparing programs should examine each program's curriculum and clinical requirements, as well as the degree awarded and any professional license for which it is intended to prepare students.

What is the location of Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science?

CDU is in the Los Angeles area, with its main campus at 1731 East 120th Street in the Willowbrook community. Its location places students near health care facilities and communities that figure prominently in the university's teaching and public-health work.

This is an urban-area campus where commuting arrangements matter. The Willowbrook/Rosa Parks transit station connects Metro rail lines and buses, but a practical trip to campus depends on a student's starting point and schedule. Students with early clinical assignments or evening classes should check the location of each placement rather than assume all instruction takes place at the main campus. Los Angeles International and Long Beach airports serve the wider region; neither replaces the need to plan local transportation.

What is the mission and vision of Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science?

CDU describes its purpose in terms of health equity: educating health professionals, conducting research, and serving communities affected by gaps in access to care. Its institutional vision emphasizes a health workforce and health system better able to meet the needs of underserved populations.

That stated mission helps explain the university's concentration in medicine, nursing, public health, and related sciences, as well as its community-oriented educational activities. It is an institutional priority, not a guarantee that every course, placement, or graduate career will have the same focus. Students interested in a particular form of community-based training should examine the curriculum and placement options for their intended program.