Rocky Vista University

Overview

Rocky Vista University

Rocky Vista University (RVU) is a private for-profit osteopathic medical school in Parker, Colorado. It was founded in 2006 and is known as the pioneering for-profit medical school in America. Owned by Medforth Global Healthcare Education, RVU is recognized for its programs in osteopathic medicine, sports medicine, and internal medicine.

Rocky Vista University Key Statistics

The university comprises several academic departments and divisions. These include the Department of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Medical Humanities, Department of Clinical Anatomy and Osteopathic Principles and Practice, Department of Primary Care Medicine, and the Division of Clinical Medicine and Surgery.

RVU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and the American Osteopathic Association Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. It offers three degree programs: M.Sc. in Biomedical Sciences, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. Also on offer are fellowship programs, namely, Pre-doctoral Osteopathic Principles and Practice Fellowship and Undergraduate Anatomy Fellowship Program, as well as the Military Medicine Enrichment Pathway.

Rocky Vista University's student population is approximately 900 postgraduate and doctoral candidates. The University employs more than 100 physicians, professors, researchers, and ancillary staff. It has two campuses: the Colorado Campus in Parker and the Southern Utah Campus in Ivins.

Other Rocky Vista University key statistics include its various campus and clinical facilities. RVU has lecture halls, auditoriums, study and learning areas, and standardized patient labs. It also houses the Rocky Vista Health Center and the Frank Ritchel Ames Memorial Library.

Rocky Vista University Research

The university is an active American research institution in the fields of medical and health sciences. Its areas of research concentrations include basic biological research, population-based studies, and translational research. Its research projects are funded mostly by external U.S. federal agencies such as the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.

The top fields of Rocky Vista University research are medicine, surgery, and internal medicine. Its research outputs have been published in prestigious journals like Clinical Imaging, Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science, and the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine. Its researchers have attended major scholarly conferences such as Medical Informatics Europe.

The most cited Rocky Vista University research publication is Stahel et al.'s (2020) “How to risk-stratify elective surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic?” This journal article was published in Patient Safety in Surgery and has received 176 citations.

The university’s second most cited publication is Ford et al.'s (2016) “Return-to-play outcomes in professional baseball players after medial ulnar collateral ligament injuries: Comparison of operative versus nonoperative treatment based on magnetic resonance imaging findings,” which appeared in The American Journal of Sports Medicine and has been cited 99 times.

Moreover, the university’s third most cited publication is Michels and Michels’s (2014) “Addison disease: Early detection and treatment principles,” which was featured in the American Family Physician and has received 80 citations to date.

In addition, the university is home to several research centers and institutes. These include the Osteopathic Clinical Skills Lab, the OMM Lab, and the Surgical Simulation Center, which is accredited by the American College of Surgeons. It also has a full dissection gross anatomy lab and a neuroanatomy and ultrasound lab.