New Medical School Highlights Progress with Beam Signing Ceremony

1.   New Medical School Highlights Progress with  Beam Signing Ceremony  State Senator, Assemblymember and Local Dignitaries Celebrate Establishment of the California  University of Science and Medicine’s New Campus, Scheduled to Be Completed in May 2020    The ​California University of Science and Medicine​ (CUSM), one of  California’s newest medical schools, celebrated the completion of its  foundation with a beam signing event on Tuesday, September 17. Nearly  100 guests including dignitaries, faculty, staff and students, as well as  CUSM’s Board of Trustees and Founder, entered the construction zone to  leave their mark on the core of the university’s new building.  “We are pleased to celebrate this significant milestone for CUSM and to  recognize the progress that has been made. This beam and the many  signatures on it reflect the many hands and many partners who have helped  to make this day possible and to ensure that CUSM will be successful in  training the next generation of healthcare professionals of, by, and for this  region,” said Paul Lyons, MD, Dean and President of California University of  Science and Medicine.  Gathered under the cover of the three-story concrete structure, CUSM’s supporters shared their  hopes for the future of the University, deep gratitude to CUSM Founder and Chair of the Board  Prem Reddy, MD, and stories of CUSM’s significance to the Inland Empire. The event culminated  with the opportunity for all attendees to sign a supporting steel column in the heart of the  85,000-square foot structure.  “I am so grateful for the partnerships we have built with Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, our  County Board of Supervisors and the esteemed legislators who have supported us in many  ways,” said Dr. Reddy. “CUSM was founded with a vision to advance medicine, train exceptional  physicians and improve the health of communities, especially underserved communities like our     

2.     own County of San Bernardino.” Dr. Reddy is also the Chairman, President and CEO of Prime  Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading health systems with 45 hospitals in 14 states.  CUSM launched in 2018 and currently has a student body of 164 Doctor of Medicine (MD)  candidates and 48 Master of Biomedical Science candidates who are pursuing their medical  education at the school’s San Bernardino location until this summer, when the new campus  opens in Colton, adjacent to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center.  “Dr. Reddy, I heard all those titles you have; the next one is dreamer and maker of dreams,” said  Assemblywoman Eloise Gomez Reyes, who represents CUSM and the 47​th​ District in the  California Legislature. “Knowing that you’re going to provide these opportunities for students of  the Inland Empire, to come here to study medicine and to practice it in the Inland Empire, is one  of the best things that anyone can do for the Inland Empire.”  Studies have shown that a majority of physicians practice medicine within 75 miles of their  residency programs, and the Inland Empire area is particularly underserved when it comes to  healthcare. In San Bernardino County, there are only 34.5 primary care physicians per 100,000  residents, far below the benchmark of 60 to 80 doctors per 100,000.  Senator Connie Leyva presented CUSM with a state proclamation, sharing her personal  connection to Colton and her desire to see the region continue to grow, while addressing the  area’s healthcare disparities.  “When we work together, we win together, and we would not be standing here today if it wasn’t  for every single person in this room,” said the Senator. “I want to thank everyone for their  dedication to the Inland Empire, to Colton. The fact that we will have a world-class medical  school in the Inland Empire is such a blessing for all of us.”  San Bernardino County Supervisor Robert Lovingood shared his support for the new medical  school. “I’ve been a witness to the Reddy family and what they mean first to the High Desert and  now to what they bring to all of San Bernardino. Your generosity, your support of students. It’s  incredible,” Lovingood said. “As we move forward, California can’t understate the need for the  physicians that this university is going to create. I thank you Dr. Reddy and I thank your family  for this opportunity.”    2 

3.     “The founding of CUSM is a monumental achievement that will create a lasting legacy that will  benefit medicine, communities across the world and especially this community, which is its  home,” said Kavitha Bhatia, MD, MMM, FAAP, CUSM Founding Vice Chair of the Board. The  state-of-the-art medical school will reflect the latest in medical education design. “Most  importantly it’s not the structure, but it’s the people and learning that will happen within. A place  where students grow into physicians. Where the highest levels of learning are pursued. Where  medicine is advanced and where dreams will be realized.”  CUSM first-year medical student, Kylee Borger, expressed excitement over the school’s creation  as a local who “practically grew up” in the Arrowhead Regional Medical Center Emergency Room  – not as a patient, but shadowing her mother, a registered nurse, and her father, an emergency  room physician. Ms. Borger earned a Bachelor of Arts from NYU Shanghai, and a Master of  Public Health from Emory University prior to entering medical school at CUSM last summer.  “Arrowhead is the place I fell in love with medicine and that ignited my desire to become a  medical student,” said Borger. “CUSM shares my desire to improve the health of those in  underserved communities while being advocates for the elimination of health disparities,”  Borger added.  When complete, the university’s campus will be a state-of-the-art medical training facility  located adjacent to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, the university’s teaching hospital.  Arrowhead Regional Medical Center physicians and leaders also attended the event and ARMC  Director, William L. Gilbert, spoke about his facility’s collaborative role as the university’s  teaching hospital.  “Education and research are shared priorities for us at Arrowhead and at CUSM. I am so proud  of what we are doing here in Colton, California. We think this will inspire others to become  healthcare professionals and practice right here in San Bernardino,” said Gilbert.  “The City of Colton is very proud to be a part of the collaborative effort in supporting Dr. Reddy  and the whole team. I know that the evolution of this institution will extend to other areas of  medicine, such as pharmacy, nursing, psychiatry, and other medical fields. We will be there to  support these future endeavors,” commented Frank Navarro, Mayor of the City of Colton    3 

4.     In addition to Senator Leyva, Assemblywoman Gomez Reyes, Supervisor Lovingood and Mayor  Navarro, the event was attended by Supervisor Josie Gonzales; San Bernardino Community  College District Board Member Frank Reyes; Colton Unified School District Board Member Dan  Flores; and by representatives from Congressman Paul Cook’s office, State Senator Mike  Morrell’s office, Assemblyman James Ramos’ office, San Bernardino County Medical Society,  and the San Bernardino County Department of Behavioral Health, among others.  About the California University of Science and Medicine  California University of Science and Medicine (CUSM) is dedicated to advancing the art and  science of medicine through medical education, research, and compassionate healthcare delivery  in an inclusive environment that inspires, motivates and empowers students to become excellent  and caring physicians, scientists, and leaders. CUSM is a not-for-profit health sciences university  established in 2015, led by a dynamic group of MD/PhD faculty members. CUSM offers a Master  in Biomedical Sciences degree program and a Doctor of Medicine (MD) program to prepare its  diverse student body for careers in healthcare, public service, teaching and research. Learn more  at ​www.cusm.org​.    4