This article was written by Catherine Todero, PhD, BSN’72, RN, FAAN, vice provost of Health Sciences Campuses.
As we begin classes this month, I would like to say a big “welcome” to a very special academic year. This year marks the realization of a dream project and a historic moment for Creighton University years in the making.
As we welcome new cohorts of students to our Creighton Phoenix health sciences programs, Creighton will become the largest Catholic health professions educator in the country. The opening of our new campus building marks the beginning of four-year medical education in Phoenix and the addition of pharmacy and occupational therapy students. They join two cohorts of accelerated bachelor of science in nursing students and current third- and fourth-year medical students. We also continue to plan the arrival of physical therapy and physician assistant students to our Phoenix campus in the coming years, too.
Soon, we will have over 900 students pursuing classes and clinical education here. The ability to offer this wide array of programs in a state-of-the-art educational building is exciting. We plan to take advantage of the intersections of programs being offered and the interactions of students and faculty and staff to create numerous opportunities for interprofessional teaching and learning.
The data around the need for health care professionals in Phoenix, and the surrounding Southwest region of the country, has been widely shared. You are all part of a team helping to meet this need.
It will take much creative energy, hard work, a collaborative and perhaps pioneering spirit, and a commitment to Jesuit values to carry out the mission of Creighton in Phoenix. It also may require a bit of patience as we hone processes and procedures and deal with a few glitches this first year. However, the occasional hiccup should not dampen the outlook for the great things we intend to achieve working together.
I look forward to personally meeting, greeting and welcoming all new faculty and staff who have joined our Creighton Phoenix family. Thank you for joining with our current faculty and staff and our Alliance partners to make Creighton history. I am excited for the adventure - I hope you are, too.
