Midwestern University


Midwestern University is a private graduate medical and professional school with a main campus in Downers Grove, Illinois and an additional campus in Glendale, Arizona. Midwestern University offers degrees in osteopathic medicine, podiatry, dental medicine, optometry, nurse anesthesia, clinical psychology, physician assistant studies, physical therapy, pharmacy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, biomedical sciences, and veterinary medicine. As of the 2018-19 academic year, a total of 2,984 students were enrolled at the Downers Grove campus and 3,823 were enrolled at the Glendale campus.
Founded in 1900 as the American College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery, the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine is the fourth-oldest medical school currently active in the state of Illinois. Over the years, the university expanded, adding additional degrees and programs; in 1993, the school united these programs under the name Midwestern University. In 1995, the school opened an additional campus in Glendale, Arizona, becoming the second and largest medical school to teach students in the state of Arizona. The university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The medical schools are also accredited by the American Osteopathic Association's Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.

History

The university was founded in 1900 as the American College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery. The school was the fourth medical school in the world to grant the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree, and the first in the state of Illinois. In 1913, the school changed its name to the Chicago College of Osteopathy.
In 1986, the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine moved from its prior location in Hyde Park, Chicago, Illinois to a new campus in the western suburb of Downers Grove, Illinois. In 1991, the Chicago College of Pharmacy opened. The College of Health Sciences began in 1992. In 1993, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved a single educational mission for the institution, uniting the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Chicago College of Pharmacy, and the Chicago College of Health Sciences into Midwestern University. In 2009, the College of Dental Medicine-Illinois opened, followed by the Chicago College of Optometry in 2014 and the College of Graduate Studies in 2018.
In 1996, the university opened a new campus in Glendale, Arizona. The first college at the Glendale campus was the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, which began its first courses in 1996. The college joined the University of Arizona College of Medicine as one of only two medical schools in Arizona at the time, and it remained the only osteopathic medical school in the state until AT Still University opened in Mesa in 2007. In 1997, a physician assistant program was established at the Glendale campus, followed by the College of Pharmacy the next year. In 2006, the College of Dental Medicine-Arizona opened, then the Arizona College of Optometry opened in 2008, and the College of Veterinary Medicine opened in 2012.
In 2010, the university received a Conservation and Native Landscaping Awards from the Environmental Protection Agency for restoring 9 acres of wetland and oak-hickory woods. In 2012, the Downers Grove Multispecialty Clinic opened in a five-story, 193,000 square foot building at a cost of $112 million. In 2013, the Downers Grove campus began offering a Doctor of Psychology program, which received accreditation from the American Psychological Association. The following year, the College of Veterinary Medicine opened at the Glendale campus, at a cost of $90 million, with a 109,000-square-foot veterinary teaching hospital, a 36,000-square-foot large animal teaching facility, and a 76,000-square-foot classroom building. The school is the only veterinary medical school in the state of Arizona, and was the 29th veterinary medical school in the United States.
In 2018, the university opened the College of Graduate Studies, which offers master's degree programs in biomedical sciences on both campuses.

Academics and accreditation

Through its twelve colleges, Midwestern University offers 17 academic programs at two locations. All programs are graduate-level, and focus on the health professions. The university is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. Doctoral degree programs include the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Doctor of Podiatric Medicine, Doctor of Psychology, Doctor of Optometry, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.
Several Master of Science programs are offered, including: physician assistant studies, occupational therapy, speech and language pathology, biomedical sciences, cardiovascular science, and nurse anesthesia. The university also offers a one-year Master of Arts in Biomedical Sciences as a transitional degree, providing prerequisite science courses for students interested in more advanced healthcare degree programs.

Campuses

Downers Grove, Illinois

The Downers Grove campus is located on a site in Downers Grove, Illinois, a suburban area 25 miles west of downtown Chicago. The campus includes green space, wooded areas, and a nature trail, in addition to classrooms, laboratories, a library, an auditorium building, and recreational facilities. The Science Hall is a 239,000 square foot building which consists of classrooms, more than 100 offices, and 25 laboratories. The Science Hall opened in 2011, and includes a gross anatomy lab, research labs and a clinical simulation lab for the dental school. Student housing is provided in three different facilities: Redwood Hall I, Redwood Hall II, and the Pines Apartments. The Traditional Residence Halls were demolished in 2015.

Glendale, Arizona

The Glendale campus is located on a site in Glendale, Arizona, a suburban area 15 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix. It contains facilities such as practice labs, lecture halls, classrooms, a comprehensive library, and outpatient clinics. Student housing is provided in the Student Apartment Complex, which consists of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Amenities provided exclusively for residents and guests of student housing include a swimming pool, volleyball court, and sand play area. The Glendale campus is home to nearly 4,000 students and seven colleges, offering seventeen fields of study. Since the campus opened in 1995, the university has invested about $425 million into the Glendale campus.

Patient care

Midwestern University operates several clinics on both its Downers Grove and Glendale campuses. The Downers Grove Multispecialty Medical Clinic opened in 2012 and includes a dental institute, a family practice clinic, speech & language institute, and an optometry clinic. Through four community clinics located on the Glendale campus, the university provides medical, dental, podiatry, optometry, mental health and veterinary services. The Companion Animal Clinic is part of the larger Animal Health Institute, which also includes an Equine and Bovine Center and a Diagnostic Pathology Center.

Students

More than 6,000 students were in attendance at Midwestern University for the 2018-19 academic year. There were 2,984 students in attendance at the Downers Grove campus, with 60% female, 40% male, 60% white, 25% Asian, and 4% Hispanic or Latino. At the Glendale campus, there were 3,823 students in attendance, with 54% male, 46% female, 61% white, 18% Asian, and 9% Hispanic or Latino.
Students at Midwestern University participate in a number of clubs on campus and an active student government association. There are several professional fraternities on campus, including Alpha Omega, Delta Sigma Delta, Kappa Psi, Phi Delta Chi, Psi Chi, Rho Chi, Rho Pi Phi, Sigma Sigma Phi, Phi Lambda Sigma. The behavioral medicine club hosts an improvisation show, which benefits charities. Additional clubs and organizations on campus include:

Alumni

More than 25,000 alumni have graduated from Midwestern University. Notable alumni include: