San Bernardino, Calif., May 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Paul Lyons has been named Dean and President of the California University of Science and Medicine (CUSM), one of the state’s newest medical schools. CUSM’s mission is focused on addressing the acute shortage of physicians in California and nationwide through innovative medical education programs, research and training compassionate physicians and leaders of tomorrow.
Dr. Lyons most recently served as the Chair, Family Medicine and the Senior Associate Dean for Education with the UC Riverside (UCR) School of Medicine. Dr. Lyons was the first physician recruited at UCR and the founder of UCR Health, a network of family medicine clinics in Inland Southern California.
“CUSM is extremely honored to name Dr. Lyons Dean and President,” said Dr. Prem Reddy, CUSM Founder and Chairman of the Board. “He is the ideal candidate to lead the university in the education of a new generation of healthcare leaders who are inspired to practice and serve in underserved areas like right here in San Bernardino County.”
The not-for-profit CUSM was accredited in 2018 as a private-public partnership, led by Prime Healthcare Foundation, San Bernardino County, City of Colton, and Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (the teaching hospital for CUSM), and includes a research institute and a graduate school of medicine. Critical to the mission of CUSM is providing opportunities for deserving students to pursue careers in medicine, and inspire these physicians to give back to their communities.
CUSM School of Medicine welcomed its inaugural class of 64 future physicians in July 2018. The CUSM School of Medicine will present Master of Biomedical Science degrees to its first graduating class on May 24, 2019.
“I am extremely grateful to have been chosen to lead CUSM through this exciting period as it addresses a critical shortage of medical professionals in our communities,” said Dr. Lyons. “The School of Medicine’s strong sense of mission and student-centered curriculum is unique, and its faculty is exceptional. I want to thank the Board of Trustees for this opportunity and I look forward to the critical and important work ahead.”
Unlike most medical schools, CUSM has a majority of MD/PhDs as faculty, with each student receiving two dedicated mentors. It is the only school in the nation that is offering its curriculum free of charge to third-world countries, with world health built in as an integral part of student studies.
Dr. Reddy, through the Prime Healthcare Foundation, committed more than $60 million towards the establishment of CUSM. Plans are underway to build a future campus adjacent to its teaching hospital, the 456-bed Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton.
Dr. Lyons received his medical degree from The Ohio State University in Columbus and completed his Family Medicine and Community Health residency at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis. After completing his fellowship at the Institute for Urban Family Health in New York City, Dr. Lyons spent time at Temple University in Philadelphia working with underserved communities. He has earned numerous awards for teaching excellence including the Great Teachers Award (Temple University’s highest teaching recognition), National Golden Apple for Teaching Excellence from the American Medical Student Association, and Excellence in Humanism Award from the Associate of American Medical Colleges. Dr. Lyons is board certified in Family Medicine, and his understanding of the healthcare needs of the Inland Empire and recognition in the community provides a unique benefit to CUSM.
“Throughout his career, Dr. Lyons has demonstrated compassion and a unique sense of caring for patients in undeserved regions,” said Kavitha Bhatia, MD, Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at CUSM. “His experience and expertise are the perfect match for what we are trying to accomplish at CUSM – a school of medicine that inspires, motivates and empowers students to become excellent and caring physicians, scientists and leaders.”
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About the California University of Science and Medicine
The California University of Science and Medicine 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.
The California University of Science and Medicine (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.
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