Students from the B. Ward Lane College of Professional Studies carried the program’s legacy of sending a high percentage of students to graduate school, especially in the health professions.
One of the most impressive feats by Lubbock Christian University’s College of Professional Studies is the impact of the Office of Health Professions, which specializes in placing students in positions to succeed across the various medical fields.
In 2022, LCU graduates had a 100% acceptance rates for Dental school, Physical Therapy school, and Occupational Therapy school, the latter two of which continue the trend of perfection from 2021. LCU also boasts exceptional acceptance rates to Physician Assistant school and Veterinary Medicine School.
Dr. Toby Rogers, Dean of the College of Professional Studies, shared, “The mission of the Office of Health Professions (OHP) is to streamline access to opportunities, services, and resources for students aspiring to enter various health professions. The OHP accomplishes this mission by connecting students to faculty mentorship and advising, health profession internship and shadowing opportunities, high-impact growth opportunities (e.g., undergraduate research, medical missions, service learning and leadership development, etc.), and a host of other strategic opportunities.”
These trends aren’t new, either. Over the past decade, LCU students have been accepted to Veterinary School at a 69% rate—over six times the national average. Likewise, the program’s 10-year placement rate for students into Physician Assistant school is over 2 and ½ time the national average. In fact, LCU’s rates over the same term for Occupation Therapy school (70% higher than average), Physical Therapy school (37% higher than average), and Dental school (15% higher) are all exemplary.
“Recent initiatives have included monthly professional development seminars, personal mock interviews and multiple mini-interviews, personal statement writing workshops, trips to graduate programs in the health care professions, review and support for submission of application materials, entrance exam workshops and practice exams, and access to volunteer and shadowing experiences locally and in the surrounding region,” continued Dr. Rogers. “Access to and participation in these types of experiences are critical for successful pursuit of a career in the health care fields, and one reason why our students are successful at a high rate.”
Kameron Deterding, a 2021 graduate, is currently studying in the inaugural class at Texas Tech University’s School of Veterinary Medicine, which was an incredibly competitive placement. A number of LCU graduates are completing placements like Logan Adams (’15), who completed Medical School at Texas Tech University and is currently in an Addiction Medicine Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Similarly, members of this year’s graduates going on to continue their education at a number of prestigious and selective graduate programs across the nation.
Check out the different resources available from LCU’s Office of Health Professions.