You might not see the minute-to-minute drama in the College of Health Professions that you see on medical series like Grey’s Anatomy, House, or the old classic, M.A.S.H. Thankfully, life doesn’t happen in 30-minute segments — particularly at Health Professions, where daily, dynamic curricula make it possible for more than 1,000 undergraduates to prepare for careers in Nursing, Health Services Administration, Health Services, or Health Information Management. The coursework is rigorous, but students are diligent in their goals to achieve the knowledge and skills to attend to the health and wellness of the diverse communities in which they live.
Students in the McAuley School of Nursing are already giving service as volunteers in the clinics all over the city where the uninsured and underinsured can receive primary care. The McAuley Health Center is one such clinic providing primary health care to underserved Detroit residents on the east side of the city. McAuley Center also has a site within Schulze Academy in Detroit, and special grant funding has made possible a diabetes screening program for grades 5-8 and an educational program for parents.
Another specialized program at McAuley Center provides preventative services to women, teaching them how to make healthy lifestyle choices. Students engaged in service at McAuley Center have a first-hand opportunity to truly live the mission of the University of Detroit Mercy, using their skills to promote a better life for others.
Health Information Management is a new and growing program at CHP, as well as being another growing field in the health professions. Exciting new technology, new methods of health care delivery and patient care and health monitoring has opened up wonderful opportunities for future professionals who will guide the maintenance and security of each patient’s health care record. Knowledge of Health Information Management is vital to the patient’s life as it holds the vast information necessary for physicians, nurses, and health care professionals to attend to patient care.
Among CHP’s many graduate programs, students are also choosing careers as Physician Assistants. The Physician Assistant Program at UDM began at Mercy College 40 years ago, and today the program is providing PAs for area hospitals, clinics, and medical facilities state-wide. Physician Assistants provide diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive healthcare services, as delegated by a physician. The PAs are planning their 40th anniversary with a continuing education day in April.
Family Nurse practioners are also looking forward to honoring its 15th year at UDM. Family Nurse Practioners are advanced nurses who have the ability to treat patients on their own just as a physician would. Nurse Practitioners have authority in all 50 states to prescribe necessary medications per a patient’s needs. This field is critical in rural areas where medical doctors are scarce as well as in the urban core where patients might have difficulty accessing medical care.
You probably will not see a TV series titled “The UDM College of Health Professions and the McAuley School of Nursing;” however, our students in CHP are seeing more real-life excitement than any TV program can offer — and there’s no commercial breaks!