The College of Health Professions at Wichita State University has reorganized its general health science courses into the Scientific Foundations Division.

The restructuring is intended to expand student exposure to clinical expertise of the college’s faculty, as well as the unique facilities within the college. The new divisional structure will build on the college’s nationally recognized educational experience for students in the health professions.

“The creation of the Scientific Foundations Division means that very early in our students’ education they will be building the foundational tools that are so critical for success in the challenging upper division and graduate coursework in health sciences,” said Dr. Gregory Hand, dean of the College of Health Professions.

The restructuring will provide undergraduate students the opportunity to study in the college’s gross anatomy laboratory — the largest in southcentral Kansas — and develop their knowledge and skills in clinical neuroscience, pharmacology and pathophysiology. Many of these courses are required for undergraduate students in health professions and highly recommended for entry into graduate health science and medical programs.

“These courses are essential building blocks that form the scaffolding for discipline-specific skills developed in our college,” said Dr. Voncella McCleary-Jones, associate dean for academic affairs and director of the new Scientific Foundations Division. “The knowledge, skills and abilities developed in the Scientific Foundations Division courses are critical in developing the next generation of health care providers.”

The College of Health Professions expects the new Scientific Foundations Division will be fully implemented by the spring 2022 semester but will impact courses immediately.