MU College of Health Sciences - Education. Discovery. Health Care. Service.

EDUCATION. DISCOVERY. HEALTH CARE.

TThe College of Health Sciences is a national leader.

We are the fastest growing academic unit at Mizzou with the most popular undergraduate major: Health Science. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities through excellence in teaching and learning, scholarship and discovery, health care, and service. As we approach our 25th year as an independent academic unit on campus, much of our focus aligns closely with the university’s campaign priorities of Educating Future Leaders, Saving and Improving Lives, and Strengthening Communities.

Our college is comprised of eight academic departments:

• Clinical & Diagnostic Sciences

• Health Psychology

• Health Sciences

• Occupational Therapy

• Physical Therapy

• Public Health

• Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences

• School of Social Work

We educate more than 3,500 students annually. These students spend more than 80,000 hours helping patients and families in clinical settings every year.

The University of Missouri College of Health Sciences

Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences students help children develop stronger communication skills in the Robert G. Combs Language Preschool.

The MU Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences operates the Robert G. Combs Language Preschool with the generous support of the Scottish Rite. Established in fall 2000, this clinical program serves children ages 2 to 5 years with speech and language difficulties. A state-licensed, nationally certified speech-language pathologist directs the program and supervises Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences seniors and graduate students who participate in the program as clinicians-in-training.

Physical Therapy students provide needed therapy to adults in need through PhysZou, one of the largest pro bono clinics in the region.

Originally developed as a student-run, volunteer clinic, PhysZOU was formally integrated into the curriculum for physical therapy students in 2013. Today, PhysZOU offers vital health care services to hundreds of uninsured and underinsured individuals in mid-Missouri. It also provides valuable hands-on learning experience for Doctor of Physical Therapy students, who work under the direction of licensed physical therapists to provide therapy.

Occupational Therapy students work with community members of all ages who experience challenges associated with neurologic, musculoskeletal, mental health and developmentally based conditions to maximize their ability to live life to the fullest.

Tiger OT is another pro bono clinic that provides hands-on training for student practitioners while addressing the needs of our community. Through Tiger OT, student practitioners work collaboratively with clients of all ages and backgrounds to maximize potential in every aspect of daily life. This experience helps students connect classroom lessons to the real-life needs of clients. Students also learn important skills, such as collaboration with community partners to address programmatic and systemic needs.

Social work students gain hands-on experience through the Integrative Behavioral Health Clinic by providing comprehensive mental health services for hundreds of Missourians.

In response to the documented need for affordable mental health care in Missouri, School of Social Work faculty launched the Integrative Behavioral Health Clinic in 2014. Since then, social work graduate students and counseling psychology students have gained valuable real-world experience working with clients while under the direct supervision of licensed clinical social workers. These students have, in turn, provided direct care to thousands of clients who otherwise would not have received mental health care.

College of Health Sciences (CHS) graduates are highly skilled professionals who are helping Missouri and the nation meet the unprecedented demand for health care workers. Job placement rates for these alumni are exceptional, due in large part to the 100% board licensure and certification pass rates demonstrated by nearly all of our programs.

CHS leads the way by producing tomorrow’s health care leaders. It’s no coincidence that four programs were recently acknowledged as some of the best graduate programs in the entire nation: Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Social Work, and Speech-Language Pathology. In addition, our Master of Health Administration program has decades of experience producing graduates who lead health care organizations, shape the way health care is provided, and shape health care policy.

FOSTER OUTSTANDING FACULTY

Our faculty members explore a wide range of critical health care issues — from how we learn language as children to how we age in our own homes. They improve rehabilitation therapies and discover new approaches to public health that keep our bodies and communities healthy and vibrant. They find innovative ways to use technology to improve patient care and outcomes.

Kate Trout

Despite nationwide efforts, salmonella’s infection rates have remained nearly unchanged for the past 30 years. Now, MU is part of an interdisciplinary effort determined to change that after recently receiving a three-year, $5 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Convergence Accelerator program. Kate Trout, an assistant professor with the Department of Health Sciences, is part of a team developing new technology to rapidly detect and mitigate salmonella and other foodborne pathogens throughout the entire poultry supply chain.

Aaron Thompson

As a former school social worker and principal, Aaron Thompson saw firsthand the acute need for coordinated services and better tools for educators to support students’ mental health. Now, as professor and director of the MU School of Social Work, he is seeing the impact of engaging school administrators, government agencies, social service organizations and health care providers to improve the lives of school-aged students across Boone County. He founded and directs the Family Access Center of Excellence (FACE) in Boone County, a nationally recognized model that provides free support for children and families while improving the social service infrastructure to prevent them from falling through service gaps.

Rachel Proffitt

Traditional rehabilitation therapy following a stroke is very intensive, time-consuming and can be both expensive and inconvenient, especially for rural patients traveling long distances to in-person therapy appointments. That’s why a team of researchers led by Rachel Proffitt, associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, turned to video games. The motion-sensor video game, Recovery Rapids, helped patients recovering from a stroke to improve their motor skills and affected arm movements at home while checking in periodically with an occupational therapist via telehealth. This method had similar results to certain in-person therapies while requiring one-fifth of the therapist hours.

The cutting-edge research led by College of Health Sciences faculty is complex and requires collaboration among experts from different fields. Through the MizzouForward initiative and our own strategic hiring efforts, we are attracting established research leaders who are passionate about collaboration and who have the determination to tackle the most pressing challenges of our time.

Providing the right support is critical. Top faculty require competitive salaries and startup funding. Naming and endowing a faculty or chair position within the College of Health Sciences enables us to bring the best researchers and educators to Missouri – and keep them here.

INVEST IN TECHNOLOGY FOR A NEW ERA

Faculty need state-of-the-art equipment for imaging and analyzing large amounts of data. At the same time, students need access to top-of-the-line technology so they are prepared to care for patients in a variety of settings.

Our clinics double as learning laboratories for students and provide health care for community members who are often under-insured or uninsured. We offer pro bono and sliding scale clinics for behavioral health, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech and hearing. We also manage the Robert G. Combs Language Preschool, which serves children ages 2 to 5 years with speech and language difficulties.

We must continue to secure the equipment and infrastructure necessary to attract top-tier students and faculty members who will address the emerging challenges of our time. Philanthropic support is needed and welcomed for a variety of naming opportunities, including clinics, labs, classrooms and study areas. Your support can provide facilities and equipment to continue to elevate the College of Health Sciences and the impact we make.

SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS

College of Health Sciences students are among the most promising at Mizzou, achieving above-average retention and graduation rates. Students in clinical programs consistently excel on national examinations, placing them in the top tier of candidates. Master of Health Administration students regularly secure elite post-graduation fellowships.

These students are talented, motivated and highly sought-after as they complete their degrees and move into the workforce. They join more than 18,000 CHS alumni working to improve lives around the globe — pioneering health care delivery, shaping policies, and providing leadership in hospitals, schools, clinics, government, research laboratories and nonprofit organizations. Many chose to pass on their knowledge by returning to educational settings, where they mentor and educate the next generation of health professionals.

Students need your support. Scholarships that support student success through the duration of the rigorous programs are especially important. With continued enrollment growth and strong demand for our graduates, it is especially important that our students are representative of the populations they will serve. Your gift can aid students who enter our professional programs and ensure the success of the next generation of health care administrators and providers.

BUILD THE FUTURE OF HEALTH CARE

We are proud of our demonstrated excellence in education, discovery, health care and service. Increasing resources will allow us to continue hiring, developing and rewarding amazing faculty and maintaining worldclass infrastructure while recruiting and retaining driven, dedicated students.

We hope you’ll join us on our journey. Let’s shape the future of health sciences – together.