Western University of Health Sciences embarked on a special mission when it opened its doors in 1977 as the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific: educating tomorrow’s health care professionals with a combination of scientific excellence and a humanistic, compassionate approach to patient care.
From an inaugural class of 36 students in 1978, enrollment in the College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific grew to more than 400 by 1986. That same year, the addition of the Master of Science in Health Professions Education program paved the way for what would become the College of Allied Health Professions, which was renamed the College of Health Sciences in 2018. Meanwhile, the University continued acquiring former Pomona Mall buildings, remodeling them for educational use.
