Samuel Merritt University

Call Directions Website Contact the school

Samuel Merritt University Learn more: https://linktr.ee/samuelmerrittuniversity

Founded in 1909, Samuel Merritt University (SMU) is a private, not-for-profit, health sciences institution with campuses in Oakland, Sacramento, Foster City, and Fresno California.

Students heading into the community to put their classroom-learned skills into practice isn’t new in healthcare educatio...
10/19/2026

Students heading into the community to put their classroom-learned skills into practice isn’t new in healthcare education, but our approach to it is.

Samuel Merritt University takes a broader, more comprehensive view to community work: Communities are not simply places SMU serves. They are also essential partners in how the University teaches, learns, and leads.

“An experience like this informs students of circumstances they may not be aware of,” says Jeniffer Baker, an adjunct clinical instructor in community health at SMU Sacramento. “So the next time they’re in acute care and they get somebody in from a shelter, someone who’s off the streets, someone who’s down on their luck, they can understand and relate a lot more to the behaviors they’re seeing."

To learn more about how SMU students are using communities as classrooms, visit: https://smu.pub/4yrIqZ7

Samuel Merritt University (SMU) and California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) are partnering up to help health scien...
10/17/2026

Samuel Merritt University (SMU) and California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) are partnering up to help health science students and graduates take the next step toward rewarding healthcare careers. 🩺

Through this SMU-CSUEB partnership, students or grads in the CSUEB Post-Baccalaureate Health Professions Academic Program (PHAP) may receive a guaranteed admission, a guaranteed interview, or priority consideration for the following SMU programs:

✔️ Guaranteed Admission:
- Doctor of Podiatric Medicine (DPM)

🗣️ Guaranteed Interview:
- Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
- Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

📋 Priority Consideration:
- Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing – Case Management (ELMSN-CM)
- Entry-Level Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner (ELMSN-FNP)
- Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT)

To learn more about the requirements and qualifications for these pathways, please visit: https://smu.pub/4hLzmIe

This year marks the Center of Community Engagement's 5 year anniversary! 🎉Swipe to see their impressive community outrea...
10/15/2026

This year marks the Center of Community Engagement's 5 year anniversary! 🎉
Swipe to see their impressive community outreach highlights from over the years. ➡️

Thank you founding director Dr. Sam Alavi-Irvine, associate director Tavi Baker, and the many faculty, staff, and leaders who have served as collaborators, thought partners, advocates, and champions of the CCE’s work over the past 5 years. Your support, guidance, and shared commitment have been instrumental in making the CCE's vision a reality.

To read the full 5-year impact report, visit: https://smu.pub/4zovXX1

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified interdisciplinary learning as a necessary step in preparing a co...
10/12/2026

In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) identified interdisciplinary learning as a necessary step in preparing a collaborative, practice-ready workforce. In recognition of this approach, a core tenet of healthcare education at SMU now involves training students beyond their own disciplines.

"Patients will be better cared for if we develop collective competence rather than if we all work in silos," says Dr. Heidi Garske, associate professor in the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program.

To learn more about interprofessional education at SMU, read the full SMU Magazine story here: https://smu.pub/4yghR95

It's and our friends and neighbors, the Golden State Valkyries, shared their support by gifting us 100 extra Breast Ca...
10/11/2026

It's and our friends and neighbors, the Golden State Valkyries, shared their support by gifting us 100 extra Breast Cancer Awareness Month shirts that we turned into a giveaway for our students. 👕🎗️

Thank you to Julia from the Valkyries for including us in your outreach. Good luck to the Valkyries in the championships! 🏀

10/09/2026

Happy PA Week! 🩺

Our Master Physician Assistant (MPA) Class of 2027 rallied their instructors to participate in a "pass the phone" video to share with K-12 students to show them what kinds of specialties/roles a PA can take on.

Thank you to our amazing PA instructors who are teaching the next generation of PAs on how to become great ones themselves! 💙

At a press conference yesterday morning, Samuel Merritt University (SMU) announced $1 million in California state budget...
10/09/2026

At a press conference yesterday morning, Samuel Merritt University (SMU) announced $1 million in California state budget funding, championed by California State Senator Jesse Arreguín, to create the SMU Trauma-Informed Health Education, Research and Innovation on Violence and Exploitation (THRIVE) Institute.

"The THRIVE Institute will help SMU prepare health professionals to recognize violence and exploitation and respond with trauma-informed care,” shares Dr. Sam Alavi, director of SMU’s Center for Community Engagement and Ethnic Health Institute, which will house the new THRIVE Institute.

Sen. Jesse Arreguín also championed a separate $1 million for the City of Oakland's violence prevention work.

"This funding supports the crisis intervention workers on the front lines of gun violence and creates job pathways for people leaving cycles of violence," said Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee. "Paired with SMU's THRIVE Institute, it shows that healing, opportunity and safety go hand in hand. I'm grateful to Senator Arreguín for championing both.”

To read the full news article, visit: https://smu.pub/4AVUEvd

In honor of , we're sharing what post-graduate life looks like for Carolyn Siu, MPA '24, PA-C.After graduating in Decem...
10/08/2026

In honor of , we're sharing what post-graduate life looks like for Carolyn Siu, MPA '24, PA-C.

After graduating in December 2024, Carolyn was accepted into the Sutter Health Palo Alto Medical Foundation's "Leading and Uplifting New Clinicians into Healthcare" (LAUNCH) program—an intensive post-graduate program that provides clinical guidance, specialized training, and mentorship to new advanced practice clinicians.

"I truly enjoy the intellectual complexity of internal medicine and find immense fulfillment in caring for our aging geriatric population. Looking back, the hands-on training at SMU was foundational to my daily practice," shares Siu.

Her advice for new graduate PAs: "I highly recommend staying open to post-graduate training opportunities after passing the PANCE. Use your first year of practice to embrace mentorship, protect your learning curve, and stay curious. You have a phenomenal foundation - trust your training, be patient with yourself, and know that you are fully capable of making a profound impact as a PA."

Today, she practices full-time in Internal Medicine for Sutter Health in San Mateo. Happy PA Week to all of our MPA alumni!

10/08/2026

Happy National Physical Therapy Month! 🎉

Our 3rd year DPT students did a Blind Goniometer Challenge to celebrate. 🧭 Watch until the end for a faculty feature as well! 👀

From September 24-26, SMU hosted over 120 prospective nursing students at our Sacramento and Oakland campuses for our bi...
10/08/2026

From September 24-26, SMU hosted over 120 prospective nursing students at our Sacramento and Oakland campuses for our biannual Nursing Success! Seminar. 🩺

At this free, three-day experience, participants explored the simulation labs at each campus, toured our new downtown Oakland campus, and experienced an NCLEX Bootcamp. Through panels, they got to learn from faculty success stories, ask questions to current students and alumni, and even hear from student-parents about parenting while in nursing school.

Thank you to the College of Nursing and Admissions teams for making this a memorable and impactful event for so many prospective nursing students!

Address

525 12th Street
Oakland, CA
94607

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5am
Tuesday 8am - 5am
Wednesday 8am - 5am
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5am

Telephone

+18006076377

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Samuel Merritt University posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The School

Send a message to Samuel Merritt University:

Shortcuts

Share

Category