Mark Curtis: We have some exciting education news to talk about today on Comcast news makers, I'm Mark Curtis, one of our Bay Area colleges is now a University and we're gonna talk about that, we are joined by Dr. Cornelius, or better known as "Con" Hopper, who is chair of the Board of Regents at Samuel Merritt University. Dr. Hopper thanks for joining us today Dr. Hopper: My Pleasure. Mark Curtis: Explain what goes into that decision from Samuel Merritt College that's been here a long time, why is it a University? Dr. Hopper: It's a University now because we decided number one that we wanted to be nationally recognized, that is to have our national recognition equivalent to the kinds of programs that we have. We have doctorate programs, we have graduate programs, and it was about time. Mark Curtis: Yeah. Is that, is that the distinction that most colleges are just undergraduate and that when you to become a University you have to offer Masters and doctorate programs? Dr. Hopper: Well, well, there's no specific criteria for becoming a University but the usual accepted criteria is that you have graduate programs and in our case doctoral programs. Mark Curtis: Right. And this is exciting because, ya know, healthcare is a field, and of course in a difficult economy like we're in now, healthcare is one of the fields that is continuing to blossom and creating jobs, especially nursing and other jobs, but you're more than just a nursing school, you have physical therapy... Dr. Hopper: Absolutely. It started as a Nursing school 100 years ago, and this was under a grant by Dr. Samuel Merritt, you know, who is a historical figure and for 100 years we have been there, but over the past 12 to 15 years there has been a tremendous expansion in the number and variety of programs that we provide. Mark Curtis: Right, and as I mentioned physical therapy, ah podiatry... Dr. Hopper: Physical Therapy, occupational therapy, we have a doctorate of physical therapy which is one of the only one's in Northern California, we have Podiatric medicine and up until about a year ago we were the only school of podiatric medicine west of the Mississippi River, so we are not as well known as we should be, we produce more nurses, licensed nurses, than any other school in the state of California Mark Curtis: Yeah. So this is an opportunity to raise the flag and say we're here if you're considering nursing school out there or if you're considering physical therapy or podiatry or anything, and you're in high school, you ought a take a look at Samuel Merritt College Dr. Hopper: Absolutely, absolutely, right. And I think the other thing that I would raise is that there's going to be a physician's shortage. Mark Curtis: Right Dr. Hopper: Many people at this point in time have trouble getting in contact with a primary care physician or they'll have to wait a period of time, some people that we're training at this point, nurse practitioners, physicians assistants, are gonna be part of teams that actually help solve that problem. Mark Curtis: Yeah, I even know in the clinic I go my doctor's office sometimes, the M.D.'s are not always available and there are physician assistants and nurse practitioners that pitch in and healthcare is changing in this country and you're kind of out front and trying to be a part of that aren't you? Dr. Hopper: We are on the cutting edge, we'd like to believe. Absolutely, right. Mark Curtis: Ya know, I mentioned the tough economic times, I almost hate to refer to medicine as a recession proof business, but I mean people do get sick, people need medical treatment and so the demand there for practitioners is pretty, pretty steep. It's, the help wanted sign is out right? Dr: Yes, and again, I want to emphasize that I anticipate that there will be a shortage of physicians in the future, and particularly physicians that provide that first line of care, primary care. And so, the people that we're training is a part of a team at this point in time, are going to help fill that gap Mark Curtis: And I assume if any College or University there are scholarship opportunities for, ya know, people who are in need and so forth, and financial aid, most other things? Dr. Hopper: We do, we do have scholarship programs, we have a number of financial aid programs from the federal government as well, and that, I shouldn't make it sound as though that's an easy thing at this point in time Mark Curtis: no, it's not, but it's available Dr. Hopper: But it's available and I would like to believe that we are probably competitive along those lines Mark Curtis: Alright. And you are in a very beautiful location in the Oakland Hills as well, ah... Dr. Hopper: And we're ah, well, remember now, we're in downtown Oakland Mark Curtis: Downtown Oakland, right. Dr. Hopper: Right. And the important thing is that we're embedded, our school is embedded in a major medical center so that our students have an opportunity to be surrounded everyday by healthcare and by health practitioners Mark Curtis: Alright. Let me give them the website one more time Dr. Hopper, it's Samuel Merritt dot edu, thanks for being with us today Dr. Hopper: My pleasure Mark Curtis: Thanks for being with us. Bye-bye.