Clinical Experience
Learn by caring for patients. At Samuel Merritt University, clinical education begins early, giving students opportunities to apply what they learn through supervised patient care in real-world healthcare settings.
Clinical Education From Day One
Clinical learning begins early and continues throughout each program, allowing students to connect classroom learning with patient care from the start.
Depending on their program, students participate in clinical rotations, internships, fieldwork, practicums, and residencies. These experiences take place in hospitals, clinics, community organizations, and other healthcare settings, giving students opportunities to learn alongside experienced professionals.
As students progress, their clinical experiences prepare them for greater responsibility while helping them develop the judgment and confidence they'll need in professional practice.
Learning Across Diverse Communities
Samuel Merritt University prepares students to serve diverse communities through clinical experiences in urban, suburban, and rural healthcare settings. Students care for patients across the lifespan while developing the clinical judgment and communication skills needed to provide effective care.
Clinical Partners, Bay Area and Beyond
Samuel Merritt University maintains partnerships with more than 2,000 clinical agencies throughout California and across the country, creating opportunities for students to learn alongside experienced clinicians in a wide range of healthcare environments.
Clinical partners include:
- Kaiser Permanente
- UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland
- Stanford Hospital
- John Muir Medical Center
- David Grant USAF Medical Center
- Sonoma Valley Hospital
- Alameda County healthcare providers
- Bay Area Community Services
- Private medical groups
Beyond the Clinical Site
Students also develop clinical skills through specialized learning environments and community partnerships before and throughout their clinical placements.
Health Sciences Simulation Center
Hands-on learning also happens on campus. The HSSC allows students to gain experience improving and saving lives through fun, safe, and challenging scenarios.
Motion Analysis Research Center
One of the best-equipped teaching and research labs in Northern California, the MARC advances the study of human movement by measuring three-dimensional forces, pressures, balance, and muscle function.
Clinical Education in Action
Our campus clinics and community-service partnerships are central to how SMU students learn to improve the quality of care and become advocates for health equity.
