What A Year

Every day, hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans feel the impact of our academic health training and research. They are helped by our dentists, nurses, pharmacists, physicians, public health and social workers, therapists, veterinarians, and others. We serve our patients as well as the public interest to meet the needs for future generations of Minnesota's workforce and the communities they will serve in virtually every part of the state.
 
Let’s celebrate a few of the remarkable accomplishments of 2023:

• The School of Dentistry’s Dental Therapy program was accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation, making it the third dental therapy program in the nation and the first associated with a dental school to achieve this milestone.
• The Medical School received approval to expand its program for the first time in 50 years with the addition of the CentraCare Regional Campus St. Cloud location.
• The School of Nursing enrolled the largest number of American Indian/Alaska Native students in a Doctor of Nursing Practice program ever in the nation.
• The College of Pharmacy celebrated 20 years since its expansion to the Duluth campus to produce more pharmacists to serve Minnesotans, especially in rural areas.
• The School of Public Health launched a new Cannabis Research Center to establish a strong cannabis research and data infrastructure in Minnesota. The center’s aim is to serve as a trusted source of information in the nascent field of cannabis research.
• This fall the College of Veterinary Medicine welcomed its first cohort of students from their affiliation with South Dakota State University. This expansion of their Class of 2025  increases the number of veterinarians they will graduate by about 20%.
• The Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing’s Integrative Health & Wellbeing Research Program completed recruitment on the NIH NCCIH $10.7 million chronic back pain trial (PACBACK), and was highlighted by the NIH for its success in recruiting, engaging, and retaining participants from diverse populations.
• The Clinical and Translational Science Institute received $53.9 million in National Institutes of Health funding to find better, faster ways to bring scientific advances to real-world use. The seven-year award is one of the largest federal research grants the University has ever received and the University’s third Clinical and Translational Science Award.
• The Masonic Cancer Center received its sixth consecutive designation as a comprehensive cancer center by the National Cancer Institute, receiving an “Outstanding” rating. This recognition highlights the center’s exceptional contributions to cancer research, prevention, treatment, and survivorship.
• Our longstanding Mini Medical School community outreach and education program featured faculty who shared their expertise on Aging and Health and Food, Nutrition & the Effects of Substances on Health.

Thank you for all you do to help educate our learners, treat patients, and make discoveries that improve health and health care in Minnesota and around the world.