American University of Health Sciences (AUHS)

AUHS is a Christian-based, minority serving university which educates students for careers in healthcare profession. AUHS emphasizes the values of faith in God, love of humankind, and belief that all people have a right to healthcare and deserve a good quality of life based on wellness of body, mind, and spirit.

The university celebrates diversity and reaches out to groups currently underrepresented in healthcare and research. AUHS provides the undergraduate and graduate curriculum, hands-on practical training and supportive environment required to create competent and compassionate healthcare professionals. Students graduate with self-efficacy and confidence in their ability to provide superior healthcare and leadership for the rest of their life.

History

Since its founding by Kim Dang-Johnson and her husband Pastor Gregory Johnson in 1994, American University of Health Sciences has enjoyed a rich history. AUHS was originally founded as a Christian based, private, for profit, postsecondary education institute created to provide excellence in education for students interested in a career in healthcare, and this is a mission it still carries out to this day.

At AUHS, students can obtain healthcare degrees in the school of nursing, school of pharmacy or clinical research professions. With every student that AUHS has welcomed in the university’s twenty-three year history, the faculty at AUHS have strived to provide them not only with the education they need to excel in these careers, but also the spiritual and personal training needed to excel in all aspects of life.

In 2003, the American University of Health Sciences was established as a corporation and achieved Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) accreditation, and in 2017 AUHS was granted accreditation by Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC).

Since its beginning, AUHS has been minority owned and minority serving, placing emphasis on the development of quality allied health professionals for the local and global community. From the foundation of training and health sciences degrees obtained, AUHS graduates are empowered to answer God’s call to provide care and service in the healthcare field to their communities and to the world at large.

Mission Statement

American University of Health Sciences, a private Christian-based, minority-serving university of higher education, welcomes students of diverse backgrounds and prepares them to make a positive impact on society through the provision of exceptional quality patient-centered care within the context of a global perspective of the human condition.

This mission is accomplished through the creation of a strong and caring academic environment where excellence, diversity, and the development of the entire person—mind, body and spirit—is addressed and where teaching/learning, research, service and scholarship is valued and supported.

Inspired by a strong belief in God and the Christian values of love and caring for humankind, and of justice and respect, the University’s core values include a holistic approach to education, promotion of the intellectual, analytical and critical thinking abilities of its students, evidence-based knowledge, and service to our fellow man, and a commitment to life-long learning.  The Board of Trustee has reviewed and approved the Mission of AUHS.

AUHS recognizes its critical role in community development and social health service through our Christian Values. As a university, we acknowledge that institutional success is defined in large part by what students give back to society, and how students make a difference beyond the four walls of the classroom. As a University, we impress upon all graduates the need for a higher mission based on our Christian Values that encompasses the noble privilege of community service and the need for improving the quality of healthcare in our society through both provision of care and scholarly study of the impact of that care.

Christian Values

Upon completion of the appropriate health science career program (i.e., nursing, pharmacy, pharmacy technician, clinical research, etc.) , students should be able to affect positive clients-patient outcomes by sharing their Christian Values of love, caring, justice and respect, as an advocate client-patient needs and rights.

Performance

Performance (Research/ Scholarship) In the area of performance, graduates will demonstrate social, philosophical knowledge of their profession/career pathway (i.e., nursing, pharmacy, pharmacy technician, clinical research, etc).

Cultural Competence

Cultural competence (Diversity) In the area of cultural competence, graduates will deliver culturally competent, sensitive caring that is evidence-based in the appropriate health career (i.e., nursing, pharmacy, pharmacy technician, clinical research, etc.) service area.

Social Responsibility

Social Responsibility (Service) In the area of social responsibility, graduates will develop social and personal responsibility for ongoing professional growth and development including higher education in the appropriate health career profession (i.e., nursing, pharmacy, pharmacy technician, clinical research, etc.).

Critical Thinking

Critical thinking (Academic Preparation/ Education) In the area of critical thinking, graduates will apply critical thinking as the theoretical and scientific underpinnings to the appropriate health career occupation (i.e., nursing, pharmacy, pharmacy technician, clinical research, etc.) to build a solid foundation to drive the profession forward.

Purpose and Identity Statement

AUHS is a Christian-based, minority-serving university where the values of faith in God, love of humankind, and respect for all persons, irrespective of differences are embraced. The University is also a minority serving organization dedicated to providing high quality education to prepare underrepresented groups and others as competent and compassionate health care professionals and researchers. Through this outreach, the University harnesses the talents and abilities of persons currently underrepresented in healthcare and research while improving the dissemination of culturally appropriate care.

Philosophy and Principles of the University

The objective of the University is to prepare a professional and culturally diverse workforce for the pharmaceutical, nursing and clinical research sectors within healthcare. As previously stated, one of our stated purposes is to create a workforce who will utilize research evidence-based practice to guide healthcare delivery. It is the mission and purpose of AUHS that these professionals will understand the application of research; display competencies to apply evidence-based practice and will have been infused with the desire to continue their education with the intent toward becoming practice professional leaders, future research scientists and faculty within their professional domain.

To this end, the University upholds the following as its guiding principles and philosophies:

• The University adopts a holistic approach to education and promotes total development of mind, body, and spirit, while promoting the intellectual, analytical and critical abilities of its students, complemented with solid values such as service and commitment to life-long learning.
• All students must acquire the fundamental knowledge and understanding of science and how it relates to their individual domain—pharmacy, nursing, medicine—and appreciate how these disciplines have evolved, are integrally related, and are individually and collectively continually changing human life. The knowledge that students gain will not be limited to theories but instead will extend to actual clinical application, which will include clinical – laboratory – practice experiences, externships and community service.
• The University thrives in an intimate and quality learning environment, a place for creative individual expression as well as fruitful social interaction. The University harnesses a dynamic, enriching environment where students can freely interact with accomplished and dedicated faculty, who embrace and exemplify the values of the university, and utilize a rich array of library, internet, and interactive learning tools.
• The University recognizes its critical role in community development and social health service. It is aware that institutional success lies behind what its students and graduates give back to society. The University seeks to impress upon all its graduates the higher mission and noble privilege of community service and improving the quality of healthcare through both provision of care and scholarly study of the impact of that care.
• The University commits to continually develop and upgrade curricula and courseware to enable students and practitioners to stay up-to-date and conversant on prevailing practices and technologies affecting the health care industry.
• All graduates of the University will have an accurate understanding of how they, as practitioners in the field, fit into the larger and real-world community that they serve. Graduates will possess the competencies necessary to provide excellent care and service within their domain with a thorough foundation in science, social/behavioral, leadership, and interpersonal – interactional knowledge and skills.

The AUHS Campus

Located in beautiful Signal Hill, California, the AUHS campus is conveniently positioned to offer easy access to the freeway and just a fifteen minute drive to the Long Beach Airport, allowing students to visit Los Angeles, Long Beach, or anywhere else they wish to travel.

As for the campus itself, the AUHS campus features modern facilities and beautiful landscaping combined to create an environment that encourages learning and peace of mind. With plenty of great housing options available right near our campus, students will have no trouble finding a place to call home during their time at AUHS, and with a campus that is one of the most well-kept and updated around, they’re sure to feel right at home on-campus as well.

If you would like to arrange a visit to see our beautiful campus for yourself, feel free to call us and schedule a time.