1. The body is a unit; the person is a unit of body, mind, and spirit;
2. The body is capable of self-regulation, self-healing, and health maintenance;
3. Structure and function are reciprocally related; and
4. Rational treatment is based upon an understanding of the basic principles of body unity,self-regulation, and the interrelationship of structure and function.

A.T. Still University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission

230 S. LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500,
Chicago, IL 60604

Phone: 800.621.7440 | Fax: 312.263.7462
Email: info@hlcommission.org

hlcommission.org

Accreditation by school and programs

• Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health
• Arizona School of Health Sciences
  • Athletic Training
    • Clinical Decision-Making in Athletic Training
    • Doctor of Athletic Training
    • Graduate Certificate in Orthopedic Rehabilitation
    • Master of Science in Athletic Training
  • Audiology
    • Doctor of Audiology (online)
    • Doctor of Audiology (entry-level, residential)
  • Occupational Therapy
    • Doctor of Occupational Therapy Entry-level
    • Entry-Level Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
  • Physician Assistant
    • Advanced Physician Assistant
    • Master Of Science In Physician Assistant Studies
    • Physician Assistant Studies (pdf)
  • Physical Therapy
    • Doctor of Physical Therapy (residential)
    • Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (online)
    • Post-Professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (non-degree, online)
    • Orthopedic Physical Therapy Residency (online, residential)
    • Neurologic Physical Therapy Residency (online, residential)
• College of Graduate Health Studies
  • Doctor of Health Administration
  • Doctor of Education in Health Professions
  • Doctor of Health Sciences
  • Doctor of Health Sciences Fundamentals of Education Certificate
  • Doctor of Health Sciences Global Health Certificate
  • Doctor of Health Sciences Leadership and Organizational Behavior Certificate
  • Master of Health Administration
  • Master of Public Health
  • Master of Public Health – Dental Emphasis
  • Master of Public Health – Dental Emphasis with a Dental Public Health Residency Certificate
  • Master of Science in Kinesiology
• Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health
• School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona

Principles of evidence-based medicine

A.T. Still University's (ATSU) integrated learning platform includes the principles of evidence-based medicine (EBM) alongside ATSU's founding tenets of whole person healthcare. Students learn not only in the classroom but also in actual practice settings. The elements of evidence-based medicine can be applied to any patient treatment-oriented practice field, allowing medical and healthcare workers to provide each patient with current treatment options based on the latest, most clinically relevant research including clinical trial results.

Evidence-based medicine is defined as "the conscientious, explicit and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individual patients, the practice of evidence-based medicine means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research" according to David L. Sackett, pioneer of evidence-based medicine, and his colleagues.

Because EBM also is used in allied fields, including dentistry, nursing and psychology, the healthcare industry is embracing a more universal term: evidence-based practice (EBP).

The need for evidence-based medicine

Studies suggest our need for best evidence occurs twice in every three outpatient visits and up to five times per inpatient visit. The amount of new medical information formed daily is overwhelming. It is impossible to know everything. With this rapid formation of data, familiar sources such as textbooks are out of date by the time they reach the shelf. The development of online EBM tools and journals containing pre-analyzed articles help individual providers keep current.

Most importantly, practicing evidence-based medicine leads to improved patient outcomes and offers the surest and most objective way to determine and maintain consistently high quality and safety.

Myths about evidence-based medicine

Evidence-based medicine is not a new concept. The term evidence-based medicine was coined in 1992 by a group at McMaster University, but clinicians have always used evidence to make decisions about patient care. The evidence just may not have been the "best" evidence due to any number of reasons.

Some fear that EBM is an example of cookbook medicine, a way to cut costs of health care, or a way to keep patients from receiving the care they deserve. None of these fears is true. There will never be one recipe that fits all patients, and as stated clearly in the definitions above, EBM involves integration of clinical expertise and individual patient values. In some cases, the results of EBM may cut costs by eliminating unnecessary procedures or treatments; however there also may be situations where it is the expensive procedure or treatment that provides the best results for patients. Along that same line, practicing EBM is a way to eliminate unnecessary expenditure which, in theory, would allow more money to decrease the treatment and diagnostic disparities present in today's society.

Many can agree with the concept of EBM but are unsure that it can be practiced in a busy clinic. In reality, it is those busy clinicians who can benefit the most from the growth of EBM. As the search engines become quicker and the number of secondary sources grows, it will be easier than ever to find the answer to a clinical question that arises from a 15-minute office visit.

Do you want to help improve the health of your community?
Do you desire to work in your community's health center?
Do you aspire to be a doctor, dentist or physician assistant?

If you answered "yes," then ATSU's Hometown Scholars may be for you!

ATSU's Hometown Scholars programs were started in response to requests from community health centers (CHCs) and other safety net providers. Hometown Scholars help ATSU meet the needs of CHCs by attracting and training dedicated, motivated, and qualified community-minded dentists.

Discover how you might become a Hometown Scholars endorsed applicant for:

• Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health (DMD)
• Arizona School of Health Sciences Physician Assistant program (MS)
• Missouri School of Dentistry & Oral Health (DMD)
• School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona (DO)

Learn more about ATSU's Hometown Scholars program.

Kirksville, Missouri

The best of education is represented in Kirksville. Among the notable colleges and other institutions of higher learning, Kirksville is the home of osteopathic medicine and the world's first osteopathic university - A.T. Still University - founded by Andrew Taylor Still, DO, in 1892. Steeped in tradition and infused with innovation while always highlighting the importance of community, the city is located in northeastern Missouri in a growing city of nearly 20,000 residents. Kirksville is a thriving college community, offering a low cost of living and a high quality of life. Kirksville residents enjoy a variety of cultural activities that appeal to a wide range of tastes. On Saturday mornings from May through October, local farmers' markets offer fresh fruits and vegetables during the prime growing season. For outdoor recreationists, a state park, five conservation areas, and three large lakes are just a few miles away with camping, swimming, and boating facilities. For those who prefer to stay active in the city, a sports complex, YMCA, aquatic center, and neighborhood parks are available for public use. Kirksville also is host to several festivals and offers one-of-a-kind shopping opportunities, especially in the historic downtown area, not to mention many dining options.

Within easy driving distance of major cities such as Kansas City, St. Louis, and Des Moines, Iowa, Kirksville also provides easy access to Missouri's notable Lake of the Ozarks, Hannibal, Nauvoo, and Mennonite and Amish communities. To learn more about Kirksville and tourism information, go to visitkirksville.com.

Mesa, Arizona

Progressive, vibrant, and diverse, Mesa, Arizona, is the state's third largest city. It is nestled in the Valley of the Sun, boasting more than 300 days of sunshine every year. More than 468,012 residents call this dynamic urban setting their home, complete with a first-class business environment, highly educated work force, and quality of life that appeals to a variety of lifestyles.

Just west of Mesa in the Valley of the Sun is the city of Phoenix, the capitol of Arizona and the nation's fifth largest city. The Valley offers professional football, baseball, hockey, and basketball; two national parks, including the Grand Canyon; 25 state parks; and hundreds of miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. World-class golf courses, shopping, movie theatres, symphony, opera, art festivals, museums, and restaurants provide diverse opportunities to sample the cosmopolitan lifestyle of the Valley of the Sun. In the desert areas of Arizona, there is little rain or snow, and the winter temperatures are mild. Although summers are hot in the desert, there is relatively low humidity, making the actual temperatures more comfortable than in most other states during the same time frame. To learn more about Mesa, please visit visitmesa.com.
To learn more about the Phoenix metro area, please visit visitphoenix.com.

SANTA MARIA, CALIFORNIA

Nestled in the middle of California’s Central Coast Region with a population of just under 110,000, Santa Maria, California, is home to ATSU’s newest campus. Located just 76 miles north of Santa Barbara and 170 miles north of Los Angeles, Santa Maria is the perfect place for those who enjoy exploring the great outdoors, eating delicious barbecue, and visiting world-class wineries.

With average highs in the upper 60s to low 70s and lows in the upper 50s, Santa Maria is a beautiful place to live year-round. The Santa Maria Valley is home to 34 tasting rooms, 24 hiking trails, and 15 beaches within a 30-minute drive. The area has a variety of cultural offerings and is home to the Santa Maria Museum of Flight, Santa Maria Philharmonic Orchestra, and Santa Maria Civic Theater, the oldest theater group in the region. The city is also home to the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, a professional conservatory theatre with famous alumni, including Kathy Bates, Zac Efron, and Robin Williams.

In addition to great food and drink and a love for the arts, the city has a rich history. In 1904, oil was discovered in the Santa Maria Valley near Orcutt, leading to a flourishing oil industry. Today, the area is more known for its vineyards and wineries. Also popular for its delicious strawberries, the city hosts the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival every April to kick off strawberry season. The region also produces celery, lettuce, peas, squash, cauliflower, spinach, and more!

To learn more about Santa Maria, visit santamariavalley.com and cityofsantamaria.org.

Museum of Osteopathic Medicine SM [2000.34.05]

Andrew Taylor Still, DO, was born Aug. 6, 1828, in a log cabin in Lee County, Va. Around 1853, he decided to become a physician. It was common practice in those days for an aspiring doctor to train by studying medical books and working with a practicing physician – in this case, his father. He may have received additional, formal training at a school in Kansas City, but no records remain to establish where and when this training took place.

Personal Defeat

In 1864, Dr. Still returned from the Civil War and faced a grave personal crisis. Earlier that year, an epidemic of spinal meningitis had swept through the area and killed three of his children. He had already lost his first wife, Mary Vaughan, to childbirth complications; a month after the epidemic, the daughter born to his second wife, Mary Elvira Turner, died of pneumonia. His inability to save his family, coupled with his grim experiences as a Civil War doctor, led Dr. Still to reject most of what he had learned about medicine and search for new and better methods.

A New Revolution

Dr. Still's explorations were grounded in the study of anatomy. Having grown up as a hunter and farmer, he had a basic understanding of the structural relationships of bones, muscles, and organs – knowledge he now extended through the study of human skeletons. He became convinced that most diseases could be alleviated or cured without drugs. The key was to find and correct anatomical deviations that interfered with the free flow of blood and "nerve force" in the body.

Facing Challenges

From the beginning, Dr. Still met with considerable opposition to his new theories and techniques. The local church denounced his claims of hands-on healing as sacrilegious. His brothers were embarrassed by his outspoken questioning of medical tradition; they criticized his willingness to risk his livelihood by driving away patients and to neglect his family and farm in pursuit of his "crazy" ideas. When Dr. Still asked to present his ideas at Baker University, which his family had helped to establish in the 1850s, school officials refused him permission. In 1874, Dr. Still decided to leave Kansas and travel to Macon, Mo., where he hoped his ideas would be better received. They were not, and after a few months of trying, Dr. Still moved north to Kirksville. There he finally began to find some acceptance, enough to open an office on the town square in March 1875. Advertising himself as a magnetic healer and a "lightning bonesetter" and traveling to towns as far away as Hannibal, Dr. Still slowly built up his reputation. Word spread about the doctor whose system of drugless, manipulative medicine - officially named "osteopathy" in 1885 - was able to cure many apparently hopeless cases.

Osteopathy is Born

Finding he had more patients than he could handle, Dr. Still trained his children and a few others to assist him in his practice. Finally, there were enough people who wanted to learn his methods that he was persuaded to start a school. The American School of Osteopathy was founded in Kirksville in 1892 in a two-room frame building. The first class of five women and 16 men – including three of Still's children and one of his brothers – graduated in 1894. That institution is known today as A.T. Still University, the first osteopathic university in the world that now is the preeminent leader of whole person healthcare education.

More information about Dr. Still is available through ATSU's Museum of Osteopathic Medicine, whose mission is to preserve and promote the history and tenets of osteopathy through collections and research to a global audience.

Visit https://www.atsu.edu/museum-of-osteopathic-medicine/

Craig Phelps, DO

660.626.2391

Craig M. Phelps, DO, '84, is the twelfth president of ATSU. Prior to his presidency, Dr. Phelps served as ATSU's executive vice president for strategic initiatives and as provost of ATSU's Mesa, Ariz., campus for 12 years, overseeing the development and operations of School of Osteopathic Medicine in Arizona, Arizona School of Dentistry & Oral Health, and Arizona School of Health Sciences.

Dr. Phelps is a fellowship-trained primary care sports medicine physician and is board certified in family medicine. Practicing for more than 20 years in the Phoenix metropolitan area, Dr. Phelps served as primary care physician for the NBA Phoenix Suns and WNBA Phoenix Mercury, physician for Ballet Arizona, team physician for Grand Canyon University, Scottsdale Community College, Paradise Valley Community College, and Gateway Community College.

Dr. Phelps is a fellow of the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine, and he is a member of the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association. He also served as the 2013-14 president of the Arizona Osteopathic Medical Association.

In 2012, Dr. Phelps was named to the Phoenix Business Journal's Most Admired CEOs and Top-Level Executives. He was chosen as one of the Phoenix-area's 25 most admired executives based on past achievements and ongoing outstanding leadership.

Learn more about the Office of the Chancellor, the chancellor's cabinet, staff and past ATSU presidents.

A.T. Still University is home to the founding college of osteopathic medicine. It is the oldest osteopathic institution in the world, founded in 1892.

Alumni Distribution

Outcomes: Board and/or licensing exam results (National rates posted when available)

Physical Therapy first-time pass rates

Occupational Therapy (MS) Board Certification exam pass rates

Occupational Therapy (OTD) Board Certification exam pass rates

Physician Assistant Certifying exam first-time exam pass rates

Audiology Praxis exam pass rates

INBDE Pass Rates

COMLEX Level 1 pass rates

COMLEX Level 2-CE pass rates

COMLEX Level 2-PE pass rates

COMLEX Level 3 pass rates

"To find health should be the object of the doctor; anyone can find disease."
– Andrew Taylor Still, DO

Osteopathic medicine is a unique form of American medical care that was developed in 1874 by Andrew Taylor Still, DO, founder and namesake of A.T. Still University (ATSU), the world's first osteopathic medical school. Dissatisfied with 19th century healthcare, Dr. Still founded a philosophy of medicine based on ideas that date back to Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, and which focuses on the unity of the body. Dr. Still pioneered the concept of wellness and identified the musculoskeletal system as a key element of health.

Osteopathic physicians take a whole person approach to caring for patients. Instead of treating specific symptoms or illnesses, they regard the body as an integrated whole.

"Over the past few years, osteopathic medicine's traditional principles and practices (especially those focused on patient-centered, preventive care) have been heralded as central features of the kind of health care system that reform efforts aim to implement," states Stephen C. Shannon, DO, MPH, President, American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine. "In other words, osteopathic medical schools are educating the kind of physicians this country needs, and that fact is being increasingly recognized throughout the nation."

Osteopathic medicine in practice

Today, osteopathic physicians and allied health professionals are one of the fastest growing segments of healthcare providers. They are on the cutting-edge of modern medicine, able to combine technology with compassion and their holistic approach to treating the body, mind, and spirit that provides thorough care for each patient.

Osteopathic physicians can choose any specialty, prescribe drugs, perform surgeries, and practice medicine anywhere in the United States. DOs must complete the same amount of schooling and meet the same licensing requirements as MDs, with approximately 200 additional hours of training in osteopathic manipulative medicine.

DOs are prominent in both primary care and specialty areas of medicine, including family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, neurosurgery, cardiology, radiology, dermatology, and neuromusculoskeletal medicine. At ATSU, they have a passion to give back and meet unmet community healthcare needs in underserved and rural settings. Students become among the most dedicated physicians and allied health professionals, the wisest of mentors, and the most enthusiastic leaders who are inspired to change the future of medicine.

Osteopathic Medicine facts

• Andrew Taylor Still, DO, founded the tenets of osteopathic medicine in 1874.
• Kirksville, Mo., is known as the home of osteopathic medicine and the world's first osteopathic medical school established by Dr. Still in 1892.
• A.T. Still University is a private, not-for-profit University focused on integrating the tenets of osteopathic medicine with advancing knowledge of today's science.
• In 1897, Dr. Still's students organized to form the American Association for the Advancement of Osteopathy, or the American Osteopathic Association as it is known today.
• The U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare recognized the AOA as the accrediting body for osteopathic medical education in 1952. In 1967, the AOA was recognized by the National Commission on Accrediting (now the Council for Higher Education Accreditation) as the accrediting agency for all facets of osteopathic medical education in the United States.
• Federal recognition had a profound effect on osteopathic medicine, spurring a second generation of schools and a dramatic increase in the number of osteopathic physicians. The big shift came in the move to state-supported schools, starting with Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing, which graduated its first class in 1973.
• Osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) has been used to treat a variety of problems such as ear infections, sinus problems, colic in infants, and many adult maladies. It has had a success rate high enough to convince many MDs to take classes in OMM.
• More than 20 percent of U.S. medical students are enrolled in osteopathic medical schools.
• Approximately 78,000 DOs practice in the United States, handling more than 10 percent of all office visits in rural areas and eight percent in urban areas. DOs have a strong history of serving rural and underserved areas, often providing their unique brand of compassionate, patient-centered care to some of the most economically disadvantaged members of society.
• By 2020, the number of osteopathic physicians will top 100,000, say expert predictions, according to the American Medical Association. This is good news, as the need for more osteopathic physicians delivering compassionate, comprehensive healthcare continues to rise throughout the nation and around the world.
• AOA's Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation accredits 29 colleges of osteopathic medicine in 37 locations.

At ATSU, students and faculty are part of a distinguished heritage of humanistic healthcare based on an integrated approach that includes the body, mind, and spirit of each patient. All three elements work in tandem to provide a more thorough and highly personalized healthcare delivery model that promotes wellness and meets the health needs of each patient. This approach distinguishes ATSU for innovation in post-graduate healthcare education. Graduates become compassionate leaders proposing global health solutions and meeting unmet community health needs.

Each program, from audiology to dentistry, family practice to public health, integrates the principles of whole person healthcare into its curriculum and emphasizes the important role of health education, health coaching, and well-coordinated treatment plans that foster collaboration with each patient.

Integrated, experiential learning forms the base of ATSU's educational foundation. Each student is encouraged to participate in a wellness program, to study nutrition, psychology, and problem-based learning, and to join in the many co-curricular activities that bring faculty and students together not only to optimize learning but also to enlighten and inspire.

Beginning in October 2019, a 21-member strategic planning committee initiated development of ATSU’s 2021-2028 Strategic Plan. The final document represents many hours of thoughtful collaboration among faculty, staff, students, trustees, and external stakeholders.

Five themes guide the strategic plan.

• Innovative education
• Mission-focused scholarship
• Engaged, diverse University community
• Beneficial partnerships
• Agile resource management

Read the complete 2021-28 Strategic Plan (pdf)

ATSU’s Annual Report provides a glimpse of the year’s events and achievements. To ensure the university continues on its path to preeminence and stays true to its mission, ATSU chooses three areas to concentrate its efforts each year. Read the complete 2022-23 Annual Report (pdf)