Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

What Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science does

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is a private, non-profit Historically Black College and University (HBCU) founded in 1966 and headquartered in South Los Angeles, California. It is the only HBCU on the West Coast and operates with a self-described "private institution with a public mission" focused on training healthcare professionals from underrepresented backgrounds to serve medically underserved communities. The university is organized into three colleges—Medicine, Nursing, and Science and Health—offering programs from associate to doctoral level, including the four-year MD program, BSN/MSN/DNP nursing tracks, physician assistant, public health, radiologic technology, biomedical sciences, and genetic counseling, alongside graduate medical education (residencies and fellowships) and continuing medical education.

The institution's revenue model combines tuition and educational fees, federal and foundation research grants (NIH, RWJF, Department of Education, Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama), and philanthropic donations, with 72% of undergraduates receiving financial aid in 2021-22. Research infrastructure spans the Office of Research, the Center for Biomedical Informatics (with machine learning work on diabetic retinopathy detection, Bayesian breast cancer risk modeling, and clinical decision support), the Black Maternal Health Center of Excellence, Drew CARES (HIV/AIDS), the Urban Health Institute, and the CDU/UCLA Cancer Center Partnership. Translational research is enabled through the UCLA CTSI partnership alongside Cedars-Sinai and Harbor-UCLA/Lundquist. Course delivery uses Blackboard LMS and Zoom for virtual CME, with single sign-on via Microsoft and Zoom for the Friday Noon Lecture Series.

Clinical training and graduate medical education are delivered through partnerships with Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital, Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Center, Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, and the LA County Department of Health Services. Recent strategic moves include selection as a national coordinating center for the RWJF Health Equity Research for Action (HERA) program (up to $8M in grants), the launch of the Kaiser Permanente-sponsored Bioentrepreneurship Initiative Pathway Accelerator, and the receipt of over $3.7M in combined HBCU grants and gifts. The university is led by President and CEO David M. Carlisle and supports 501-1,000 employees across an alumni base of 7,000+ spanning four academic units.

Name

Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science

Legal name

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science

Website

https://cdrewu.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is a private HBCU in South Los Angeles, founded in 1966 and the only HBCU on the West Coast, training healthcare professionals from underrepresented backgrounds through three colleges (Medicine, Nursing, Science and Health) supported by NIH and foundation research grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences (54171), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Sciences & Medical-Serving HBCUs (Nursing/Allied Health/Public Health) (EDAHAMAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Medical Schools (MD/DO Granting) (EDAHAGAB), Private Nonprofit HBCUs (EDAHAMAB), Research-Intensive HBCUs (R1/R2 or Doctoral) (EDAHAMAE)

Keywords

• Medical education
• Healthcare workforce training
• Nursing programs
• Health equity research
• Graduate medical education

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Educational Fees: CDU generates revenue through tuition for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs including medicine, nursing, physician assistant, public health, and biomedical sciences. Financial aid and scholarships are available with 72% of undergrad students receiving financial aid in 2021-22.
2. Grants and Research Funding: The university receives significant grant funding from federal agencies including NIH, National Institute of General Medicine Sciences, Department of Education, as well as foundations such as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. Multiple historically Black colleges and universities received grants totaling over $3.7 million including CDU.
3. Philanthropy and Donations: The university operates giving programs for alumni and supporters, with individual donations from benefactors such as Blanche Ingram and others contributing to scholarships and programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science (CDU) is a private Historically Black College and University (HBCU) that delivers healthcare education and conducts health equity research. It offers degree programs across three colleges—Medicine, Nursing, and Science and Health—spanning associate, bachelor's, master's, doctoral, and certificate levels, along with graduate medical education (residencies and fellowships) and continuing medical education. The university also operates biomedical and clinical research centers and a bioentrepreneurship accelerator sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.

Product overview

Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is a private Historically Black College and University (HBCU) offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs across three colleges: Medicine, Nursing, and Science and Health. The institution provides undergraduate to doctoral degree programs, graduate medical education (residencies/fellowships), and continuing medical education. Research infrastructure includes the Office of Research, Center for Biomedical Informatics, and specialized centers addressing health disparities. The university also operates the BIP Accelerator for biotech entrepreneurs. Programs are delivered through traditional instruction, simulation, clinical rotations, and virtual learning via Zoom and Blackboard LMS.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College of Medicine MD Program Four-year medical degree program offered jointly with UCLA, preparing physicians focused on health equity and practice in underserved communities.
• Graduate Medical Education (Residencies and Fellowships) Clinical residency and fellowship programs including Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, Addiction Medicine, Child Psychiatry, and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
• College of Nursing Programs (BSN, MSN, DNP) Nursing degree programs including BSN, Master of Science in Nursing (FNP and PMHNP specializations), Entry-Level MSN, Doctor of Nursing Practice, and post-master's certificates.
• College of Science and Health Programs Degree and certificate programs including Associate of Science in Radiologic Technology, BS in Public Health, BS in Biomedical Sciences, BS in Radiologic Sciences, BS in Psychology, Master of Health Science (PA), MPH in Urban Health Disparities, MS in Biomedical Sciences, MS in Genetic Counseling, and post-baccalaureate pre-medicine leadership program.
• Continuing Medical Education (CME) Continuing medical education lecture series featuring topics on health disparities, clinical innovations, and medical education, with CME credit available for live attendance.
• Bioentrepreneurship Initiative Pathway (BIP) Accelerator Accelerator program supporting early-stage entrepreneurs in biotech, healthcare, public health, and community impact with mentorship, workshops, and up to $20,000 in seed funding through a university pitch competition, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
• Friday Noon Lecture Series (FNLS) Continuing medical education lecture series featuring expert speakers on health disparities, clinical innovations, and medical education, with CME credit available for live attendance.
• CDU-TEACH: Foundations in Teaching Faculty development program at the L.A. Care Center for Faculty Excellence providing evidence-based teaching practices, innovative methodologies, and professional growth resources for medical educators committed to health equity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% first-time pass rate for Radiologic Technology exam (2020)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Michigan State University College of Human MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026One of three national coordinating centers for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation HERA program, alongside CDU and Morehouse School of Medicine. Partners collaborate on action-oriented, community-centered health equity research.
• Morehouse School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 May 2026One of three national coordinating centers for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation HERA program, alongside CDU and Michigan State University. Partners collaborate on action-oriented, community-centered health equity research.
• UCLAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDU operates a joint medical education program with UCLA (Drew/UCLA Medical Education Program). Additionally, UCLA partners include the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI), UCLA CTSI Grant Submission Unit, UCLA-CDU CFAR for HIV/AIDS research, and the CDU/UCLA Cancer Center Partnership to Eliminate Cancer Health Disparities.
• UCLA CTSI Grant Submission UnitcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Grant Submission Unit works closely with faculty to provide free services to CDU investigators for NIH grant applications including R01s, P01s, U54s, and Diversity Supplements. Partnership includes Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and Harbor-UCLA Medical Center/Lundquist Institute.
• LA County Department of Health ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDU clinical training partnerships with LA County DHS facilities including Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Hospital and Outpatient Ambulatory Center. Faculty and residents provide clinical services while students receive training in underserved community settings.
• Cedars-Sinai Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the UCLA CTSI research partnership providing clinical and translational research infrastructure for CDU investigators.
• Harbor-UCLA Medical Center/Lundquist InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the UCLA CTSI research partnership providing clinical and translational research infrastructure for CDU investigators.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Morehouse School of Medicine: HBCU medical school in Atlanta with a parallel health equity mission and similarly underserved-community focus. Direct peer: CDU and Morehouse both serve as national coordinating centers for the RWJF HERA program and operate comparable MD/PhD/research portfolios targeting health disparities.
• Meharry Medical College: HBCU medical and dental school in Nashville focused on educating healthcare professionals for underserved populations. Direct comparable: similar size, mission-driven minority health focus, NIH-funded research, and training pipeline model aligned with CDU.
• Howard University College of Medicine: HBCU medical school in Washington DC with established health equity research, NIH-funded centers, and a mission to train minority physicians. Closely comparable to CDU in mission, research areas (cancer, HIV), and pipeline programs.
• Xavier University of Louisiana: HBCU widely recognized as the leading producer of African American medical school applicants, with strong biomedical sciences and pre-health programs. Highly comparable in mission, student demographic mix, and pipeline role to CDU.
• Tuskegee University: Private HBCU offering biomedical sciences, nursing, and public health programs with a legacy health equity mission and NIH-funded research centers. Operates at a similar scale and program mix to CDU.
• Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine: R1 public health school with strong urban health disparities and community-based participatory research focus, directly mirroring CDU's MPH in Urban Health Disparities program and population health research mission.
• Florida A&M University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences: HBCU health sciences college offering pharmacy and allied health programs with a mission-aligned focus on producing minority healthcare professionals. Comparable in scale, demographic composition, and health equity research orientation.

Broad incumbents

• David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA: UCLA's MD-granting medical school and CDU's primary academic partner via the Drew/UCLA Medical Education Program and CTSI. Larger R1 institution with overlapping but much broader capabilities — not a direct competitor but a structural peer in LA medical education.

Regional players

• Keck School of Medicine of USC: Private medical school also located in Los Angeles offering MD, PhD, and biomedical research programs. Comparable in geography and basic program structure but with substantially larger resources and a broader portfolio than CDU's health-equity-focused mission.
• Loma Linda University School of Medicine: Private faith-based medical school in Southern California offering MD, graduate medical education, and biomedical research programs. Comparable in program structure and regional scope but with a different mission orientation than CDU's HBCU health equity focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cdrewu
• YouTubeyoutube.com/charlesrdrew
• Facebookfacebook.com/cdualumniassociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/charles-r-drew-university
• Instagraminstagram.com/charlesrdrewu
• TikToktiktok.com/@cdrewu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Charles R Drew University of Medicine and Science