The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences

What The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences does

The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences (CCHS), founded in 1972 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, is a constituent college of The University of Alabama and serves as the regional campus of the UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine. Its mission centers on improving health in rural Alabama and the Southeast through medical education, direct patient care, and research. The College provides the third and fourth years of clinical education to medical students, operates one of the nation's oldest and largest Family Medicine Residency programs (founded 1975; 605 graduates to date) alongside a recently launched Psychiatry Residency, and runs post-residency fellowships plus master's degree programs in Population Health Sciences, Translational Science and Medicine, and Rural Community Health. It also operates the Rural Health Leaders Pipeline (Rural Medical Scholars, Rural Dental Scholars, Rural Community Health Scholars), which has placed over 90 primary care physicians in rural Alabama practice.

CCHS delivers healthcare through three principal clinical channels: University Medical Center, a six-location multi-specialty community practice that is the largest in West Alabama; the UA Student Health Center and Pharmacy, serving University of Alabama enrolled students with primary care, specialty clinics, mental health services, lab, X-ray, and an in-house pharmacy; and the Capstone Hospitalist Group. Technology infrastructure is built on Epic electronic medical records with a patient portal and the RXLocal mobile pharmacy app. Research operations are supported by three institutional centers — the Institute for Rural Health Research, the MRI Research Center, and the UA Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society — with pre- and post-award grant management through the Office of Sponsored Programs. The Student Health Center holds continuous AAAHC accreditation since 1995, plus CLIA, FERPA, and HIPAA compliance certifications.

Revenue mechanics are diversified across direct patient care billing (insurance and student accounts), University-sponsored student health insurance administration (BlueCross BlueShield of Alabama partnership effective July 2024), graduate medical education funding, continuing medical education, and federal/state/private research grants. As a public state entity within The University of Alabama System, the College is governed by the UA Board of Trustees and does not raise private equity or venture capital.

Name

The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences

Legal name

The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences

Website

https://cchs.ua.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences is a public academic medical institution in Tuscaloosa that operates as the regional campus of UAB Heersink School of Medicine, delivering clinical medical education, multi-specialty patient care through six University Medical Center locations and a student health center, and rural-health pipeline programs serving Alabama.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Academic Medical Center (Medical Education & Clinical Care)

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Offices of Physicians (62111)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Health & University Primary Care Clinics (HLAFAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Healthcare Clinical Professions (CME/CE for Nurses, Allied Health, Pharmacy) (EDAAALAC)

Keywords

• Medical education
• Primary care services
• Rural health programs
• Student health services
• Physician training

Headquarters

HQ city

Tuscaloosa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Healthcare Services Revenue: Direct patient care services billed through University Medical Center (6 locations), Student Health Center and Pharmacy, and Capstone Hospitalist Group. Services include primary care, specialty care, pharmacy, lab, X-ray, and mental health services. Accepts most major insurance plans and files insurance claims on behalf of patients.
2. University-Sponsored Health Insurance Administration: Administers student health insurance plan underwritten by BlueCross and BlueShield of Alabama. Students can voluntarily or mandatorily (international students) enroll. Coverage includes dental and vision. Premium billing is annual until July 31.
3. Research Grants and Sponsored Programs: Federal, state, industrial, institutional, and private research funding through grants managed via Office of Sponsored Programs. Pre-award and post-award grant management services provided.
4. Graduate Medical Education: Residency programs (Family Medicine since 1975, Psychiatry recently launched) and post-residency fellowships generate educational funding and train future physicians for the region.
5. Continuing Medical Education: Accredited CME programs for physicians and health professionals including Grand Rounds (monthly) and Annual Endowed Lectures. Open to healthcare professionals via Zoom.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences (CCHS) operates an academic medical enterprise combining graduate medical education, multi-specialty clinical care, and rural-health research. It delivers patient care through the UA Student Health Center and Pharmacy and University Medical Center (six locations, the largest multi-specialty community medical practice in West Alabama). It trains physicians through the Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency (since 1975), the recently launched Psychiatry Residency, and post-residency fellowships, while operating the Rural Health Leaders Pipeline (Rural Medical Scholars, Rural Dental Scholars, Rural Community Health Scholars) to address rural Alabama physician shortages.

Product overview

The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences operates as an academic medical enterprise combining healthcare delivery, medical education, and research. The core offerings include the Student Health Center and Pharmacy (SHCP) serving enrolled UA students with primary care, specialty clinics, and an in-house pharmacy; University Medical Center (UMC) as a six-location multi-specialty practice in West Alabama; and medical education programs including the long-established Family Medicine Residency (one of the nation's oldest and largest), psychiatry residency, and fellowship programs. CCHS runs rural health pathway programs (Rural Medical Scholars, Rural Dental Scholars, Rural Community Health Scholars) targeting rural Alabama physician shortages, along with graduate degrees in Population Health and Translational Science. Research infrastructure includes the Institute for Rural Health Research, MRI Research Center, and Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society. A Patient Portal and RXLocal pharmacy app enable digital access to services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Rural Medical Scholars Program: Year-long program for rural Alabama students leading to master's degree in Rural Community Health and early admission to UAB Heersink School of Medicine
• Rural Dental Scholars Program
• Rural Community Health Scholars Program
• Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency
• Psychiatry Residency
• UA Pharmacy App (RX Local)

Products and services

• UA Student Health Center and Pharmacy (SHCP)
• University Medical Center (UMC)
• UA Tuscaloosa Family Medicine Residency Program
• Psychiatry Residency Program
• Rural Medical Scholars Program
• Rural Dental Scholars Program
• Rural Community Health Scholars Program
• Population Health MS Degree
• Translational Science and Medicine MS
• Post Residency Fellowships
• Continuing Medical Education (CME)
• Capstone Hospitalist Group
• UA Student Health Center Pharmacy
• Institute for Rural Health Research
• MRI Research Center
• UA Center for the Study of Tobacco and Society
• University-Sponsored Student Health Insurance Plan

Quantifiable outcome

• 605 graduates since 1975 with 537 currently practicing; 47.1% in Alabama, 20.7% in rural Alabama
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UAB Marnix E. Heersink School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCHS serves as the regional campus of UAB Heersink School of Medicine, providing third and fourth years of clinical education and training to medical students. Joint programs include Rural Medical Scholars Program for rural Alabama students.
• UAB School of DentistrycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on Rural Dental Scholars Program - exclusively for rural Alabama students providing pathway to dental school and practice in rural communities.
• DCH Regional Medical CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNearest hospital located 2 blocks from Student Health Center. Staff work closely with DCH for patient referrals and emergency services. SHCP providers coordinate care with DCH Emergency Department.
• UA Center for Convergent Science & BiomedicineminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWhile not housed within CCHS, the College played significant role in recruiting faculty members who comprise this center working to translate promising drug therapies from laboratory to patient treatments.
• Alabama Department of Public HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral option for students for free STI screening. Located at 2350 Hargrove Road East, Tuscaloosa, AL 35405.
• Five Horizons Health ServicesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity option for STI and HIV testing with reduced and free options through federal funding. Located at 2720 6th Street, Tuscaloosa.
• Community Specialists (Dermatology, Gastroenterology, Pulmonology, Cardiology, ENT, Dentistry)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSHCP maintains strong relationships with specialists throughout the community and can expedite referrals when patient needs exceed SHCP scope. Dedicated referral nurses facilitate scheduling.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine: A community-based medical school in West Virginia with similar rural health mission, family medicine residency, and pipeline programs targeting rural physician shortages in Appalachia.
• Meharry Medical College: A historically mission-driven medical school focused on producing physicians committed to serving underserved and rural communities. Comparable social mission, pipeline programs, and emphasis on community health workforce development.
• East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine: A medical school with explicit mission to increase the supply of primary care physicians serving rural and underserved populations in North Carolina. Comparable structure to CCHS with regional campus model and family medicine residency.
• West Virginia University School of Medicine: A land-grant medical school with rural health focus, multi-location health system, and pipeline programs addressing physician shortages in rural West Virginia. Comparable academic medical model with rural workforce mission.
• Michigan State University College of Human Medicine: A community-based medical school with multiple regional campuses, strong focus on rural and underserved primary care, and similar pipeline programs targeting rural physician recruitment.
• Florida State University College of Medicine: A community-based medical school with explicit mission to train physicians for rural, underserved, and geriatric populations across Florida. Comparable pipeline-focused model and regional campus structure.
• University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences: Regional academic medical center serving rural Arkansas with multi-specialty practice, residency programs, and rural health pipeline initiatives. Comparable state-funded academic medical model with rural workforce mission.
• East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine: A rural-mission-focused medical school with strong family medicine and primary care pipelines. Directly comparable as a regional campus model emphasizing rural physician workforce development in an Appalachian setting.
• University of Minnesota Medical School, Duluth Campus: A regional campus explicitly focused on training family medicine physicians for rural Minnesota and Native American communities. Strong structural parallel to CCHS as a smaller regional campus within a larger medical school system.

Broad incumbents

• University of Nebraska Medical Center: A larger academic medical center with rural health workforce initiatives across Nebraska. Comparable rural health mission but operates at significantly larger scale as a full academic health system with hospital infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UA_CCHS
• Facebookfacebook.com/UA.CCHS
• Instagraminstagram.com/communityhealthsciences
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/college-of-community-health-sciences-university-of-alabama-school-of-medicine-tuscaloosa-campus-

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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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 The University of Alabama College of Community Health Sciences