Skip to Content Skip to Footer

Keck Graduate Institute students gain insight into applying to and succeeding at WesternU 

by Rodney Tanaka

May 4, 2026

Read 1 mins

A group of professionally dressed people walks together outdoors on a sunny day, passing a round emblem for Western University of Health Sciences on the pavement.
Students from Keck Graduate Institute take a tour of the WesternU California campus on April 24, 2026. (Steven Webber, WesternU)

Western University of Health Sciences welcomed postbaccalaureate students from Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) interested in the health professions to an in-depth visit organized by the College of Podiatric Medicine and the Office of University Recruitment.  

People in business attire and a person in a white coat sit around a table eating and talking in a cafeteria setting, with other groups seated and eating in the background.
KGI students spoke to WesternU students in an informal lunch setting to learn more about their programs of interest. (Steven Webber, WesternU).

About 25 KGI students visited the WesternU California campus on April 24, 2026. Based on their expressed interests, they learned about WesternU’s osteopathic medicine, podiatric medicine, physician assistant and optometry programs.   

“We partner with colleges and universities to create curated experiences for prospective students, including campus visits, tours, and workshops,” said Maya Smith-Kincaid, Assistant Director of Humanistic & Inclusive Recruitment. “Our goal is to fully immerse students in our programs so they gain a comprehensive understanding of the admissions process, student experience, and academic environment. During these visits, they engage with faculty and current students, tour our facilities, and participate in hands-on workshops.”  

The KGI students ate lunch and talked in an informal setting with students in the DO, DPM, MSPA and OD programs. They then separated into breakout sessions based on their career interests.  

College of Podiatric Medicine Professor Stephen Wan, DPM, FACFAS, provided hands-on instruction on surgical knot tying and also made an excellent pitch to consider WesternU for their graduate education.  

WesternU does not just plug in GPA, MCAT and other scores to determine admission, Wan said.  

A man in a white lab coat stands at a lectern, speaking to seated students in a modern classroom with a computer monitor and notes on the desks.
College of Podiatric Medicine Professor Stephen Wan, DPM, FACFAS, demonstrates surgical knot tying to Keck Graduate Institute students. (Steven Webber, WesternU)

“We’re not just married to the figures,” he said. “Here at WesternU we look at the entire package, no matter which program you apply to. We are holistic. We look at the whole you.”  

WesternU graduates differentiate themselves with their critical thinking skills. That’s what residency directors want, Wan said. 

“Even when WesternU students may not have the content right at their fingertips, they know how to reason it out and arrive at the correct answer. That’s the WesternU difference,” he said. “We hope to see you all here eventually. We wish you luck.”  

Six people sit around a round table, eating pizza and drinking bottled water, engaged in conversation in a room with large windows.
KGI students gained firsthand knowledge from WesternU students. (Steven Webber, WesternU)

KGI student Taleen Madikians said she had never tried knot tying before but enjoyed the challenge.  

“At first I got a little lost, but there was good instruction and then once you get it, it’s super exciting and you kind of don’t want to stop,” she said. “It’s so amazing to have KGI’s connection to WesternU and bringing us here. Being able to come somewhere so close in my community, it’s awesome to see the opportunities that WesternU has to offer.” 

A group of students listens to an instructor in a medical training room with simulation equipment and medical supplies on a table.
KGI students learn about osteopathic medicine during a WesternU campus visit on April 24, 2026. (Steven Webber, WesternU)
A medical instructor demonstrates an elbow examination on a seated participant while students observe in a classroom with a projected slide on the screen.
KGI students learn about the PA program at a WesternU visit on April 24, 2026. (Steven Webber).

Recommended Stories