Message from the Dean

Greetings! Thank you for taking the time to explore the School of Health and Medical Sciences (SHMS) at Seton Hall University, where we teach the art and science of caring in an interprofessional, health-focused context.

Over 30 years ago, top administrators from 13 New Jersey Catholic hospitals and medical centers met at Seton Hall University to address medical education within the state. As a result, our School was chartered, combining the University's commitment to enriching the mind, heart and spirit of its students with the mission of educating the healthcare leaders of tomorrow. By September 1989, the first class of 150 medical residents and fellows enrolled in the School's first fully accredited Internal Medicine Residency Program. Today, the School of Health and Medical Sciences provides exemplary academic and clinical education in graduate-level health sciences professional and post-professional programs. Our founding dean, Nicholas DeProspo, Ph.D., initially led our school with a distinct mission: to develop in students an awareness of their responsibility to contribute to an environment of loving care, sensitivity and respect for human dignity as they comfort people whose lives have been disrupted by illness or injury. Today, we build upon our School's mission - Learn the Art and Science of Caring - as we prepare highly educated healthcare professionals and leaders of tomorrow.

The breadth and depth of our robust academic experience, which is rooted in the basic and health sciences, is tied to hands-on learning - in our state-of-the-art Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) Campus; through diverse clinical experiences in more than 800 sites in the tri-state area and nationally; and through dynamic academic research with our distinguished faculty scholars and skilled ‘master clinicians.’ You will learn the "science" of your discipline and the evidence that substantiates the service delivery approaches for your clients and patients. We strive to develop caring clinicians and healthcare leaders who possess the knowledge and skills to deliver the most efficacious clinical and administrative services - the "art" of their profession.

As a SHMS student, you'll learn from distinguished, interprofessional faculty who provide a unique blend of experiential, clinical, academic, and research preparation. We focus on the quality of care and the uniqueness of each patient, and the complexity of the healthcare environment. You'll gain an appreciation from your peers in other health professions as well, as you learn about the role of teaming and collaboration in healthcare delivery. We foster critical thinking skills and strive to teach you how to provide a well-thought out and researched assessment and treatment protocols. Through this dynamic interplay, you'll learn how caring and compassionate leaders can use their skills to make their communities - and the world - a better place.

I invite you to take the next step and learn about how the School of Health and Medical Sciences can shape your future.

Vikram N. Dayalu, Ph.D., CCC-SLP
Interim Dean and Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology