Marshall B Ketchum University

Marshall B Ketchum University is a private, nonprofit health sciences university located in Fullerton, California. The institution focuses on graduate-level education in healthcare and evolved from the Southern California College of Optometry, which was founded in 1904. Today, the university includes the Southern California College of Optometry, a School of Physician Assistant Studies, and a College of Pharmacy. Marshall B Ketchum University emphasizes interprofessional education and clinical training through its affiliated Ketchum Health centers. The university primarily attracts students pursuing careers in optometry, physician assistant studies, pharmacy, and related healthcare fields who are seeking specialized professional training in a collaborative academic environment.

Marshall B Ketchum University traces its origins to 1904, when Dr. Marshall B. Ketchum founded the Los Angeles School of Ophthalmology and Optometry in Los Angeles, California. The institution later became the Southern California College of Optometry, expanding its curriculum and clinical training throughout the twentieth century. Over time, the college developed standardized programs and affiliations that strengthened optometric education in Southern California. In 2013, the Board of Trustees established Marshall B Ketchum University as a multidisciplinary health sciences university, naming it in honor of its founder. That transition marked the addition of new academic units, including the School of Physician Assistant Studies and later the College of Pharmacy. The university further expanded its clinical presence with the development of Ketchum Health facilities in Anaheim and Los Angeles. Today, Marshall B Ketchum University continues to build on its 1904 foundation while focusing on interprofessional healthcare education.