Samuel Merritt University

Samuel Merritt University, located in Oakland's Oakland Hills neighborhood near downtown Oakland, operates as a private health sciences institution specializing in nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, podiatric medicine, and physician assistant programs. The urban campus, established in 1909 as a nursing school affiliated with Samuel Merritt Hospital, maintains its historical focus on healthcare education while operating additional learning sites in Sacramento and San Mateo. The university's main campus features modern medical simulation facilities and clinical skills laboratories, with students completing clinical rotations at various healthcare facilities throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Students in most programs are required to secure off-campus housing, though the university provides assistance with housing resources and placement services.