MIDLAND, Mich. — Michigan State University College of Human Medicine and MidMichigan Health have agreed to establish a new regional medical campus in Midland.
MSU officials say the partnership is the result of shared goals to educate medical students within a health care system that values quality and provides care to a widely dispersed city and rural community.
The agreement was signed May 12 by Richard Reynolds, president of MidMichigan Health, and Marsha Rappley, dean of the MSU College of Human Medicine. The partnership expands MSU’s capacity for third- and fourth-year medical students in mid-Michigan by adding more student placements at four new hospitals from MidMichigan Health, in addition to current student rotations at Saginaw hospitals Covenant Healthcare and St. Mary’s of Michigan.
The campus will be centered in Midland, with educational sites at MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, MidMichigan Medical Center-Clare, MidMichigan Medical Center-Gladwin, Gratiot Medical Center in Alma and the Saginaw hospitals.
With a successful history of training medical students in Saginaw for more than 35 years, the College of Human Medicine is looking to increase its number of medical students in mid-Michigan from an average of 18 per year currently in Saginaw to upwards of 30 at the Midland Regional Campus.
“We are pleased that MidMichigan Health joins MSU in providing an amazing experience for our medical students that is rooted in quality primary care,” said Rappley. “We can now increase the number of students exposed to the wonderful physician role models in Midland, Saginaw, Alma, Clare and Gladwin. This is extremely important in helping students see careers and family opportunities for themselves in Michigan communities where they are valued and needed.”
The College of Human Medicine and MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland have a longstanding relationship, having collaborated for more than 35 years on a Family Medicine Residency Program that annually trains 18 to 20 residents. The College of Human Medicine consistently ranks above the 95th percentile among medical schools whose graduates choose to practice primary care.
“This affiliation is a natural next-step in developing MidMichigan Health’s relationship with MSU’s College of Human Medicine to foster excellence in medical education,” said Reynolds. “Our
physicians, board members and our community are very supportive of our new off-site campus to provide medical education for future physicians.”
Currently 15 third-year and eight fourth-year medical students from the College of Human Medicine study in Saginaw. Plans call for the students to rotate, as of July 2011, through various medical disciplines and specialty areas at the six hospitals, including MidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, MidMichigan Medical Center-Clare, MidMichigan Medical Center-Gladwin, Gratiot Medical Center and Covenant HealthCare and St. Mary’s of Michigan in Saginaw.
As part of the transition, the College of Human Medicine alumna Paula Klose, a family medicine physician in Midland, will take the role of acting community assistant dean. Rae Schnuth, who served as community assistant dean for the Saginaw campus, will continue to oversee the college’s Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved, a popular program that is supported by the Saginaw hospitals.
In addition to the Midland Regional campus, MSU College of Human Medicine has six community campuses located in Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Traverse City and the Upper Peninsula.
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