MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
SPARTANS WILL
June 9, 2011
Transforming medical education—and health care—across Michigan
Despite growing uncertainty about what the future
practice in Michigan. "If you
will bring for health care in the United States,
want someone to practice in
Michigan State University is helping to transform the
a community, you need to
medical landscape in Michigan.
educate future physicians
With large, leading-edge medical education facilities
there."
and community-based medical education for
According to Strampel, a
preparing tomorrow's physicians and nurses, MSU is
community's association with
making a difference for residents statewide.
a medical college brings
While the Colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic
Medicine, and Nursing make a significant impact on
national and international health—from conducting
benefits beyond health
services.
"People want to be associated
breast cancer studies to researching and treating
with a medical school," says
malaria in Africa to taking part in the groundbreaking
Strampel, noting MSU has a
National Children's Study—their commitment to the
medical presence in nearly
state of Michigan has never been stronger.
In recent years, the MSU College of Osteopathic
Medicine expanded its educational facilities and its
every county in Michigan.
"They view it as good for
business."
class size by 100 students each year by partnering
Another highly visible
with Macomb Community College in Clinton
example of MSU's
Township and the Detroit Medical Center.
Partnerships with 31 community hospitals around
the state are vital to the college's teaching mission,
says William Strampel, dean of the College of
Osteopathic Medicine.
"Community-immersed medical education allows
New medical education facilities, including the Secchia Center in Grand Rapids, make it possible for
MSU to prepare more physicians and nurses to serve Michigan and the rest of the country.
commitment to Michigan is the expansion of the
work with patients in their communities and to
College of Human Medicine with the opening of the
provide the very best in patient care," says Marsha
Secchia Center in downtown Grand Rapids. The
$90 million, privately funded medical education
facility welcomed 100 first-year medical students and
the nation, and many of our graduates go on to work
in Michigan and work with underserved populations."
years of medical education in fall 2010. Adding even
more green to the region, the facility recently
anywhere in the state," says Strampel, adding that
received Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design, or LEED, gold certification from the U.S.
Green Building Council.
Partnerships are key to the success of the college's
expansion. The college works with leaders in the
health care and nonprofit communities, including
Spectrum Health, Van Andel Institute, Saint Mary's
Health Care, Grand Valley State University, Grand
Action, and the Right Place Inc.
MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine faculty, staff, and students
are making a difference in Southeast Michigan and beyond. Kyle
Martin, a medical and public health student in the college, recently
completed a cross-country bike trip to raise money for a clinic he
helped open in Haiti.
Rappley, dean of the College of Human Medicine.
"We work with some of the finest teaching hospitals in
another 150 students in their second through fourth
students in hospitals to see they can have a viable life
more than two-thirds of the college's living alumni
"It's very important for young physicians to learn to
Medical students from the college engage with
community members of all ages and backgrounds by
organizing community outreach efforts, such as
teaching anatomy to high school students and
offering educational events for residents, including
populations of refugees and migrant workers.
New opportunities are on the horizon as the College
of Nursing expands its footprint on the MSU campus
with the construction of the Bott Building for Nursing
Education and Research, which is made possible by
the contribution of $7 million by lead donors Timothy
Continuing the college's tradition of community-
and Bernadette Marquez. The 50,000-square-foot,
based medical education, third-year students from
$17.6 million facility is expected to reach completion
the Grand Rapids and East Lansing campuses are
in October 2012 and will house classrooms, a teaching
placed in medical campuses located in Grand Rapids,
and learning lab, and advising offices, as well as space
Lansing, Flint, Kalamazoo, Marquette, Midland, and
dedicated to nursing research and doctoral studies.
Traverse City.
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