Central Michigan University College of Medicine

About CMED
2010-375-11-About-the-College-of-Medicine

The Central Michigan University College of Medicine will train much-needed primary care physicians, as well as stimulate health-related research on diseases that specifically impact the Midwest region, such as diabetes, stroke, heart disease and cancer.

Students admitted into the medical school will learn from a curriculum designed to prepare them to practice in Michigan - particularly the medically underserved communities in the central and northern areas of the state - when they complete their residency training. This curriculum will utilize advanced technology, including state-of-the-art simulation and clinical skills labs.

In addition to learning the health needs of Michigan residents through the curriculum, students will gain first-hand experience by working with physicians and hospitals throughout the region.

A Message from the Founding Dean
For nearly 120 years, Central Michigan University has worked to improve the lives of families and communities throughout Michigan, across the country and around the world. The CMU College of Medicine will focus this positive impact on the Great Lakes region by enhancing the state's ability to meet the health care needs of its residents.

CMU's College of Medicine will help address the growing need for physicians nationally and regionally, particularly in small town and rural communities, by preparing students to practice patient-centered health care and focus on the health problems most prevalent in mid- and northern Michigan.

Building upon the university's strong foundation of student-centered teaching and learning, the CMU College of Medicine will partner with hospitals and medical centers around the state to give its students clinical experience. The College also will collaborate with well-established university programs and resources, including The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow College of Health Professions, the College of Science and Technology, and the Park Library.

With the inaugural class now anticipated to begin in the summer of 2013, students will be taught the innovative medical curriculum in a $24 million, 60,000-square-foot addition to the Health Professions Building. Housing clinical exam rooms, group study rooms, simulation rooms and anatomy labs, the addition has been designed for silver-level LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

We are excited about the progress being made on this important educational endeavor and the impact it will have into the future, not only for CMU, but also for the communities we serve, locally, regionally and nationally.

Accreditation
Central Michigan University has been granted preliminary accreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, the accrediting body for M.D. degree programs in North America.

Accreditation standards require CMU to address five specific areas in the development phase: governance and administration, curriculum, medical students, faculty, and resources. The accreditation process involves five steps, the last of which is completed in the fourth year of enrollment of the inaugural class.

A request will also be made of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association to extend Central Michigan University's regional accreditation to include this new degree offering.

Affiliation Agreements
On December 2, 2010, the Central Michigan University Board of Trustees approved the establishment of a formal relationship with Synergy Medical Education Alliance, Covenant HealthCare and St. Mary's of Michigan in Saginaw, Michigan, through its College of Medicine.

Under the terms of the agreement, CMU will join in the Synergy Medical Education Alliance partnership and the organization will be renamed CMU Medical Education Partners effective Jan. 1, 2011.

To finalize the relationship, the boards of Covenant HealthCare, St. Mary's of Michigan, Synergy Medical Education Alliance and Central Michigan University must approve the relationship agreement. It is anticipated that the required board approvals will be secured by mid-December.

The board also approved the formation of a new 501(c)(3) Michigan nonprofit corporation to serve as the University's participant in clinical practice entities and medical education relationships.

CMU College of Medicine students will be involved in longitudinal clerkships throughout their four years, gaining hands-on experience and providing care for patients at hospitals and medical centers across the region.

Video Presentation

Central Michigan Universities College of Medicine

The new addition to CMU's Health Professions Building will house the university's newly established College of Medicine. The $24 million project is slated to be complete this September 2011. Check out this virtual hard hat tour that recaps December's progress.