To Be...A Spartan MD

This post was updated on Sept. 16, 2020.  As institutions continue to move forward during the pandemic, medical schools are all adapting to departmental and university-wide guidelines, which include social distancing directives and travel restrictions. Admissions offices across the country are having to adjust their admissions processes, which means many medical schools are turning to virtual interviews this year. The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC), in fact, is strongly encouraging medical schools to conduct their applicant interviews in the 2020-21 cycle either by phone or videoconferencing. Beyond limiting contact, virtual interviews warrants less travel, which not only keeps students safe, but also can save applicants upwards of thousands of dollars in flights, lodging, and other transportation costs figured in to visit programs near and far. Still, virtual interviews also present specific challenges. As the College of Human Medicine Office of Admissions move...

Do you wonder what it has been like to be a medical student the last few months? Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students and administrators alike were forced to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances this past Spring. While students took various different actions to overcome the initial setbacks, one common thread between them all was their commitment to medicine and the communities they serve. We've invited several students to share their personal stories and observations as medical students. Click below to check out our Spring CHM Student COVID Diaries.

Interested in both medicine and public health? Our dual MD/MPH degree could be a great option for you!  The MPH Program is hosting several informational webinars over the next month for potential applicants to learn more. The Master of Public Health program (MPH) is a 43 credit, fully online, professional degree program. The MPH program is designed to ensure that our students are engaged in coursework and practical training to obtain the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform successfully, as public health professionals in the United States and internationally. With over 600 graduates, the MPH program at MSU has trained public health professionals and some current public health students working on the front lines as our country works through the global pandemic. Join us for a virtual information webinar! Hear directly from the MPH admissions counselor and academic advisors regarding general program information, application process, and student guidance throughou...

Henry Ford Health System and Michigan State University have announced the two organizations signed a letter of intent to significantly expand their long-term partnership, a unique primary affiliation among the first of its kind for the region between a fully integrated academic health system and major state university. Committed to redesigning care around patients and communities through education, research and clinical care, the enhanced collaboration will focus on improving access, affordability and outcomes, especially for Detroit’s and Michigan’s most vulnerable populations. “Partnerships with the potential for greater impact are more important than ever before,” said Wright Lassiter III, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System. “The COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing injustices and recent protests in cities across our nation have amplified the importance of and urgency for innovation and discovery that radically improves the health of all of the communities we serve.” “Healt...

The College of Human Medicine Office of Admissions stands in solidarity with the Black community on campus, across Michigan, and throughout the nation. We acknowledge the anguish and pain felt not only from the recent murder of innocent black lives, but to a larger degree the conditions which manifest racial profiling and rampant inequalities plaguing Black communities. We acknowledge the trauma, anger, and despair that are rooted in systemic racism. This, too, is an issue of public health, directly impacting our medical students and the patients they will serve. We are dedicated to inclusivity and equity both in our recruitment efforts and selection process. That dedication requires firm commitment and action.  We vow, per our diversity and inclusion statement , to grow individually and collectively, promote equity, and to support current/future CHM students. As such, we wish to amplify the College of Human Medicine chapter of the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) in ...

Many things have understandably changed in the last few months, as medical schools continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. Medical school students have been among those adapting nobly to the current circumstances. Yet as the Class of 2020 concludes their medical school training despite these unusual disruptions, one thing that hasn't changed is that College of Human Medicine graduates continue to move on to some of the most competitive residency placements across the country.  It's time for another great group of #SpartanMD physicians to enter the workforce and, in fact, some already have. This past March, Michigan State University announced a swift move to make graduating health care students available in the COVID-19 response. Whereas students typically begin their residency positions in July, a group of CHM graduates were among the 350 health care workers to enter the workforce before the end of April. The announcement came shortly after yet another strong Match Day...

The College of Human Medicine had to make some decisions. After all, the Shared Discovery Curriculum requires clinical experience as a foundation to the hands-on training that CHM students receive. Yet in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the college made the necessary call to remove students from their clinical posts. “I am disappointed that our students are not currently in clinical settings, and I think it is deeply important for students to re-enter clinical rotations soon,” said Dr. Aron Sousa, CHM Interim Dean in the April 3rd Dean’s Update . “The whole point of our curriculum is that students will be useful, because being useful is a powerful educational experience and the key to their future performance.” The college decided to quickly transition from inpatient clerkships to delivering remote courses before preparing Late Clinical Experience students for a safe return to patient care. A small group of CHM administrators were charged with addressing those tasks. What they pr...