Admission Inquiries via E-mail
SE Michigan FAQ
When does the first class start?
Classes will begin the last week of June in 2009.
Will there be interactive distance learning classes with E. Lansing?
Courses in the first two years are structured in three different formats: courses that are mainly lecture based; courses with a lab component and courses that utilize small discussion groups.
The lecture courses will be synchronously delivered to each site “real-time” using high-definition teleconferencing technology. These broadcasts will display both the speaker and his or her content slides – the same things a student would see at the site where the lecture physically takes place. These teleconferences are interactive and students in Southeast Michigan will be seen by the speaker and able to ask questions during lectures. In addition, an on-site moderator will be present during all teleconferences at DMC and MUC to assist students and to make sure the learning environment is optimal. At first, the majority of lectures will be sent from East Lansing to the DMC and MUC, however, given the many clinical faculty in Southeast Michigan, it is expected that over time an increasing number of lectures will originate from DMC and MUC and be telecast back to East Lansing.
Core courses requiring laboratory instruction (e.g. Gross Anatomy, Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine and Clinical Skills) will be taught in specialized facilities at the MUC and DMC sites.
Small group format classes such as ethics and Doctor/Patient Relationships will be conducted in each Southeast Michigan site using local faculty.
Can I see the new site at the DMC?
Detailed architectural plans are available on the MSUCOM website. Actual tours cannot be given at this time because intensive demolition is underway and it is not safe to take potential students into that area right now. Once the demolition is done and the rebuilding has progressed sufficiently to make it safe for visitors to walk through, tours will be offered to incoming students.
Can I see the new site at the MUC?
Architectural renderings and floor plans are available on the MSUCOM website. The MUC site entails construction of a two-story structure on the end of an existing building. Presently, there is very little to see besides cleared ground, stakes and construction barricades. However, potential students can obtain a tour of the temporary spaces that will be used by MSUCOM students until the new building is open for occupancy.
Is there affordable housing in the DMC area?
Yes. The DMC area is a vibrant urban setting and there are affordable rental properties nearby. Please use these links to begin looking at options: http://detroitmidtown.com/05/midtown.php.
Is there affordable housing in the MUC area?
Yes. Macomb County is a great place to live and there are affordable rental properties nearby. Please use these links to begin looking at options:
http://www.rent.com/rentals/michigan/detroit-and-vicinity/clinton-township/zip/48038/ .
What benefits does a student stand to gain by attending at one of the expansion sites?
Some students prefer the individualized attention afforded by smaller class sizes at the DMC and MUC sites. Some students would rather study closer to home due to family obligations. Some simply prefer not to have to relocate to East Lansing. Still others value proximity to the many teaching hospitals in Southeast Michigan where they would eventually like to seek postgraduate training positions. Lastly, for certain types of learners, distance education may be a preferable approach for participating in preclinical medical school courses.
Will DMC students be interacting with DMC patients at all during pre-clerkship years?
Although some elective and outreach experiences may be arranged during the preclerkship years and these which may bring students into contact with DMC patients, for the most part DMC students will not be in much contact with DMC patients during years one and two.
What are the benefits of being at the DMC site?
The DMC site is located on the campus of the Detroit Medical Center (DMC) in “Midtown” Detroit, surrounded by several tertiary care hospitals and The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center. The DMC has over 900 graduate medical education positions of which 84 are osteopathic. Detroit is a vibrant urban setting with international cuisine, concerts, theatre and professional sports. The DMC site is only two blocks from Detroit’s Cultural Center, which includes: Detroit Public Library, Detroit Institute of Arts, Children’s Museum, Detroit Historical Museum, Museum of African –American History and Detroit Science Center. Just a few minutes away is “Downtown” Detroit with its professional sports, restaurants and theatres. Detroit and surrounding counties offer numerous affordable housing options.
The Shiffman Medical Library is located on the campus of the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), just two blocks from MSUCOM’s expansion site. MSUCOM
students may use the library as a quiet study area. With a MichiCard (available
through your local Michigan community’s participating library or MSU Libraries for students registered at MSU), students may borrow the library’s materials that are available for loan.
What are the benefits of being at the MUC site?
The Macomb site is located within a twenty mile radius of seven hospitals with over 600 osteopathic graduate medical education positions. This site is housed within the Macomb University Center at Macomb Community College, one of the most advanced professional development facilities in southeast Michigan. Macomb County is a great place to live. It has thirty-one miles of shoreline, one hundred and thirty parks, more than thirty-five golf courses, three regional shopping centers, numerous restaurants and twenty-one school districts. There is ample affordable housing and plenty of family-friendly activities. It also has easy access to freeways which make skiing, boating and other recreational activities just a quick drive away.
Will there be a bookstore to purchase items for school?
We are planning that students will be able to purchase course packs on line and pick them up here at the Southeast Michigan sites. Textbooks may be purchased on line and shipped directly to the student’s home. There will also be a learning resource library at each site, providing additional materials for student review and use. Plans are being made so that the medical equipment sale will be held on a day that the Southeast Michigan students are at East Lansing so that they can participate in that event..
Will the class size increase yearly?
Like all medical schools, MSUCOM is accredited for a specific number of medical students in each class. We are currently at our accredited size. Further class size increases cannot occur without a formal application process and approval of our accrediting body.
If I am here studying late at the DMC site, will there be somewhere to grab a snack or dinner?
There is a small restaurant/cafeteria located near the entrance to the DMC site that offers a variety of affordable and nutritious foods. Vending machines are also located in other buildings in the immediate vicinity.
If I am here studying late at the MUC site, will there be some where to grab a snack or dinner?
Multiple vending machines are conveniently located throughout the MUC building complex. There are also many affordable restaurants in the immediate vicinity.
How can I make my site preference known?
If you receive an offer of admission to MSUCOM, it will contain a site designation form where you will be asked to indicate your location preference. Locations will be allocated in the order that we receive your admissions forms and deposit. If you are not assigned to your preferred choice site, you will be placed on a waiting list for that location. Applicants who are placed on the alternate list will not be asked to submit site preferences. MSUCOM does not guarantee that space will be available at your preferred location.
Are there some cases when I would have to go to East Lansing?
In some instances, the MSUCOM Admissions Committee will assign individuals to a specific site. Such assignments are nonnegotiable. Specific site assignments will be communicated with the offer of admission. All dual degree students, students entering the Extended Curricular Program and students requiring accommodation for disabilities will be assigned to the East Lansing site.
Can I defer my admission to have a better chance of getting into the site I want?
While you always have the option of deferring your admission to the next year, you will not be allowed to request a specific site or carry forward your site assignment to the subsequent year. Numbers of openings and allocation methodology for deferred admissions will be determined each September.
My application is complete, but I still have not heard anything. Does this mean I won’t be accepted?
We know waiting is difficult, but MSUCOM is very careful and methodical in reviewing all completed applications. The process does take time. Please do not assume the outcome prematurely, but rather be patient for the process to unfold.
If I am a student at the DMC site, can I do my 3rd and 4th year rotations at the DMC hospitals?
All third and fourth year clerkships are arranged at one of 21 community-based training centers shown on this web page: http://ap.com.msu.edu/clerkship/pcac/sites.php. Of these base hospitals, Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital and Sinai-Grace Hospital are DMC facilities to which MSUCOM students may be assigned. If a student is assigned to one of the other hospitals, it is still possible that specific elective rotations may be arranged for that student at one of the downtown DMC hospitals; however such arrangements must be made by the student’s base hospital.
Can you tell me more about the third and fourth year clinical rotations?
The initial 19 months of the student's clinical clerkship program take place in one of 20 community-based training centers. During the 19 month base hospital training program, students undertake clinical training in the major medical and surgical disciplines, with primary focus on core clerkships in General Medicine, Surgery, Anesthesiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Emergency Medicine as well as six months in ambulatory settings in the Primary Care Ambulatory Clerkship. Another core clinical clerkship is taken in Psychiatry under the supervision of community-based trainers. Each clinical clerkship rotation is directed toward the student developing clinical competence (knowledge, procedures/skills, clinical problem solving, and professional attitudes and behaviors) in the diagnosis and management of fundamental medical problems associated with the particular medical discipline.
BASE PERIOD: The base period is 19 months. Students must be in their base hospital for this entire time, with the exception of their 6 months of Out–Time, PCAC choice rotation, and their assigned Psychiatry clerkship. All core rotations must be completed within the base period.
OUT-TIME: During the student’s base hospital period, they have opportunity to do rotations at six other hospitals. These rotations will be selective or elective depending upon where they take place. Each student has 4 months of out-time scheduled into their base hospital period prior to the AOA residency match. The student is responsible for paperwork completion and for making individual "out-time" scheduling arrangements with the hospital (MSU/COM base hospitals & hospitals outside the base system).
How can I arrange to come in to meet the Associate Dean for the DMC site?
Send an email to gary.willyerd@hc.msu.edu or phone (313) 578-9600.
How can I arrange to come in to meet the Associate Dean for the MUC site?
Send an email to kari.hortos@hc.msu.edu or phone (586)-263-6832.
Would it be possible for me to talk to a current MSUCOM student?
Yes. We can arrange for you to meet one of our current students when you go to East Lansing to meet with Dr. Falls and his staff. Just let us know in advance so that we can make the arrangements. If you would prefer to chat over the phone or by e-mail, we set that up, too. Again, just let us know your preference.
How will students have access to faculty?
Students at every site will have the capability of asking questions of lecturing faculty. Outside of lectures, individual faculty will use a variety of methods to enable Southeast Michigan students to connect with them. These methods will be unique to the individual instructor and may consist of telephone meetings, e-mail messages, videoconferenced office hours, web chat rooms or any number of other technology based solutions.
Will lectures be the same as East Lansing?
Yes. All the lectures will be identical at all three sites. They are being delivered “real-time” at each site through high definition videoconferencing. As in the past, these lectures are also captured and available on-line for later review by students as Camtasia and Media Site Live recordings.
Will on-site faculty be of same quality?
Yes. Every new faculty member must be approved through the faculty credentialing process of the departments at MSUCOM. These MSUCOM faculty departments oversee the implementation of each course whether it is teleconferenced or presented locally. Since the on-site faculty are a part of the overall course faculty, they may present some of the lectures, serve as a resource for student help sessions and contribute exam questions as well.
Will there be quiet study rooms?
Yes. Each site has designated special areas for quiet study.
Will there be knowledgeable on-site support staff?
Yes. Each site will have dedicated trained staff to support all the functions that need to occur there. There will be student services staff, curriculum assistants, instructional technology staff and local faculty. There will also be dedicated facilitators for every teleconference and those individuals who will be responsible for making sure the equipment is working well and that the classroom provides a positive learning environment for all students.
Will the overall quality of education be the same?
Yes. Although each of the three sites has its own unique benefits, we expect that the quality of the academic experience will be equivalent regardless of the site attended.
Will this expansion compromise quality?
No. Each site has been carefully planned so that it will provide all the resources necessary to offer students the same learning experience.
Will students be safe at the DMC/surrounding area?
Yes. The Detroit Medical Center is located in a thriving urban environment. Thousands come to the “midtown” area each year for health care or to visit nearby cultural, sports and entertainment attractions. Local police and security continuously patrol to help keep visitors safe. The MSUCOM building within the Kresge Eye Institute is access controlled and provided parking is continuously monitored.
Will politics between WSU/DMC be a problem?
We do not think so. The MSUCOM DMC site will be located in the Kresge Eye Institute building (the former Hutzel Hospital location). Since the first two years are devoted to academic course work, there should be no contact between our students and those attending WSU, who will be taking their classes in other buildings at the DMC.
Will students feel a part of the class/MSU?
We certainly hope so. This is a subject that student and faculty leadership at MSUCOM has also been talking about and planning for during recent months. There will be continuous opportunities for Southeast Michigan students to interact with faculty and fellow students during the videoconferenced lectures. Because student organizations are an important part of the culture of medical school, MSUCOM will be provide opportunities for students to participate in student interest groups via high definition teleconferencing technology. Some student groups are planning to host their events at more central locations, enabling everyone to meet half way. And for the highest profile events (such as the white coat ceremony), all students will be together at East Lansing. We believe that providing multiple avenues for interaction will help students at the DMC and MUC to feel very much a part of their class at MSUCOM.
How are you planning to distinguish the identity of MSUCOM from Macomb Community College if the Macomb site is on their campus?
An entire new section of building is being constructed at the Macomb University Center for the new site of MSUCOM. This area will have prominent signage to make it abundantly clear that building is the new medical school site and not just another Macomb Community College building.
Will there be enough quality, reliable computers for student use?
Yes. Computers are vital for medical student learning and new equipment is being purchased for both Southeast Michigan sites. These will be placed in the student learning resource area and the computer histology lab. Wireless Internet will also be available for students who wish to use their personal laptop while on site.
What support in terms of academic advising will be available?
The vast majority of academic advising will be handled centrally by dedicated staff at East Lansing. Student services personnel at both DMC and MUC will play a supportive role and will assist students with choices related to electives and other local concerns.
What counseling will be available?
Health of our students is a prime concern for MSUCOM. Confidential emergency and routine counseling services will be provided at all sites.
What opportunities for extracurricular clinical activities will there be?
MSUCOM students at all sites are encouraged to participate in extracurricular clinical activities. These may include volunteering to help with flu shots, school physicals or service projects sponsored by the MSUCOM student organizations. These activities will be handled using the same forms and processes as those used in East Lansing for this purpose.
What about hospital shadowing during the preclerkship years?
Hospital shadowing will be available to Southeast Michigan students provided that the student’s immunizations are up to date and the correct paperwork has been prepared and submitted with all necessary approvals. The student services staff at DMC and MUC will assist students with these processes.
What electives will there be?
The electives at the MUC and DMC sites will be comparable to those provided at East Lansing. Some electives (such as the Health Disparities course) are lecture based and these will be provided to DMC and MUC via real-time high definition teleconferencing. Other electives (e.g. clinical shadowing) will be arranged locally, permitting students to work with local physicians in areas of interest.
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