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MOCF: MSUCOM’s Private Partner

by Dennis M. Paradis, M.P.H.
MOA Executive Director

The year was 1959. Alan Potts, D.O., was being installed as president of the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons. In his presidential address, Dr. Potts announced that Michigan would be the home of the next college of osteopathic medicine. This was a daunting task considering that no new osteopathic schools had been opened for 30 years. But in an effort to make Dr. Potts’ predictions come true, the osteopathic profession created a charity named the Michigan Osteopathic College Foundation (MOCF).

The first contribution to MOCF was a $1,000 check from the Detroit Osteopathic Hospital Auxiliary. Soon after that, the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons membership voted to tax themselves $2,000 (payable over 10 years) to create a trust fund, and a large number of Michigan’s osteopathic physicians contributed. With the support of MOCF, the Michigan College of Osteopathic Medicine was established in 1969 in Pontiac, Michigan, and became part of Michigan State University in 1971.

Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) has grown to become one of the nation’s most respected medical schools for primary care. During those 32 years of growth, MOCF has remained MSUCOM’s private partner. Each year the MOCF trust fund supports student grants or scholarships as well as a variety of MSUCOM programs for which other funding is not available. Examples of these projects include the Kobiljak Computer Center, the Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine Fellows Program, Communiqué and portions of the MSUCOM convocation, graduation and Silverfest programs. In 1997, MSU President Peter McPherson presented the MOCF board with the Frank S. Kedzie Award in recognition of $1 million in contributions to MSUCOM.

MOCF is a shining example of what is best in the osteopathic family — a willingness to reach out and support the next generation of osteopathic physicians. It started in 1959 when osteopathic physicians agreed to tax themselves to create a trust fund that would serve as a catalyst to build MSUCOM. Their leadership, vision and generosity have benefited every student that has attended MSUCOM. But that commitment didn’t end 25 years ago. It continues to the present day. Each time MOA members pay dues, they are asked to make a contribution to the MOCF. Each year, the osteopathic physicians of Michigan are asked to purchase tickets to a dinner-dance to support the MOCF, and each year Michigan osteopathic physicians reach into their pocket or pocketbook and make a contribution to support the next generation of osteopathic physicians.

As the executive director for MOCF, I hope that you will participate in the great osteopathic tradition of helping the next generation by supporting MOCF. In these difficult economic times MSUCOM students and programs need the support of their MOCF private partner more than ever.