The Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSUCHM) is an academic division of Michigan State University (MSU) that grants the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree, emphasizing patient-centered care and a biopsychosocial approach to caring for patients. Required courses at the college reinforce the importance of ethics and professionalism in medicine. In 2013, U.S. News & World Report ranked the college 46th for primary care. The college was also ranked for family medicine and rural medicine. More than 4,000 M.D.s have graduated from the college. Pre-clinical campuses are located on MSU's main campus in East Lansing, Michigan and in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, while the clinical rotations are at eight community campuses located throughout Michigan. MSUCHM offers the Rural Physician Program or Rural Community Health Program to earn the Leadership in Rural Medicine Certificate. The college also offers the Leadership in Community and Public Health Certificate, based on the Flint campus.
History From 1959–61, several reports demonstrated the need for a third medical school in Michigan focused on serving the state's population through direct involvement in community health care. In 1961, the Michigan State Board of Trustees decided to begin a two-year medical program at Michigan State University. Several grants aided the development of the program. Michigan State University appointed Andrew D. Hunt Jr., MD as the first dean of the College of Human Medicine in 1964.
The College of Human Medicine began training pre-clinical medical students in the fall of 1966 (26 students) and the fall of 1967 (23 students). After their preclinical training, these students needed to transfer to other medical schools to finish the final two years of their medical school education. In 1967, the College of Human Medicine was approved for a four-year degree program. The first MDs graduated in 1972.
In 2006, Marsha D. Rappley, M.D., became the first graduate of the College of Human Medicine to become dean of the medical school. In August 2007, enrollment increased from 106 first-year students to 156 students. In October 2007, MSU Board of Trustees voted to approve a $90 million project to build a new educational facility in downtown Grand Rapids. The construction was supported entirely with private funds, including $55 million from Spectrum Health and $5 million from Richard DeVos. MSU alumnus and philanthropist Peter F. Secchia is the namesake for the facility, following his $10 million donation to the university.
In September 2010, the college's headquarters moved from Fee Hall in East Lansing to the newly built Secchia Center in Grand Rapids. The college's administration maintain offices at both the East Lansing and Grand Rapids campuses.
In June 2015, MSU announced plans to build an $88 million research complex, Grand Rapids Research Center, near the Secchia Center in downtown Grand Rapids. The center opened in September 2017. In later 2015, Marsha Rappley stepped down as Dean of the College, and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Aron Sousa, M.D., became interim dean.
On October 1, 2016, the College of Human Medicine welcomed its new dean, Norman Beauchamp Jr., MD, the second graduate of the college to serve as dean.
In October 2019, Dr. Norman Beauchamp was promoted as the Executive Vice President of Health Sciences at MSU. Dr. Aron Sousa once again reprised his role as interim dean and was appointed as dean in April 2022.
In October 2025, Dr. Aron Sousa stepped down as Dean of the college, and Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Professor of Medicine Dr. Supratik Rayamajhi, MD became interim dean.
Clinical training Clinical practice (undergraduate medical education during the third and fourth years of medical school), graduate medical education, and research takes place across eight campuses located throughout Michigan: Grand Rapids, Flint, Lansing, Upper Peninsula Region, Midland Region, Traverse City, Southeast Michigan, and Detroit. The college previously had a Saginaw campus, but that was transitioned to the Central Michigan University College of Medicine in 2011. The campus in Kalamazoo, was transitioned to Western Michigan University in 2014.
Students are assigned to one of the campuses for their third and fourth years, rather than a specific hospital. The campus administration then places students at hospitals within the campus. After submitting a request, clinical students are also able to take a clerkship at a campus other than their assigned campus. Students may fulfill clerkship electives outside of the MSU system only in their fourth year.
Grand Rapids The Grand Rapids campus serves as both a pre-clinical and clinical campus. Approximately 140 third- and fourth-year medical students are at this campus. Corewell Health Butterworth Hospital Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Trinity Health Hospital Pine Rest Mental Health Hospital
Flint Students at the Flint campus have the opportunity to participate in the Leadership in Community and Public Health Certificate program. Approximately 80 third- and fourth-year medical students are at this campus. Ascension Genesys Hospital Hurley Medical Center McLaren Regional Medical Center
Lansing The Lansing campus serves as both a pre-clinical and clnical campus. Approximately 26 third- and fourth-year medical students are at this campus. McLaren–Greater Lansing Hospital University of Michigan-Sparrow Hospital
Upper Peninsula Region The Upper Peninsula campus is based in Marquette. Students at this campus have the opportunity to participate in the Rural Physician Program to earn the Leadership in Rural Medicine Certificate. Approximately 20 third- and fourth-year medical students are at this campus. Marquette General Hospital
Midland Region The Midland Regional Campus is based in Midland, but students at this campus also have clerkships in hospitals in Alma, Clare, and Gladwin. This campus was formerly known as the Saginaw campus, but the headquarters moved to Midland as of July 2011. Students at this campus have the opportunity to participate in the Rural Community Health Program to earn the Leadership in Rural Medicine Certificate. Approximately 20 third- and fourth-year medical students are at this campus. MyMichigan Medical Center Midland MyMichigan Medical Center Gladwin MyMichigan Medical Center Clare MyMichigan Medical Center Alma
Traverse City The Traverse City Campus is based in Traverse City, but students at campus complete their clerkships throughout Northern Michigan hospitals including Alpena, Cadillac, Charlevoix, Grayling and Ludington. Students at this campus have the opportunity to participate in the Rural Community Health Program to earn the Leadership in Rural Medicine Certificate. Approximately 24 third- and fourth-year medical students are at this campus. Munson Medical Center MyMichigan Medical Center Alpena Corewell Health Ludington
Southeast Michigan Approximately 40 third- and fourth-year medical students are at this campus. Henry Ford Providence Southfield Hospital Henry Ford Providence Novi Hospital
Detroit Established in 2022, the Detroit campus is the college's newest campus. Approximately 26 third- and fourth-year medical students are at this campus.
Henry Ford Hospital Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital
Graduate medical education Residencies The College of Human Medicine sponsors or is affiliated with 59 graduate medical education programs and 872 residents, including the following programs. In the Lansing area, MSU collaborates with area hospitals through Graduate Medical Education, Inc. In the Grand Rapids area, MSU programs are affiliated with the Grand Rapids Medical Education Partners. MSU/Flint Area Medical Education partners with MSU CHM in the Flint area. Specialty Location Sponsor(s) ReferenceEmergency MedicineLansingMSU CHM, MSU COM, Sparrow HospitalEmergency MedicineGrand RapidsMSU CHM, GRMEPFamily MedicineLansingSparrow Hospital, MSU CHMFamily MedicineGrand RapidsGRMEP, MSU CHMFamily MedicineMarquetteMarquette General Hospital, MSU CHM, Lake Erie COMFamily MedicineMidlandMidMichigan Medical Center-Midland, MSU CHMFamily MedicineTraverse CityMunson Medical Center, MSU CHM, MSU COMGeneral SurgeryLansing, FlintMSU CHMGeneral SurgeryGrand RapidsGRMEP, MSU CHMInternal MedicineLansingMSU CHM, Sparrow HospitalInternal MedicineGrand RapidsGRMEP, MSU CHMObstetrics and GynecologyLansingSparrow Hospital, MSU CHM, MSU COM Obstetrics and GynecologyGrand RapidsGRMEP, MSU CHMOrthopaedic SurgeryGrand RapidsGRMEP, MSU CHMPediatricsLansingMSU CHM, Sparrow HospitalPediatricsGrand RapidsGRMEP, MSU CHMPhysical Medicine and RehabilitationLansingMSU CHM, MSU COM, GMEI, Sparrow HospitalPlastic SurgeryGrand RapidsGRMEP, MSU CHMPsychiatryLansingMSU CHM, MSU COMDiagnostic RadiologyFlintMSU CHM, MSU FAMEDiagnostic RadiologyGrand RapidsMSU CHM, GRMEPVascular SurgeryGrand RapidsGRMEP, MSU CHM
Fellowships Affiliated fellowship programs include: Cardiology Child and adolescent psychiatry Endocrinology Geriatrics Hematology/oncology Infectious disease Interventional cardiology Neonatology Surgical Critical Care
Notable alumni Mona Hanna-Attisha - pediatrician, public health advocate and Flint Water Crisis whistleblower Richard E. Holmes - among the first African-Americans to attend Mississippi State University John A. McDougall - vegan advocate and nutrition expert Nicholas Perricone - dermatologist and author Stuart Sprague, nephrologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at the Pritzker School of Medicine Ulana Suprun - former acting Minister of Healthcare of Ukraine
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