Rao pledges to keep med school on right track

Those who know University President Michael Rao speak highly of his energy and hard work.

But as Rao prepares to become the next president of Virginia Commonwealth University, many are anxious over his commitment to the most ambitious project Central Michigan University has undertaken in a decade: the planned medical school.

“I was hoping that Mike would be around at least two more years to see the medical school into fruition,” said former CMU Trustee John Kulhavi. “It’s going to be a tough task to continue.”

At the Board of Trustees meeting last week, Rao said the search is on for an interim dean to head up the school.

In a conference call with reporters on Saturday, Rao said that before he leaves, he will close on affiliations agreements with hospitals in Mid-Michigan, particularly in Saginaw, that would host students in their fourth and fifth year of training.

Rao said Central Michigan University hopes to enroll students in medical courses on campus by 2011 and that the basic science course groundwork is already laid.

He is also committed to the $100,000 donation he made to the medical school in December, he said. Slightly more than $300,000 in donations has been committed to the project so far.

“We’ve made great progress on the design and the design is all really a matter of curriculum,” Rao said. “What happens in that first two years is what determines the design. That’s what is waiting to be put into motion.”

Negotiated partnerships for the medical school’s later years of clinical work with students is likely to be with St. Mary’s of Michigan and Convenant Medical Center, both hospitals in Saginaw.

Possibilities for a medical campus between the two entities continue to favor construction on vacant land just off the west bank of the Saginaw River.

The land was purchased by Michigan Healthpark Development in August and offered to the project for free in December.

Dr. Gerald Schell, a neurologist in Saginaw and leading visionary behind the healthpark development, said no official response regarding the medical campus has been received from CMU.

“I personally don’t care where the medical school goes, as long as it’s in Saginaw – we really need one,” Schell said. “The physician shortage is a much bigger concern than Dr. Rao leaving CMU.”

Schell said he fully intends to do whatever he can personally to see the project through, even after Rao leaves.

“We’re going forward with this school. It’s an unbelievable opportunity for us in Saginaw and Michael has been a real force so far,” he said. “I think that it was the Board of CMU trustees and it wasn’t Michael Rao that approved this medical school.”

A CMU-generated meeting among Saginaw area officials and its chamber of commerce is expected to be held this month, Schell said.

“He’s a full steam ahead kind of guy, and he’s got this medical school going way far down the road,” Schell said. “Obviously he wants to push his projects as far forward as he can.”

university@cm-life.com