Oakland, Western join CMU in forming medical school projects
Central Michigan University is not the only institution in the state making strides toward opening a school of medicine.
Oakland University and Western Michigan University also are moving through the various stages of developing their own medical schools, and have been for more than a year.
WMU spokeswoman Cheryl Roland said talks began at Western in the fall of 2007.
She said WMU’s medical school will be a privately funded project. In November, the university’s Board of Trustees announced an anonymous gift of $1.8 million to move the process forward and hire a dean pro temp. WMU officials also have reviewed studies done by outside firms before moving forward.
“In 2008, members of the university and community, along with Bronson Healthcare Group and Borgess Health, started investigating the feasibility of the medical school,” Roland said.
WMU, Borgess and Bronson commissioned the Larned and Weinberg report after another firm, DJW Associates, did a positive preliminary study.
“This was a much more detailed and in-depth study compared to the first one,” Roland said.
The Larned and Weinberg study reported the region had the necessary resources for establishing and maintaining an excellent medical school. It said a medical school could be an important contributor to the future success of the Kalamazoo area.
In January, university members and partners Borgess and Bronson met with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education about achieving preliminary accreditation.
Oakland University has already received its preliminary accreditation from the LMCE, said Ted Montgomery, the university’s director of Media Relations.
Oakland will house the medical school in a current structure located in Rochester Hills, he said. The university plans to begin instruction in August 2011, and has a founding dean in place, Dr. Robert Folberg.
In comparison
CMU has restarted the search process for a dean after interim Cam Enarson turned the position down for personal reasons in January.
Central has plans to break ground next week on a $24 million, 60,000-square-foot building to house its proposed medical school, whereas WMU has not yet decided on constructions plans for its school of medicine.
The university will set aside $5 million from its operating budget each year toward the project for five years.
CMU has announced a partnership with Central Michigan Community Hospital. However, the university continues to search for other medical partners, said Steve Smith, director of public relations.
“We are going to need a number of medical partners to meet the needs of the new medical school,” Smith said. “We are looking at Saginaw and other cities in the area for affiliations.”
