Academic Programs Catalog

PROGRAM IN HUMAN MEDICINE

The professional program leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree has been accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education of the American Medical Association/American Association of Medical Colleges.

To achieve its educational goals, the college will:

1. Recruit students from diverse academic, geographical, racial, and ethnic origins.
2. Enact a curriculum for medical students that:
   1. is strongly influenced by the focus of educating primary care physicians.
   2. utilizes the biopsychosocial model of medicine.
   3. is located, to the extent possible, in communities that closely approximate the environments in which students, as physicians, will ultimately provide health care.
   4. considers the needs of the population which its students will ultimately serve.
   5. emphasizes medicine as a helping profession as well as an applied science.
   6. fosters student responsibility for self–learning, peer evaluation, interactive professional discussion, and decision making in groups of health professionals.
   7. results in the preparation of graduates to enter and complete graduate medical education.
   8. can be evaluated in terms of its intended outcomes.
   9. can be modified based on assessment of its effectiveness.
   10. emphasizes preventive and health maintenance services in clinical practice.
3. Provide oversight to integrated and affiliated community residency and fellowship programs that stress goals similar to those of the medical student curriculum.
4. Promote and support graduate student and postgraduate programs in the disciplines basic to medicine.
5. Provide programs whereby physicians and other health professionals can acquire the conceptual background and skills in instruction, educational planning, evaluation, research, and administration needed to function as effective faculty members.
6. Conduct patient care programs that encourage and foster continued clinical excellence by the faculty and that provide students with examples of quality–evaluated and cost–effective patient care.
7. Sponsor, organize, and evaluate continuing education programs in medically related fields of biological, behavioral, social, educational, and clinical sciences to assist practicing physicians and other health professionals in pursuing lifelong learning objectives, often by collaborating with community organizations and physicians.
8. Collaborate with other colleges in providing educational programs and experiences that would expand the scope of health professions education in the University.

SHARED DISCOVERY CURRICULUM

The College of Human Medicine’s Shared Discovery Curriculum is designed to be responsive to the health care needs of Michigan, the country, and in the educational best interests of diverse learners.  The curriculum represents a significant departure from present educational models by emphasizing usefulness and experience as the motivating framework for adult medical education.

The design of the curriculum is based on a set of guiding principles which are divided into two categories. The core principles are envisioned as the foundation to all learning within the curriculum.  The critical additional principles are central to the college’s vision and mission and should be reflected in the experiences of any graduate of our program.

Core Principles
Adult learning/student centered
Competence and excellence
Rational instructional design
Humanism
Integration
Patient-centered
Faculty development link to the curriculum

Critical Additional Principles
Community medicine
Chronic disease
Compassion and empathy
Innovative use of technology
Problem-based
Cultural competence
Healthcare disparities
Future oriented
Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)
accreditation standards
Multidisciplinary programming
Safety science
Continuous quality improvement model
Teamwork
Leadership

Learning Societies

Students and faculty are organized in an Academy through the creation of four learning societies spanning the geographic campuses and medical student years in the curriculum.  The learning societies are the site of academic coordination of student learning plans as well as the home of post clinic groups that integrate and contextualize students’ experiences in clinic with the programmed content of the curriculum. The learning societies provide student mentorship, exploration of the social context of medicine and medical humanities, and peer-to-peer and near-peer support.

The college’s curriculum is organized around a core group of competencies based on residency competencies: Service, Care of Patients, Rationality, Integration, Professionalism, and Transformation. The acronym is SCRIPT, and these are, with the exception of service, based on residency competencies adopted by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME).

Major Curriculum Experiences

The curriculum will be organized around three major clinical experiences: the Early Clinical Experience, Middle Clinical Experience, and Late Clinical Experience.  Between the clinical experiences there are intersessions which will provide an opportunity for students to focus on particular areas of strength, and interest.

Early Clinical Experience

The 24-week Early Clinical Experience begins with an 8-week lead-in preparation which emphasizes student and patient safety in clinical settings, communication and clinical skills, the social context of clinical decisions, and a survey of the necessary sciences underpinning common ambulatory clinical exam procedures, diagnostics tests, and clinical findings.  Within the first few weeks of the Early Clinical Experience, students take the Progress Suite and develop a personal learning plan with their learning community faculty. Students begin orientation in their ambulatory clinic site and begin learning the clinic’s processes by week 9 of the curriculum. In their clinical setting, students sequentially function as a medical assistant and then participate in care management activities before beginning to do focused histories and examinations on patients with common presenting conditions.

The weekly template for the Early Clinical Experience student workflow includes small group sessions, a large group activity, Post Clinic Group, necessary science laboratory, clinical simulation, and Guided Independent Learning time each week. The weekly tempate is programmed utilizing chief complaints and concerns end-competencies.

Topics in the early weeks of the Early Clinical Experience include: introductory gross anatomy and radiological correlates for the Core Physical Exam; and integrative molecular and cellular biology of common laboratory tests and host response to pathogen.

Intersessions

The Shared Discovery Curriculum includes intersessions between the Early and Middle Clinical Experiences and again between the Middle and Late Clinical Experiences designed to help students prepare for their next level of clinical work.

There are three blocks of intersessions between the Early and Middle Clinical Experiences.  Each block is four weeks long and students takes two intersessions at a time.  Students take required intersessions Students also have the opportunity to take foundational intersessions in basic sciences and clinical skills, topics of special interest as well as advanced topics.

Between the Middle and Late Clinical Experiences there are two blocks of intersessions.  Each block is four weeks long and students take three total intercession topics.  Students are required to take an intersession preparing for the United States Medical Licensure Examination Step I exam.

Middle Clinical Experience

The 30 week Middle Clinical Experience in the curriculum further integrates clinical and necessary science and humanities experiences to a greater depth and with students in varied clinical settings.  The learning society scholar groups of the Early Clinical Experience continue once a week in the Middle Clinical Experience in support of the weekly-programmed content.  Students continue to participate in simulation every week, which integrate clinical skills and necessary sciences.  They participate in necessary science laboratory experiences and their curriculum continues to be programmed utilizing Chief Complaints and Concerns end-competencies. The clinical experiences of the Middle Clinical Experience include 12 clinical rotations (Adult Wards, Care Management and Social Work, Emergency Medicine, Newborn Service, Nursing, Nutrition, Palliative Care and Pain, Pediatric Wards, Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Respiratory Therapy, Women’s Health) each of which have their own goals and objectives supported by a weekly rotation-based small group precepted by faculty.

Late Clinical Experience

The Late Clinical Experience provides disciplinary clerkships to prepare students for residency and a career of learning in the specialty of their interest. The major disciplines are included through rotations in family medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, surgery (1 and 2), and required selectives in primary care and critical care.  A Human Medicine course series, Advanced Skills and Knowledge, including the recurring progress assessment suites, occurs throughout the Late Clinical Experience.

During the Late Clinical Experience, students are also required to complete 18 weeks of approved clinical electives as a part of meeting the college graduation requirements. At least 4 of the 18 weeks must be completed in the community to which the student is assigned. Students are encouraged to study broadly and/or to pursue intensively their special interests through elective programs. Elective programs may include a variety of courses offered by the college and university, research projects, and placements in clinical settings. Students may also take elective courses at other medical schools or be placed in clinical settings other than those associated with Michigan State University.

PROGRESS ASSESSMENT

From the first days of the curriculum, and at regular intervals throughout the curriculum, a suite of progress assessments enable students and their faculty to verify learners’ achievement of competence and readiness to advance.  Progress testing is a longitudinal competency assessment that facilitates adult lifelong learning and represents the College of Human Medicine’s graduation test for the M.D. degree.  Students take the progress suite assessment and move through the curriculum as they demonstrate competency.  With some slight variation for licensure preparation, every offering of the progress suite of assessments is equivalent and students are evaluated on these end-competency assessments many times in their College of Human Medicine career.

Pragmatism as an educational philosophical stance requires assessing thought, action and their interaction.  The curriculum utilizes a group of assessments that include the nationally-normed multiple choice examinations associated with a professional education but do not stop at the determination of simply what our learners “know.”  A core assessment is the Progress Clinical Skills Examination of actual performance with standardized patients. Other assessments in the suite include a multi-source rating by their faculty, peers, health care team members and actual patients which indicates what our College of Human Medicine students “do.”  Portfolios of evidence containing essays, multimedia, reflections, scholarly products and projects are regularly reviewed by faculty to assure that acquisition of the necessary knowledge, skills and attitudes is taking place, and that learners can receive anticipatory guidance to achieve not only competence, but excellence. Ongoing data flow from these multiple types of assessments assures that students, faculty, staff, and administration are engaging in continuous quality improvement. Students are guided to focus on particular areas of challenge and opportunity.

Progress suite assessments are offered twice a semester to students of all levels of the curriculum.  Students are required to pass the progress suite of assessments in order to advance through the curriculum.

ADMISSION TO THE PROGRAM IN HUMAN MEDICINE

The College of Human Medicine Committee on Admissions strives to select qualified applicants who are academically, emotionally, motivationally, and socially competent and ready for the rigors of medical school and for a career in medicine. These competencies creates graduates who meet the bio-psycho-social needs of a diverse patient population. As a community-integrated medical school in Michigan, the college’s mission focuses on educating physicians to meet the primary health care needs of the people of Michigan, including the state’s underserved rural and inner-city areas. In preparation for serving a diverse patient population, the composition of the entering class of 190 students is representative of Michigan’s general population. Students come from a variety of cultural, geographic, and ethnic backgrounds. In recent history, women have comprised more than 50 percent, underrepresented minority students 20 to 25 percent, and Michigan residents 75 to 80 percent of the entering class. Since there is no preference for academic majors, applicants with varied academic backgrounds are represented in each entering class, including those with degrees in the natural sciences, applied sciences, arts, business, engineering, humanities, and social sciences.

The College of Human Medicine uses the primary application services available through the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Applicants may contact their premedical advisor, or contact AMCAS at http: //www.aamc.org for application information. The Committee on Admissions encourages students to submit the AMCAS application in June of the year prior to anticipated enrollment, but no later than the November 1 deadline date. The Committee also requires that all applicants submit Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) scores. The MCAT is administered multiple times throughout the year. MCAT scores are valid for three years. For more information about the MCAT, applicants should contact their premedical advisors, or the MCAT Program Office at www.aamc.org/students/applying/mcat. For further information about the College of Human Medicine, request a copy of the CHM Handbook for Premedical Students, by contacting the College of Human Medicine at http://www.chm.msu.edu/

The admissions process will continue the college's traditional use of holistic review, which uses a balanced assessment of academic metrics, activities, and personal characteristics, and attributes when making admissions decisions. The College of Human Medicine Office of Admissions evaluates applicants’ AMCAS applications, including life experiences and personal statements, and letters of recommendation (personal characteristics and attributes), and academic profile (major, classes, GPA trends, MCAT scores, undergraduate institution). Admission officers from the admissions office act on direction from the admissions committee to evaluate the applications to determine the most qualified applicants to advance to the next phase of the admissions process, the interview. Students are invited to Interview Day to learn more about the College of Human Medicine through a series of highly-structured interviews and programs. Applicant interviews consists of a one-on-one interview with a medical students and a 100-minute, eight-station multiple mini-interview that incorporates faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other vested individuals. Interviewers are trained to assess applicants on the qualities the College associates with becoming exemplar physicians consistent with the mission of the college.

The Committee on Admissions makes the final admissions decisions based on the following cognitive and non-cognitive considerations:

1. Academic competence including attributes such as fulfilling the premedical requirements, grades, trend in grades, degrees earned, rigors of the degree programs, MCAT scores, research experience, and cognitive skills.
2. Experiences consistent with a commitment and success within medicine, such as clinical experiences, non-medical community service experiences, experiences with people different from self, experiences showing commitment to a community of people, mentoring experiences, leadership experiences, and teamwork experiences.
3. Personal characteristics and attributes that are consistent with a commitment and success within medicine, such as compassion, maturity, social responsibility, professional responsibility, morals and ethics, sociability, cultural competence, self-awareness calm-disposition, honesty, competence, and respect for others.

Minimum requirements which must be fulfilled prior to enrollment in the program in human medicine are:

1. Be a U.S. or Canadian citizen or permanent resident of the United States.
2. Have a valid U.S. or Canadian Driver’s License and reliable vehicle upon matriculation.
3. Have completed at least a four-year high school education or equivalent.
4. Have completed all premedical requirements, including a bachelor’s degree earned in the U.S. or Canada.
5. Have taken the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT).
6. Have taken the CASPer Test.

The graduate programs of the college provide opportunities for advanced study with emphasis in a single discipline at the departmental level. Programs leading to the degrees of Master of Public Health, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy are offered. Graduate Certificates in Human Medicine Research, Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved, Leadership in Rural Medicine, Medical Partners in Public Health, and Public Health are available. 

All graduate programs of the college are designed to develop independent effort, encourage creative thinking, and educate the student in the fundamentals of basic research. Each student's program is arranged to suit his or her individual needs within the restriction that the final program must conform to one of the general patterns approved by the faculties of the department, college and the university. The college administers master’s degrees in biostatistics, clinical medicine, epidemiology and public health. Doctor of Philosophy degrees are offered through the basic biological science departments.

Several colleges and departments within Michigan State University cooperate in offering the interdepartmental Doctor of Philosophy degree program with a major in neuroscience, which is administered by the College of Natural Science.  For additional information, refer to the statement on the Doctoral Program in Neuroscience in the College of Natural Science section of this catalog.

Students who are enrolled in master’s or doctoral degree programs in the Department of Physiology and Department of Psychiatry may elect an Interdepartmental Specialization in Cognitive Science. For additional information, refer to the statement on Interdepartmental Graduate Specializations in Cognitive Science in the College of Social Science section of this catalog.

The Dual Degree Medical Scientist Training Program is a special program for students who want to earn both a professional medical doctoral degree (Doctor of Medicine) and a graduate research doctoral degree (Doctor of Philosophy). The program seeks to meet a national need for physicians who are proficient in research as well as in medicine, and who will pursue careers as faculty members in medical schools and research institutions.

The program is designed to select, educate, and train highly motivated students having outstanding research and academic qualifications. Trainees pursue medical and graduate studies in parallel, meet regularly with peers in seminars, and engage in medical and graduate level courses and clerkships, as well as in research with highly qualified mentors.

A student who is interested in this program should contact the office of the associate dean for research and graduate study in the College of Human Medicine.

For additional information, refer to the statement on Special Programs in the Graduate Education section of this catalog.

The Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Medicine provides longitudinal clinical experiences with a robust integration of basic and clinical sciences, including significant patient contact and patient care experience, in addition to education in basic and medical sciences.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the University as described in the Graduate Education section of this catalog, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the Master of Arts Degree in Clinical Medicine, students must:

1. be a currently enrolled College of Human Medicine medical student;
2. have successfully completed the first two years of medical school including HM 552, HM 553, and HM 554;
3. elect not to continue to completion of the M.D. degree.

The Master of Public Health Degree in Public Health engages students in course work and practical training to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities to successfully perform as a public health professional.  Public health is a discipline that is distinct from clinical medicine.  Public health focuses on the health status of communities and populations and emphasizes disease prevention and health promotion over treatment.   Three major functions of public health include assessment, policy development and assurance. Core disciplines contributing to public health include biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental health sciences. Prospective students are encouraged to review mph.msu.edu for additional information.

In addition to meeting the requirements of the University and of the College of Human Medicine, students must meet the requirements specified below.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the Master of Public Health in Public Health, an applicant must:

1. submit an Application to Graduate Study at Michigan State University with application fee;
2. have earned a bachelor’s degree from a recognized, accredited educational institution;
3. submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE), Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) or Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores;
4. submit three letters of recommendation from professional or academic references;
5. submit a personal statement describing interest in and understanding of public health including professional career goals, and how their experiences, personal and professional, have influenced that interest;
6. submit official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended;
7. submit a resume or curriculum vitae;
8. submit official English language proficiency test scores to institution code 1465 (TOEFL, IELTS, MELAB) if applying as an international applicant.

The MPH Admission Committee integrates the academic information, letters of recommendation, and personal statement to make the final admissions decision based on the following considerations:

1. Academic:  including attributes such as grades, trend in grades, degrees earned, rigors of the degree programs, graduate study placement scores, research experience, and cognitive skills;
2. Personal Motivation:  including attributes such as public health experience and insights about public health competencies, health care reform, and other ethical, social, legal, political, and economic aspects of health;
3. Social Awareness:  including attributes such as community service, experience with persons or groups unlike themselves, leadership, and mentoring experiences, as well as effective communication skills and sensitivity to community concerns.

Requirements for the Master of Public Health in Public Health

The Master of Public Health in Public Health is available only online and under Plan B (non-thesis). Students must complete 43 credits as specified below.

The Graduate Certificate in Applied Parasitology for Public Health provides students the knowledge necessary for augmenting existing graduate and medical programs by contributing to the development, implementation, and maintenance of field-based health programs aimed at controlling or eliminating parasitic infections. The Graduate Certificate in Applied Parasitology for Public Health is available only online.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Applied Parasitology for Public Health

The Graduate Certificate in Clinical Research Trials Management is a collaborative program offered by Michigan State University and Grand Valley State University. The program is offered only online and designed for experienced clinical researchers seeking additional course work or preparation for entering a clinical research trials career.  

Admission

1. have a bachelor’s or advanced degree.
2. submit official copies of transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended.
3. provide three letters of recommendation.
4. submit a personal essay describing interest or experience in clinical trials research and career goals.
5. provide a resume or curriculum vitae.

International students must also:

1. submit evidence of English language proficiency verified by an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
2. provide proof of funding if requesting an I-20.

Students who have been admitted to a master’s or doctoral degree program at either University must notify both the graduate studies office and the program coordinator if they intend to seek this certificate in addition to the program for which they have been admitted.

Students must complete 12 credits from the following courses:

HM         868         Integrated Research Study Design and Informatics (3)
PHM       659         Regulatory Affairs and Project Management in Clinical Research (3)

From Grand Valley State University, the following course:

PSM       650         Ethics and Professionalism in Applied Science (3)

From Grand Valley State University, one of the following courses:

AHS       692         Clinical Research Trials Capstone (3)
PA         535         Grant Writing (3)
STA       610         Applied Statistics for Health Professionals (3)

Students who do not have two or more years of professional experience related to clinical trials research are advised to select AHS 692 as part of their program of study. If selected, AHS 692 must be taken after completion of at least two of the required courses and may be taken concurrently with the third required course.

Transfer Credit

Because of the collaborative nature of this program, the courses listed above are the only courses that can be used to satisfy the requirements of this certificate. Courses from institutions other than Michigan State University and Grand Valley State University cannot be used in this certificate program. The certificate awarded to students will include the following statement: Collaborative Program of Grand Valley State University and Michigan State University.

The Graduate Certificate in Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals embodies the principles of prevention in public health and tackles the emerging threat of fake legal drugs. The certificate is available only online.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals

Students must complete all of the following courses (15 credits):

The Graduate Certificate in Human Medicine Research trains students to possess a special set of knowledge, skills and abilities enabling them to become productive researchers during medical school. Students will engage in rigorous, long-term research experience resulting in high-impact outcomes, positioning them for admittance to research-intensive residency programs and competitiveness for future research funding.  The graduate certificate is available to students currently enrolled in the Professional Program in Human Medicine leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree.

Admission

To be considered for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Human Medicine Research, an applicant must:

1. Be enrolled in the Professional Program in Human Medicine leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree.
2. Submit a university application.

The Graduate Certificate in International Public Health provides access to interdisciplinary study in global health issues with the opportunity to gain specific expertise in the unique challenges of international public health in the developing world, or among relevant international populations in the United States. The certificate is also designed to develop an intellectual environment that will foster the growth of research, teaching and practice in international public health.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in International Public Health

The Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved prepares physicians to address the needs of medically underserved and vulnerable populations of the United States and abroad. The graduate certificate is available to students currently pursuing the Professional Program in Human Medicine leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved

Students must successfully complete the following:

The Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Rural Medicine trains students to possess a special set of knowledge, skills and attitudes enabling them to better understand address the medical needs and provision of healthcare to individuals living in rural and remote communities. The graduate certificate is available to students currently pursuing the Professional Program in Human Medicine leading to the Doctor of Medicine degree.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Leadership in Rural Medicine

Students must successfully complete the following:

The Graduate Certificate in Medical Partners in Public Health is designed for College of Human Medicine medical students who are interested in complementing their clinical medicine training with a rigorous population and community-focused approach to improving public health. The certificate helps fulfill the Center for Disease Control’s vision of training physicians who do not yet have a public health degree.

Admission

Students must be in good academic standing to participate in the program. Students must apply for and be selected for the program by completing the application process which consists of essays and interviews. Students are not eligible for the certificate if they already possess master’s in public health degree or certificate.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Medical Partners in Public Health

Students must complete all of the following courses (18 credits):

The Graduate Certificate in Public Health is designed to provide students with an overview of the core disciplines, a basis for understanding the breadth and scope of the public health field.  Public health differs from clinical medicine in its focus on populations and emphasis on health promotion and disease prevention.  Public health activities such as health education, control of communicable diseases, application of sanitary measures and environmental monitoring contribute to the health status of communities.  Core public health disciplines include biostatistics, epidemiology, health policy and management, social and behavioral sciences, and environmental health sciences. The certificate is available only online.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Public Health

The Graduate Certificate in Public Health Administration offers additional study in the area of public health administration which includes planning, organization, administration, management, evaluation and policy analysis of health and public health programs.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Public Health Administration

The Graduate Certificate in Public Health Informatics provides  a systematic application of information, computer science, and technology to public health practice, research and learning.

Students who successfully complete the course work will be well positioned to compete for the Public Health Informatics Fellowship program sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Requirements for the Graduate Certificate in Public Health Informatics

Students must complete all of the following courses (15 credits):

GRADUATE STUDY

The Department of Anesthesia is administered by the College of Human Medicine with the mission of providing medical students with vital experience in airway management and the care of patients during surgery. Faculty provide hands-on training for residents from other medical specialties and for students in other health fields involving the care of surgical patients (nurse anesthetists, physician assistants, anesthesia assistants, and emergency medical technicians). Outside the surgical suites, the department collaborates with community anesthesiologists in developing continuing education programs for the benefit of physicians around the state.

Erich Grotewold, Chairperson

GRADUATE STUDY

The Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is administered jointly by the colleges of Human Medicine, Natural Science, and Osteopathic Medicine.  These colleges offer Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs with a major in biochemistry and molecular biology. For additional information about the department and its graduate degree programs, refer to the statement on the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in the College of Natural Science section of this catalog.

Michael Brown, Chairperson

GRADUATE STUDY

The Department of Emergency Medicine is administered by the College of Human Medicine. The department’s responsibilities include preclinical and clinical medical student teaching, emergency medicine residency training, and research. Areas of clinical research and education encompass the broad spectrum of acute care ranging from pediatric emergencies to geriatrics. The research program emphasizes collaboration with other clinical departments and communities in the areas of neurological emergencies, resuscitation, and knowledge translation. The department is affiliated with graduate medical education programs in community hospitals where the department faculty train emergency medicine residents.

Dawn P. Misra, Chairperson

The Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics offers multiple graduate-level educational opportunities including Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs in epidemiology, Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degree programs in biostatistics, postdoctoral research training in epidemiology and biostatistics, and an epidemiology certificate program as a non-degree graduate program. The department also offers an undergraduate Minor in Global Public Health and Epidemiology. In addition, the Department faculty also teach epidemiology and biostatistics to students pursuing medical or other graduate degrees.

Epidemiology and biostatistics are population-oriented quantitative disciplines for medical science and biomedical research; both are concerned with public health. Epidemiologists and biostatisticians work to gain increasingly definitive evidence about how to promote health and to prevent or reduce risk of disease, to delay disease onset, and to shorten or ameliorate disease-related suffering and disability. They also help to shape the practice of evidence-based medicine through methodological and substantive contributions needed for cost effectiveness and decision analysis. Epidemiology and biostatistics are both multidisciplinary endeavors involving a mastery of biological science in health, as well as an understanding of mechanisms that link population health to societal factors and to individual-level health-related behavior that maintains or compromises health.

Julie Patricia Phillips, Chairperson

Supratik Rayamajhi, Chairperson

The Department of Medicine has major responsibilities for providing students with clinical knowledge and experience throughout all levels of the curriculum in areas including basic science correlations, clinical skills, physical and laboratory diagnosis, and problem solving. Department faculty are deeply involved in curricular delivery and development centrally as well as in our clinical communities throughout the state. The department also partners with graduate programs in medical education in a number of affiliated hospitals, making significant contributions to training medical residents and subspecialty fellows, and to continuing education for practicing physicians in the communities. 

Faculty members are actively involved in research and collaborate actively with faculty in other departments and affiliated institutions in communities. These programs are based in university facilities including laboratories in the Life Science Building and the Clinical Center. Clinical research is also conducted at the MSU Breslin Cancer Center. The Department of Medicine is dedicated to advancing the practice of medicine while embracing diversity, challenge and opportunity.

Victor J. DiRita, Chairperson

GRADUATE STUDY

The Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics is administered jointly by the colleges of Human Medicine, Natural Science, Osteopathic Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine.  All four of these colleges offer a Master of Science degree in microbiology and molecular genetics and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in microbiology and molecular genetics. For additional information about the department and its graduate degree programs, refer to the statement on the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in the College of Natural Science section of this catalog.

David Kaufman, Chairperson

The Department of Neurology and Ophthalmology, established July 1, 2000, is an outgrowth of the former neuro-ophthalmology unit that has existed on campus since 1986.  The department lead is through the College of Osteopathic Medicine with participation with the College of Human Medicine.  It offers dually accredited residency programs in neurology; fellowship programs in neuro-ophthalmology, stroke, neuro-intervention, neuro-physiology, epilepsy, and neuro-epidemiology; and clinical and research programs for medical and graduate students. The department has Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) approval for its neurology residency subspecialty fellowships.  It also provides academic oversight for multiple ophthalmology residency programs statewide.

Its broad research portfolio is supported by multiple National Institutes of Health (NH) grants and other extramural funding.  Major themes of the department’s research are to use the eyes as a model for brain disease.  It also has major research interest in stroke, neuro-intervention, muscle and peripheral nerve disease, neuro-degenerative disease, epilepsy, sports concussion and demyelinating disease.  The department shares research and clinical faculty with affiliated clinical and research laboratories on the MSU campus, state and worldwide including sub-Saharan Africa.

The clinical responsibilities of the department are fulfilled by on campus neurologists and neuro-ophthalmologists who have subspecialty training in a number of different disciplines of neurology. To enrich its research, clinical and educational programs, the department also collaborates with numerous clinicians statewide, nationally and internationally.  MSU’s International Neurology, Psychiatry and Epidemiology Programs (INPEP) are administered through this unit and has outposts in several countries in sub-Saharan Africa.



 

Richard E. Leach, Chairperson

The vision for the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine is to be the leader in the clinical translation of cutting-edge innovation and research to improve the health of the patients and communities that we serve. Faculty members have achieved national recognition for research focused on the health care needs of women across their life spans and in diverse communities. The department has recruited accomplished researchers in women’s health, including physicians, nurses, sociologists, clinical translational scientists and epidemiologists focused not only on the medical aspects, but on the social disparities that threaten women’s health.

The department is comprised of a diverse faculty that participates in the educational, research and service goals of the College of Human Medicine to enhance understanding of women's health, including genetic, social, cultural and environmental influences.

Within this framework, the department’s responsibilities are to provide educational experiences to medical students during the pre-clinical and clinical years, develop and contribute to programs of graduate and continuing medical education, conduct research, and promote optimal women’s health within the community. To accomplish its educational goals, the department participates in the College’s interdisciplinary programs and directs the required and elective clinical courses across its seven community campuses. The faculty participates in graduate obstetric-gynecologic education through its four affiliate residency programs across the state. Research activities in the areas of human reproduction, gynecologic oncology, prenatal and infant health, health services delivery, and community health problems related to women’s health issues comprise the breadth of the department's research.

Douglas P. Dietzel, Chairperson

The Department of Orthopedics is administered jointly by the colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and Human Medicine. The College of Osteopathic Medicine is the primary administrative unit. The Department of Orthopedics aims to provide the best care with all aspects of bone, joint disorders, and orthopedic disease processes.  We seek advanced understanding and treatment options of these conditions through research and other scholarly work, and educate the next generation of physicians, scientists, and providers in the field both locally and globally. The department’s responsibilities include:  preclinical and clinical medical student teaching, preclinical and clinical physician assistant student teaching, Primary Care and Orthopedic Surgery residency training, Primary Care Sports Medicine Fellowship training, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sports Medicine Fellowship training, and Physician Extender Resident training. 

 

B. Keith English, Chairperson

Anne McLaren Dorrance, Chairperson

The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology is administered jointly by the colleges of Human Medicine, Osteopathic Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine. The College of Veterinary Medicine is the primary administrative unit. All three colleges offer a Master of Science degree program in Laboratory Research in Pharmacology and Toxicology, a Doctor of Philosophy degree program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, and a Graduate Certificate in Safety Pharmacology. The College of Osteopathic Medicine offers an online Master of Science degree program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, an online Master of Science degree program in Integrative Pharmacology, and an online Graduate Certificate program in Safety Pharmacology.

The department is responsible for teaching the fundamental and applied aspects of pharmacology and toxicology and offers courses at the undergraduate, professional, and graduate levels.

A Minor in Pharmacology and Toxicology is available to undergraduates through the College of Veterinary Medicine.

Charles Leroy Cox, Chairperson

GRADUATE STUDY

The Department of Physiology is administered jointly by the colleges of Human Medicine, Natural Science, Osteopathic Medicine, and Veterinary Medicine.  All four of these colleges offer Master of Science degree program in molecular, cellular, and integrative physiology and Doctor of Philosophy degree program in molecular, cellular, and integrative physiology. For additional information about the department and its graduate degree programs, refer to the statement on the Department of Physiology in the College of Natural Science section of this catalog.

Jed Gary Magen, Chairperson

The Department of Psychiatry is administered jointly by the colleges of Human Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine. The College of Human Medicine is the primary administrative unit.  The department plays a major role in integrating the behavioral sciences with the biological sciences and with clinical science elements of the professional programs of these colleges.  The department’s responsibilities include:  preclinical and clinical medical student teaching, psychiatry residency training, professional continuing medical education (CME), collaborating in graduate medical and psychiatric education with affiliated institutions, developing programs on CME for physicians, contributing to CME programs for other mental health care disciplines, patient care, and research. Areas of research emphasis include: neurocognitive dysfunctions secondary to malaria and AIDS, trace minerals in HIV-infected individuals, and developing research programs including some in collaboration with other clinical departments. The department has extensive telepsychiatry services to multiple sites around the state of Michigan.




 

Kevin Robinson, Chairperson

The Department of Radiology is jointly administered by the Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine and Human Medicine. The Department provides basic and clinical education in anatomy and diagnostic imaging including radiology, ultrasound, magnetic resonance, CT, women’s imaging and nuclear medicine. Department faculty have special skills and interests in management, health policy, and medical decision-making. In the College of Osteopathic Medicine, faculty participate in the Systems sequence, deliver RAD 610 as a required course, and provide radiology and anatomy content for several statewide campus system residency courses. Other electives are offered in both colleges, including clerkships in radiology and nuclear medicine at affiliated hospitals. The department sponsors a visiting professor program for residents, interns and medical students. The department directs an osteopathic residency program through a hospital in Garden City, Michigan. Research interests include molecular imaging, imaging physics, bioengineering, fMRI, sports physiology and regenerative medicine.  More information about the department can be found at www.rad.msu.edu.
 

The Department of Surgery is dedicated to providing state of the art, evidence-based and cost-effective surgical care.  We strive to put patients and their families first.  Our updated surgical curriculum is built to provide a solid foundation for medical students in all our clinical campuses, including Flint, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Midland Region, Southeast Michigan, Traverse City, and the Upper Peninsula.  Our postgraduate general surgery training programs strive to provide a broad clinical experience to our residents and launch their surgical career.  The department also offers several postgraduate surgical specialty training in critical care, cardiothoracic, colorectal, plastic and reconstructive and vascular surgery.  We foster a culture of scientific curiosity and seek new discoveries through clinical and basic science research.  The faculty is involved in several clinical trials and actively participates in regional and national clinical outcomes research. The surgical faculty is involved in all aspects of clinical care, education, simulation and research, and is committed to educate the surgeons of the future.

 

Jack Lipton, Chairperson

GRADUATE STUDY

The Department of Translational Neuroscience is a research-intensive department focused on the study and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The current faculty study Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Traumatic Brain Injury/Neuroinflammation. For first year College of Human Medicine medical students, the department offers Molecular Neuropathology of Neurodegenerative Diseases which provides advanced study of the pathological hallmarks, pathological molecules, symptomatology, diagnostic criteria, genetic and environmental risk factors, and the epidemiology and socioeconomics of neurodegenerative diseases.  Faculty members also participate in mentor-based education for students pursuing doctoral degrees through the Neuroscience and the Biomolecular Science graduate programs. The department strives to provide research opportunities and resources to students in pursuing translational neuroscience research. The faculty also have a comprehensive program of community outreach and education for patients and the lay public.



 

The Division of Human Pathology is administered by the colleges of Human Medicine and Osteopathic Medicine.

Randi Stanulis, Director

The Office of Medical Education Research and Development (OMERAD) is a multidisciplinary unit within the College of Human Medicine. The mission of OMERAD is to provide innovative educational opportunities for faculty to promote scholarship, develop curriculum, improve teaching effectiveness, lead learner assessment and program evaluation, and integrate educational technology to advance medical education. OMERAD faculty work collaboratively with educators and health care professionals in the College of Human Medicine’s affiliated community campuses.

OMERAD faculty are committed to providing excellent instruction for undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate learners. OMERAD faculty develop and evaluate college educational programs, and serve as a college leader in teaching and learning. The unit’s consultation mission involves collaborating with health care professionals to design, assess and disseminate educational innovations. OMERAD’s research mission is to advance knowledge in medical education. The unit’s faculty serve in leadership roles in college, university, and national professional organizations.

OMERAD faculty and support staff have expertise in adult education, teacher education, educational technology, program evaluation and measurement.

Sean A. Valles, Director