Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine: A Comprehensive Overview

Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) stands as a prominent institution in osteopathic medical education, research, and service. MSUCOM is one of the two medical schools of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. The college grants the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree, as well as a DO-PhD combined degree. With a rich history, a commitment to community outreach, and a focus on training well-rounded physicians, MSUCOM has become a leader in the field. This article delves into various aspects of MSUCOM, including its history, academic programs, admissions process, research endeavors, and contributions to the community.

Historical Overview

The establishment of Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) occurred during a period when the chartering of new osteopathic medical schools was uncommon. Over 130 years ago, the osteopathic medical profession educates Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.s) who are licensed to practice all aspects of medicine and surgery in all 50 states, and numerous countries world-wide. D.O.s graduate from a college of osteopathic medicine and complete subsequent specialty training in residency programs and fellowships in hospitals, community health centers or other clinical settings. Given these progressive tenets, the state of Michigan was particularly welcoming to osteopathic physicians. As a result, in 1965, Michigan D.O.s, obtained a charter to establish an osteopathic medical school in the state.

In 1964, the Michigan Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons received a state charter and started to raise money for a new private osteopathic medical college. That same year, the Michigan legislature passed P.A. 162, which stated that “A school of osteopathic medicine is established and shall be located as determined by the state board of education at an existing campus of a state university with an existing school or college of medicine." On September 19, 1969, Michigan State University accepted the legislative mandate and agreed to create a new osteopathic medical school on their campus, making it the first osteopathic medical school based at a public university. With that act, Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) became the first-ever university-based osteopathic medical school, a singular and profession-defining achievement that propelled the rapid expansion of the entire osteopathic profession nationally. In 1971, MCOM was moved to East Lansing and was given its current name of MSUCOM. Myron S. Magen, D.O.

In the mid-2000s, MSUCOM expanded from its main campus in East Lansing to two satellite campuses in Detroit and Macomb. The expansion was approved by the MSU Board of Trustees in May 2007 and by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation in September 2008. In July 2009, instruction began at these two expansion sites. In 2011, MSUCOM started a program for training Canadian students to become osteopathic physicians, accepting 25 Canadian students each year. In 2010, the partnership between MSU and Sparrow Hospital was strengthened.

Academic Programs

MSUCOM offers a comprehensive range of academic programs designed to train competent and compassionate physicians. The college offers the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) degree, as well as dual degrees (DO-PhD and DO-MBA).

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.O.) Program

MSUCOM's curriculum consists of pre-clerkship years that run for seven semesters. The first portion consists of introductory basic science, including: anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, physiology, etc. During this time, students also learn physical examination, doctor-patient interactions, and the principles of osteopathic palpatory diagnosis and manipulative therapy. After learning the biological foundations, the curriculum shifts to a body system focus where the integumentary, neuro-musculoskeletal, hematopoietic, cardiovascular, respiratory, urinary, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and reproductive systems are detailed.

Clinical training for the third- and fourth-year students occurs at hospitals throughout Michigan affiliated with the Statewide Campus System. Currently, there are nearly 30 hospital locations affiliated with MSUCOM.

DO-PhD Program

MSUCOM's DO-PhD Physician Scientist Training Program, the first of its kind in the nation, was founded by Dr. Veronica Maher and Dr. Justin McCormick in 1979. The eight-year program is not organized in the traditional 2-4-2 MD-PhD arrangement, but starts with the first year of graduate coursework. This arrangement allows for more integration between the graduate research and medical school education. Most DO-PhD students complete PhDs through the BioMolecular Science program which includes: biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, pharmacology & toxicology, and physiology. However, there are graduate students in neuroscience, epidemiology, anthropology, and sociology.

Physician Assistant Program

The College of Osteopathic Medicine welcomed its inaugural Physician Assistant program in the 2022-2023 academic year. The 27-month, 108-credit curriculum leads to the degree of Master of Science in PA Medicine. The curriculum allows PA students to team with other health professionals during both their didactic and clinical training experiences. The college’s PA students learn and work closely with D.O. students and are introduced to osteopathic medical philosophy to have a broader, more holistic approach to patient care.

Global Health Institute

The College of Osteopathic Medicine is home to the Global Health Institute (GHI), which serves as the focal point for global health information to all colleges at MSU since its creation 36 years ago. The mission of the Institute for Global Health is to support global health education, research and capacity building. As a result, the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine offers international opportunities for students to build not only their clinical skills, but also to expand their capacity to holistically approach the diverse populations they seek to serve. First and second-year students may take part in elective experiences in Guatemala, Malawi, Mexico, Dominican Republic, South Korea, Peru and Cuba.

Michigan State University Graduate Medical Education Alliance (GME Alliance)

Michigan State University Graduate Medical Education Alliance (GME Alliance) is a national graduate medical education (GME) consortium dedicated to delivering innovative and comprehensive educational support for residents, fellows, faculty, and healthcare professionals. The GME Alliance supports institutions in achieving and surpassing ACGME accreditation, with resources tailored to both osteopathic and allopathic training. By building strong partnerships and a wide-reaching network, they provide programs in faculty and professional development, scholarly activity, and resident education - promoting excellence in a collaborative and supportive academic environment.

Admissions

Applicant selection is made from a competitive applicant pool and depends on many aspects of the applicant such as GPA, MCAT, maturity, community service and life experiences. MSUCOM looks for students who are academically accomplished, committed to service and well-versed in the philosophy of osteopathic medicine. In each area of evaluation, we examine your accomplishments within the context of your total life experience. The MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine seeks students who are academically accomplished, committed to service and well-versed in the philosophy of osteopathic medicine.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements are established by the faculty and are meant to ensure that every entering student has achieved a minimum level of education in key areas.

Chemistry: Total of 16 semester credit hours. Candidates who have successfully completed Advanced Placement (AP) coursework or International Baccalaureate (IB) coursework and received credit reported on their undergraduate transcript may apply those credits toward the English requirement or the chemistry requirement only. We strongly encourage applicants to complete additional courses in junior or senior level biological sciences.
The MCAT is required of all applicants who are not eligible for a waiver through the Osteopathic Medical Scholars Program.
The evaluation section is complete and suitable for review when at least three letters of evaluation are received. Letters should be written on letterhead or business stationary. Letters must be dated and include the author's signature. The College recommends that at least one letter be written by an academic or medical professional. MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine does not require academic, committee, or advisor evaluations, nor do we require that an osteopathic physician complete an evaluation. The Office of Admissions can only accept letters of evaluation submitted through the AACOMAS application letter service.

Secondary Application Essay Prompts

The Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) secondary application includes detailed essay prompts that require time and effort to complete effectively. To stand out, focus on demonstrating your commitment to osteopathic medicine, service-oriented leadership, and MSUCOM’s mission of advancing healthcare in underserved communities. If you’re wondering how to get into Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, researching its curriculum, clinical training opportunities, and community-focused initiatives will help you craft strong, personalized responses. Given the number of total essays and the length of the essays, allocate sufficient time to ensure your answers are thoughtful, well-organized, and compelling!

Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine Secondary Application Essay Prompts:

Imagine your professional life 15 years from now and briefly detail where you envision yourself and what you hope to be doing. Describe your most meaningful career accomplishment by that time and explain why it is significant. (500 words)
Considering your life experiences and the lens through which you view the world, share your thoughts and perspectives about how systemic injustices and inequities have 1) affected you directly, and/or 2) shaped your perspective on society. (500 words)
If you could present yourself to the Admissions Committee, what would you want to make sure they knew about you? (500 words)
LMU Program Essays:
- Why are you interested in the Leadership in Medicine for the Underserved Program? Be specific. (400 words)
- How have your past experiences prepared you for the challenges of a medical practice in an underserved area? A central component of this program is that students achieve low-intermediate proficiency in a second language by the time they reach the third year of medical school.

Admissions Statistics

Michigan State University College of Medicine Average GPA: 3.6
Michigan State University College of Medicine MCAT: 507

Research Initiatives

The MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine is the recognized leader amongst all osteopathic medical schools nationally on a number of fronts, most notably for research, with MSUCOM faculty earning recognition for their numerous research programs, publications, and other scholarly works, while receiving research funding through a number of government and private agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, the DOD, and more. In NIH funding alone, the college’s faculty secured ~$37 million between fiscal years 2019-2021, accompanied by thousands of publications. Please see the college’s Research and Scholarly Activity summary for full details of its numerous research investments and programs.

MSUCOM is also home to the Applied Immunology Center for Education and Research (AICER) - one of MSU’s established centers that is focused on discovering new immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases, cancer and infectious diseases. The college also has the oldest and largest D.O.-Ph.D.

Community Engagement

MSUCOM medical school students can engage in community activities like volunteering at the Spartan Street Medicine program, which provides care to underserved and homeless populations. They also participate in the FitKids360 initiative, helping children and families in the Lansing area adopt healthier lifestyles. Additionally, through the medical school’s Rural Community Health Program, students work with rural clinics to address healthcare access challenges in underserved areas.

Indeed, over 25% of the currently licensed and actively practicing physicians in the state of Michigan are D.O.s, with the majority of these D.O.s also being alumni of the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine. Moreover, despite not being the oldest nor largest medical school in Michigan, the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine has more physician alumni practicing in Michigan than any other medical school in the state. Furthermore, over 2,400 alumni of the college are currently practicing in critically needed primary care specialties in Michigan, which is greater than all primary care alumni from the other six Michigan medical schools combined. Additionally, MSUCOM has the largest number of its alumni practicing in medically underserved areas, with around 1,400 alumni - nearly matching the total number of physicians practicing in underserved areas who are alumni of the six other Michigan medical schools combined. To translate this impact to people, more than 1.7 million individuals residing in Michigan's rural areas, and over 4.3 million Michiganders currently residing in Primary Care Health Professional Shortage areas are receiving care from D.O.

The College of Osteopathic Medicine is home not only to most of MSU Health Care’s physicians, but also to MSU’s first street medicine programs. These programs are led by students serving underserved populations by meeting them where they are in each one of our medical school communities - Lansing, Detroit and Macomb County. These student-led clinics provide care each week, working alongside faculty and volunteer physicians, and working with community partners to holistically serve people experiencing homelessness through empathetic health care, offering medical treatment with follow up, connections to health education and social services, such as housing.

Clinical Environment

The College of Osteopathic Medicine conducts pre-clinical training at three sites: East Lansing, Detroit and Macomb. Clinical training for the third- and fourth-year students occurs at hospitals throughout Michigan affiliated with the Statewide Campus System. In 2017, MSUCOM's Statewide Campus System was named as one of the five regional assessment training centers by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Other SCS Affiliated groups include: Detroit Metro Urological Surgery Consortium, Hamilton Community Network, Hillsdale Community Health Center, Oakwood Healthcare System Dearborn, ProMedica Coldwater Regional Hospital, ProMedical Toledo Hospital, St. Joseph Mercy Livingston and Oakland, and St. Mary Mercy Hospital.

Campus Locations

Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) has three sites:

East Lansing
Detroit Medical Center
Macomb University Center

The 5,200-acre East Lansing campus of Michigan State University includes gardens, museums, performing arts and sports facilities and working farms. The area hosts a wide variety of musical events and festivals, offers monthly gallery walks, and has several active community theater groups.

The DMC site is located on the campus of the Detroit Medical Center in “midtown” Detroit, surrounded by several tertiary care hospitals and the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center. Within two blocks you find the Detroit Public Library, Detroit Institute of Arts, three museums, and the Detroit Science Center.

The Macomb University Center site is within a 20-mile radius of seven hospitals which offer 600 osteopathic intern and resident positions.

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