Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine: A Comprehensive Overview

The Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB) is an allopathic (MD) medical school located on the main campus of Oakland University in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Established in 2008, OUWB was the fourth allopathic medical school to open in the state and the first new medical school in Michigan in 47 years, and the first private medical school in the state.

History and Founding

Oakland University was founded in 1957, while William Beaumont Health System (WBHS) was established in 1955. In January 2007, Oakland and Beaumont formally began the process of creating a new allopathic medical school by submitting a letter of intent to the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). OUWB received approval and was officially founded on July 31, 2008.

Academics and Curriculum

OUWB offers a vertically integrated curriculum over four years. In 2011, over 3,000 prospective students applied for the 50 seats in the inaugural class (Class of 2015). The fall semester of the first year focuses on Anatomical Foundations of Clinical Practice and Biomedical Foundations of Clinical Practice, with organ system-based courses beginning in the winter semester.

Longitudinal Courses

The longitudinal courses are the Art and Practice of Medicine (APM), Medical Humanities and Clinical Bioethics (MHCB), the Promotion and Maintenance of Health (PMH), a personal and professional development course (PRISM, Promoting Reflection and Individual Growth Through Support and Mentoring), and a research course (Embark).

Embark Program

Embark is a required scholarly concentration program where students learn about research methodology and data analysis, hone project management skills, and apply these skills in the construction of abstracts, manuscripts, and presentations. Kara Sawarynski, Ph.D., is the assistant dean for Accreditation and Continuous Quality Improvement and is working with medical educators across the continuum to evolve the curriculum to meet the needs of today’s medical student. She also serves as an Embark Program Co-Director, which includes development and implementation of the longitudinal research design courses, directing of the first year through fourth year medical students in the conception and execution of their required independent research projects, and oversight on Embark Program events.

PRISM Program

Through PRISM, students reflect on their clinical and life experiences individually, with their peers, and with faculty mentors. They also benefit from close guidance throughout the residency application and career planning process.

Campus and Facilities

Located on the main campus of Oakland University, OUWB is housed in O'Dowd Hall. In 2022, O'Dowd Hall began a $9.7 million renovation aimed to create new study spaces, classrooms, offices, outdoor seating, and an entryway with a reception area.

Affiliations and Clinical Training

System-wide, WBHS operates 1,911 beds at three main hospital locations. William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak is the 14th largest hospital in the country by bed size and is the 3rd largest provider of Medicare services in the United States. William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the #2 hospital in the state (behind University Hospital, University of Michigan), and is nationally ranked in 10 adult specialties. It operates the only Level I Trauma Center in Oakland or Macomb Counties, an area of about 2 million people.

Graduate Medical Education

Graduate medical education in the health system consists of 44 ACGME accredited residency programs, 33 ACGME accredited fellowship programs, and 16 programs for which ACGME does not accredit.

Leadership

Effective July 15, 2024, Christopher F. Carpenter, M.D., is the third permanent dean of OUWB.

Christopher F. Carpenter, M.D., Dean

Prior to his appointment as dean, Dr. Carpenter served as the Michael E. Maddens M.D. Distinguished Chair and Professor of the Department of Internal Medicine at OUWB and Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital in Royal Oak. His clinical subspecialty is in infectious diseases, providing care for patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings. He is active in teaching and mentoring medical students, internal medicine residents, and infectious diseases fellows.

Dr. Carpenter’s recent research includes leading a COVID-19 vaccine study at WBUH and performing health care cost-effectiveness analyses of zoster vaccination. He has served on state and national committees, including the Food and Drug Administration Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee and the FDA Medical Devices Panel.

In addition to patient care, Dr. Carpenter initially focused on antimicrobial stewardship after joining WBUH more than 20 years ago, serving as Director of WBUH’s Antibiotic Stewardship Program for 15 years. He directed the Infectious Diseases Fellowship Program for ten years and served as Section Head of Infectious Diseases for five years before assuming his role as Chief and Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine in 2019. Before the merger of Beaumont Health and Spectrum Health in 2022, Dr. Carpenter earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering and his Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Michigan. He completed internal medicine residency at Duke University followed by infectious diseases fellowship at Johns Hopkins University before joining WBUH in 2000.

Dr. Carpenter has received recognition from his colleagues as an Hour Detroit Top Doctor (including being a member of the Top Doctor Hall of Fame), America’s Top Physicians, and Best Doctors in America. He is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and he has served for the Michigan Infectious Disease Society.

Tonya Bailey, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion and Community Engagement

As associate dean, Tonya Bailey, Ph.D., provides strategic direction for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) education and activities within OUWB. She also serves as the lead strategist for community engagement and initiatives and oversees the Compass and Diversity and Inclusion offices. Dr. Bailey has more than 25 years of experience in higher education. She is a graduate of the University of Evansville, Indiana, with a Bachelor of Science degree in mass communication. She earned a master’s degree in public administration at the University of Michigan Rackham Graduate School in Ann Arbor and completed her doctorate in educational leadership at Central Michigan University.

Read also: Meet the OCC Trustee Candidates

Jennifer Browne-Holtz, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Career Development

As associate dean, Dr. Browne-Holtz oversees the career development, academic success, and student wellness and well-being programs. She has more than 15 years of student affairs and student support services experience at the secondary, undergraduate, and graduate levels. Dr. Browne-Holtz joined OUWB in 2014 as the director of Academic Success. She is an alumna of Albion College, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science. She earned her master’s in clinical counseling from Ashland Theological Seminary and earned a doctorate in higher education leadership from Oakland University.

Stephen Collard, CMA, Vice Dean for Business and Administration

Stephen Collard, CMA, is the vice dean for Business and Administration. He most recently served as the finance lead for Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education. He is a graduate of Oakland University (B.S.

Francisco Dávila Grijalva, M.D., MHPE, Assistant Dean for Medical Education, M4 Year

Francisco Dávila Grijalva, M.D., MHPE, is the assistant dean for Medical Education, M4 year. He is an associate professor of Internal Medicine. He earned his M.D. degree from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. He came to the United States for residency training at Beaumont - Royal Oak and then served for a year as chief resident. He then joined the Department of Internal Medicine teaching faculty, currently working in the inpatient hospitalist service. Dr. Davila is involved in graduate medical education as the transitional year residency program director since 2014. He is a trained facilitator of the Stanford curriculum for medical teachers and has delivered the seminar to many faculty and residents within and outside the institution.

Janine DeWitte, M.Ed., PHR, Assistant Dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development

Janine DeWitte, M.Ed., PHR, is the assistant dean for Faculty Affairs and Professional Development. She provides senior leadership, strategic support and the management of all areas of faculty affairs and professional development. Janine is responsible for the development and implementation of policies and evaluation procedures for all medical school faculty members. Janine joined OUWB in August 2015 as manager of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development. Prior to working in the School of Medicine, she worked for eight years in the Department of Academic Human Resources for Oakland University.

Mohammad Jafri, M.D., Assistant Dean for Career Advisor Programming and Student Advising

Mohammad Jafri, M.D., is the assistant dean for Career Advisor Programming and Student Advising. In his role, he works closely with M3 and M4 students to prepare them for the residency application process as well as working with OUWB specialty advisors to ensure they have the tools and resources necessary to support students’ residency match goals. Dr. Jafri also serves on the OUWB faculty as the clinical course director for the Renal/Genitourinary organ system course during the M2 year. He has been practicing as a urologist at Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital, Royal Oak campus since 2012 and is one of the lead clinicians serving the Department of Urology Residency Program. Dr. Jafri is an alumnus from the University of Michigan where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Economics.

Pradeep Kaminoulu, M.D., Assistant Dean for Medical Education, M3

Pradeep Kaminoulu, M.D., is the assistant dean for Medical Education, M3. He is board certified in Internal Medicine and a fellow of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Kaminoulu previously served as a clerkship director of OUWB’s Internal Medicine clerkship.

Richard Kennedy, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Research

Richard Kennedy, Ph.D., associate dean for Research and professor of Foundational Medical Studies, also serves as vice president and director of the Beaumont Research Institute. Before joining OUWB, Dr. Kennedy served as vice provost of Research and Graduate Programs at Loyola University Chicago Health Sciences Division. Dr. Kennedy received a B.S. in pharmacy from St. Louis College of Pharmacy and his Ph.D. from University of Nebraska Medical Center in 1981 before doing postdoctoral training at Michigan State University. His research in cardiovascular pharmacology and pathophysiology has resulted in more than 105 peer-reviewed manuscripts and has been funded by a variety of agencies including the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Abhinav Krishnan, Ph.D., MPH, Associate Dean of Admissions and Enrollment Management

Abhinav Krishnan, Ph.D., MPH, is the associate dean of Admissions and Enrollment Management. Dr. Krishnan has a master’s and Ph.D. degree in physiology along with a master’s in public health from Wayne State University School of Medicine. He has been involved in medical research and medical education at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Pierre A. Morris, M.D., Assistant Dean for Clinical Education

Pierre A. Morris, M.D., joined OUWB in October 2021. He came from Wayne State University School of Medicine, where he most recently held the rank of clinical associate professor. His affiliation with WSU School of Medicine began with his residency training in the Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences. For the past 10 years, Dr. Morris has simultaneously held the aforementioned director position as well as the director of Family Medicine and Public Health Sciences Residency Program. Throughout his 17-year tenure at WSU School of Medicine, Dr. Morris is a native of St. He received his bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biology from Washington University in St. Louis. His first professional job was a high school biology teacher.

Deirdre G. Reddix, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Faculty & Staff Affairs and Professional Development

Deirdre G. Reddix, Ph.D., is the associate dean for Faculty & Staff Affairs and Professional Development. She is also an assistant professor of Foundational Medical Studies. Her professional background includes more than 30 years of human resources and labor relations experience in the areas of retail management, health care administration, municipal government and higher education. Dr. Reddix provides leadership in the expanding areas of Faculty and Academic Affairs and supports the school's efforts to incorporate best practices in faculty governance, recruitment, search committee training, faculty orientation, mentorship programs, faculty outcomes research and evaluation. Dr. Reddix earned a BSBA from Central Michigan University, a master's in Organizational Management from Spring Arbor University, and her Ph.D.

Robin Rivest, Ed.D., Assistant Dean for Medical Education

Robin Rivest, Ed.D. is the assistant dean for Medical Education at OUWB. She provides senior leadership, strategic support, and management of the overall effectiveness of medical education instruction across the OUWB curriculum. Dr. Rivest previously served in the role of director of Curriculum Data Management for OUWB and was an eLearning training & development manager in the corporate sector.

Jennifer Root, Ed.D., Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

Jennifer Root, Ed.D. is the assistant dean for Student Affairs. As assistant dean, Dr. Root’s professional background includes over 10 years of student support ranging from career counseling, academic advising, and wellness support at the undergrad and graduate levels. Throughout her career, Dr. Root first joined OUWB in 2018 as the senior medical school advisor and was promoted to the director of Academic Success position in 2019. Dr. Root is an alumna of the University of Detroit Mercy where she double majored in psychology and addiction studies. She earned her master’s degree in community counseling with a focus on career counseling from Oakland University. In May 2021, she completed her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership with a focus on Lean Leadership. For her doctoral project, Dr.

Brooke Taylor, MPH, Assistant Dean for Continuing Medical Education

Brooke Taylor, MPH, is the assistant dean for Continuing Medical Education for the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and director of Continuing Medical Education for Beaumont Health. Ms. Taylor received her B.S. in Dietetics from Iowa State University and her MPH from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is a certified continuing health education professional and holds a graduate certificate in training and development from North Carolina State University. Ms.

Andrew Wiemken, Ph.D., Assistant Dean for Foundational Medical Studies

Andrew Wiemken, Ph.D., joined Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine in August 2014 as associate professor of microbiology in the Department of Foundational Medical Studies. He teaches microbiology and infectious diseases to M1 and M2 students. Dr. Taylor served as vice chair of the Department of Foundational Medical Studies from January 2018 until August 2019. Prior to joining OUWB, Dr. Taylor received a B.Sc. and a M.Sc. in cellular, molecular, and microbial biology from the University of Calgary, Alberta, and a Ph.D. In 2014, the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners appointed her to its National Faculty in the Foundational Biomedical Sciences in the Division of Microbiology and Immunology. Dr. Taylor’s main research areas are medical education research, and microbiology and pathogenesis.

David M. Thomas, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Preclinical Education

David M. Thomas, Ph.D., is the associate dean for Preclinical Education, responsible for the development, implementation and delivery of the undergraduate preclinical component of the OUWB curriculum. Dr. Thomas previously held the position of assistant dean for Medical Education. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. He received his Doctorate in Biological Sciences from Wayne State University, and completed three years of postdoctoral training at the University of Michigan Medical School. Dr. Thomas joined the Wayne State University School of Medicine as a research assistant professor in 2003 and was appointed assistant professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences in 2007, where he now holds an adjunct professor appointment. He became a founding faculty member and master educator in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at OUWB in 2011 and was promoted to associate professor with tenure in 2014. Dr. Thomas has held leadership positions in medical education at OUWB including course director for the endocrinology organ system course, Biomedical Sciences representative of the Academic Success Team, chair of the Curriculum Evaluation Subcommittee and secre…

Rankings and Recognition

The OUWB has quickly gained recognition for its commitment to training competent and compassionate physicians. While specific rankings can fluctuate, the school's affiliation with the nationally recognized Corewell Health William Beaumont University Hospital provides students with exceptional clinical experiences.

Urology Match Success

A study also ranked 177 medical schools based on total number and percentage of graduates who matched in urology during 2016-21. OUWB ranked 15th, with 16 graduates (three more matched in 2022). The authors noted that it’s important to study what schools have the most success, especially given the competitive nature of urology.

S. said, “I think the combination of (OUWB) exposing our students to urology and (Beaumont Urology Residency) being such a positive learning department has played such a large role in why our school is high on this list. Being a university hospital…there’s a lot of excitement in our department.”

Admissions Strategies for Michigan Medical Schools

For prospective students considering applying to medical schools in Michigan, including OUWB, there are several key strategies to keep in mind.

Data-Driven Approach

Take a data-driven approach when deciding which Michigan medical schools to apply to. The data outlined in this guide demonstrate that there is a wide range of average GPA and MCAT scores among Michigan medical schools. Therefore, it’s critical to think rigorously about your own objective statistics so you can determine which schools you will have a competitive advantage at based on your prior academic accomplishments.

Understanding School Uniqueness

Develop a comprehensive understanding of what makes each Michigan medical school unique and ensure your own strengths and prior experiences align with these key features. Michigan schools differ from one another based on the patient populations they serve, their curriculum designs, and the extracurricular opportunities offered to their medical students.

Residency Advantage

If you are a Michigan resident, you will benefit from higher in-state applicant interview rates, in-state applicant admission offers, and lower annual tuition and fees. Given the increased likelihood of success and potential financial savings, it strongly benefits in-state residents to consider Michigan medical schools.

Interview Strategy

Formulate an interview strategy. Once you’ve sent off your application and essays, if you’ve made it to the interview stage, you should be proud! Your hard work has paid off and there’s only one final hurdle between you and acceptance to your dream Michigan medical school. But that also means you need to formulate a coherent strategy that will leave adcoms with a fantastic impression of you.

tags: #oakland #university #william #beaumont #school #of