Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine is expanding it’s clinical training program with a new partnership with Munson Healthcare Cadillac Hospital. The collaboration will place third and fourth-year medical students at the northern Michigan facility for rotations, offering immersive, real-world experience in a rural healthcare setting.
The partnership addresses a critical need for physicians in rural communities across Michigan. By providing hands-on training in locations like Cadillac, MSU aims to encourage future doctors to practice in underserved areas. Students completing rotations will also earn a Rural Community Health certificate and have opportunities to engage with local hospital and city officials. currently,one student,Britton Michmerhuizen,is completing rotations in Cadillac,with plans to host two to four students annually.”This is a great opportunity for our medical students to be able to train directly in our rural setting,” said David Klee, the community assistant campus dean for the Traverse City campus.
MSU’s College of Human Medicine utilizes a unique training model where students spend their first two years on campus followed by clinical rotations at eight medical clinics throughout the state, including existing rural sites in Ludington, Charlevoix, Grayling, and Alpena.
Klee emphasized the program’s broader goal: ”The goal is to get (students) to understand how marvelous our rural communities are. When they go off to residency, they’ll come back and practice in our rural communities.” Further details about the partnership are available in an MSU press release.
