Michigan is one of those states that has a lot to offer for those who want to pursue a career in medicine. There are both public and private medical schools that grant M.D. and D.O. degrees. This time we chose the 4 best medical schools in Michigan, and we’ll explain what they have to offer!
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Top Medical Schools in Michigan
1. University of Michigan Medical School
The University of Michigan Medical School is part of the University of Michigan Health System (UMHS), which includes the hospitals and health centers of the medical school, the activities of the Michigan Health Corporation, and the clinical facilities for students of the School of Nursing. It is a public medical school located in Ann Arbor that was founded in 1850.
In 2019, according to the U.S. News & World Report, it was the 6th best in terms of primary care, and the 16th best in terms of research.
The M.D. curriculum is divided into four-year programs. Although it comprises three phases (foundational coursework, clerkships, and advanced clinical rotations) students will have early clinical experiences. This is done during the first year through Interprofessional Clinical Experience (ICE).
This medical school also offers other programs besides M.D. You can apply to a joint program, which is M.D./Ph.D. Graduate programs are available in the areas of bioinformatics, biological chemistry, biophysics, cancer biology, human genetics, immunology, neuroscience, pharmacology, among others.
In 2015, they introduced the M-Home system, in which students would be sorted into four houses. This way, students will have mentors throughout their careers and will receive support from the other students in the house. There’s also an event called M-Home Olympics which is celebrated annually.
In 2018, there were 7,533 applicants, 455 of them were interviewed, and only 166 enrolled. Although it is a public medical school in Michigan, non-resident students are accepted. Actually, in the same year, 54% of the accepted students were out of state. They don’t accept international students, and transfer students are only accepted in specific circumstances. Take a look at their website to learn much more!
2. Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSU-CHM)
Founded in 1964, Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSU-CHM) is a public medical school that focuses on community-based medical education. In 2019, it was the 63rd best medical school in terms of primary care according to the U.S. News & World Report. In terms of research, it was positioned in the 93rd place.
However, MSU-CHM has had a more prominent performance in specific areas of medicine. According to a study made by the Annals of Internal Medicine, it was sixth regarding its social mission. This means that they educate outstanding physicians that work in underserved areas in primary care and that they are minorities.
This medical school has seven campuses in Michigan, which are located in Flint, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Marquette, Midland, Southeast Michigan, and Traverse City. Students complete the first two years of the M.D. curriculum at one of the two main campuses, which are the ones in East Lansing and in the Secchia Center, in Grand Rapids.
The third and fourth years are completed in any of the seven campuses, which have facilities for clinical rotations. After being assigned to one of them, students can also ask to do part of their clerkships at another campus.
MSU-CHM offers two dual degree programs, in which you can combine your M.D. degree with a Ph.D. or a Master’s in Public Health. Additionally, they offer Master’s degrees in Epidemiology and in Health and Risk Communication.
Regarding admissions, in 2015 they received 6,535 applicants, 515 of them were interviewed, and only 190 were admitted to this Michigan medical school. Previous experience in your community related to medicine or previous research is taken into consideration. Actually, more than 80% of the students admitted had one of them. Visit the website of MSU-CHM to learn more!
3. Central Michigan University College of Medicine
The Central Michigan University College of Medicine was founded with the objective of educating competent physicians that would practice in the urban and underserved areas of Michigan. In the U.S. News & World Report medical schools ranking, it had the 91st and the 93rd place in terms of primary care and research respectively.
The M.D. curriculum consists of a four-year program that focuses on urban and rural health and takes advantage of advanced technology, simulations, and group activities. They have a completely equipped simulation center, called Covenant HealthCare Simulation Center, and a standardized patient program.
Applications must be done online through the AMCAS platform and students have to take the MCAT. They can also take the CASPer test, but it isn’t mandatory. If selected, students will have to do a secondary application. From that pool of applicants, they will choose which students will be invited to interviews. They have a format of Multiple Mini Interviews (MMI), so be prepared for that.
In 2019, there were 7,225 applications, 456 applicants were interviewed, and only 104 were admitted. As a public medical school, in Michigan, they prioritize resident applicants, so usually, only 20% of students enrolled are out-of-state. Go to their website to learn more about their programs and admissions.
4. Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM)
We finish the list with the only medical school that grants D.O. degrees in Michigan, which is the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM). It was founded in 1969 and it is ranked among the best medical schools in the U.S. It has 91st place in terms of primary care and 93rd place in terms of research, according to the U.S. News & World Report.
The D.O. curriculum divides the first two years of foundational coursework into basic science and a body system approach. In the last two years, they have had to do clinical rotations in areas like general surgery, internal medicine, family medicine, psychiatry, etc., and areas chosen by the student.
With their dual degree programs, students can combine their M.D. degrees with a Ph.D., a Master’s in Business Administration, or a Master’s in Public Health. They also have programs for high school students and undergraduates. Through them, students can learn more about the medical field and decide if that’s what they want to pursue.
Applications must be done on the AACOMAS platform. After taking the MCAT and submitting a secondary application, students will have to prepare for interviews if they are invited. They have Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) formats, in which candidates will talk to several people in charge of admissions.
In 2019, they admitted 300 students out of the 6,155 applications. Their average GPA was 3.7 and their average MCAT score was 507. Almost 80% of students enrolled were Michigan residents. If you’d like to learn more about MSUCOM, take a look at their website.
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