College of Medicine Dean's Welcome

Central Michigan University's College of Medicine was founded with specific goals in mind; help address the nationwide physician shortage and better meet the needs of populations in rural and medically underserved communities.  Over the last decade, we have made a significant, positive impact on training the next generation of physicians and improving the health of the communities we serve.

Our faculty and staff are committed to our mission and focused on educating well-trained physicians, advancing basic science, clinical and health service research, improving access to high-quality medical care, and forging strategic partnerships to build thriving communities and better lives for all people throughout Michigan.

Our accredited M.D. program engages students in an active learning process, where traditional coursework is accompanied by hands-on training in simulated and real-life medical environments.  Students gain experience through simulation labs, clinical rotations and community-based assignments which provide a real-world setting for expanding knowledge, honing patient care techniques and emphasizing the critical skill of medical decision-making.

The College supports graduate medical education with several accredited residency programs through CMU Medical Education Partners.  A robust team of faculty physicians and community educators train learners in a variety of disciplines including emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and podiatric medicine and surgery.  We are grateful for the support of our clinical partners throughout Michigan and the large core of volunteer physicians.

In addition to excellent education, the College devotes significant resources and effort to expanding research activities, with a particular emphasis on Neurosciences and other matters important to people in our region. Our faculty, medical students and resident physicians work with state-of-the-art technology and modern methodologies while making explorations in basic and translational research as well as clinical and public health research. Our educators encourage and pursue projects that contribute to discoveries in medicine while training our learners in proper research methodology and evaluation.

Beyond the scientific advancements, the College seeks sustainable solutions to improve community health through outreach and collaboration with public and social wellness organizations.  We partner with state and local groups working on initiatives in areas such as mental health, women’s and infant health, suicide prevention, opioid and other substance use prevention and intervention, and overall community well-being.  CMU serves as the home for the Mid-Central and Western Area Health Education Centers and recently established the Rural Health Equity Institute which works to remove disparities in rural medical care and improve access to telehealth and other health care services.

We have numerous clinical affiliations with hospitals, health centers and physicians in the Great Lakes Bay Region and throughout Michigan. These partnerships offer comprehensive clinical experiences and make great use of existing infrastructure to implement quality medical education.  They include relationships with Covenant HealthCare as our primary affiliate, Ascension St. Mary’s and Ascension St. John’s, MyMichigan Health, Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center, Great Lakes Bay Health Centers, Children’s Hospital of Michigan, and Corewell Health Southwest Michigan (Lakeland).

Learners from the College of Medicine provide excellent health care in the Great Lakes Bay Region.  Our health care system - CMU Health - is a trusted name in the region, with more than 70,000 patient visits annually.  Our collaboration supports clinical education, enhancing our efforts to train new physicians while also providing compassionate, patient-centered care to our community.

In all these ways, the College of Medicine strives to improve health through education, research, and community outreach.  This goal is met by educating and training outstanding physicians.  It is also achieved when our faculty physicians, residents and students provide excellent medical care and education to their patients to improve their health and well-being.  Better education for doctors and patients leads to overall better medical outcomes and positively impacts the wellness in our region.

If you are a prospective medical student, we support your journey and encourage you to join us in our mission.

If you are a prospective resident, consider CMU and our local communities as your first choice.

If you are a medical community leader and would like to partner with us, we would like to hear from you.

Be Well-

George E. Kikano, M.D.
Vice President for Health Affairs, Central Michigan University
Dean, Central Michigan University College of Medicine