(Washington D.C.)- Reps. Sander Levin (D-MI-12) and Candice Miller (R-MI-10) released the following joint statement in response to recent deliberations regarding the new location for a satellite campus for the Michigan State University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine:

“The Macomb University Center site meets all of the MSU satellite campus requirements and alleviates all of the concerns being raised by a broad range of experts about the adverse effect on health care in the City of Detroit presented by the DMC site.

“Serious issues have been raised by Wayne State University and by the Schwartz Commission on health care and medical education in Southeast Michigan, including the most effective ways to provide vital health care services in Detroit and all of Southeast Michigan.  They warrant a full review and response by MSU.  What is being missed, though, is that none of these issues exist should the satellite campus be located at the Macomb University Center.  Indeed, the entire southeast Michigan region will have a better balance of medical education and higher education with the satellite campus located in Macomb County.

“The following facts highlight the dramatic strength of the Macomb proposal.  They are reason why MSU and its Board of Trustees, in the face of growing opposition to the DMC site, should reassess and fully locate the new campus in Macomb County.”

The Facts

The Macomb proposal can fulfill 100% of the requirements for the Southeastern Michigan satellite campus proposed by MSU

- The Macomb University Center can house all of the academic coursework required for the four-year medical degree program.  In addition, the Macomb Community College will make a $3 million investment in laboratories.
- At the Macomb University Center, the medical students would be enrolled along with other students in a campus environment dedicated to upper division, graduate and professional education, rather than being placed within a hospital setting for both classes and clinical programs
- The academic facilities are ideally configured for medical education programs and are equipped with state of the art technology and interactive television teaching capability.
- Students have access to a campus setting that provides a library, student support service, student activities and a sense of an academic community for the students.

Macomb County hospitals can provide all of the clerkships, internships and residencies required to support the expanded student enrollment

- Macomb is home to Osteopathic hospitals (St. Joseph Healthcare, Mt. Clemens Regional Medical Center, Henry Ford Bi-County) with Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital and several other MSU Statewide Hospital System hospitals nearby.
- The satellite campus would fit well with the rich history and tradition of support for osteopathic medicine in Macomb County.  The large pool of Osteopathic physicians in the area would provide the availability of highly qualified faculty.  Indeed, Osteopathic Associations from Macomb and Oakland County have rallied around the Macomb site.
 

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