In the wake of the Michigan State University Board of Trustees' vote to expand the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine to the campus shared by the Detroit Medical Center and Wayne State University, WSU reaffirmed its commitment to the students at its School of Medicine.

"We hope that a careful analysis of the full impact of this undertaking will go forward," said Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid. "Our region needs a coherent plan to insure that the high quality of medical education and clinical care we provide is not compromised as we seek to maximize efficiencies and eliminate redundancies."

He continued: "Wayne State University will continue to work closely with the panel formed by Detroit Renaissance and the Detroit Regional Chamber and led by former U. S. Congressman and State Senator Joe Schwarz, M.D. as the panel undertakes a thorough examination of health care delivery and medical education in our region."

Dr. Reid underscored his concern that the decision to add MSU osteopathic students to a system that is already strained for teaching capacity may force Wayne State to find alternative training facilities for its M.D. students.

"We remain committed to providing the best possible education to our medical students and will do what is necessary to maintain the quality of that education," he said. "Wayne State Medical School faculty currently provides care to more than 80 percent of Detroit's uninsured and underinsured population. We hope that the likely relocation of faculty and students will not result in a loss in care for the city."

"The Wayne State School of Medicine is committed to maintaining the outstanding clinical training that it has provided to its medical students for 139 years, while continuing to serve the people of Detroit, southeast Michigan and, indeed, the entire state," said Robert Mentzer, dean of the Wayne State School of Medicine. "We will do whatever is necessary to honor our mission as a world-class medical school."