Leaders of the Wayne State University School of Medicine and Grand Valley State University signed a partnership agreement Friday that provides Grand Valley State University premedical students enhanced opportunities for admission to the WSU School of Medicine.
The Early Assurance Program will reserve up to five medical school spots at WSU for qualified Grand Valley students interested in practicing medicine in underserved areas or who are dedicated to careers in medicine.
Recruitment will begin this spring for students who would be admitted to medical school in 2018.
The program was introduced by leaders from Grand Valley and WSU's School of Medicine at the GVSU Detroit Center during a Grand Valley Board of Trustees meeting. GVSU's main campus is located in Allendale, Mich.
"Our partnership with Grand Valley State University is an important step toward our commitment to recruiting the best and brightest students from throughout the state of Michigan whose career goals align with our mission as a nationally recognized top tier medical school known for urban clinical excellence," said WSU Vice Dean for Medical Education and Professor of Ophthalmology Richard Baker, M.D. "This includes aspiring doctors who are first-generation college students and/or underrepresented in medicine, and we are eager to greet them as Wayne State University School of Medicine medical students in the near future."
Students will not have to submit multiple applications to medical schools, which affords them an opportunity to concentrate on broadening their knowledge base and skill set while engaging in high-impact learning experiences, said GVSU Vice Provost for Health Jean Nagelkerk.
Grand Valley State University attracts more than 25,000 students with high-quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities serving students from all 83 Michigan counties and dozens of other states and foreign countries. Grand Valley offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs from campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids and Holland, and from regional centers in Detroit, Muskegon, and Traverse City.