Early assurance agreement signed with CMU College of Medicine

A new cooperative agreement will grant Grand Valley premedical students early assurance of admission to the Central Michigan University College of Medicine through the Early Assurance Program.

“We’re very excited about this partnership, which expands upon our existing interprofessional education relationship with Grand Valley State University, and will provide an enhanced opportunity for GVSU’s premedical students who demonstrate a desire to practice medicine in Michigan,” said CMU College of Medicine Dean Dr. George E. Kikano.

The agreement — signed by GVSU President Thomas Hass and CMU President George Ross on October 19 in a formal ceremony that took place on the CMU campus — will enhance opportunities for GVSU premed students to navigate more easily through the highly competitive CMU College of Medicine admissions process by:

•     Waiving supplemental application fees;

•     Processing endorsed students on an earlier admissions timeline;

•     Facilitating engagement opportunities between GVSU premed students and existing CMU College of Medicine students; and

•     Reserving up to five positions for endorsed GVSU students to be admitted.

“This partnership increases the footprint of the College of Medicine, with GVSU’s multiple locations throughout the state, and is just one more way we will be achieving our mission to produce physicians with a passion for serving the people of Michigan who need them most,” Kikano said. “We identify our admitted students based largely on their expressed desire to focus on rural and under-served populations, which is core to our mission.”

Students will be required to meet the College of Medicine’s academic standards to participate in the EAP, which is designed as a three-year pilot.

Jean Nagelkerk, vice provost for Health at GVSU, said this agreement serves as an example of public higher education institutions collaborating to meet the needs of the state of Michigan and its residents. “The early assurance program assists with addressing the projected shortage of physicians by filling a critical need in the health care talent pipeline," Nagelkerk said.

Maria Cimitile, provost and executive vice president for Academic and Student Affairs, said: "This partnership is important for our students, and for our state. If we can create pathways for shaping, fostering a hope, a dream, we can open doors to those students at GVSU who want to be doctors."

The CMU College of Medicine welcomed its inaugural class of students in 2013.