Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine

Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine (WMed) is a private medical school located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. Established in 2012, it is one of the newer institutions dedicated to medical education in the United States. The school was founded through a collaboration between Western Michigan University (WMU), Bronson Healthcare, and Borgess Health. The school is named after Homer Stryker, an orthopedic surgeon and the founder of Stryker Corporation, a medical technologies firm headquartered in Kalamazoo.

History[edit | edit source]

The establishment of WMed was announced in 2011, with the aim of addressing the growing need for physicians in Michigan and across the United States. The school welcomed its inaugural class in August 2014. The creation of the medical school was made possible by a significant donation from the Stryker family, which facilitated the development of state-of-the-art facilities and resources for medical education and research.

Academics[edit | edit source]

WMed offers a Doctor of Medicine (MD) program, Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences (MS), and several dual-degree options, including MD/PhD, MD/MBA, and MD/MPH programs. The curriculum is designed to integrate basic sciences and clinical experience from the beginning of the program, emphasizing hands-on learning, research, and community engagement.

Doctor of Medicine (MD) Program[edit | edit source]

The MD program at WMed is a four-year course of study that combines classroom instruction in medical sciences with clinical rotations in various specialties. The curriculum is divided into two phases: the pre-clerkship phase, which covers the first two years and focuses on foundational medical knowledge and skills, and the clerkship phase, which spans the final two years and involves rotations in internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, and family medicine, among others.

Graduate Medical Education[edit | edit source]

WMed is affiliated with several hospitals in the Kalamazoo area, providing a wide range of residency and fellowship programs. These programs offer postgraduate training in specialties such as emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, psychiatry, and surgery.

Research[edit | edit source]

Research at WMed is focused on improving healthcare through innovation and discovery. The school's research initiatives span a variety of areas, including biomedical sciences, clinical trials, and health services research. WMed encourages collaboration among students, faculty, and healthcare professionals to address complex medical challenges.

Campus[edit | edit source]

The WMed campus is located in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, and includes state-of-the-art facilities for education, research, and patient care. The main academic building houses classrooms, laboratories, and simulation centers designed to provide a comprehensive learning experience. Additionally, the school operates several clinical sites throughout the Kalamazoo area, where students gain hands-on clinical experience.

Affiliations[edit | edit source]

WMed maintains affiliations with local hospitals, including Bronson Methodist Hospital and Ascension Borgess Hospital, which serve as primary clinical sites for student rotations. These partnerships provide students with access to a diverse patient population and a wide range of clinical experiences.

Notable Alumni and Faculty[edit | edit source]

Since its inception, WMed has attracted a distinguished faculty and has begun to build an alumni network of physicians and researchers who contribute to the medical field in various capacities.