While CMEDs first-ever semester is underway, another medical school is close to opening nearby.

Western Michigan Universitys college of medicine will open its doors to a 50-student inaugural class in Fall 2014.

WMEDs founding dean, Hal Jenson, is certain that the two medical schools will work in unison to address deficits of licensed doctors across the state.

Its great to have both medical schools, Jenson said. There is a shortage of physicians in Michigan. There are plenty of great applicants out there who will become great physicians.

Jenson saidWMED has already looked to CMED and other new medical schools as models.

Were not in competition with CMU, he said. CMEDs been a great help to us. Theyre a year ahead, and theyve helped us with what theyve done. Weve taken the best practices from a number of medical schools.

WMED formed in 2009 as an expansion of Michigan State Universitys regional clinical campus in Kalamazoo. While recruitment will largely comprise Michigan students, Jenson said that WMED is looking to draw student from 16 other states, including California.

Were a private medical school, Jenson said. While we expect to have Michigan students, we are recruiting nationally. Theres no quota.

CMEDs Senior Associate Dean of Administration and Finance Deborah Biggs said the two medical schools have very different visions. She explained that while CMED is aimed to serve specific regions in middle and upper Michigan, WMED is positioned to operate as a more traditional medical school.

(WMED) has more of a standard mission, Biggs said. Theyre poised differently. Theyre more broad.

Read more from the original source:

CMED officials say Western’s medical school is no threat