Dean’s Update 2024-12

December News and Notes from the Dean’s Desk

A Year of Growth, Progress and Continuous Learning

As 2024 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on a year of firsts and numerous changes – beginning with my return to the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM) in February to serve as its sixth dean. Coming back to my alma mater and its people has been a profoundly rewarding experience, confirming that MSUCOM is where I’m meant to be – both when I attended as a medical student and now with the honor of leading this college as dean.

As I share some of our work from this year, I am amazed at all that has been accomplished, and I am excited for what still lies ahead of us.

Strategic Plan: A Roadmap for the Future

One of my first priorities upon joining the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine was to initiate the development of our next strategic plan. This important work ensures we are aligned in our efforts toward shared goals that will guide us over the next five years. The process has involved valuable feedback from our students, faculty, staff, partners, and alumni to shape a plan that reflects our collective vision.

To lead this effort, we established the Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPSC), comprised of thought leaders from across the college. In addition, we partnered with the Academy for Advancing Leadership (AAL) to provide expertise and support throughout the process.

The strategic planning journey has been a powerful opportunity for us to come together as a community, exchanging ideas that will shape the college’s direction—not only for today but for the future.

We are excited to be nearing the completion of this work and look forward to sharing our strategic plan—the roadmap for our future—with all of you very soon.

Advancing the Health Sciences

As co-chair of the Health Sciences Council, convened under the Office of the President, I’ve worked alongside colleagues from MSU and Henry Ford Health to foster collaboration on curriculum, interprofessional education, clinical care and strategies to enhance our biomedical and public health research efforts. Our council is on track to deliver a report to President Kevin Guskiewicz, outlining pathways for strengthening MSU’s health sciences efforts, including MSU Health Care and the role of MSUCOM.

One of this year’s highlights was the groundbreaking of a new $335 million research facility in Detroit, part of the MSU Health Sciences partnership with Henry Ford Health. This collaboration promises exciting opportunities for research, rotations and residencies—including our pilot cohort of five MSUCOM students at Henry Ford Main.

Looking ahead to 2025, MSUCOM will significantly increase its engagement with the Henry Ford Health Pathology Department. Our efforts will focus on enhancing the quality of pathology education for our students, developing a sophomore fellowship program, and advancing other collaborative initiatives. Upgrades to our multi-headed microscope at the East Lansing campus for Dr. Kowalski and colleagues will further enrich our educational opportunities and provide state-of-the-art tools to support this growing area of focus. Many more joint initiatives are in the works!

Supporting Student Success

You have often heard me share MSUCOM’s commitment to supporting our future physicians earning their Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree (D.O.), physician-scientists in our D.O.-Ph.D. program, and our future PAs. Our Class of 2024 included 272 D.O. students (including our D.O-Ph.D. students) headed to the next stop in their medical journey – their residency programs. With a 99.6% match rate and 76% of graduates staying in Michigan for residency, we continue to be proud of our work to support Michigan.

Part of supporting our students is ensuring they have what they need to get through medical school and to graduation, whether it is help in the classroom, service opportunities outside of classes or helping to keep the cost of medical school affordable. We’ve been fortunate with gifts from so many of you – our alumni, friends, team members and partners – that help support our students. For example, in our Giving Tuesday campaign earlier this month, we focused on providing funding to students for the extras required in medical school, such as stethoscopes and other medical equipment. And you all showed up, driving us beyond our goal. Today, we have raised 296% of that goal! It is not too late to contribute to this important effort and our incoming students will directly benefit from your support. We are truly grateful for each one of you!

Looking ahead, I would also like to remind everyone that our work to support students through scholarship continues with the 2025 Michigan Osteopathic College Foundation (MOCF) Student Impact Initiative. Please listen to our own D.O. student, Emily Mathijs, who is a recipient of a MOCF scholarship. Your support impacts these students’ lives in such tremendous ways.

We understand that our work to educate and prepare future physicians, physician-scientists, graduate students, and PAs is also important to the communities we and our alumni serve – providing health care and expertise to numerous populations and communities and serving people in all walks of life. Our commencements are a milestone for our students’ educational journeys – and the moment they move into communities where they will begin their work.

Congratulations to all our graduates this year! We know you will have numerous accomplishments and serve others well. We wish you all the best.

Research and Innovation

Research has become a new and intense focus at MSUCOM, reflecting our commitment to advancing healthcare and scientific discovery.

This year, we welcomed Dr. Terrie Taylor into the Dean’s Office as Senior Advisor for Research Initiatives and Global Scholarship. Dr. Taylor brings decades of global health expertise, transitioning from her groundbreaking malaria research in Malawi to a role focused on strengthening our research infrastructure and exploring new opportunities.

In addition, we launched the Foundry for Innovative Research and Education (FIRE) program, led by Dr. Carol Restini. This initiative integrates medical education, community-engaged research, and faculty and student development. FIRE is designed to foster collaboration, innovation and outreach—key pillars for advancing our research mission.

As part of our focus, we held the MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine’s second annual Research Day in April. Medical students, residents and future scientists from across the state gathered at the event featuring 120-plus oral and poster presentations and a keynote speaker, with about 250 attendees at the event.

Plans are already underway for the 2025 Research Day, and I encourage you to join us to see firsthand the progress we are making.

Celebrating Impact

I could not look back at 2024 without once again celebrating our college’s No. 1 ranking in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for graduates practicing in areas facing health professional shortages. Earning this ranking solidifies what I have always known about this college and its people. We are the No. 1 medical school in the nation with the most graduates going to the areas of greatest need. Thank you.

We continue to work to help reduce these shortages through several programs, including our pathway programs that are designed to make medical education more accessible to students from all backgrounds.

Pathway Programs

Our Pathway Programs inspire future generations to pursue careers in osteopathic medicine. Future DOcs introduces high school students in Lansing, Detroit, and Macomb to the field through hands-on experiences in areas like osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) and clinical skills, with guidance from our students, faculty, and alumni. The OsteoCHAMPS summer program offers rising high school juniors and seniors an immersive experience in osteopathic medicine, including academic coursework, mentorship, and engaging activities like Dinner with the DOcs. For MSU undergraduates, the Osteopathic Medical Scholars Program (OMSP) provides early exposure to healthcare, leadership development and a guided path toward medical school. Additionally, our Early Assurance Programs offer select students a streamlined pathway to MSUCOM. These initiatives strengthen our mission to make medical education accessible and inclusive for all.

Service

In addition, our students serve communities as part of several programs, including Community Integrated Medicine (CIM) that gives first- and second-year medical students the chance to help medically underserved communities while they learn and build their clinical skills. From health fairs where our medical students provide free basic health screenings to flu shot clinics, all with a faculty advisor or licensed physician.

Our street medicine programs also bring care to people in our communities where they live. Our students at all three sites serve in street care under the direction of a faculty advisor and volunteer physicians. The groups also held the second annual street medicine symposium where they gathered with other programs to discuss ideas and share knowledge. Students also are part of Sports Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment and the Student OMM Clinic, serving patients in East Lansing.

Prevent 2 Protect

Led by Alyse Folino Ley, D.O., the Prevent 2 Protect program is having a positive impact on Michigan just two years after it was kicked off. Launched in October 2022, Prevent 2 Protect is funded by a $15 million appropriation from the Michigan Department of Education. Its focus is preventing targeted violence in schools by addressing mental health.

The program has established three of the five intensive support teams it plans to launch in the state of Michigan – now operating in districts throughout Calhoun County in southwest Michigan, the three counties (Lake, Oceana, and Mason) covered by the West Shore Education School District in the northwest part of the state, and most recently a team was established in several districts overseen by the Ingham County Intermediate School District in mid-Michigan. High-risk adolescents identified by school Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management (BTAM) teams are referred to the Prevent 2 Protect HUB team. Once a consult is requested, the Hub team provides services.

Looking Ahead: A Special Anniversary

In February 2025, we will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the William G. Anderson Lecture Series Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey. This impactful series, which reflects our unwavering commitment to social justice, is an event you simply cannot miss. Featuring our very own alumna Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee as one of the keynote speakers, this milestone promises to be an inspiring and thought-provoking experience. I strongly encourage everyone—faculty, students, alumni and friends—to attend and engage in this celebration of history, progress and the enduring spirit of freedom. Let’s come together to honor this legacy and continue shaping a brighter future.

A Personal Note

As we close out this year, I'd like to share a moment of gratitude. Reflecting on my first year as dean, I'm struck by the incredible strength and resilience of the MSUCOM community. One of the highlights for me has been the time spent with our students. Early in the year, I had the privilege of winning the rock-paper-scissors competition hosted by the student government associations across all three campuses—a moment of joy and connection I won’t soon forget. Moving my office to the first floor for a time allowed me to interact even more with students, though I’m currently back on the third floor while we refurbish and update the space. I’ll be back on the first floor in 2025, a move I look forward to!

As a pathologist, working with the Pathology Interest Group has been a true delight. Recently, the group hosted a painting event, and I was incredibly impressed and entertained by the creativity and skill showcased in the students' depictions of pathology and histology. Even more inspiring has been the growing interest in pathology as a profession, which speaks to the curiosity and passion of our students.

As we enter 2025, the year ahead will bring exciting opportunities to embrace the values that define us as a college. It will be a time to focus on our shared mission, seek innovative ways to grow, and work together to achieve new milestones. These opportunities will allow us to strengthen our community and further our impact, guided by the principles that make MSUCOM exceptional.

Here's to a new year filled with growth, collaboration and continued impact. Thank you for being part of this journey.

Warm wishes for a successful 2025.

Go Green!

Joyce deJong, D.O.
Dean, MSU College of Osteopathic Medicine

I appreciate hearing from all of you. Please continue to send your thoughts and comments to me at dejongj@msu.edu.