What is GRMERC?
The Grand Rapids Medical Education & Research Center for Health Professions (GRMERC) serves as MSU-CHM's Grand Rapids Campus and is the accredited sponsor for all allopathic residency training programs within Grand Rapids. In addition, GRMERC is the accredited body for continuing medical education in the community, incorporates an Integrated Educational Services Office, maintains strong connections with Grand Valley State University and other professional programs, and includes a growing research division.
GRMERC came into being on January 1, 2000. Prior to that time, the Grand Rapids Campus administrative entity was GRAMEC, which included the MSU-CHM medical student program, several residencies, and CME for some of the city.
There are many learners in Grand Rapids. What types of hands-on experience can I expect?
Our office works closely with the GRMERC Scheduling Manager, who coordinates schedules for all learners within the Grand Rapids system. She makes certain that services and physician offices are not overloaded.
What type of patient mix can I expect to see in Grand Rapids?
The Grand Rapids MSA (metropolitan statistical area) incorporates a population of over one million people and serves as a referral center for the west side of the state from Traverse City to as far south as Benton Harbor. Census data shows significant representations of White, African American, Hispanic, and Vietnamese populations. There are numerous clinics that provide services to medically underserved & diverse populations, some of which are utilized for required and elective student rotations.
Do Grand Rapids students take more call than other students?
No, each clinical department determines the number of calls for all campuses. To be sure, however, community administrators compare call requirements across communities every year to make certain that consistency is maintained. Call nights will be a good experience for our upcoming classes because Spectrum Health Butterworth is building a whole floor of call rooms (including exercise and library amenities) for the use of our students and residents.
What about meal costs?
GRMERC has been able to provide free meals for all MSU-CHM students at our member institutions: Spectrum Health - Blodgett, Spectrum Health - Butterworth, and Saint Mary's Health Care.
What type of career planning and specialty choice assistance does Grand Rapids offer?
We offer an ongoing series of seminars designed to prepare students for senior year planning, development of residency credentials, career choice decision-making, and interviewing preparation. The series includes the opportunity to meet with Grand Rapids residency Program Directors, as well as opportunities to interact with other sub-specialists.
The Community Assistant Dean meets individually with each student during both the third and fourth years to discuss career choice and fourth year planning with students. The Community Administrator helps students to find career mentors, who are physicians in the community who have clear knowledge of their fields, as well as the residency application process.
Who will teach me?
Each required eight week clerkship has a paid Clerkship Director, who is assisted by a Program Coordinator from our office. In Medicine, Ob/Gyn, and Basic Surgery, we also have paid Hospital Coordinators that work with students within each institution. Paid faculty give many of the regularly scheduled lectures which are part of each clerkship's curriculum (most held in the GRMERC facility and some held within the hospitals).
Students also receive supervision and teaching from both attending and resident physicians within the community (Psychiatry is the only rotation where teaching is exclusively provided by attending physicians). Grand Rapids has a long history of excellence in medical education, which includes teaching and research as important focus areas. Residency Program Directors work closely with Clerkship Directors to help in the provision of a high quality student program and to reinforce the teaching role that is an expectation for residents.
Will I have a choice of hospital teaching placements?
Students have the opportunity to request hospital placements, which will be honored when possible.
For some rotations, students all have similar assignments. Family Practice includes four outpatient weeks in a clinic or office setting, two inpatient weeks at Saint Mary's, and two weeks at the Wege Clinic. Pediatrics includes four inpatient weeks at Spectrum-Butterworth, two outpatient weeks at Spectrum Health Clinic, one week in a private office, and one week doing pediatric subspecialties. Psychiatry is based at Pine Rest Christian Mental Hospital. For Medicine, Ob/Gyn and Junior Surgery, students are divided between Saint Mary's, Spectrum-Blodgett, and Spectrum-Butterworth.
Special learning opportunities
Since GRMERC's inception, MSU-CHM medical students have benefited from the expertise of its Integrated Educational Services Division. Educators from the division have enhanced our Core Competency Sequence with the following clinical skills sessions: Basic and Advanced Airway Management, Venous Access, ECG Recognition, Electrical Therapy, Nasogastric and Orogastric Tube & Foley Catheter Placement, Adult and Pediatric Resuscitations, Arterial Punctures & Needle Chest Decompression, Pediatric Intubation, IO & Umbilical Vein. GRMERC educators are also available for individualized student instruction. Focusing on our organizational goal of integrating the training of all GRMERC learners, medical students and physician assistant students receive clinical skills training together.
What is there to do in Grand Rapids?
There is a great deal to do in Grand Rapids. As the second largest city in Michigan, there are numerous cultural and entertainment opportunities for medical students. Visit the Grand Rapids/Kent County Convention & Visitors Bureau to check out local events and attractions at www.visitgrandrapids.org.
For more about Grand Rapids, check out our Life in Grand Rapids pages and take a minute to review our new video.