New Student-Medical Program Begins At Oakland University

ROCHESTER (WWJ) - The Oakland University-William Beaumont School of Medicine welcomed its first class of 50 students onto campus Monday. WWJ's Pat Sweeting reports from Rochester.

Beaumont President and CEO Gene Michalski agrees that an area like this is the best place for medical students to get an up-close look at some of the diseases they'll treat in their capacity as doctors.

Michalski also expects the new Oakland University-William Beaumont School of Medicine to help  stimulate the economy.

"You can just think about what's happening in disease, alone. These bugs that are growing that you can't treat anymore with conventional therapies, and so it's  ever-changing and staying up-to-date ... on the latest therapies is really critical," said Michalski.

Among the new medical students former eighth grade science teacher, Stephanie Shlay, from Los Angeles, when asked if her background gives her an advantage she says, "I don't know if it gives me a leg up, one of the things I've experienced in teaching is a lot of good study skills, and so I think that will be great to me, I'm looking forward to using my teaching skills I've learned in applying to my patience really being able to explain to them the health care and what is going on," said Shlay.

Shlay says she grew up interested in family medicine but now is looking toward a career in International Medicine.

The hands-on portion of the new medical students' training will be at William Beaumont Hospital facilities throughout the metro-area.