October 13, 2022 / Liz Kaylor
Baltimore Medical System Agrees to Be Community Health Clinical Teaching Arm for Proposed Medical School at Morgan State University
Maryland’s largest FQHC will train both MDCOM medical school instructors and students in population health practices; help build future workforce for region’s community health centers
Baltimore (October 13, 2022) – Baltimore Medical System (BMS), the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) system in Maryland, announced today it has reached an agreement with the proposed school of Maryland College of Osteopathic Medicine at Morgan State University to serve as the school’s community health clinical teaching arm.
Under the affiliation, both instructors and students from the new medical school will complete rotations at BMS facilities, including eight community health centers and eight school-based health sites across Baltimore, as part of their clinical training. Instructors of the new medical school, who are also clinicians, are expected to begin practicing at BMS centers as early as 2023 in order to incorporate the most current and advanced population health practices into the school’s curriculum. Once the medical school opens, the first class of students will complete two years of didactic training on campus at MSU before pursuing two-years of clinical training programs that will include rotations at BMS health centers and local hospitals to learn the clinical aspects of medicine, under the supervision of certified medical doctors.
“As an affiliate of The Maryland College of Osteopathic Medicine, Baltimore Medical System is excited to support Morgan State University’s mission to create more opportunities for students who want to go to medical school, and also help instill in these students a strong foundation in community health and the critical role it plays in public health care,” said Shirley Sutton, President and CEO, Baltimore Medical System. “Together, we will be developing a new generation of clinicians who understand the complex health needs and challenges of today’s population, and the art of personalizing medicine to serve the diverse cultural needs in our communities. We are eager to see this new workforce benefit not just our BMS centers, but all community health centers across the region.”
“We as a medical school are elated to be in affiliation with BMS as they will be providing a clinical education environment that will produce caring, competent and compassionate osteopathic physicians of the future,” said John W. Sealey, DO, FACOS, Founding Dean of the proposed Maryland College of Osteopathic Medicine at Morgan State University.
About Baltimore Medical System
Baltimore Medical System (BMS) is the largest Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) system in Maryland. Operating eight health centers, three pharmacies, and eight school-based health sites in Baltimore, BMS serves more than 60,000 patients annually, including those who are underserved and uninsured. With a multidisciplinary team of healthcare providers and community health workers who provide holistic care for patients beyond the exam room, BMS is committed to providing healthcare with dignity, ensuring Baltimore City’s most vulnerable citizens can become engaged stakeholders in their own healthcare. This leads to better health outcomes—and opens them up to greater employment and educational opportunities, financial security, and family stability. For more information, visit www.bmsi.org.