CMU Unveils New Vision for Medical Education in Saginaw

Central Michigan University today released exterior renderings of its planned medical education building in Saginaw, Michigan. The new MyMichigan Health CMU Medical Education Building will serve as the home of the medical education program for the Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University beginning in the fall of 2028.

The new facility, along with existing CMU locations in Saginaw, provides an opportunity to bring the majority of medical students together in one geographic location for their four years of education and training. Currently, first- and second-year medical students complete their classes on the Mount Pleasant campus, while many third- and fourth-year students complete their final years in the Saginaw area.

“Bringing the majority of our students, faculty and staff together in one geographic location will greatly strengthen medical education at CMU,” said Joshua Nosanchuk, M.D., dean of the Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University. “Multi-year, collaborative education offers greater opportunity for hands-on learning and mentorship, and the proximity to our health care partners will provide additional experiential training opportunities for all students. And, importantly, having our students together in Saginaw for four years allows for deeper longitudinal interactions with the local community – strengthening ties by providing students opportunities to learn with them and from them.”

Images of the nearly 90,000 square foot facility highlight its unique design, which reflects the mid-century modern aesthetic of its neighboring hospital, and the warm, welcoming feel of its sustainable construction materials, which include wood, glass, brick and resilient metals.

Plans for the building include modern classrooms, problem-based learning rooms, anatomy teaching spaces, high-fidelity simulation rooms, a Standardized Patient exam suite, and more.

The building’s exterior was thoughtfully designed by HDR, Inc. to reflect the mid-century modern aesthetic of the neighboring MyMichigan Medical Center Saginaw, and will be constructed with sustainable materials including glass, brick, wood and resilient metals.

Construction is set to begin this summer, with a groundbreaking ceremony scheduled for Tuesday, September 22, 2026, on the site of the new building.

With the addition of the new facility, the university will have a physical location on both the Covenant HealthCare and MyMichigan campuses. The MyMichigan Health CMU Medical Education Building will be located on the MyMichigan Medical Center Saginaw campus at the intersection of Holden Street and South Franklin Street. It joins the Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University’s Stone Street Education Building and the CMU Health Women and Children’s Center on Houghton Avenue.

"CMU administrators, faculty and staff worked with the design team from HDR, Inc. to develop a project plan that emphasizes teaching and learning, mentoring and collaboration,” Nosanchuk said.

“Every aspect of the building design emphasizes best practices for teaching and learning and promotes collaboration and engagement between and among faculty and students,” Nosanchuk said. “We have adopted an interdisciplinary, collaborative approach to health and wellness, and our classrooms, centers, meeting rooms and interactive spaces reflect that approach.”

The four-story facility emphasizes transparency, collaborative care, wellbeing and wellness with an interior full of natural light. It will feature modern, flexible spaces for teaching and learning, a Standardized Patient exam suite, high-fidelity simulation rooms, problem-based learning rooms, anatomy teaching spaces, and spaces to encourage collaboration and mentoring, such as a student lounge and kitchen, fitness center, and student commons. The fifth-floor mechanical systems area will also include chiller infrastructure.

Nosanchuk said CMU will break ground on the new facility on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, and expects to begin classes in the new building by the start of the fall semester in 2028. CMU will send a media alert and invitation to Great Lakes Bay regional media ahead of the ceremony in September.

More information about the building and the college will be available on the cmich.edu website after 3 p.m. Monday, August 3, 2026.

The Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University educates diverse students and trains culturally competent physicians to provide comprehensive health care and services to underserved populations in Michigan and beyond. Our faculty, staff and graduates advance health and wellness through exceptional education, innovative research, quality patient care and strategic collaborations to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities.