For generations, Covenant HealthCare has been committed to providing extraordinary care for every generation—and to preparing the physicians who will provide that care in the future. That long-standing commitment continues through an expanded partnership with Central Michigan University and MyMichigan Health as part of the Advancing Health Together initiative.
In recognition of decades-long leadership and investment in medical education from Covenant, CMU’s College of Medicine will now be known as the Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University—a milestone that reflects a steadfast commitment to strengthening the medical talent pipeline for the Great Lakes Bay Region and beyond.
Covenant has served the region for 27 years as Covenant HealthCare, and for more than 130 years through its founding hospitals, Saginaw General and St. Luke’s. For decades, Covenant has supported medical education in Saginaw, helping train generations of students and physicians through clinical teaching, operational support, and sustained investment. As a locally led, independent health system, Covenant remains deeply committed to keeping high-quality care—and highly trained medical professionals—close to home.
With more than 4,600 employees and a specialized team of physicians and advanced practice providers, Covenant delivers comprehensive care across the full continuum. This broad scope of services creates a robust clinical learning environment for medical students, residents, fellows, and other learners—many of whom train through CMU programs rooted in the region.
As part of this expanded collaboration, CMU will establish a new medical education building in Saginaw, located within the Medical Diamond on MyMichigan Health’s campus. This new facility will become home to the Covenant HealthCare College of Medicine at Central Michigan University and will bring first- and second-year medical students to Saginaw, uniting all four years of medical education in one community.
This addition complements—and does not replace—the existing CMU College of Medicine presence on Stone Street on the Covenant HealthCare campus, further strengthening Saginaw as a regional hub for medical education.
Covenant has been a long-time academic and clinical partner with CMU since the university’s arrival in mid-Michigan, and that partnership has expanded over time to include additional residency and fellowship programs that deepen the region’s medical talent pipeline. The continued evolution of this collaboration reflects a shared belief that medical education, workforce development, and patient care are closely connected.
As part of Advancing Health Together, Covenant HealthCare has committed $40 million over eight years to support medical education, alongside a matching $40 million commitment from MyMichigan Health. Together, these investments underscore a collective commitment to collaboration and to ensuring individuals and families across the Great Lakes Bay Region have access to well-educated physicians and extraordinary local care—now and for generations to come.
To learn more about this milestone and Central Michigan University’s announcement, read the full CMU press release.
From left to right: Beth Charlton, President and CEO of Covenant HealthCare; Dr. Tina Thompson, interim dean of the College of Medicine; CMU President Neil MacKinnon; and Dr. Lydia Watson, President and CEO of MyMichigan Health.