Warrior MD houses

Evidence-based research shows that students who participate in learning communities are more engaged and academically motivated. They learn the best methods for collaboration and are more likely to integrate concepts from one course to another. At the school of medicine, these smaller communities break down the large student body into eight organized conceptual Warrior MD Houses.

The School of Medicine Warrior MD Houses support and encourage networking, coaching, professional identity formation and empowerment. Through active and engaged experiences, students are led to more meaningful learning. 

The Warrior MD houses serve as the foundation for our Wayne Trained and Coaching Programs. Initiated in 2024, the Wayne Trained Initiative aims to foster institutional support for students interested in primary care and to provide an early understanding of common clinical issues encountered in medical practice. Through this initiative, students will participate in six sessions with a Family Medicine doctor during Segments 1 and 2 of their training.

Partnering with the Wayne Trained Initiative is the WSUSOM Coaching Program. This program ensures students develop a close relationship with a faculty member, offering both group and individual coaching sessions. These sessions are designed to support personal and professional identity formation, helping students become master adaptive learners ready for the next phase of their medical education.

All four classes come together through social engagement activities and subject-based curriculum Mentor Meet-Ups centered on discussions regarding Detroit's top health disparities and issues that physicians face. Students enrolled at the School of Medicine are assigned to one of the eight Warrior MD Houses.

The complementary Peer Mentor Program and the mentor/mentee relationships allow these learning communities to pave a smooth path in the transition from undergraduate to medical education by creating a culture of openness, safety and support.

Coaching, mentorship, unity, service, and scholarship are the pillars that sustain and bond medical students together in these eight Warrior MD conceptual Houses.

For more information contact the WSU SoM Learning Communities, Mentoring & Student Engagement Program Administrator, Dr. Anthony Gaynier agaynier@med.wayne.edu.