The expansion was approved by the MSU Board of Trustees in May 2007 and by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation in September 2008.

The first portion consists of introductory basic science, including: anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, physiology, etc.

During this time, students also learn physical examination, doctor-patient interactions, and the principles of osteopathic palpatory diagnosis and manipulative therapy.

[15] MSUCOM's DO-PhD Physician Scientist Training Program, the first of its kind in the nation, was founded by Dr. Veronica Maher and Dr. Justin McCormick in 1979.

The eight-year program is not organized in the traditional 2-4-2 MD-PhD arrangement, but starts with the first year of graduate coursework.

Most DO-PhD students complete PhDs through the BioMolecular Science program which includes: biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics, microbiology, pharmacology & toxicology, and physiology.

[16] The College of Osteopathic Medicine conducts pre-clinical training at three sites: East Lansing, Detroit and Macomb.

[19] Clinical training for the third- and fourth-year students occurs at hospitals throughout Michigan affiliated with the Statewide Campus System.

In 2017, MSUCOM's Statewide Campus System was named as one of the five regional assessment training centers by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.