A graduate of the East Lansing-based Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine spoke publicly about former Dean William Strampel's, DO, behavior toward herself and other female students, claiming he had a history of discussing sexual matters and regularly commented on students' appearances, according to Michigan Radio.
Dr. Strampel was arrested March 26 and charged the following day with counts of criminal sexual conduct and willful neglect of duty related to his failure to adequately supervise Larry Nassar, DO, who is currently serving a 60-year prison sentence for child pornography charges.
Breanna O'Keefe, DO, a 2012 graduate of the medical school, spoke to Michigan Radio about her personal experience with Dr. Strampel. She said she initially began interacting with Dr. Strampel in 2009 after she learned she was pregnant. Dr. O'Keefe said she approached him via email asking to discuss her situation and her desire to stay in the Lansing area to finish her clinical work and be with her then-husband.
"I received an email back from him stating that he would meet with me, but if I wanted to get what I want I better wear a low-cut shirt," Dr. O'Keefe told Michigan Radio. "I had no intention of wearing a low-cut shirt. Even if I really needed something for me, that's not something that I was ever willing to do. But I definitely was scared that, here I'm going into a meeting with somebody that already makes me nervous [and has] an expectation of something that I'm going to wear, and then I'm going to show up not wearing it and asking him for help."
Dr. O'Keefe said Dr. Strampel allegedly berated her during the meeting for asking for help and said she should've taken precautions to prevent her pregnancy, the report states.
"If I reported him or if I spoke out against him, no one's going to listen to me. I'm a lowly second-year medical student versus Dean Strampel," she said.
Dr. O'Keefe also commented on a second interaction with the former dean, during which Dr. Strampel allegedly made a comment insinuating Dr. O'Keefe's child was "[his] baby," according to the report.
"For me, not only was it humiliating to be accused of having an affair … and getting pregnant by somebody else. … Then our dean … undermined years of hard work that I had put in towards getting good grades, studying hard, working hard to build a reputation of being somebody who was always going to work hard and do their best. It basically just put out there that I'd slept my way through medical school," she said.
MSU and Dr. Strampel's attorney did not immediately respond to Michigan Radio's request for comment.
To access the full report, click here.