Program History

1968:
• The MEDEX Demonstration Project, jointly sponsored by the University of Washington School of Medicine and the Washington State Medical Association, was funded by the National Center for Health Services Research.
1969:
• The first MEDEX class of 15 former military medical corpsmen was selected and began training.
1971:
• An amendment to the Washington State Medical Practice Act was passed, allowing physician assistants to practice medicine under the supervision of a licensed physician.
1972:
•The Department of Health Services at the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine provides a long-term home for the MEDEX program.
1974:
• MEDEX dropped its restriction on admitting only ex-military corpsmen. Nurses and allied health workers were admitted for the first time.
1977:
• The Washington State Board of Medical Examiners amended its Rules and Regulations to allow prescriptive practice for physician assistants.
1981:
• Due to cutbacks in federal support, the MEDEX program was given self-sustaining status by the University of Washington, allowing the program to retain tuition and fees.
1983:
• The curriculum was expanded to 18 months to include an additional third quarter of didactic training and a quarter of clinical clerkships (in addition to the six-month primary care preceptorship) in the senior year. Class size expanded from 21 to 24 students.
1985:
• MEDEX students were required to complete an inpatient experience as a portion of their clinical rotations.
1986:
• The university awards the first degree specific to the MEDEX program, the Bachelor's Degree in Clinical Health Services. (Students had previously been eligible for a generic bachelors degree through the University Extension.)
1987:
• The Washington State Legislature passes legislation to place a PA on the Board of Medical Examiners.
1988:
• WAPA sponsors successful legislation to no longer allow internationally-trained doctors to register as PAs.
1990:
• Part-time slots are added to allow Seattle area health care providers to attend MEDEX while maintaining jobs. Enrollment is now 32 full-time and 6 part-time students entering each year.
• Washington PA status is changed from registered to licensed by legislative action. The PA on the Board of Medical Examiners is given full voting privileges.
1991:
• A PA is added to the Medical Disciplinary Board by legislative action. Class size is expanded to 36 full-time in addition to 6 part-time students.
1992:
• Class size expanded to 40 full-time students. Clinical training is expanded by an additional three months to become a full clinical year.
1993:
• Washington Health Reform Bill includes funding ($150,000 per year) for MEDEX.
• MEDEX begins training in Sitka, Alaska for 12 additional entering students.
1994:
• MEDEX does not receive funding to continue with a second class at the Alaska satellite; however, the experiences gained in Alaska and the $150,000 from the Washington state legislature allow the program to begin training 16
students in Yakima, Washington.
•MEDEX moves back into the School of Medicine as part of the Department of Medical Education (later Medical Education and Biomedical Informatics).
1997:
• MEDEX begins satellite training in Spokane, Washington (12 students) and continues training in Yakima (also 12 students). State Family Medicine funds are provided to the program to support interdisciplinary activities with the UW's Family Medicine Network.
1998:
• Washington's state legislature provides further support ($150,000 per year) for the maintenance of the Spokane site.
1999:
• MEDEX Northwest celebrates its 30th anniversary year. The first class from Spokane graduates. MEDEX expands the classes in Yakima and Spokane to 18 places each. The part-time option is suspended.
2001:
• A new basic science summer course is added to the curriculum, making MEDEX a 23-month program.
•MEDEX adds a faculty member based at the University of Alaska Anchorage to work with clinical placements and the MEDEX-UAA bachelor’s degree link.
2002:
• A new required clerkship rotation in ambulatory care is added and the preceptorship is extended by one month, lengthening the clinical phase of training.
2004:
•Anatomy & Physiology becomes a partly on-line course and is required for all entering students. MEDEX is now a
24-month program.
2005:
•The Spokane classroom site adds a part-time option for one year only.
2006:
• MEDEX makes the decision to become a master’s level program beginning with the 2009 entering class.
• The MEDEX Supplemental Application becomes an on-line form making the application process all electronic.
2008:
• MEDEX announces the Master's degree option offered at the Seattle and Spokane training sites only
• The Bachelor's of Clinical Health Services degree option remains available at the Yakima satellite campus.
• The Anchorage, AK training site is added offering the MEDEX Northwest BCHS services degree or the BSHS degree through the University of Alaska - Anchorage.