Earlier this month, the newly formed University of Washington School of Medicine and Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership announced the largest-ever entering class in Spokane — a record 60 UW medical students — who will begin their medical education on the Gonzaga campus starting this fall. Additionally, 40 second-year UW medical students will continue their education on the Gonzaga campus. All of these students are also among the first to experience the UW School of Medicine’s new, nationally recognized medical school curriculum that is setting new standards for medical education.
While the UW and Gonzaga are certainly proud of this stellar incoming class, there was even more to celebrate this month when second-year Spokane students marked their transition from the classroom to clinical rotations at the Clinical Transition Ceremony on May 14. Each student received a white coat with his/her name embroidered on it, which will be worn during clinical rotations in their third and fourth years. These students join hundreds of medical students completing clinical rotations throughout eastern Washington and the other WWAMI states. Later this month, 21 fourth-year students who began their education in Spokane, will recite the Hippocratic Oath at the annual Hooding Ceremony in Seattle — the culmination of medical school in which students receive their M.D. degree prior to advancing to residency training.
On May 19 we hosted a special evening in honor of our Spokane and eastern Washington faculty, clinical partners and champions of our medical education program to thank them for teaming with us to help deliver one of the nation’s premier medical education experiences to our students in eastern Washington. The commitment and expertise of our extensive teaching staff is advantageous to our growing number of students as they gain relevant experience to serve our communities in the future.
It has been an extraordinary few months since the University of Washington and Gonzaga University signed an agreement to expand and enhance medical education in Spokane. Gonzaga and the UW are working together to expand the nation’s top-ranked, community-based medical education program, setting the stage for advancing healthcare research and teaching in the Inland Northwest — and improving the health of the entire region for generations to come.
As friends and supporters of this region and our universities, we are grateful for your support and will continue to keep you informed about our progress and the success of our students.
Sincerely and in service,
Ana Mari Cauce, UW president
Thayne McCulloh, Gonzaga president