There is a new medical school partnership in Spokane. Gonzaga University and the University of Washington announced the program Wednesday.
For more than 40 years, the UW School of Medicine has provided medical education in Spokane and Eastern Washington through a five-state, community-based medical education program called WWAMI.
On Wednesday, UW officials announced that they will be partnering with Gonzaga University in Spokane.
Gonzaga President, Dr. Thayne McCulloh, said the program will benefit Spokane in helping to address a critical shortage of physicians. “Gonzaga will provide facilities and student support services for the foundation phase (the first 18 months) for their medical education studies on the west end of our campus, at the Schoenberg Center," he said. "And in this context, we will also be affording our own faculty a chance to work with the University of Washington.”
The plan calls for 60 UW students to begin first and second year medical training on the Gonzaga campus this fall.
The plan was prompted by the breakup of a long partnership between UW and Washington State University when plans were revealed by WSU to start a new medical school on the WSU Spokane campus.