After stalled WWAMI termination bill, Idaho Legislature introduces medical education bill

Yahoo

06-03-2025

Since 1972, Idaho has been part of the WWAMI program to send students to the University of Washington's medical school. (Courtesy of the University of Idaho)
The Idaho Legislature introduced a new bill Wednesday that would cut Idaho's medical education seats through a partnership with University of Washington, or UW, and instead expand other medical education seats.
The bill, which is expected to be posted on the Idaho Legislature's website within the next day, is an alternative to another bill that would end Idaho's decades-long participation in the WWAMI partnership — with a slew of rural Western states — that carves out state-subsidized slots for Idaho students to attend UW's highly regarded medical school.
House Bill 176, the Idaho WWAMI termination bill, has stalled for weeks after wide backlash from doctors.
Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, and Idaho House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star, cosponsored both bills.
'I think there's a lot of discussions that we're going to have in the coming days about these proposals moving forward, and which one makes the most sense for Idaho,' Manwaring told the House Education Committee. 'Part of what I heard in the last few weeks was … some folks wanted both. They wanted to try to keep an attachment to the University of Washington and WAMMI, while we build out a different program.'
Idaho ranks 50th in the nation for the number of active physicians per capita.
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Their new bill calls for Idaho to add 10 medical education seats each year outside of WWAMI, beginning with the academic year that starts in 2026. Under the bill, Idaho would continue that expansion each year until the incoming class size reaches 30 students.
The bill doesn't name a medical school that would fulfill that requirement. But as Manwaring presented the bill to the committee Wednesday, he hinted at options.
He said he's seen strong interest in University of Utah to stand up a program with University of Idaho, and said Brigham Young University is starting a medical school, and referenced Idaho State University's exploration of buying the Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, as reported by Idaho Education News.
The committee introduced the bill, teeing it up for a full committee hearing in the coming days — before it would be considered by the full House and Senate.
But several committee members had concerns.
Rep. Mark Sauter, R-Sandpoint, voted against introducing the bill, saying he believes Idaho should 'keep WWAMI whole and build a good program going forward.'
'I do think that we need to have some leadership in the building and also recognize that there's a lot of things that we don't know,' he said.
The bill also directs Idaho to cut at least 10 seats in the WWAMI program starting in the 2027 academic year. In the meantime, the bill directs the Idaho State Board of Education to appoint a working group to develop a plan for Idaho medical education due in January 2026 to the Legislature and Idaho governor.
The bill's fiscal note estimates boosting non-WWAMI Idaho medical education seats would cost $512,400 in fiscal year 2027.
To become law, Idaho bills must pass the House and Senate, and avoid the governor's veto.
Since 1972, Idaho has been part of the WWAMI program to send students to UW's medical school.
Through the partnership, Idaho can send 40 medical students to UW each year.
But for years, Idaho lawmakers wanted more seats — and some have wanted assurance from the medical school that it is not teaching abortion-related care.
The day the Idaho WWAMI termination bill passed committee, UW signed a statement saying it doesn't use Idaho taxpayer dollars 'for abortions or abortion-related activities,' Idaho EdNews reported.
After passing a House committee in mid-February, the Idaho WWAMI termination bill has not been voted on by the Idaho House for weeks.
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