Latest news with #WWAMI
Yahoo
24-03-2025
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WWAMI TRUST Scholars become exceptional rural physicians
During my time as a TRUST scholar in Hailey, I had the opportunity to form truly meaningful relationships with my patients. I helped provide prenatal care for an expecting mother, assisted with her delivery, and saw her baby at a four-month well-child visit. At the other end of the spectrum of life, I had conversations with terminally ill patients about transitioning to hospice care, went on home visits, and remained involved until their passing, writes guest columnist Alexis Ericsson. (Getty Images) As a third-year WWAMI student from Soda Springs, I am writing on behalf of 18 current and former rural medicine trainees in Idaho, primarily from the TRUST program. We are concerned that House Bill 368 will detrimentally impact the state's rural physician pipeline. WWAMI, Idaho's medical education program through the University of Washington School of Medicine, has been educating aspiring physicians from Idaho for 53 years. Since 2013, WWAMI's Targeted Rural and Underserved Track (TRUST) program has reserved a portion of each class for students from small towns like Cottonwood, Payette, Rockland and Victor. This program is unlike any other in the country and has established a successful pipeline for training exceptional rural physicians. TRUST scholars spend about nine months throughout medical school embedded in rural continuity sites including half of their third year, engaged in clinical learning experiences. This program allows them to 'try on' life as a small-town doctor and is currently running in Sandpoint, Orofino, Moscow, McCall, Nampa, Hailey and Jerome. During my time as a TRUST scholar in Hailey, I had the opportunity to form truly meaningful relationships with my patients. I helped provide prenatal care for an expecting mother, assisted with her delivery, and saw her baby at a four-month well-child visit. At the other end of the spectrum of life, I had conversations with terminally ill patients about transitioning to hospice care, went on home visits, and remained involved until their passing. It was a privilege to be part of these moments, and I realized that I want nothing more than to care for people in my community from birth to death for the rest of my career. My experiences as a TRUST scholar are not unique to me, and I have seen how these formative patient encounters have shaped the career trajectories of my peers. Many TRUST scholars like me grew up traveling significant distances to receive necessary care. All of us professionally have seen poor health outcomes stemming from inadequate health care access. In addition to our lived experiences, many current students, alongside our non-TRUST peers, conducted research at 22 rural Idaho clinical sites, which found that service access was the most frequently perceived barrier to providing care. Simply put, Idaho needs more doctors. We support the formation of a committee of experts through the Idaho State Board of Education who can provide the Legislature with guidance on improving medical education in Idaho. We know a plan with rural Idahoans' best interests at heart will always include initiatives like TRUST through the WWAMI program. House Bill 386 will take 10 seats away from WWAMI, with the potential to cut more annually until the program is obsolete. If Idaho reduces seats or cuts ties altogether with the WWAMI program, causing future students to miss out on experiences like TRUST, it will be a huge loss for all rural communities in the state. It has been alleged that WWAMI does not embody Idaho values, but that could not be further from the truth. TRUST has become a pipeline where hardworking students from rural and underserved backgrounds can receive outstanding training, preparing them to serve the communities they know and love. Caring for one's neighbor is intrinsically Idahoan and something the state should be proud to support. As current and former TRUST scholars and rural medicine trainees, we are the future of rural health care in Idaho and ask our legislators to work together with eth State Board of Education to develop a physician workforce that will serve Idahoans in the areas where we are needed the most. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
20-03-2025
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Gritman CEO: Hospital needs WWAMI students
Mar. 20—Gritman Medical Center CEO Kara Besst said medical students from the WWAMI program are "super important" to Idaho and to the Moscow hospital. This was in response to a question about proposed state legislation, posed during a League of Women Voters of Moscow forum Wednesday. Besst gave a presentation to the league about the hospital's goals for 2025. During a question and answer session, she was asked about recent bills in the Idaho Legislature that would reduce or get rid of Idaho's partnership in the University of Washington medical school program, called WWAMI (which stands for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho). The Idaho House recently passed House Bill 368, which would reduce at least 10 seats from Idaho's partnership with the University of Washington medical school and the other Western states. Idaho ranks last nationally in the number of physicians per capita. Besst said there is a national shortage of doctors, as well, because there are not enough medical schools and it can take eight to 10 years to fully train a physician. Besst said losing out on more medical students would be "really devastating" for the local community. "Most of our providers come through the WWAMI program," she said.
Yahoo
06-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
After stalled WWAMI termination bill, Idaho Legislature introduces medical education bill
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. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX 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. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Health
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Conservative rural Idaho doctor says WWAMI dissolution feels ‘political'
My WWAMI medical school and residency education gave me the ability to practice rural, full-spectrum family medicine, writes guest columnist Lance Hansen. (Getty Images) I am a fiscally and socially conservative family physician practicing at Franklin County Medical Center in Preston, Idaho. I was raised on a potato farm west of Blackfoot, and my family has been rooted in Idaho agriculture for generations. Growing up, my family physician was WWAMI graduate Dr. Kirt McKinlay. I'm writing because I am concerned that politics are clouding sound judgement when it comes to House Bill 176, a bill that would sever medical education ties with the University of Washington School of Medicine. With a proven track record of excellent medical education and a commitment to Idaho, why are we entertaining the notion of cutting ties of a 53-year-old partnership with the WWAMI program for a lot of uncertainty and unknown? Idaho doctor: WWAMI is 'vital' for state's students, residents and health care With the way that House Bill 176 is structured/worded, there are only a few possibilities and a lot of uncertainty. To me this feels very political rather than rational. As a graduate of the WWAMI program, I never participated in or felt pressured to learn anything about abortion or physician assisted suicide. The education at the University of Washington School of Medicine is outstanding; WWAMI is continually ranked as one of the top medical schools in the nation for primary care. When I went through medical school, there were only 18 WWAMI slots for Idaho medical students and today there are 40. I know, firsthand, that the mission of the University of Washington School of Medicine is to truly prepare physicians to serve the WWAMI region. Since 2012, I have volunteered thousands of hours teaching WWAMI medical students and serving on the Idaho WWAMI admissions committee where we selected applicants who were committed to rural Idaho and its health care needs. I have never been paid for any of this. I simply have a great appreciation for what the WWAMI program has accomplished and a strong confidence in what it will accomplish in the future. More than half of Idaho WWAMI medical students choose to practice here, which is better than the national average of 39-40%. When you include all WWAMI medical students, more than 70% end up in Idaho. Training in Idaho entices students from Alaska, Montana, Washington and Wyoming to stay here. My medical career started in Bear Lake County where I practiced for 11 years. It's difficult to find physicians who are comfortable with practicing in these truly rural environments without specialist support nearby. My WWAMI medical school and residency education gave me the ability to practice rural, full-spectrum family medicine – including obstetrics with C sections, colonoscopy/EGD, emergency medicine, intensive care, hospital medicine, clinic treatment and more. WWAMI provides the rural emphasis, exposure, opportunities, knowledge and confidence necessary for me, and other graduates, to serve people in rural areas. When I came to Franklin County Medical Center two years ago, it had been recruiting for more than four years. For smaller hospitals like ours, it is more cost effective to have broadly trained family physicians like those that come out of the WWAMI program with rural experience. Our family medicine training also means patients are likely to have better outcomes because they don't have to travel longer distances for medical care. One of my favorite parts of medicine is participating in the miracle of life when newborn babies come into this world. Most people I know love babies — so I ask that our state lawmakers not throw out the baby with the bathwater on this issue of medical education in Idaho. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
19-02-2025
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Idaho considers end to 50-year physician-training partnership with University of Washington over 'Idaho values'
Feb. 18—The Idaho Legislature is considering a move to end a 50-year partnership with the University of Washington to train future Idaho doctors. Since 1972, Idahoans training to be physicians have been able to do so through the WWAMI system, a partnership between five states that relies on the UW School of Medicine for physician training. A bill headed to the Idaho State House floor would sever the state's ties with UW in favor of a proposed partnership with the University of Utah. Bill sponsor Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, argued before the Idaho House Education Committee last Friday that the state's partnership with the University of Washington does not align Idaho physicians' "medical education with Idaho values." "I appreciate the University of Washington and the reputation they have for quality. But at the same time, we have a physician shortage in Idaho. We have to address this issue in Idaho, and we have to find new relationships that works for us, and we have to keep and retain more doctors in the state of Idaho," Manwaring said. Manwaring claimed that the University of Washington could use Idaho state funds to teach physicians how to perform abortions. He also said calls to increase the number of Idaho students in the partnership had been ignored by UW. At the hearing, UW School of Medicine Vice Dean Suzanne Allen said the school would agree to Idaho's abortion stipulation. "The University of Washington does not spend any Idaho funds on abortion care or abortion training," she said. Allen also said UW hopes to expand the number of Idaho students involved in the program. "We are committed to that expansion. Currently we do not have enough clinical training in the state of Idaho for us to be able to do that expansion. We are working diligently to create more high-quality clinical training opportunities for our students," she said. Idaho medical students currently receive their first two years of training at the University of Idaho in Moscow. They then receive two additional years of clinical training at medical facilities in any of the WWAMI states, including Idaho, Washington, Wyoming, Alaska or Montana. There are currently 40 Idaho medical students in the WWAMI partnership each year. If passed, the bill would allow for current University of Idaho students to complete their participation in WWAMI, and Idaho's involvement in the partnership would be phased out by the 2029-30 school year. The state would also need to find a new partnership with other medical schools in the Mountain time zone. While the bill does not outline any new partnerships, Manwaring said talks were ongoing to partner with the University of Utah, which he argues could keep state dollars and Idaho physicians-in-training closer to home. "Right now, the University of Idaho gets $4.45 million and the University of Washington gets $9.38 million, so that's almost 69% that goes to the University of Washington. What we're proposing is a potential partnership with University of Utah, which would flip that on its head. We believe we would be able to keep almost 66% of those dollars in Idaho, and 34% of that would go out of state," he said. The University of Utah currently provides training for 10 Idaho students, but this proposal would bring the number to parity with those currently receiving UW instruction. The partnership would also need approval by the Utah state Legislature. University of Idaho medical professor Rusty Baker said at the hearing such a transfer would be possible. "It doesn't mean that I don't appreciate what the University of Washington has done, or that I want it necessarily to change. But if our state Legislature and our board deems that this change needs to happen, then it's our duty to find a way to make sure that physicians are continuously trained in the University of Idaho," Baker said. Other Idaho physicians spoke in opposition to the proposal at the hearing. "WWAMI is not just any other medical training. It is a national leader that is number one in rural training and primary care physician training, which is what Idaho continues to be in dire need of," said Kootenai Health physician Dr. Crystal Pyrak. "The WWAMI program is not just the time spent at the University of Idaho but includes over a hundred teaching sites in wonderful, unique Idaho communities, and really has a great standard of excellence. It will be impossible for any other medical school program to replace it." The bill was approved in a 9-5 committee vote and now waits for debate and a vote in the Idaho House.
