WWAMI Faculty Newsletter
News & Information from the University of Washington School of Medicine
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A Message from Dr. Suzanne Allen
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Wherever you are in WWAMI, you might have been able to hear the shouting on March 17: Shouts of joy as our graduating fourth-year students learned where they had matched.
Match Day is an emotional day not just for students, but also for all of us who have watched them work to get to this point. I want to thank our faculty, staff and preceptors throughout WWAMI for everything you do to educate our students. And you did it during an unprecedented time in recent history with plenty of unprecedented challenges.
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More than 260 UW medical students matched into residencies in 25 specialties across 40 states. Nearly half matched into primary-care specialties, including family medicine, general internal medicine, medicine/pediatrics, medicine/psychiatry and general pediatrics.
There’s a reason our students have a high match rate; that reason is you and your dedication to them. Thank you!
Residency programs: With an eye to the continuum of medical education across WWAMI, we can also celebrate the other side of the Match Day equation: the residency programs.
For example, the WWAMI Family Medicine Residency Network is going to welcome more than 260 first-year residents in its 31 programs for the 2023-2024 academic year.
Rural medicine study: The Family Medicine Residency Network reminds us of the UWSOM commitment to rural health care. But it’s not enough for UWSOM to know of the importance of rural training. We want people in the other 45 states to know as well. So researchers here conducted a statistical study to show that training in rural areas leads directly to more physicians in rural areas - even more dramatically than one could have imagined.
The Journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges recently published a study that found UWSOM alumni who had trained in rural areas were almost twice as likely to set up their practices in a rural location. The paper represents a resounding validation of our rural programs.
The study sends a message to all medical schools in the country: If you want to produce more doctors for rural areas, you need to train students in rural areas.
In addition to the rural programs in the Family Medicine Residency Network, there has been growth in other GME programs with a rural focus.
First-of-its-kind rural residency: As you’ll read below, UWSOM worked with partners to start the Alaska Internal Medicine Residency Program, a first-of-its kind internal medicine rural health residency in Soldotna, Alaska, population 4,500. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has provided initial accreditation for this exciting new residency program.
Its mission is to provide an intensive Alaska-based, rural primary care-focused training experience in internal medicine. The goal is to place exceptional internists in high-need Alaskan communities.
I hope you have a wonderful Spring! Thank you for all you do for our school community and for the community around you.
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Suzanne Allen, M.D., M.P.H.
Vice Dean for Academic, Rural & Regional Affairs
University of Washington School of Medicine
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In this Newsletter
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- Announcements & News
- Admissions
- Advancement & Alumni Relations
- Awards
- Opportunities to grow as an educator
- From the Center for Learning and Innovation in Medical Education (CLIME)
- From Continuing Medical Education (CME)
- From Faculty Affairs
- WWAMI Roundup
- Important Links
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Announcements & News
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University of Idaho team seeks to create a new, fun way to study medicine
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A WWAMI faculty member hopes to give medical students nationwide a new way to study. Tyler Bland, Ph.D., is turning all of medicine into a playable and animated adventure game that he calls Medimon (short for Medical Monsters).
Dr. Bland, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Idaho and an affiliate professor with UWSOM, teaches pharmacology throughout the Foundations phase to first- and second-year students throughout WWAMI.
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You may know that today's medical students already often use a picture-rich memorization tool called Sketchy, which comes from a Silicon Valley startup. Medimon also consists of arresting images, but in a game with lots of engagement and rewards. To create what's essential a new universe, Dr. Bland has built a huge team at the University of Idaho. A UWSOM student is composing the soundtrack for the game. You can read
this article to learn much more about the game, the team and the vision.
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Admissions
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Learn about the incoming class of 2023
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The UWSOM Office of Admissions is pleased to announce that we have accepted the incoming class of 2023! The Admissions Committee worked very hard this cycle to select a diverse class of future physicians to meet the healthcare needs of our region. We are so thankful for their efforts and are excited for these students to join our WWAMIly!
Here is a 'word cloud' that illustrates the breadth and volume of the incoming students extracurricular interests:
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Seattle seeks new members for the admissions committee
Admissions is now accepting applications for new members to the Committee on Admissions for the Seattle cohort. This is an opportunity to interview prospective medical school applicants and help shape the future of medicine.
There is a time commitment, but members regard participation on this committee as a rewarding and enjoyable experience. Learn more here.
Our committee does holistic review and 3-person virtual panel interviews. Executive committee (experienced admissions committee members) screen, lead the panel interviews, and meet to make final decisions. New members participate as interviewers and their impressions of applicants are taken into consideration during the final decisions.
In Admissions, our goal is to select a regionally representative and inclusive student body that will go on to serve an increasingly diverse public. We encourage faculty from all backgrounds, especially those who are first generation and/or underrepresented in medicine, to participate if you feel you have capacity.
Members are expected to prepare for and conduct approximately 20 interviews (6 or 7 half days) during specific weeks from October through February. This is a significant time commitment, but members regard participation on this committee as a rewarding and enjoyable experience. If you are interested in joining the committee, please email the Admissions Team by June 30 for more information.
Learn more about our process and expectations for applicants at our website.
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Advancement & Alumni Relations
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Enjoy learning the latest about the school from the "Inside Admissions" webinar
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In our "Inside Admissions at the UW School of Medicine" webinar LeeAnna Muzquiz, M.D., associate dean for admissions, shared information about the UW School of Medicine’s admissions process. She also shared her perspective on the experience and personal qualities that the admissions committee looks for in applicants.
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If you were unable to join us for the live event, or if you’d like to review the material covered by Dr. Muzquiz, you can watch or share a recording of the event. You can also find more resources for prospective students, like course requirements, shadowing advice and acceptance statistics, on
our admissions website.
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Student-alumni informational discussions serve up food for thought
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Each fall, UW School of Medicine medical students with curious minds and a hunger for connection gather in-person or online for Student-Alumni Informational Discussions (SAID).
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Casual, small-group discussions carve out a unique space for UW School of Medicine students to learn from their future colleagues. SAID takes a hybrid form in order to reach a wider pool of students and alumni across the five-state WWAMI region.
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Awards
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The UW School of Medicine is fortunate to include many talented leaders and faculty. Congratulations to the following award recipients! We urge you to read more about them here. If you know of other award winners, let us know
so we can applaud them.
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Gerry Groggel, M.D. (Montana)
Holds a wide variety of faculty roles in Montana WWAMI
2023 Dr. George Saari Award in Humanitarianism
Montana WWAMI
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Eileen Klein, M.D., M.P.H. (Seattle)
Professor, Department of Pediatrics
Award for Excellence in Mentoring Women Faculty,
Dean's Standing Committee for Women in Medicine and Science
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Tracy Mroz, Ph.D., OTR/L (Seattle)
Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Award for Excellence in Mentoring Women Faculty,
Dean's Standing Committee for Women in Medicine and Science
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Opportunities to Grow as an Educator
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From the Center for Learning and Innovation in Medical Education (CLIME):
Clinical Teaching Certificate
CLIME offers a certificate program designed to help teachers maximize clinical learning. Those who teach students, residents, or fellows while providing clinical care will benefit. The next session is Tuesday, May 16, 2023 on Assessment. Sign up here. Learn more about our program faculty, goals, and outcomes via our
2021-2022 Executive Summary here.
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Teaching Scholars Program
CLIME offers a 10-month certificate program designed to prepare UW School of Medicine educators to become leaders in all aspects of health professions education. The program consists of interactive learning sessions, scholarly projects, and a professional peer group. Scholars accepted must block and devote one morning a week (Tuesdays for three hours starting at 8 a.m. AK, 9 a.m. PT and 10 a.m. MT) to scholarly discussion of and reflection on topics related to the education and training of health care professionals as well as their own career development as an educator.
More information about the Teaching Scholars Program is available here.
CLIMECasts
CLIME produces a podcast hosted by our Associate Director for Faculty Development in Teaching Principles Kate Mulligan, Ph.D. Recent topics include, “Humanizing the Classroom” with David Masuda, M.D., M.S., “Well-Being in Higher Education” with Anne Browning, Ph.D., and Megan Kennedy, M.A., LMHC, and "Anti-Ableism and Disability Allyship in Medical Education" with Heather D. Evans, Ph.D., and Heather Feldner, P.T., Ph.D., PCS. Listen here.
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Works in progress
Our CLIME Small Grants Award recipients share project updates. Upcoming works in progress include
- May 23, 2023, “Medicine for a Changing Planet: A Clinical Case-Based Curriculum” by Noelle Benzekri, M.D., M.A., DTM&H (register here)
- June 6, 2023, "Exploring the Role of Specialty Identity in Medical Student Professional Identity Formation: A Qualitative Study" by Caitlyn Schrepel, M.D. (register here)
CLIME Clip:
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More Opportunities: Continuing Medical Education
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Upcoming Continuing Medical Education courses
Join UWSOM Continuing Medical Education for opportunities that fit your needs. We have live webinars, hybrid, and fully in-person sessions scheduled for the upcoming months. You can enjoy accredited education from the comfort of your home or visit us in person while networking with your peers. If you do not see a conference applicable or in the best learning format for you,
join our mailing list to stay current on all of our upcoming offerings.
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More Opportunities: Faculty Affairs
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Spring faculty leadership development series workshop: Strategies for Effective Communication
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May 15, 2023 | Noon AK, 1 p.m. PT, 2 p.m. MT | Zoom
This session will focus on strategies to enhance effective communication in a variety of different venues. Whether it is being a member of a team, giving performance related feedback, or simply sharing your observations and concerns with a colleague or patient, learning (or reinforcing) the tools for having these challenging conversations is useful for all of us. Attending this session will allow you to gain additional skill and confidence in having difficult conversations by:
- Understanding the role of fundamental attribution error
- Learning a set of core dialogue skills
- Creating a plan to apply these skills to specific challenges
This workshop is led by Anne Browning, Ph.D., Associate Dean for Well-Being, and Trish Kritek, M.D., Ed.M., Vice Dean for Faculty Affairs in the School of Medicine.
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Curriculum
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Idaho family physician named new Director for Curriculum Equity
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Sarah Galinato Gerrish, M.D., will start as Director for Curriculum Equity on May 1, 2023.
“Dr. Gerrish is a full-spectrum family physician whose passion lies in healthcare justice through community engagement and empowerment through identity equity and education,” said Heather McPhillips, M.D., M.P.H., associate dean for curriculum.
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Dr. Gerrish took the position at the University of Washington School of Medicine to further the mission of inclusive, representative and anti-biased medical education.”
Dr. Gerrish will oversee the content of the four-year medical student social justice curriculum as it pertains to promoting anti-racism and anti-discriminatory practices, and education regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) foundational content. In addition, Dr. Gerrish will be a resource for our medical school community in teaching curriculum through an equity and anti-oppression lens.
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WWAMI Roundup
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A lively Match Day, indeed
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There were celebrations of Match Day throughout WWAMI this year, and Seattle was no exception. You can see some of the joy in these photos from an event at UW's South Campus Center.
More than 260 UW medical students matched into residencies in 25 specialties this year. This year's UW Match participants will be going to a total of 40 states.
Nearly half of these MS4s matched into primary-care specialties, including family medicine, general internal medicine, medicine/pediatrics, medicine/psychiatry and general pediatrics. Roughly half of the people in this group chose internal medicine residencies.
If you'd like to see more photographs as well as videos from Match Day, here are some places to look:
We can't say this enough: Thank you for everything you did to help bring students to this point in their future!
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Meet new block faculty
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Spokane Foundations would like to introduce two block faculty, Kelvin Hsu, M.D., left, and Matt Ray, M.D., right. Both physicians have extensive experience in education.
Dr. Hsu is a nephrologist at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane. Dr. Ray is a nephrologist with MultiCare Rockwood Clinics.
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Faculty offer insights on studying in small groups
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Three longtime Spokane foundations faculty recently shared insights and best practices on facilitating block small groups. Some of what they talked about:
- What is the learning science behind small group learning?
- What do you do with students who don't come prepared, or who don't participate (or worse yet - just read the answer key!)?
- What is the ideal small group size and duration?
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All this and more were discussed at this CLIME Conversation Cafe by, from left to right, Charlie Charman, Mike Stephens and Paula Silha.
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Wyoming legislature welcomes WWAMI visitors
Wyoming MS3 Taylor Kennedy recently and briefly took the helm of the Wyoming Senate, above, but as you might expect, the legislature convened under its customary circumstances. Lawmakers applauded the visitors and selected Rob Monger, M.D., assistant clinical dean, Wyoming WWAMI, as official "Doc of the Day." You can watch the brief ceremony during the Legislature's online record, available on YouTube here.
Below at right, the group includes from left, MS4 Jacob Kennedy, Dr. Monger, Taylor Kennedy, and MS3 Bret Andrew.
Andrew spoke to thank the Legislature for "giving students like us a chance to attend a medical school in our home state, where we want to be, and where we're proud to serve patients."
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At left, medical students who attended the training. Above, Frank Batcha, M.D. assistant clinical dean of Idaho WWAMI with Alaska instructors.
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Alaska enjoys professional development
Alaska WWAMI, the UWSOM Center of Learning and Innovation in Medical Education (CLIME), and the Alaska Academy of Family Physicians brought faculty from near and far together for professional development at the Educator Development Summit.
Day One of the summit, hosted at the University of Alaska Anchorage, was dedicated largely to WWAMI Foundations faculty - think classroom environment topics. One of the highlights was guest presenter Somnath Mookherjee, M.D., CLIME Associate Director for Faculty Development in Clinical Teaching.
Day Two targeted the physician faculty and preceptors in their clinical roles and brought 14 physicians to Girdwood from all corners of the state, including Bethel, Nome, Valdez, Soldotna and Juneau. That kind of statewide, rural representation is what the team aims for in this annual event. They were joined by out-of-state WWAMI affiliates including Kristina Dzara, Ph.D., and Trish Kritek, M.D., both from CLIME, and Idaho WWAMI’s Frank Batcha, M.D.
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First rural Internal Medicine residency in the nation will be in Alaska
UWSOM is starting up a first-of-its kind rural health residency in Soldotna, Alaska, pictured above, population 4,500. The U.S. Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has provided initial accreditation for this first Internal Medicine rural health residency in the nation.
The program’s mission is to provide an intensive Alaska-based, rural primary care-focused training experience in internal medicine. The goal is to place exceptional internists in high-need Alaskan communities.
Ken Steinberg, M.D., will serve as the initial program director. Other Department of Medicine faculty involved are Gail Pokorney, M.D., clinical assistant professor, who will be the site director in Soldotna, and Megan Roosen-Runge, M.D., clinical instructor, who will be core faculty in Soldotna.
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Foundation students support rural health with D.C. lawmakers
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Foundations students Daniel Gray, Aubrey Kessel, Kaylee Stein, Marlow Schulz and Rjika Weis demonstrated their love of Montana and passion for rural medicine at the National Rural Health Association Policy Institute in Washington D.C.
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The students met with U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, seen above, center, and Rep. Ryan Zinke (not pictured). Right, the students pose in an iconic setting with Assistant Clinical Dean Jay Erickson, M.D., in the red bowtie.
Congratulations to these student leaders and future physicians for demonstrating civil engagement and healthcare advocacy.
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Above, Dan Schmidt, M.D., of Moscow, Idaho, flanked by current students, was this year’s recipient of the Idaho WWAMI alumni award. He was nominated by previous winners of the award. Below, Idaho WWAMI students pose for cameras with, from left to right in dark coats, Idaho Governor Brad Little, University of Idaho President Scott Green and Tim Dellit, M.D., Interim Dean, UWSOM, Interim CEO, UW Medicine.
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Idaho celebrates 50 years of WWAMI with legislative reception
"It’s that commitment to serving the rural and underserved areas that make WWAMI so unique. There’s no other medical school like this in the country."
~ Tim Dellit, M.D., Interim Dean, UWSOM, Interim CEO, UW Medicine
The 50th anniversary of WWAMI was celebrated in Idaho through the 2023 Idaho WWAMI Legislative Reception and 50th Anniversary Celebration. The event featured WWAMI students, faculty and staff, along with visitors including Idaho Gov. Brad Little, many state legislators and University of Idaho President Scott Green.
Gov. Little was presented with the inaugural WWAMI Leadership Excellence Award for his support.
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Dr. Dellit, right, told the legislators and other guests, "When you look at what WWAMI has done, and how it has been so incredibly successful, we at the University of Washington are incredibly proud to partner with you and look forward to working with you into the future over the next 50 years as we continue to train the physicians of the future for this great state of Idaho.”
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Volunteers prepare students for ATV and snowmobile accidents
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In the paper's photo, medical students including Luke Tesnohlidek, kneeling at left, apply learned skills to wrap a simulated patient suffering from hypothermia. The scenario of this drill at Cottonwood Butte Ski Area involved a horrible snowmobile accident, which is a real risk in much of the areas we serve in WWAMI.
Alum Andrew Schweitzer, M.D., a physician at St. Mary’s Health in Cottonwood, coordinates this annual program that he started in 2011 as a first-year medical student with the help of the staff there.
“I wanted to bring further awareness for medical students as far as what all is involved in being a family doctor in a rural town in Idaho,” Dr. Schweitzer told the paper.
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Got news?
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Ideas for this newsletter are welcome
If you have content that you'd like to share in our next Faculty Newsletter, please email uwsomcom@uw.edu. We'd love to hear from you, and don't forget pictures and video if you have them. The deadline for our next issue is tentatively June 2, 2023.
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Important Links
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