Foundation helps fund medical education in Spokane
SPOKANE, Wash. – The JP Morgan Chase Foundation awarded Washington State University $100,000 for a pilot program testing second-year medical education curriculum on WSU’s health sciences campus in Spokane.
“The second-year medical education program, uniquely delivered by our state’s two research universities and seed-funded by the community of Spokane, marks the beginning for students to complete their medical education in Spokane,” said WSU Spokane Chancellor Lisa Brown.
The award finishes a private effort that raised $2.2 million to partially cover the costs of the pilot. Thirteen other local and regional companies and foundations also made gifts.
Foundation support is part of a broader economic development strategy to attract biological and medical businesses and researchers.
“JPMorgan Chase is pleased to provide the capstone grant for WSU’s medical education curriculum,” said Brett MacLeod, Inland Northwest market manager for the company. “The program is critical in strengthening medical services in eastern Washington and rural areas, and we believe the expanded health services campus will be a catalyst for future economic growth in the region.”
WSU is working with the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) to test whether curriculum traditionally taught in large group lecture sessions can be successfully modified for small group learning. This is the first year of the two-year test.
For the pilot, the UWSOM assigned 19 students to Spokane, the first time second-year students have been outside Seattle. Four local physicians provide students with academic and career guidance during the year.
Contact:
Terren Roloff, WSU Spokane communications, 509-358-7527, terren.roloff@wsu.edu
