2025 Report to the Community

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Partners in Medical Education

UW-GU Leaders Share Vision and Impacts

As they each prepare to step down from their presidential roles, University of Washington President Ana Mari Cauce and Gonzaga University President Thayne McCulloh reflected on the significant accomplishments of an unconventional partnership that began with a bold vision to transform the health and prosperity of the region. Both presidents agree that providing access to affordable, quality health care is essential to cultivating thriving communities, and that broad solutions that work for everybody can happen by breaking down traditional barriers. So, in 2015 they began discussions about how each could share the strengths of their institutions – a large public university and private Jesuit college – to forge a health partnership with this purpose.

Central and Eastern Washington. Since then, more than 2,600 Gonzaga health sciences graduates and nearly 1,000 UW doctors have graduated to provide greater access to caring, qualified providers.

“With more than 2,600 Gonzaga grads in health sciences and nearly 1,000 UW doctors since the onset of the partnership, families will have greater access to caring, qualified providers.”

Thayne McCulloh Gonzaga President

“As we find we need more doctors, nurses and other health care workers, particularly in less populated areas, the most sustainable solution is to educate and retain them here in Washington to care for our local communities.”

To address the need for more doctors, nurses and other health care workers, particularly in less populated areas, Cauce and McCulloh forged an agreement in 2016 with a mission to transform medical education, research and innovation to benefit communities throughout

Both presidents described how they are stronger by working together, citing several accomplishments that benefit their students and faculty, and the region.

Cauce cited results from a recent economic impact study that shows the UW’s economic impact is outpacing 2014 projections. The partnership with Gonzaga accelerated this impact and builds upon Gonzaga’s longstanding commitment to providing academic programs that meet the economic priorities and workforce needs of the region.

“The students who choose this partnership are world-class doctors focused on being second to none health care professionals but also in their support of our rural and underserved communities.”

Milestones and Achievements

Over the past nine years, the Health Partnership has:

Increased public investment and support to expand the number of medical students from 40 to 60, and dental school students from eight to 16, annually in Spokane.

Trained nearly 3,000 clinicians in Spokane to provide patient care to communities throughout Central and Eastern Washington.

Developed a $60 million, state-of-theart facility to provide excellence in medical and health education and research, made possible through a public-private collaboration with McKinstry’s Emerald Initiative.

Created and supported research opportunities for students to improve and enhance their educational experience through summer lab immersion and research fellowship programs

Strengthened partnerships and communities through a lecture series featuring UW School of Medicine researchers, engagement with clinical providers and outreach to rural underserved populations.

Offered Parkinson’s patients (and others) opportunities to test the latest treatments in GU’s Human Physiology labs.

Innovated collaborative teaching models that leverage expertise with joint faculty members, shared lab space and courses that tap into centers of excellence, such as leadership training.

Eastern Washington Economic Impacts

These findings represent our deep commitment to provide impact academically and economically in all parts of the state.

Sources: *Tripp Umbach, 2014; ***Independent Colleges of Washington, 2021-22; **Parker Strategy Group, 2024

Presidents McCulloh and Cauce planted a tree in front of the 840 Building in honor of the hundreds of students who will grow to become medical and health care providers.
Ana Mari Cauce UW President

UWSOM Students Meet Their Match

Each Spring graduating UWSOM Spokane students join their peers from medical schools across the country in learning where they “matched” and will be spending the next three to seven years in U.S. residency training programs.

UW medical students typically do very well in the annual Match Day event and this year was no exception. Fifty UWSOM Spokane students matched into 13 specialties in 16 states. More than half matched into primary care specialties (Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics), and nine students matched into Psychiatry residencies—a much needed specialty in eastern Washington and across the U.S.

Six of the Spokane students matched into Spokane-based residencies, along with four additional students from the WWAMI region.

Twenty Spokane students in total matched into Washington State-based residency programs.

20 Spokane graduates staying

50 Spokane students matched

78 matched in Washington

Students Offer Fentanyl Overdose Prevention and a Bit of Kindness

When Matt Lumsden (’21) came to Gonzaga University in 2018 as a biology major, he knew he wanted to go into the medical field, but not necessarily be a doctor. He also wanted to couple his studies with “a human component,” and set out to find a volunteer experience that would add to a holistic education. He started volunteering with the Spokane Regional Health District’s Syringe Services in 2021 and didn’t stop, until last March when he moved to Seattle.

Sam Carroll, manager of Syringe Services, says outreach workers like Lumsden are a critical part of the solution to the overdose epidemic, providing people with information on prevention, safe injection practices, referrals to treatment services and offering Naloxone (or Narcan) for those at the highest risk of opioid overdose.

“This isn’t about enabling drug abuse. This is disease prevention,” Carroll

clarified. Though studies have shown that people move into treatment programs, the challenge is recruiting volunteers to stay awhile. “Matt is the longest volunteer we’ve ever had,” said Carroll. The experience inspired Lumsden to apply to medical school and influenced him to pursue that training in Spokane at the UW School of Medicine (UWSOM).

276 drug overdose deaths in Spokane County after 2024 Spokane Regional Health District

Lumsden met other medical students who wanted to help expand the distribution of Narcan and together they secured a running grant for 50 doses of nasal Narcan each month, independently giving out the life-saving supplies.

Given the stereotypes of a drug user, being nonjudgmental can be tough. “Everybody has this implicit bias,” Lumsden says. There are those who one might expect to be a user based on appearances and there are the guys in business suits who don’t fit the mold, he shares. With his textbook education at UWSOM complete, Lumsden is beginning the clinical phase of his education, starting with an internal medicine rotation in Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center. No doubt, lessons learned on the streets in Spokane will stick with him.

CAUCE + MCCULLOH: Improving Regional Health and Prosperity

Ride Expands, Increases Access To Quality Dental Care

The UW School of Dentistry’s Regional Initiatives in Dental Education, or RIDE program, is nearing the completion of its new regional training center for oral healthcare excellence. This state-of-the-art simulation and teaching space will support the growth of the RIDE program and serve as a hub for training additional oral health professionals and students once fully operational by autumn quarter 2025.

The investments and new space will help increase access to quality dental care in the region, expand the oral healthcare workforce and improve overall health in rural and underserved communities across Washington state.

“At

Spokane Regional Health District

Dentists are in high demand nationwide, especially in rural Eastern and Central Washington. The UW School of Dentistry partners and Eastern Washington University (EWU) created RIDE to offer practical experience in rural community clinics and the program has been an astounding success. Since its inception in 2008, over 80 percent of

Community & Legislative Support

practicing RIDE DDS graduates have returned to work in rural or underserved communities.

“We are thrilled to be increasing our footprint in Spokane,” said Dr. Frank Roberts, UWSOD Associate Dean for Regional Affairs and RIDE Director. “We are grateful to our long-time partners at EWU and UW Medicine as well as for the ongoing support of the Washington state legislature for oral health education.

In spring 2024, the program secured $2.5 million in funding through the Washington state legislature to expand. The funding doubles the number of RIDE students from 32 to 64 students, adds a second year of regional in-

“This partnership creates a path for developing healthcare practitioners and leaders to not only serve rural eastern Washington—expanding healthcare access for all—but also create greater collaboration among all stakeholders in the region.”

Jake Closson, DBIA Vice President, Project Development, Bouten Construction Company

“Working with medical students in Eastern Washington through the UW-GU Health Partnership is a gratifying part of my personal medical practice. Teaching medical students helps me and my peers at our community clinic stay up-to-date and provide good care. Our community wins when we get trainees back to serve as doctors after they complete their medical training. Having a regional branch of medical education through UW is a big win for Spokane and the surrounding rural areas.”

Scott Hippe, M.D. Physician, Columbia Valley Community Health (CVCH)

2021 Final beam signed and erected in topping-off ceremony.

2022 Gauze ribbon cut to celebrate completion of building, a hub for over 500 students study health and medical professions.

struction and supports the development of the new training space in the 840 Building.

“Having a second year in Spokane in a new building is a huge opportunity that the students are really excited about,” said RIDE student Davis Mihelich. “This will positively impact our learning experience and will in turn benefit the communities where we ultimately practice. This expansion is a huge win for everyone.”

“I see the biggest potential for collaboration in students sharing their knowledge and being role models for each other but also with the local community. For the past several years both the GU undergrads and the UWSOM medical students have been volunteering at local Spokane elementary school STEM fairs to help educate young kids about the brain, but more importantly being positive role models for these young students. At least once per year one of the GU or UWSOM students ends up volunteering at an elementary school that they actually attended, and it is so rewarding hearing them share their story of success with the children.”

Kevin Measor, Ph.D., UW-GU Joint Faculty

“Being on faculty at both institutions has significant benefits. I can get an Institutional Review Board (IRB) application through relatively easily at GU because it’s a smaller university. At UW I received help from grant writers for some community-based work. We have great leadership for mentoring in both places, and I find that the missions and values overlap in ways that align with my own personal mission.”

Sarah Matousek, Ph.D., UW-GU Joint Faculty

2024 Rural Initiatives in Dental Education (RIDE) receives support to expand from 8 to 16 students per year and co-locate in the Health Partnership building.

2025 Cauce and McCulloh each step down as respective University presidents; celebrate accomplishments and enthusiasm for the future.

RIDE moves into 840 Building; dentistry students begin classes.

“The Health Partnership fosters an environment of innovation and knowledge exchange, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes and enhanced community health.”
Francisco R. Velazquez, M.D., S.M., FCAP; Health Officer,
Evergreen Bio, we see the impact of the Health Partnership in strengthening the healthcare workforce and driving bioscience innovation, making our region a hub for medical excellence.”
Michaele Armstrong , Ph.D., M.B.A. Executive Director, Evergreen Bio
UW and GU leaders tour the new RIDE facility in the 840 Building.

Early UWSOM-Spokane Grads Build Thriving Practices

Graduates from the first classes of the UW-GU Health Partnership are flourishing in the region.

As members of the first classes under the UW-GU Health Partnership, Dr. Mara Hazeltine (2019) and Dr. Justin Thompson (2020) are part of a pioneering group of students who paved the way for future cohorts.

Thompson said the partnership helps future physicians fall in love with the area. That happened to him when he came to Spokane to attend medical school after serving six years in the military. He enjoyed the small class size, getting to know his instructors, and exploring the region.

As a TRUST (Targeted Rural and Underserved Track) student, he spent time working in Moses Lake. That experience helped confirm his decision to pursue family medicine, and after completing the Family Medicine Residency program at Kootenai Health in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Thompson launched his career in the Lake City at Ironwood Family Practice. The scope of family medicine suits him, from caring for patients he delivered as a resident to serving as hospital faculty in the residency at Kootenai Health.

“I feel blessed,” he said. “I really enjoy taking care of patients and teaching. I usually have 3 or 4 UW residents at Kootenai and first-year students at my clinic. My education set me up for success.”

Hazeltine agreed.

After earning her undergraduate degree at the

UW, Hazeltine taught middle school at a Title One school in Colorado. She saw the impact lack of medical care had on her students.

“I felt called to medicine,” she said. “My mom is a nurse and an immigrant and worked hard to get where she is. My dad has been disabled by Guillain-Barré — I’d spent a lot of time in hospitals.”

Like Thompson, the scope of family medicine attracted her. She delivered her first baby during her RUOP (Rural Underserved Opportunities Program) in tiny Tonasket, Washington.

“It was an amazing experience!”

Medical Leaders Honored With Health Partners Awards

Health Partners in Ellensburg and Wenatchee were recognized for their exceptional commitment to improving the health of their communities and mentorship of medical residents and allied health students.

In the Wenatchee Valley, Casey Vogt , Student Services Coordinator, Jessica Brooks, HR Specialist and Alexandra Graham, MD, Internal Medicine Physician at Confluence Health and Felipe Gutierrez, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Karen Maqueda, Teaching Program Coordinator, Tobe Harberd, MD, Family Physician, and Scott Hippe, MD, Family Physician with Columbia Valley Community Health were honored.

“Being able to train here allowed me to stay here.”

Hazeltine was thrilled when she was accepted to the Spokane Family Medicine Residency program, and after completing it, she chose to launch her career and her family here. She worked at the Community Health Association of Spokane (CHAS) for two years. Now, the mother of an active one-year-old cares for patients at Providence Family Care-Cowley Park.

One of the goals of the Health Partnership is to improve healthcare in the region by educating and retaining physicians. Stories like Hazeltine’s and Thompson’s are exactly what UW President Ana Mari Cauce and Gonzaga University President Thayne McCulloh envisioned when the Health Partnership formed under their leadership.

Hazeltine’s education has come full circle.

“Being able to train here allowed me to stay here,” she said. “President Cauce signed my undergrad diploma, and her signature is on my medical school diploma. I think the way she and President McCulloh worked together to create the Health Partnership is pretty special—it’s inspiring.”

Students in our Community

Ellensburg’s John Merrill-Steskal, MD, KVH Family Medicine and Kittitas Valley Hospital’s Mark Larson, MD, Kevin Martin, MD and Kyle West , medical staff coordinator, received awards.

“We thank these local leaders for their commitment to the growth and prosperity of healthy communities,” said Geoff Jones, MD, UWSOM Assistant Clinical Dean. “As valued health partners, we create a greater impact together.”

“The UW-GU Health Partnership gives us the knowledge and confidence that we have a local, trusted pipeline for incoming students, to complement the plethora of requests we receive from around the country. We value the opportunity to engage their students to practice with us in our rural regions which are also wonderful places to live and play.” Karen Maqueda, Teaching Program Coordinator, Columbia Valley Community Health (CVCH)

“The Health Partnership has been critical to growing the pipeline of medical professionals in Eastern Washington and all over our state. Working together these two institutions are helping us take important steps toward the shared goal of ensuring that all Washingtonians, particularly those in rural and underserved areas, have access to quality, affordable healthcare.”

Marcus Riccelli Washington State Senator

Mara Hazeltine, M.D.
Justin Thompson, M.D.
Camp STIX offers youth ages 9-16 with Type I diabetes, an adventurous week of fun. The camp, staffed by volunteers, combines learning and fun for a memorable experience. Several UWSOM students learned about diabetes through the lives of children while volunteering at camp last summer.
Funding from the McKinstry Fellows Research Program allows GU undergrads and UWSOM students to work together on health-related research in GU’s state-of-the-art Human Physiology labs.

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