stephanie.engle

How did you get into the field? Or alternatively what drew you into this field?
I was drawn to internal medicine by the patients, their diseases, and the intellectual curiosity and dedication of my internal medicine mentors. I love the challenge of intellectually dissecting complex presentations to simplify what has gone awry within the human body. Considering the science within the context of each individual’s life story combines the best of both worlds for me – fascinating physiology and human connection. The camaraderie within the provider team and mission to positively impact each person’s … » More …

Describe your journey to medicine: what were some defining moments, hurdles, or moments of inspiration?

There are countless moments to choose from. I was lucky to take a class by a Native (Mohawk) mentor. Professor Elizabeth Hoover’s course, Eating Local in Indian Country, inspired and taught me to think critically about food sovereignty as a treaty right. One of the assigned books, Spirit of Our Whaling Ancestors, demonstrated the importance for Indigenous peoples to practice traditional foodways, that culture and health are one and the same.

Why is being a Native American medical student is so … » More …

What drew you to your field?

I was drawn to internal medicine because of the intellectual challenge of the field. Internal medicine requires that you excel at critical thinking and clinical reasoning. Patients often present with symptoms of an unclear origin and it is your responsibility to make a diagnosis using past experience, clinical reasoning and critical thinking. In addition, as an internist you frequently care for patient with very complicated disease states. It is common for these … » More …

Increasing the amount of time spent asleep immediately after a traumatic experience may ease any negative consequences, suggests a new study conducted by researchers at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.

Published today in Scientific Reports, the study helps build a case for the use of sleep therapeutics following trauma exposure, said William Vanderheyden, an assistant research professor and the lead author on the study. “Basically, our study has found that if you can improve sleep, you can improve function.”

The finding holds particular promise for populations that are routinely exposed to trauma, such … » More …

One in four adults reported a change in alcohol use almost immediately after stay-at-home orders were issued, according to a study of twins led by Washington State University researchers.

The study, published recently in Frontiers in Psychiatry, surveyed more than 900 twin pairs from the Washington State Twin Registry from March 26 to April 5, 2020, just after stay-at-home orders were issued in Washington on March 23. An estimated 14% of survey respondents said they drank more alcohol than the week prior and reported higher levels of stress and anxiety than those who did … » More …

American Indian and Native Alaskan populations have been hit hard by the pandemic—exactly how hard, no one can say for sure, since there is a lack of information and testing in these communities.

A new project led by Dr. Dedra Buchwald, a physician and professor with WSU’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, has received a $4.4 million National Institutes of Health grant to help address that knowledge gap and bring resources to curb the COVID-19 crisis within these populations.

“Many things come together to make American Indians and Native Alaskans particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, … » More …

Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine today announced that it has earned accreditation to launch its first residency program and is accepting applications immediately.

The WSU Internal Medicine Residency Program-Everett, based at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett, is a three-year residency training program with a focus on primary care. Sixteen resident positions have been approved for the first year; 12 categorical and four preliminary positions will be welcomed in June 2021 with 12 more added each year over three years to cap at 40 total residency positions when fully … » More …

A new study published today in the journal Current Biology suggests that star-shaped brain cells known as astrocytes could be as important to the regulation of sleep as neurons, the brain’s nerve cells.

Led by researchers at Washington State University’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, the study builds new momentum toward ultimately solving the mystery of why we sleep and how sleep works in the brain. The discovery may also set the stage for potential future treatment strategies for sleep disorders and neurological diseases and other conditions associated with troubled sleep, such as PTSD, … » More …

Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine has been informed it will receive a nearly $750,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to develop a new rural residency program.

The Rural Residency Planning and Development Program grant will be used as start-up funding for a family medicine residency program at Pullman Regional Hospital.

“WSU is working closely with numerous partners to expand rural residency opportunities in eastern Washington,” said WSU President Kirk Schultz. “This funding is an exciting step in our collective goal to address rural health care … » More …