Community Hosting and Homestay Program

Community Connections

Community hosts introduce their student to community members over the course of the five Clinical Campus Weeks. These connections expand the student’s network in the local community. Although medical students have busy schedules during Clinical Campus Weeks, our hope is that the host and student can connect with a community or organization during these visits.

Local Exposure

Community hosts coordinate engaging activities with the student that highlight the locale each Clinical Campus Week. The goal is to present local recreational and cultural opportunities to the student as well as provide a moment of fun and relaxation during a student’s busy week of clinical experiences.

Community Nights

The college will host a community night event for all students and community hosts during select Clinical Campus Weeks. These events are held on or near campus and allow hosts and students to socialize and hear local and WSU speakers present on relevant topics regarding the local and greater WSU community. Community nights promote togetherness between all hosts and students while offering opportunities for local engagement.

Homestays

Community hosts in Everett, Tri-Cities, and Vancouver provide housing for their student during each Clinical Campus Week. These homestays help minimize expenses for students traveling away from Spokane. In some instances, students may not require a homestay due to family being local. Spokane hosts are excluded from the homestay requirement, as students at based in Spokane for the first two years of their learning.

Homestay Host Responsibilities

During Clinical Campus Weeks, homestay hosts:

1. Provide lodging within a 40 minute drive of campus
2. Provide the student internet access within their lodging
3. Provide a private bedroom for the student’s use
4. Provide access to cookware and kitchen space for the student’s use
5. Provide the student with a house key

Homestay hosts are not required to provide transportation or regular meals for students. A WSU staff member will conduct a site visit of a homestay host’s residence before the first Clinical Campus Week to verify the residence meets stated hosting requirements.