The Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine is marking its 10-year anniversary, celebrating a decade of homegrown health care in pursuit of a healthier Washington for all.
Founded to expand medical education and health care access statewide, Washington’s first community-based medical school has graduated 248 medical doctors among more than 900 health care providers, including speech-language pathologists, registered dietitian nutritionists, and others.
The milestone is a tribute to the visionary leadership of the college’s namesake, WSU’s 10th President Elson S. Floyd, PhD. A nationally respected advocate for affordable higher education, Dr. Floyd envisioned a comprehensive network of health science programs at WSU, including a medical school that trains physicians from Washington’s communities to serve Washington’s communities.
“Since our founding, we have wholeheartedly embraced Dr. Floyd’s vision as we train skilled clinicians rooted in our communities and work to make a tangible impact on the health and wellness of our state,” said WSU College of Medicine Dean James Record, MD, JD, FACP. “Thanks to the unwavering support of our Cougar community, we have achieved extraordinary milestones toward creating a sustainable health care workforce.”
WSU’s medical school was established in 2015 after the state legislature amended a nearly century-old law that had given the University of Washington the exclusive right to confer medical degrees in the state. The new college was named after Dr. Floyd following his passing from colon cancer later that year.
Just two years after its creation, the college welcomed its inaugural class of 60 medical students in 2017, marking the beginning of a new era for medical education in Washington. Since completing their post-graduate training, 62% of the first Coug doctors have returned to practice medicine in Washington.
“We enroll mission-aligned students with ties to Washington who demonstrate an interest in serving Washington communities. Supporting the first class—and seven more—on their journey and seeing their careers come full circle has been extremely fulfilling,” said Leila Harrison, PhD, the college’s vice dean for admissions, student affairs, and alumni engagement.
The college will celebrate its fifth commencement this year, now with classes of 80 future physicians per year.
WSU’s MD program is unique for only admitting applicants who are from Washington. As a community-based medical school, students then train in hospitals and clinics across the state instead of at one central academic hospital, gaining exposure to the medical infrastructure in the communities where they may one day practice independently.
“The founding of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine represented a collective vision for WSU as a modern land-grant institution and demonstrates our commitment to measurably improving the lives of the people of Washington,” said Daryll DeWald, PhD, executive vice president for WSU Health Sciences and WSU Spokane chancellor. “It has been an honor to work alongside President Schulz over the past nine years as he has championed WSU’s promise to train physicians to serve our state’s rural and underserved communities. The legacy of both Dr. Floyd and President Schulz lives on in each graduate and the countless individuals they will care for throughout their careers.”
An Interprofessional College with a Statewide Presence
The college’s work to make an impact on the health and wellness of Washingtonians extends beyond the MD program to encompass education, research, and clinical care initiatives across the state.
In the past four years, the college has established three graduate medical education programs to train more medical school graduates in Washington and encourage them to stay after their training is complete, including an internal medicine residency in Everett, family medicine residency in Pullman, and a pediatric residency in Spokane.
The college also offers undergraduate and graduate degrees to resident and nonresident students in the departments of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and Speech and Hearing Sciences. Students gain hands-on experience and provide services to the community through an on-site Health and Fitness Clinic, Speech-Language Pathology Clinic, and specialized Autism and Neurodevelopmental Clinic in Spokane, the first of its kind in eastern Washington.
In addition to educational programming, the college has made remarkable strides in research, securing more than $155 million in total research funding and conducting cutting-edge research which helps people throughout Washington and the world live healthier lives. College faculty have expertise in areas including sleep and human performance, substance use disorders, and health disparities.
Reflecting on the achievements of College of Medicine faculty, staff, students, and community partners, Dr. Record noted that the college’s work is far from complete.
“We are ready to expand our educational programs, enhance our research capabilities, and build an innovative health system driven by world-class, interprofessional, and patient-centered care,” he said. “We’re just getting started.”
Media Contact
Stephanie Engle, WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Communications and Marketing, 509-368-6937, stephanie.engle@wsu.edu