{"id":30310,"date":"2024-03-22T12:23:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-22T19:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/?p=30310"},"modified":"2025-01-09T11:52:48","modified_gmt":"2025-01-09T19:52:48","slug":"wsu-pediatric-residency-welcomes-first-cohort-of-new-doctors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/2024\/03\/22\/wsu-pediatric-residency-welcomes-first-cohort-of-new-doctors\/","title":{"rendered":"WSU Pediatric Residency Welcomes First Cohort of New Doctors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Elizabeth Chambers, WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Communications and Marketing<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

SPOKANE, Wash.\u2014The Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine\u2019s new pediatric residency program is welcoming its inaugural class of resident physicians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Six new doctors will join the Spokane medical community this summer as pediatricians in training, taking the next step toward becoming independently practicing physicians.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Established last year<\/a> in partnership with Providence Sacred Heart Children\u2019s Hospital, the pediatric residency is the first of its kind east of the Cascades in Washington and is one of three WSU College of Medicine residency programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe purpose of the program is to build really good general pediatricians and to improve the care of children in the Inland Northwest,\u201d said Program Director Christian Rocholl, MD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Medical students in their final year of study are paired with residencies through the National Resident Matching Program each year on Match Day, the third Friday of March. Of the six students who matched with WSU\u2019s pediatric residency, three are from a Washington medical school, including one from the WSU College of Medicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWSU and Providence are eager to welcome these physicians to our community, and we are grateful to our partners who share our vision and have helped make today a reality with their generous support,\u201d said Susan Stacey, chief executive at Providence Inland Northwest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eastern Washington has just half as many pediatricians per capita as western Washington. The more rural east side of the state has an average of 42.6 board-certified pediatricians per 100,000 children compared to the urban west side\u2019s 80.1, according to American Board of Pediatrics data<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis new residency program will provide a much-needed pipeline to increase the number of pediatric specialists in eastern Washington,\u201d said David Condon, vice president at Premera Blue Cross, which provided support for the program. \u201cWe commend the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine and Providence for their leadership in developing this program and send our congratulations to the first class of residents for reaching this huge milestone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Residents are much more likely<\/a> to practice as physicians where they complete their residencies. Having a pediatric residency in eastern Washington increases the chances of attracting pediatricians to the communities that need them most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lindsey Klein, Lara Khalil, Anh Pham, McKenna Smith, Parvin Uddin, and Noelia Torres will begin their training on July 1 at community hospitals and clinics in Spokane, spending most of their time at Providence Sacred Heart Children\u2019s Hospital and working at CHAS Health, Kaiser Permanente, MultiCare, and Shriners Children\u2019s clinics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pediatric residency program was made possible through support from Premera Blue Cross, the Providence Inland Northwest Foundation, Children\u2019s Miracle Network Hospitals, and the local nonprofit Community Cancer Fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur mission at Community Cancer Fund is to deliver the best health care to patients in the Inland Northwest. This pediatric residency program will accomplish that,\u201d said Patrick McLaughlin, Community Cancer Fund board member and a WSU graduate. \u201cMany of the residents will stay here in Spokane to begin their medical practices, with a focus on treating pediatric cancer patients. That\u2019s always been our goal and we are proud that it is now taking root.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The residency received more than 500 applications for the six spots. When interviewing applicants, program leadership looked for those with ties to the Pacific Northwest who had demonstrated leadership, academic excellence, and a commitment to pediatrics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three-year training program will have 18 residents at a time once all cohorts are filled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe whole process was really rewarding,\u201d Rocholl said. \u201cYou’re interviewing these people who are really energetic, really eager to work in pediatrics and to learn pediatrics. It is very rewarding to know that the future is in good hands.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Media Contact<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Stephanie Engle, WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Communications and Marketing, 509-368-6937, stephanie.engle@wsu.edu<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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