Washington State University Health Sciences and Whitworth University are excited to announce the expansion of a 55-year partnership that will allow students access to a broader range of degrees in health sciences and ultimately fill a growing number of positions in Spokane\u2019s health care industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whitworth has had an existing partnership with WSU\u2019s College of Nursing that has greatly benefited both institutions and students. They\u2019re now expanding that relationship to offer students who qualify for guaranteed seats in several additional graduate programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI am proud to build on this long-standing institutional partnership that supports the growth of our healthcare workforce in Washington,\u201d said Daryll DeWald, executive vice president for WSU Health Sciences and WSU Spokane chancellor. \u201cIt is through this kind of collaboration that we can address the gaps in care faced by our communities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Under the new enrollment agreements, Whitworth will have 10% of its seats in its physical therapy and occupational therapy doctoral programs reserved for qualified WSU applicants. WSU will hold the same number of reserved seats for qualified Whitworth students wanting to enroll in its pharmacy program and its Coordinated Program in Dietetics, Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. Spots will also be secured for Whitworth students when WSU offers its new master\u2019s degree in nursing in spring 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThese new enrollment agreements build on more than a half-century of Whitworth and WSU partnering academically,\u201d says Mike Ediger, dean of Whitworth\u2019s School of Health Sciences. \u201cThey will definitely help to facilitate a smooth transition for more students to our outstanding master\u2019s and doctoral level programs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The institutions have a common goal of creating a generational campaign that begins with the recruitment of high school students and ends with job placements in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe want to recruit local high school students into our undergraduate majors and then show them there are direct pathways to complete a graduate degree in Spokane,\u201d Ediger said. \u201cOur alumni are going to both graduate and professional programs all over the country, which is great! But we\u2019ve got fantastic graduate programs here in the region as well, and we want more students to be able to take advantage of these opportunities. They don\u2019t have to leave!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
More information about WSU\u2019s Spokane-based health sciences degree programs<\/a> can be found online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n