A milestone more than a decade in the making, the WSU Family Medicine Residency Program at Pullman Regional Hospital celebrated the graduation of its first class of resident physicians\u2014Jeff Ward, DO, and Mohammed Younes, MD\u2014this summer. The milestone represents a multitude of moments that culminate in improved health outcomes for the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMany people made this residency program possible, but Dr. Younes and Dr. Ward helped build it,\u201d said Program Director Stephen Hall, MD. \u201cI couldn\u2019t be prouder of the physicians they\u2019ve become and the difference they have already made in our community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Family Medicine Residency Center has conducted more than 7,000 patient visits since opening in 2023, including 3,200 in 2025 alone. More than 2,000 patients, many of whom did not have an established care team, now have a resident physician as a primary care provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both graduates shared their gratitude for the patients and mentors who have shaped them into the physicians they are today, an experience they will take with them as they fill a critical need for more family medicine physicians locally and nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Ward, who matched into a competitive sports medicine fellowship at the University of Maryland, will bring his passion for athletics and patient-centered care to support athletes from the high school to professional levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI feel very fortunate to have been part of the WSU Family Medicine Residency Program,\u201d Dr. Ward said. \u201cThe mentorship, support, and sense of community I experienced over the past three years have made me a better physician and person. I would not be where I am today without this program and the community who made my experience here so meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr. Younes, meanwhile, has put down roots in Washington. He joined Pullman Family Medicine, a primary care practice within the Pullman Regional Hospital Network, where he will provide whole-person care for individuals of all ages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI came to Pullman to learn family medicine, I ended up learning and gaining so much more,\u201d Dr. Younes said. \u201cI learned how to listen to those who don\u2019t feel heard. I learned to ask the question why, even when it meant more work. And most importantly, I gained a family and a group of mentors that I hope I will do proud by serving my future patients for decades to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their career plans are a testament to their belief in the program and in the Palouse communities they have served. Pullman Regional Hospital CEO Matt Forge spoke to the power of such belief\u2014and that of the original vision for the residency program\u2014during the graduation celebration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo have the belief in Pullman Regional, to believe in this program, to uproot their families, to move to Pullman, to believe in this community, the physicians that they are going to learn from\u2014what an incredible thing,\u201d Forge said. \u201cWe really appreciate you putting that belief in us. And we’re so excited to see what you accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Former Governor Jay Inslee noted in a congratulatory letter shared at the ceremony that retaining physicians who have trained locally is one of the greatest measures of success for a residency program\u2014one continued with each incoming cohort. Physicians who already understand the healthcare systems, culture, and relationships that define communities are well-positioned to make a swift and meaningful impact on patient care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe graduation of your first residency class marks the beginning of a legacy that will benefit Washington families for generations to come,\u201d Inslee wrote.<\/p>\n\n\n
Stephanie Engle, WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Communications and Marketing, 509-368-6937<\/a>, stephanie.engle@wsu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A milestone more than a decade in the making, the WSU Family Medicine Residency Program at Pullman Regional Hospital celebrated the graduation of its first class of resident physicians\u2014Jeff Ward, DO, and Mohammed Younes, MD.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13969,"featured_media":36970,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_wsuwp_accessibility_report":null},"categories":[17],"tags":[23,107,24,109,117],"wsuwp_university_location":[],"wsuwp_university_org":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36968"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13969"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=36968"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36968\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36973,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36968\/revisions\/36973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36970"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36968"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36968"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36968"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_location","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_location?post=36968"},{"taxonomy":"wsuwp_university_org","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/medicine.wsu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wsuwp_university_org?post=36968"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}