Program History
2014-present
The UW SOM curriculum renewal in 2014 resulted in a renewed structure of the Colleges program. Students at most sites began staying at their WWAMI regional campus site for the first 18 months (Foundations phase of the curriculum), before a several month pause to study for boards and an earlier launch into the Patient Care phase of the curriculum. With this change, the Colleges program moved to a more regionalized campus model, with 50+ College faculty, 8 College Heads, and numerous staff supporting students and each other in learning communities throughout the region: Washington (Palouse and Selkirk in Spokane, Olympic and Cascade in Seattle), Wyoming (Wind River), Alaska (Denali), Montana (Big Sky) and Idaho (Snake River). Dr. Mark Whipple was the Interim Assistant Dean of the Colleges from 2018-2019; Dr. Molly Blackley Jackson became the Assistant Dean for the Colleges in 2019. The Seattle campus expanded to 4 Colleges (with 25 students in each entering class) to create smaller student cohorts in 2024.
2001-2014
The UWSOM Colleges program was established in 2001 after a curriculum review, with the goal of enhancing clinical skills training throughout the 4 years of medical school education linked to a robust mentoring program. At that time, students spent their first year at one of the regional sites in WWAMI (Seattle, Spokane, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho), then spent their second year of pre-clinical curriculum in Seattle before dispersing throughout the region for clinical training. The program began with one College Head for each of the Colleges and 30 Seattle-based faculty – each with a small group of 6 students in each year of the curriculum. The Colleges were named for natural wonders in the 5 state region, starting with five Colleges named after natural wonders of the WWAMI region – Rainier (WA), Wind River (WY), Denali (AK), Big Sky (MT), and Snake River (ID). As the class size increased, the program added a sixth College (Columbia River), and then a seventh in Spokane (Palouse). Dr. Erika Goldstein, an internal medicine physician at Harborview Medical Center, was the founding director of the Colleges program and led the program from 2001-2018. Dr. Goldstein and the team of faculty and staff who established the Colleges created a strong legacy of collaboration, excellence, community, respect, and service to others. The Erika Goldstein Endowed Scholarship was created in her honor, to support students across WWAMI who aim to pursue service in primary care for underserved communities.
‘Back to the Bedside’ was produced by the UWSOM Colleges program in 2005. Since the publication of this video, The UWSOM College program has gone through some structural changes. However, the spirit of the program continues across the five-state region with college mentor led small group teaching at the bedside.