Dr. Byron Joyner
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education & Designated Institutional Official for UW SOM
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all of you as we begin this exciting and historic academic year together.
In February, the city of Seattle was the first epicenter for COVID-19 in the US. Since then, many have been affected by the pandemic. We have all faced challenges and uncertainty. As you start your journey at the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM), we want you to know that we are here for you. We want you to gain all of the experiences and have all of the learning opportunities you need to do your work. We want you to feel that you are working in a safe learning environment. There will be a lot of uncertainty, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is slowly improving. But, there will also be a lot of uncertainty during your training because you will be – and should be – learning new things about your chosen specialty. You will meet new colleagues and friends. You will encounter new interdisciplinary teams. You will learn to take care of patients and, along the way, learn more about yourself.
Many things will be different and disorienting to us all and yet, the same great faculty and staff will be here to teach you and to help you along the way. Matriculating now into your new residency or fellowship program should be exciting– even for those of you who are UW alumni returning as subspecialty fellows. Our top priority is to offer all of you the best and safest clinical learning environment so that you can develop the skills, behaviors, and attitudes you will need to be successful, independent doctors.
You are one of the amazing high-caliber physicians-and dentists in-training that sets UW apart from other institutions. The new wave of 450+ residents and fellows joining us over the next 3 months only highlights this point. You represent an exceptional, diverse, and exceedingly qualified class who will enrich each other’s learning experiences.
Who you are
Exceptional.
- In total, you are 473 incoming residents and fellows
- You are pursuing 100 different specialties
- 287 of you are first-year residents
In some cases nearly 1/3 of all US medical school graduates going into your specialty applied to your UW program, and you are among the select few to be admitted to these very competitive programs.
Diverse.
- Altogether, you were born in 36 different countries
- 28% of you were born outside of the United States
- 44 of you graduated from a medical school outside of the United States.
- You span generations – you are GenZ’ers, Gen Y’ers, and Gen X’ers.
This is no accident. Diversity and inclusion are core values of UW Medicine and are affiliated training hospitals.
Qualified.
108 of you have achieved other graduate degrees. To name a few, these include:
- 21 PhDs
- 34 MPHs
- 6 MBAs
Where you are
Graduate Medical Education (GME). GME programs sponsored by the UW School of Medicine are designed to train physicians with habits of life-long learning and mature ethical and professional approaches to their practice.
UW Medicine. Among nearly 800 institutions, UWSOM is the 5th largest in the number of programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), and 8th largest in the number of trainees. The UWSOM offers over 122 residency and clinical fellowship programs and partners with the School of Dentistry to support four dental residency programs which are accredited by the Commission On Dental Accreditation (CODA). There are more than 70 non-accredited fellowship programs, too!
For more information about our accredited programs, see the Residency and Clinical Fellowship Programs.
WWAMI. UW Medicine is by far the largest sponsor of GME programs in the five-state region known as WWAMI, which includes Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI). UW Medicine has a very important role in building a physician workforce capable of meeting the requirements of a rapidly-evolving healthcare environment for urban, rural and underserved areas in our region.
In addition to Seattle-based training, there are three distinct models for GME across the WWAMI region – Community Based–UW Affiliated, Regional Training Tracks, and Regional Resident Rotations.
Who we are
GME Leadership. We are responsible for the administrative oversight and academic quality of UW’s residency and clinical fellowship programs. Most importantly, we are here for you. We want you to feel safe in an environment where you can learn. The GME leaders listed below oversee an amazing and committed team that supports residents, fellows and programs in the UWSOM.
- Byron Joyner, MD, MPA, Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education and Designated Institutional Official
- Jennifer Best, MD, Associate Dean, GME Education & Accreditation
- Cindy Hamra, JD, Assistant Dean GME Operations & Administration
Please contact any of us with questions, comments, or concerns.
Getting Started
For reference materials, useful forms, and information on the various benefits that are available to residents and fellows at UW, please see the Incoming Residents & Fellows page on this site. Many pertinent details surrounding your rights and responsibilities can be found in the GME Residency and Fellowship Position Appointment (RFPA) Agreement.
Wellness. Be on the lookout for information from our Wellness team, highlighting wellness activities and opportunities in Seattle and around Puget Sound. At this time, for our safety and that of the safety of the public, we are still under Governor Jay Inslee’s orders of social distancing. We look forward to the time when you can hang up your white coat, get out of the hospital – and your home – and enjoy the life that indeed does exist outside of residency or fellowship training.
COVID-19 Culture. In the context of COVID-19, we must be mindful and vigilant. If you are ill, stay at home. Wear your mask and learn to don and doff properly. Look out for each other and for yourselves. We are in an uncertain time but we will get through this together, as long as we work together!
I look forward to working with you on new initiatives and ideas that will address the challenges we now face head-on. And, for all the new and exciting things this academic year will certainly bring for you, the GME Office’s core priorities remain the same: that you receive the best possible education, achieve and maintain a healthy work-life balance, and make a real difference for the patients that you serve. Our most significant wins and defining achievements in GME have always been rooted in housestaff ideas and in their participation.
In order for me to best do my job, I need to – and would like to – hear from you all of you. Your engagement is critical to ensuring that we have the best possible program for you, as well as for the patients we serve.
It is my distinct pleasure to welcome all of you to the University of Washington. I look forward to working with you and to embrace the opportunities and challenges that await us in the 2020-2021 academic year.
Be well and stay healthy!
Byron Joyner, MD, MPA
Vice Dean for Graduate Medical Education &
Designated Institutional Official for UW SOM