Montana WWAMI

The WWAMI (Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) Medical Education Program, a cooperative program of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, provides regional medical education opportunities for the states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho. Montana joined the WWAMI Medical Education Program with its first class of 10 students in 1973; the class size increased to 20 in 1975 and to 30 students in 2013. For over 50 years, the program has made public medical education accessible to Montana residents. Montana WWAMI is based on a contract between the Montana University System and the University of Washington School of Medicine that allows Montana residents to be admitted to the University of Washington School of Medicine each year. The initial 18 months of medical education is offered at Montana State University, and certain parts of the third and fourth years of medical school are provided in Montana. The state of Montana pays the University of Washington the costs of medical education that exceed the tuition paid by the students. The WWAMI program offers the unique bonus of a full partnership with the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) in all aspects of medical education and academic medicine. This partnership has brought Montana programs in continuing education, programs for collaborative medical research and specialty consultation, the Area Health Education Center (AHEC), a rural primary care experience for medical students, a health careers summer program for educationally disadvantaged and rural high school students, and an affiliation for four of Montana’s residency programs.

Foundations Phase

During the academic year, thirty entering medical students are at Montana State University (MSU) in Bozeman, undergoing the first 18 months (Foundations Phase) of the University of Washington’s School of Medicine curriculum. Five faculty members for the Foundations curriculum have joint appointments in basic science departments at MSU. In addition, there are 23 clinical instructional faculty and 30 local physicians who serve as volunteer preceptors. All the faculty have affiliate appointments at the UWSOM.

Foundations Phase students at the Montana WWAMI site take an intense academic load during their initial year and a half of medical training. The same curriculum that is offered at the University of Washington School of Medicine is standardized across all regional sites (e.g. same cases, lectures, quizzes, exams, etc.). The Foundations Phase is built on three key components: 1) an initial period with instruction in basic clinical skills ensures that all students are ready to work with patients during the patient care portion of Foundations; 2) basic science instruction primarily organized in short blocks of instruction with each block consisting of related, integrated topics; 3) less classroom time, limited lectures, and more use of active learning content. Cross-cutting scientific areas, such as pathology, anatomy & embryology, and pharmacology, are integrated into the Foundations’ blocks. There are 9 blocks: Fundamentals of Medical Science & Research; Infections & Immunity; Cancer, Hormones, & Blood; Muscles, Joints, Bones, & Skin; Cardiovascular System; Respiration & Regulation; Head, Neck, & Gut; Mind, Brain and Behavior; and Reproduction & Development. Students also participate in Integration weeks with coursework designed to integrate the topics from previous blocks in preparation for sitting for Step 1 following Foundations phase. Throughout Foundations phase students have Medicine Health & Society coursework, students receive education in theme areas important to the practice of medicine such as health systems, quality and safety, population health, global health, social determinants of health/health equity, diversity, professionalism, ethics, inter-professional care, communication, and more. Students are enrolled for 5 semesters at Montana State University (Summer, Fall, Spring, Summer, Fall) with approximately 90 total graduate credits. 

Foundations Staff

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY WWAMI FACULTY

The WWAMI faculty at MSU consists of five faculty with joint appointments in basic science departments at MSU and 23 clinical instructional faculty, including physicians and a pharmacologist. The faculty have affiliate appointments at UWSOM. 

Foundations Faculty