Table 1.

Principles Approved at the University of Washington School of Medicine Executive Committee Meeting, June 4, 2004

WWAMI = a partnership between the University of Washington School of Medicine and the states of Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho.

  1. Affirm the mission of the School of Medicine to train healthcare physicians with a special emphasis on the health care services needed in our 5-state region. Given the continued need for primary care physicians in our region, especially in the rural and urban under-served settings, the School of Medicine and the WWAMI program should continue to enhance primary care training.

  2. Examine the structure and processes of medical school admissions, including support for the pipeline of premedical students interested in primary care careers, and the consistency of admissions policies across the region. The number of students at graduation choosing careers in primary care should be one of the outcomes that the admissions committee uses to evaluate its success, consistent with the health workforce needs of the region.

  3. Foster a medical school environment that is supportive for all specialties in culture, curriculum, professionalism, and noncurricular elements.

  4. Support graduate medical education in primary care in the region.

  5. Support administrative elements that advance primary care, including leadership; local, regional, and national policy advocacy for improvements to the clinical practice environment; and robust data collection regarding student career choice.