Read featured stories about UW School of Medicine students, staff and faculty from across Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI).
Alaska WWAMI Students Build Teamwork Skills at Wilderness Retreat
Alaska’s rugged wilderness offers both extraordinary outdoor adventures and the potential for emergencies. Earlier this fall, Alaska WWAMI first- and second-year medical students gathered in Girdwood to practice responding to those emergencies while strengthening their teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills. “This wilderness retreat really exposes Alaska WWAMI students to the reality of the patients they […]
Alaska WWAMI Student Mauri Butzke is Training in the Tribal System that Raised Her
Mauri Butzke’s first clinical rotation is at the hospital where she was born. “How cool is that!,” she said. For the Alaska WWAMI student, it’s a full-circle moment. Mauri grew up receiving care through the tribal health system, and her goal has always been to practice in one. Her father’s family is Iñupiaq and from […]
Alaska WWAMI Alumna Returns to Care for Her Community and Teach Future Physicians and PAs
Dr. Rachael Carricaburu entered medical school through Alaska WWAMI in 2017 with a clear goal: to deepen her medical expertise and bring that knowledge back to Alaska. Before medical school, Dr. Carricaburu spent a decade as a physician assistant (PA) at Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center, where she saw the challenges many Alaskans face in accessing […]
The UWSOM Underserved Pathway Celebrates 20 Years of Education, Connection and Impact
Last month, the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Underserved Pathway (UP) celebrated its 20th anniversary, bringing together program alumni, mentors, faculty, students and staff for an evening of celebration, connection and reflection. Established in 2006, the UP was created to nurture and support medical students interested in serving under-resourced and marginalized communities. Based in […]
Nix Robison on Community, Pediatrics, and Culturally Competent Care
November is Native American Heritage Month and we’re celebrating the contributions and diverse cultures of Indigenous colleagues in this multi-part series. This Native American Heritage Month, we’re highlighting students like Nix whose work centers Native communities. Nix, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, is a UW School of Medicine student and co-lead of the Association of […]
Idaho WWAMI Alum Jordan Richter Continues His Service as an Army Physician
For Idaho WWAMI alum Jordan Richter, MD, the path to medicine began in uniform. Richter and his family moved to Idaho in 2013. He was raised in a military-focused home and always expected to serve. After pursuing several different career paths, he decided the time had come and joined the Idaho National Guard as a […]
UWSOM Student Becomes First to Rotate at Tohoku University Through Anesthesiology Exchange
For several years, the UW Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine has welcomed medical students from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan. This year, the exchange went both ways. UW School of Medicine student Deeya Sharma (MS3) recently became the first UWSOM medical student to complete a clinical rotation at Tohoku University through the exchange. Her […]
In Honduras, UW School of Medicine Fourth Year Student, Kaden Moore Saw What Glaucoma Takes Away
Kaden Moore helped with more than 170 cataract surgeries in Honduras this past August. One patient who still couldn’t see afterward is part of why his glaucoma research at the Moran Eye Center in Utah matters to him. The mornings after surgery are what Kaden Moore remembers most. Many of the patients had been effectively […]
When Family Inspires a Career in Medicine
For Idaho WWAMI student Jack Gambassi, medicine didn’t begin in a lab or a lecture hall. It began at home in Boise, helping care for his two younger sisters. Jack grew up in a family that encouraged his many interests. He played club soccer, played bassoon in the Boise Philharmonic Youth Orchestra, and spent […]
Idaho WWAMI Alum Derek Southwick reflects on how one single question opened many doors
A first-week of medical school conversation with Dr. Mary Barinaga, Assistant Clinical Dean for Idaho WWAMI started then Idaho WWAMI first year medical student Derek Southwick on a path to the National American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Board of Directors. Now he wants to bring that experience back to Idaho Falls. During his first […]