Newsletter items pertaining to faculty and staff
UWSOM IS happy to announce that Dr. Heather McPhillips will serve as the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs as of November 1, 2025, transitioning from her former role as Associate Dean for Curriculum. Dr. McPhillips is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the Clinician-Scholar pathway and practices general pediatrics at University of Washington. […]
We are pleased to announce that Dr. Nicholas Phelps will be joining Alaska WWAMI as Assistant Foundations Dean beginning September 1, 2025. He will work in a hybrid capacity during September and will be fully on-site at the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) starting in October. Dr. Phelps comes to us from Dell Medical School […]
This process should take just 2-3 minutes and can happen in real time during or at the end of a clerkship day. It has led to some really terrific feedback conversations between you all and our students. Here is a quick reminder on how to make these fun and quick! 1. Ask the student to […]
Medical education programs undergo a self-study process and a full survey visit every eight years. We have a vast, dedicated teaching community, and your efforts are critical as we move forward in our LCME accreditation process. What’s happening now? Seven self-study committees, including the steering committee, completed an in-depth review of our data collection instrument […]
We are thrilled to announce that Dr. LeeAnna Muzquiz has accepted our offer to serve as the Vice Dean for Rural and Regional Affairs beginning September 1, 2025, transitioning from her current role as Associate Dean for Admissions, a position she has held for eight years. Dr. Muzquiz, a member of the Salish and Kootenai […]
In November, we will be honoring the retirement of our long-serving Montana WWAMI TRUST* Director, Lisa Benzel, after years of dedicated service. Lisa was hired for this newly created position in November 2013 and is responsible for growing and shaping TRUST into what it is today. As director and the face of TRUST for Montana, […]
We have launched the pilot phase of our new assessment system for the UWSOM Patient Care Phase required clerkships. Our new system aims to better align educational practices with patient needs and competencies in ongoing medical education and to improve transparency and fairness within the current tiered grading system. WBA Pilot: 6-Week Check-In We’re six […]
We will be providing updates on the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accreditation progress and ongoing continuous quality improvement (CQI) efforts across WWAMI. We are now preparing for the next accreditation site visit in March 2026. Why is accreditation important? LCME accreditation ensures the quality, integrity and continuous improvement of our medical student education […]
Your EQI team is spotlighting key policies that support a safe, inclusive, and professional learning environment—while helping faculty stay informed about responsibilities and updates on policies. Supporting the Learning Environment Executive Order No. 31 Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation for reporting concerns. Executive Order No. 51 Sexual Violence Elimination Policy affirms […]
Collaborating on cutting-edge strategies to advance clinical instruction is critical to shaping the next generation of Montana WWAMI physicians. Last month, our teaching faculty members from across the Treasure State gathered in Anaconda recently to share innovative ideas on how to be more effective clinical educators. The Montana WWAMI Faculty Development Conference was held April […]
