Hosted by the Office for Academic, Rural, and Regional Affairs, the Pre-Matriculation Program (Pre-Mat) is designed to strengthen the academic, professional, and social assets and skills of entering medical students. The program is open to all matriculating medical students. This year’s program will be held virtually from July 6-10, 2026.
The goals of the Pre-Matriculation Program are to help admitted students:
- Explore and apply mastery the learning skills needed as an incoming medical student;
- Understand the academic success, student services, and equity resources available to UWSOM medical students;
- Reflect on experiences prior to medical school and develop an asset-based approach for the transition from undergraduate medical education; and
- Develop relationships with current students and faculty and a cohort of incoming students ready for orientation.
The theme for Pre-Mat 2026 is Diichikaatah or “Taking Good Care of Yourself”. This framework was developed by Messengers for Health, a non-profit organization serving the Apsáalooke nation in Montana.
The program will include twice-daily small groups facilitated by UWSOM Wellness & Counseling focused on helping you identify your own strengths, reflect on the range of emotions new medical students experience, build community with your peers, and lay the groundwork for collaborative learning and patient care.
A didactic lecture by UW faculty will be used throughout the week to introduce you to UWSOM’s style of lecture and to practice study strategies, note taking, and memory strategies.
UWSOM faculty and staff will provide sessions on the range of resources available to students and give you tools for handling conflict, networking, and supporting your peers.
UWSOM is more than a medical school. We are a part of the communities where our students learn and serve. We want you to know and love the WWAMI regions as much as we do. Messengers for Health will introduce you to the innovative programs they run to address the health needs of their rural community. Daily opportunity for you to hear from Indigenous elders across the WWAMI region will help you understand the needs of WWAMI communities, and a daily quiz of WWAMI facts will help you learn region like a pro.
You will hear from current students every day, either during an optional lunch discussion group facilitated by a student leader or from daily sessions developed and facilitated by our current students. You will finish the week with a one-on-one review of your CV (which you will create at the start of Pre-Mat) with one of our alums.
Sessions will run each day from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM PST. There will be a lunch break. We ask students to commit to full attendance for maximum benefit.
Applications received before June 12th will be given priority consideration. Final deadline to apply is June 30th.
There are no tuition costs to participate in the Pre-Matriculation Program. An update on your application will be available within 2-3 weeks after the deadline.
If you have any questions, please contact Jyl Shaffer, Director of Medical Student Equity Services, jrs66@uw.edu.