WWAMI Stories and Student Features

When Simrat Kaur attended the Annual American Burn Association Conference in Orlando this spring, she brought with her not only original research, but a deeply personal understanding of recovery after life-changing injury. Kaur, a medical student at the UW School of Medicine, is currently completing a research year with the Northwest Regional Burn Model System […]

On most mornings, Heather Pollard is awake before the rest of her household, studying in the quiet before the day begins. Soon after, she starts getting her three children ready for school, shifting between her roles as a third-year medical student and a mom. Pollard’s interest in medicine began early. “I was first drawn to […]

At the Brother Francis Shelter in Anchorage, a small group of volunteers gathers twice a month to provide a service that is often overlooked but essential to overall health. The Foot Care Clinic, supported by Alaska WWAMI students and other volunteers, offers basic foot care and brief exams to anyone who walks through the door. […]

For first-year medical students, the brain can feel like both a marvel and a mystery. In Alaska WWAMI’s Foundations block on Mind, Brain & Behavior (MBB), Dr. Catherine Kilby helps bring that complexity into focus, guiding students through the biological and psychological underpinnings of behavior while grounding each concept in patient experience. “Neurology and Psychiatry […]

In communities across Alaska, medical education often depends on physicians who are willing to teach, mentor, and model compassionate care in real-world settings. This year, one of those educators is being recognized for his impact. Dr. Don Schneider, a Juneau-based family medicine physician at Valley Medical Care, is the recipient of the WRITE Excellence in […]

When Dr. Bethaney Fehrenkamp talks about the immune system, her enthusiasm is immediate and unmistakable: “The immune system is everything, everywhere and plays a critical role in proper development,” she says. As a reproduction and developmental immunologist and Clinical Assistant Professor with Idaho WWAMI, Dr. Fehrenkamp has built her career around understanding how the earliest […]

Energy, innovation, and a shared commitment to teaching excellence defined the 2026 Montana WWAMI Faculty Development Conference at Fairmont Hot Springs in Anaconda. Bringing together educators from across the WWAMI region, the weekend delivered a dynamic mix of ideas, practical tools, and meaningful connection. The conference opened with a forward-looking session on the future of […]

For more than a decade, Montana WWAMI has offered first-year medical students a unique way to explore the breadth of internal medicine, helping to shape future career choices. Each spring, students gather in Bozeman for an evening of informal conversations with physicians representing a wide range of subspecialties presented in a speed-dating format. Organized by […]

Match Day is a defining milestone for Montana WWAMI fourth-year students — the moment when years of rigorous training culminate in residency placements across the country. It’s a day filled with celebration as students get ready to take the next step in their medical careers. This year, 29 Montana WWAMI students matched into residency programs […]

Research Examines Caffeine Dosing in Infants with Congenital Heart Disease Two rising fourth-year Montana WWAMI students, Annalisa Hawk and Courtney Hallock are celebrating a significant academic milestone — contributing to a newly published paper in the Journal of Pediatric Pharmacology and Therapeutics, alongside MSU undergraduates and Duke University researchers. The potentially life-saving research focuses on […]