WWAMI Stories and Student Features

Caleb Allred of Rexburg, Idaho truly lives and breathes the motto: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” The fourth-year Idaho WWAMI student has immersed himself in every aspect of his medical education. His dedication to improving the lives of others captured the attention of a panel of UW faculty and staff […]

Abigail Petty’s first year of medical school came with an additional layer of joy, excitement and stress: the birth of her daughter, Jane. Now a second-year student in the Idaho WWAMI program, Petty continues to balance motherhood with the requirements of her education.   One of the biggest challenges Petty faces is the emotional toll of […]

A group of Idaho WWAMI students captivated the Western Medical Research Forum (WSMRF) recently with innovative abstracts, earning distinction for their originality and impact in advancing medical research.  Zahraa Alomar, a second-year Idaho WWAMI medical student from Boise (*pictured at right, third from left), received the Student Subspecialty Award at the 2025 American Federation for […]

In honor of Prosthetics and Orthotics Career Awareness Month we are highlighting Master of Prosthetics and Orthotics student, JackRyan O’Neil, who has an interesting background as an adaptive ski instructor and is currently volunteering with the Outdoors for All program.   We asked JackRyan to tell us about himself and his chosen education path.   […]

The Alaska Academy of Family Physicians (AKAFP) recently honored Kristen Lee, MD, as the Family Physician of the Year, recognizing her exceptional dedication to patient care and outstanding contributions to family medicine in Alaska. “I am grateful and humbled by the honor of being selected as the Alaska Family Physician of the Year,” said Dr. […]

“…small anatomical differences can have major effects on speech.” Alaska WWAMI medical student Maille Moriarty recently received the Western Society for Pediatric Research Prolacta Research Award. Moriarty was one of 11 Alaska WWAMI students to present abstracts at the Western Student and Resident Medical Research Forum (WSMRF) January 16 – 18, 2025. Moriarty’s abstract is […]

Paves Own Path in Family Medicine For Katie Baker, growing up in Craig, Alaska, meant watching her father, a dedicated family physician, serve and care for the community she calls home. Now retired, his work left a lasting impression on Baker. “As a little girl, I admired the close-knit relationship my father had with the […]

Isbah Khan of Billings, Montana, can now add the prestigious Edwin E. Osgood Award to her resume. Khan, pictured at right, was recognized for presenting the top-scoring abstract at the Western Student and Resident Medical Research Forum (WSMRF) in Carmel, California. A second-year medical student in the University of Washington School of Medicine’s Montana WWAMI […]

  Please introduce yourself in a couple of sentences. My name is Robert Stratton, I’m 25 years old, and I’m deaf in my left ear so I’ve been signing for 10 years. Music is one of my favorite types of art, so I practice ASL through interpreting music.    What specialty are you pursuing and […]

From left: Claire Charvet, Alexandra Stearns, Kennedy Child, Ainsley Brockman, and Shelly Sakiyama-Elbert, Vice Dean of Research & Graduate Education. Photo credit: Kim Blakeley. Gonzaga University Students Conduct Biomedical Research in Seattle Four Gonzaga University (GU) students spent eight weeks working in biomedical research labs alongside UW School of Medicine principal investigators, graduate students, and […]