Media advisory: WSU Tri-Cities to welcome inaugural class of medical students as part of reception on June 17

RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington State University Tri-Cities will host a welcome reception for the inaugural class of the Tri-Cities cohort of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. on Monday, June 17, in the Floyd Building Atrium.

Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine students practice their suturing skills during an intersession week at WSU Tri-Cities.

Members of the media are invited to attend where they will have the opportunity to interview students and Dr. Farion Williams, WSU College of Medicine associate dean of clinical education.

The reception will also include brief remarks by Williams and WSU Tri-Cities Chancellor Sandra Haynes, as well as a social featuring light appetizers and local wine.

Final two years full-time in Tri-Cities

The Tri-Cities cohort of medical students spent their past two years studying full-time at the WSU Spokane campus, with several trips to the Tri-Cities for clinical campus weeks where they participated in seminars, worked with local physicians and learned valuable skills for their medical career. During their clinical campus weeks, they stayed with community hosts in the Tri-Cities.

Beginning next week for their final two years in the program, they will study full-time in the Tri-Cities where they will complete classes at WSU Tri-Cities and clinical rotations with local healthcare organizations.

“We are excited to welcome the inaugural class full-time to the Tri-Cities, and our Tri-Cities community is thrilled to work with these talented students at our local hospitals, doctor’s offices and health clinics,” Haynes said. “This is a fulfillment of the dream of late WSU President Elson S. Floyd, who had a vision that these students would impact our Washington community state-wide. These students will truly serve a medical need for our local communities here in the Tri-Cities.”

Glimpse into the students’ final two years in Tri-Cities

Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine students partake in a seminar discussion during an intersession week at WSU Tri-Cities.

Throughout their two years in the Tri-Cities, the students’ clinical experiences will function in a longitudinal integrated clerkship. This means that the six core disciplines, which include family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN, general surgery and psychiatry with additional content in neurology, are structured together and completed over the course of the entire year, instead of in traditional block experiences.

“Benefits of this model are improvement in empathy skills, increased recall of medical knowledge and the building of deeper relationships with patients,” Williams said. “Our students will learn from physicians here in the Tri-Cities from all of our hospital-affiliated partners, as well as those in private practice.”

“Our goal is to give the students an exceptional training experience such that they will want to stay here and practice in eastern Washington,” he said.

For more information about the WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, visit medicine.wsu.edu.

Media contacts:

Dr. Farion Williams, WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine associate dean of clinical education, 509-372-7434, farion.willians@wsu.edu

Maegan Murray, WSU Tri-Cities public relations specialist, 509-372-7333, maegan_murray@wsu.edu