The Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, founded in 2015 and enrolling its first class in 2017, is one of the newest MD programs in the Pacific Northwest. Located in Spokane at the WSU Health Sciences campus, the school is named for WSU President Elson S. Floyd, who championed its creation to improve physician access in underserved eastern Washington communities. The college trains students through a community-engaged, team-based curriculum emphasizing rural medicine, primary care, and health equity. Clinical training occurs at MultiCare Health System hospitals, Providence Health facilities, and rural and tribal health sites across eastern Washington.
What makes it different
WSU Floyd College of Medicine is one of the newest MD programs in Washington State (first class 2017) and was explicitly founded to address the physician shortage in rural and underserved eastern Washington. The school trains physicians specifically for the Inland Northwest, a region with significant agricultural communities, tribal health needs, and limited specialist access. The Spokane location bridges the Pacific Northwest with the rural Intermountain West.
Course & teaching
Integrated curriculum. 4-year MD. Curriculum uses a team-based, case-driven approach integrating basic sciences with community health from the first year. Core clerkships at MultiCare and Providence Spokane hospital systems and rural eastern Washington clinical sites. Rural training tracks available for extended rural and tribal health experiences.
Research strengths
WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) has notable research strength in Rural and frontier health, Tribal and Indigenous health, Opioid and substance use disorders, Cardiovascular disease, Agricultural and occupational health.
Interview
WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine (MD) interviews via MMI (multiple stations, in-person). WSU Floyd College of Medicine uses an MMI with multiple timed stations assessing communication, ethical reasoning, and interpersonal skills. Each station runs approximately eight minutes with two minutes of prep time. The full interview day is held at the WSU Health Sciences campus in Spokane and includes orientation, tours, and informal sessions with faculty and current students. The school's mission to train physicians for eastern Washington and rural Pacific Northwest communities informs many station themes.
Intake
Approximately 80 students per year.
At a glance
Founded in 2015, based in Spokane, WA. Programmes offered: Rural Medicine, Primary Care, Tribal and Indigenous Health, Community Health, Internal Medicine.