2011 Student Hand Book

WWAMI PROGRAM
STUDENT HANDBOOK
2011
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
STUDENT HANDBOOK
2011
Welcome to the University of Washington School of Medicine WWAMI program. Within our
School‟s regionalized medical education, you will experience two to three six-week clerkships
outside of the Seattle area in a variety of settings from our academic medical centers to our rural
clinics located in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming.
Keeping track of all of the material relevant to your participation in medical school is a complex
task. The Student Handbook was created to provide you with a source of general information on
a wide variety of topics and issues that are germane to your medical education program. This
information is intended to provide you with a framework on which you can build throughout your
tenure at the University of Washington School of Medicine.
This is not a comprehensive statement of all policies and procedures, nor is it intended to
preclude the implementation of changes in the medical school program or policies during your
tenure in school. Changes, which may affect you related to School policies, procedures, or
requirements, will be provided in updates at class meetings, in emails, on web pages, or in
information memos. Additional information about the major requirements and procedures will be
distributed to or discussed with the class at appropriate times during the program through
mailings, class meetings, and workshops. Students are expected to read and/or attend meetings
to familiarize themselves with requirements and modifications that may impact their programs.
Please keep this Handbook as a reference to which you can refer as needed. Questions about
policies, requirements, and procedures may be directed to the Academic Affairs Office for referral
to the appropriate dean or staff member who will be pleased to help you.
Erika Goldstein, M.D.

Acting Vice Dean for Academic Affairs
A. Peter Eveland, Ed.D.

OFFICE OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Associate Dean for Student Affairs
BOX 356340
1959 NE PACIFIC ST., STE. A-300 HEALTH SCIENCES
SEATTLE, WA 98195-6340
PHONE: (206) 543-5560

FAX: (206) 616-3341
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Pages/default.aspx
~1~
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
UW Medicine Mission Statement 5
UW Medical Student Education Mission Statement 6
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS: GUIDING YOUR MEDICAL EDUCATION 7
Academic Affairs Office 7
Academic Affairs Deans 8
Academic Affairs Resources: Who Does What 13
Email Addresses & Phone Numbers 18
The Colleges: Clinical Skills, Mentoring, Professionalism 20
The Colleges at UWSOM 20
The College Heads and Faculty 22
Support Programs and Student Resources 23
School of Medicine‟s Financial Aid Office 23
Medical Student Counseling Service 23
School of Medicine‟s Student Resource Center 27
Academic Skills Counselor 28
Tutoring Program 28
Director of Career Advsing 28
Careers in Medicine program 29
Services for Students with Disabilities 30
POLICIES, PROCEEDURES, AND GUIDELINES 32
Compliance 32
Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers 33
Criminal Background Check 33
HIPAA Compliance and Security Agreement 34
Immunizations 35
Reimbursment Process for Immunizations 37
Universal Precautions 37
Administrative 40
Access Cards 40
Access to Your Academic File 40
Blood-borne Pathogens 40
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Policy 41
ID Badges 41
Insurance: Health and Disability 42
Liability/Malpractice Coverage 43
Name and Address Changes 44
Guidelines for Managing Institutional Expectations for Standards of
Behavior and Grievance Procedure 45
~2~
Student Mistreatment Reporting and Response (Flow Chart) 48
Academic 49
Appropriate Use of Curriculum Resources 49
Guidelines for Attendance 49
Credit by Examination 53
Day Care and Classroom Guidelines 53
Honor Code 55
Inclement Weather 58
Plagiarism 58
Guidelines Professional Behavior and Conduct for the Teacher/Learner
Relationship 61
Student Health Care and Physician Relationship Policy 62
Expanded Curriculum Guidelines 62
Leave of Absence Guidelines 65
Concurrent Degree Programs 66
MD/MHA and MD/MPH Concurrent Degree 66
Clinical 68
Fitness for Clinical Contact Policy 68
Standards of Dress and Appearance in a Clinical Setting 70
Clerkship Absentee Policy 71
Clinical Clerkship Scheduling Policy 72
Clinical Clerkship Housing Policy 73
Work Hours Policy for Required & Elective Clerkships 74
Technology 75
Posting is Forever: Your Online Presence 75
Social Networking Policy 75
Web Pages and School of Medicine Online Curriculum 81
Student Email Addresses and Accounts 81
Laptop and PDA requirements 82
Mobile Devices 83
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS 84
Curricular Requirements for the 2009 Entering and Subsequent Classes 84
Overview of Curriculum 85
Clinical Elective Clerkship General Policies 96
State-Based Tracks and WRITE 96
Pathway Programs 97
RUOP 98
Non-clinical Selectives Approved for Graduation Credit 99
Independent Investigative Inquiry (III) 101
Preceptorships 105
OSCE 106
Capstone 106
~3~
USMLE and Your Medical School Training 107
Curriculum Timeline 113
GRADING AND EVALUATION OF PERFORMANCE 114
Awarding of the Doctor of Medicine Degree 114
Grading System 114
Overview of Grades, Incomplete Designation, and Professionalism
Benchmarks 114
Grade Statistics for Recent Classes 119
Grade Evaluation Criteria 120
Appeal of Grade or Evaluation Comments 125
Policy for Planned Delay in Grade Reporting in Required Clerkships 127
Evaluation of Overall Performance 130
Student Progress Committee 130
General Principals 131
Academic Record and Progress 132
Academic Probation Guidelines 137
Advance Information Guidelines 138
Due Process for Students Guidelines 139
Withdrawal from the School of Medicine Guidelines 142
HONORS AND AWARDS 143
Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society 143
School and Department Graduation Honors and Awards 144
RESIDENCY APPLICATION 146
Overview of Residency Selection/Application Process 147
Dean's Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) 155
Overview of Positions in Residencies 161
Specialties to which UW Students Matched for Residency Training 162
Licensure and Specialty Board Certification 163
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO CONTRIBUTE TO MEDICAL EDUCATION 164
Admissions Committee 164
Honor Council 164
Curriculum Committees Course Evaluators and Focus Groups 164
Special Committees & Ad Hoc Committees 165
Medical Student Association (MSA) and Student Interest Groups &
Organizations 165
Student Interest Groups and Organizations 166
Registration Process for Student Interest Groups 166
Western Student Medical Research Forum 167
Travel Funding for Extracurricular Academic Programs and Presentations 167
Physician‟s Oath 171
~4~
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
UW MEDICINE MISSION STATEMENT
The University of Washington School of Medicine is dedicated to improving the general health
and well-being of the public. In pursuit of its goals, the School is committed to excellence in
biomedical education, research, and health care. The School is also dedicated to ethical conduct
in all its activities. As the pre-eminent academic medical center in our region and as a national
leader in biomedical research, we place special emphasis on educating and training physicians,
scientists, and allied health professionals dedicated to two distinct missions:
Meeting the health care needs of our region, especially by recognizing the importance of
primary care and providing service to underserved populations;
Advancing knowledge and assuming leadership in the biomedical sciences and in

academic medicine.
The School works with public and private agencies to improve health care and advance
knowledge in medicine and related fields of inquiry. It acknowledges a special responsibility to
the people in the states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, who have joined
with it in a unique regional partnership. The School is committed to building and sustaining a
diverse academic community of faculty, staff, fellows, residents, and students and to assuring that
access to education and training is open to learners from all segments of society, acknowledging
a particular responsibility to the diverse populations within our region.
Adopted by the Medical School Executive Committee and the Dean of the School of Medicine – June 2006
~5~
UW MEDICAL STUDENT EDUCATION MISSION
STATEMENT
Our mission is to improve the health and well being of people and communities throughout the
WWAMI region, the nation, and the world through educating, training, and mentoring our students
to be excellent physicians.
Vision for Medical Student Education
Our students will be highly competent, knowledgeable, caring, culturally sensitive, ethical,
dedicated to service, and engaged in lifelong learning.
Institution-wide Goals for Medical Student Education
In support of our mission to educate physicians, our goals for medical student training are to:
Challenge students and faculty to achieve excellence;

Maintain a learner-centered curriculum that focuses on patient-centered care and that is
innovative and responsive to changes in medical practice and healthcare needs;
Provide students with a strong foundation in science and medicine that prepares them for
diverse roles and careers;
Advance patient care and improve health through discovery and application of new
knowledge;
Teach, model, and promote:
o the highest standards of professionalism, honor, and integrity,

treating others with empathy, compassion, and respect;
o a team approach to the practice of medicine, including individual

responsibility and accountability, with respect for the contributions
of all health professions and medical specialties;
o the skills necessary to provide quality care in a culturally sensitive

and linguistically appropriate manner;
Encourage students to maintain and model a balanced and healthy lifestyle;

Foster dedication to service, including caring for the underserved;
Engage students in healthcare delivery, public health, and research to strengthen their
understanding of healthcare disparities and regional and global health issues; and
Provide leadership in medical education, research, and health policy for the benefit of
those we serve regionally, nationally, and globally.
~6~
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS:
GUIDING YOUR MEDICAL EDUCATION
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

The philosophy of the School of Medicine is to provide the highest quality educational experience
possible within the bounds of the resources available, to encourage the professional growth of
students through participation in their educational process, and to respond to the needs of both
students and faculty as these arise. The Academic Affairs Office serves as the primary point of
contact for medical students. We encourage students to think of the office as a place to which
they can come for handling routine medical school program and administration issues, for advice
in planning special programs or activities, and for assistance with problems or concerns. While at
one of the first-year regional sites or clinical centers, the WWAMI assistant deans and staff will
serve as your initial point of contact, however the deans and staff in the Academic Affairs Office in
Seattle are always available to help you.
In Seattle, the Academic Affairs Office is located in A-300, which is adjacent to the Health
Sciences lobby area. The office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday.
While drop-in appointments with the Deans and office staff are possible, it is usually better to
schedule an appointment time for a meeting with them. The Academic Affairs phone number is
(206) 543-5560 for all of the deans, directors, and staff located in A-300. The Multicultural Affairs
Office phone number is (206) 685-2489. The Counseling Services Office phone is (206) 543-
9084, the Financial Aid Office phone is (206) 685-2520, and the Student Resource Center phone
is (206) 543-9733, and are located in T-557. The Academic Affairs Office reception area is
located inside the A-300 suite, and the Counseling Service is located inside the AA suite on the
first floor of the Medical Center.
There are many Academic Affairs activities that relate to the education of medical students. The
major areas of involvement include admissions, curriculum and course management, student
affairs (including student academic progress, financial aid, general advising, and career
counseling), and multicultural programs. The Deans and Directors listed below are assisted by a
number of professional and support staff who will be of great help to you during your medical
school experience. The “Academic Affairs Resources” section of this Handbook will assist you in
knowing to whom to direct your questions.
~7~
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS DEANS
Erika Goldstein, M.D., MPH, is Acting Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and a Professor of
Medicine. She oversees the Academic Affairs Office including admissions, curriculum, student
affairs, the Colleges, and multicultural programs, and she chairs the Faculty Council on Academic
Affairs.
Contact: erika@uw.edu, (206) 543-5563; Assistant: John Davis, jhdavis3@uw.edu
Suzanne Allen, M.D., MPH, is Vice Dean for Regional Affairs and Clinical Professor Department
of Family Medicine. She oversees the WWAMI program and Area Health Education Centers
across the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho region.
Contact: suzaalle@uw.edu, (208)364-4552 Assistant: Gretchen Burke, gretburk@uw.edu
David A. Acosta, M.D., Associate Dean for Multicultural Affairs, and a faculty member in the
Department of Family Medicine, oversees the Office of Multicultural Affairs. His office is
responsible for the diversity and inclusiveness of the School‟s student body and the integration of
principles and concepts in cultural competency in our medical school curriculum. The office
provides a variety of pipeline programs, support services, and professional development activities
for medical students. Dr. Acosta also oversees the Native American Center of Excellence and
the Center for Cultural Proficiency in Medical Education (CC-PriME), and is the Director of the
Hispanic Health Pathway.
Contact: dacosta@uw.edu, (206) 685-2489; Assistant: Bely Luu, belyluu@uw.edu
A. Peter Eveland, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Student Affairs, provides personal and academic
advising, oversees the counseling services, has responsibility for the mentoring and career
counseling programs, prepares the Dean‟s Medical Student Performance Evaluation, and
oversees the School‟s financial aid policies. He is also the administrative dean for the Colleges.
Contact: eveland@uw.edu, (206) 543-5561; Assistant: Em Olson, emiols@uw.edu
Carol C. Teitz, M.D., Associate Dean for Admissions and a faculty member in the Department of
Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine oversees the Admissions Office and chairs the Admissions
Committee.
Contact: teitz@uw.edu, (206) 543-7203; Assistant: Ellen Stone, efpstone@uw.edu
Michael Ryan, M.D., is the Associate Dean for Curriculum and a faculty member in the
Department of Medicine, Division of Nephrology. He provides central coordination for the medical
student curriculum, including oversight of the School‟s curriculum committees, and chairs the
Independent Investigative Inquiry Requirement Committee.
Contact: mjryan@uw.edu, (206) 543-5562; Assistant: Shalley Lane, shalley@uw.edu
~8~
REGIONAL WWAMI OFFICES
In addition to the Academic Affairs Deans who are located in Seattle, the following Assistant
Deans and staff members oversee programs within the region and are important WWAMI medical
education resources for you.
Regional First Year Assistant Deans: The WWAMI Assistant Deans and Directors oversee the
first-year curriculum at their sites and the performance of their students. They are also leaders in
developing programs unique to their states and in serving as the liaisons with their state‟s
legislators.
WASHINGTON (Pullman)
Andrew L. Turner, Ph.D., ABPP, turnera@wsu.edu, Assistant Dean, UW School of Medicine,
and Director, WWAMI Medical Education Program, Washington State University and University of
Idaho. He is a faculty member in the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and
Department of Family Medicine.
Office staff: Maureen Evermann evermann@wsu.edu / Sharon Dudley sharond@wsu.edu

Phone: (509) 335-2602
Website: http://www.wwami.wsu.edu
Address: WWAMI Medical Education Program
Washington State University
Morrill Hall #108, Box 643510
Pullman, WA 99164-3510
WASHINGTON (Spokane)
Ken Roberts, Ph.D., kenroberts@wsu.edu, Assistant Dean, UW School of Medicine, and
Director, WWAMI Medical Education Program, Spokane. He is a faculty member in the
Department of Biochemistry.
George Novan, M.D., novang@uw.edu, Associate Director of WWAMI Medical Education

Program, Spokane. He is a faculty member in the Department of Medicine.
Office staff: Kim Noe knoe@wsu.edu

Phone: (509) 358-7515 / 7517 / Dr. Novan: (509) 368-6718
Website: http://spokane.wsu.edu/Academics/Health_Sciences/WWAMI/
Washington State University – Spokane
Health Sciences Bldg., Suite 320P
P.O. Box 1495
Spokane, WA 99210-1495
UPS & Fed Ex Address:
412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99202
~9~
WYOMING
Matthew McEchron, Ph.D., matthew.mcechron@uwyo.edu, Assistant Dean, UW School of
Medicine, and Director, WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Wyoming.
Office staff: Brandi Hecker, bhecker@uwyo.edu

Phone: (307) 766-2496 /2497
Website: http://uwadmnweb.uwyo.edu/wwami/
University of Wyoming, College of Health Sciences, Dept. # 4238
1000 E. University Ave. Health Sciences Rm. 457
Laramie, WY 82071-4238
UPS & Fed-Ex Address:
th
16 St.& Gibbon
Laramie, WY 82071
ALASKA
Bob Furilla, afraf1@uaa.alaska.edu Ph.D., Interim Director WWAMI Program, UAA.
Office staff: Maryann Kniffen, maryann@uaa.alaska.edu Nancy Hall, nancy@uaa.alaska.edu

Phone: (907) 786-4794 / 4789 /4708
Website: http://biomed.uaa.alaska.edu/
University of Alaska Anchorage
ENGR 331
3211 Providence Drive
Anchorage, AK 99508-4614
MONTANA
Martin Teintze, Ph.D., mteintze@montana.edu, Interim Assistant Dean, UW School of Medicine,
and Director, WWAMI Medical Education Program, Montana State University. He is a faculty
member in the UW Departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
Office staff: Elizabeth Nicholas nicholas@montana.edu

Phone: (406) 994-4411

Montana State University
308 Leon Johnson Hall, P.O. Box 173080
Bozeman, MT 59717-3080
~ 10 ~
IDAHO
Andrew L. Turner, Ph.D., ABPP, aturner@uidaho.edu, Assistant Dean, UW School of Medicine,
and Director, WWAMI Medical Education Program, University of Idaho and Washington State
University. He is a faculty member in the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
and Department of Family Medicine.
Office staff: Marlane Martonick marlanem@uidaho.edu/ Ann Merriam annm@uidaho.edu

Phone: (208) 885-6696
University of Idaho
Box 444207
Student Health Building, Room 304
Moscow, ID 83844-4207
Regional Clinical Education Assistant Deans: The Clinical Center assistant deans and Coordinators
oversee the clinical curriculum at their sites and the performance of students in their state‟s clinical tracks
and programs. They are also leaders in developing programs unique to their states and in serving
as the liaisons with their state‟s legislators.
WASHINGTON (Spokane)
Deb Harper, M.D., djharper@uw.edu Assistant Dean for Regional Affairs – WWAMI Clinical
Phase/Central and Eastern Washington. She is a faculty member in the UW Department of
Pediatrics.
John McCarthy, M.D., mccajf@uw.edu Assistant Dean for Regional Affairs – WWAMI Clinical
Phase/Central and Eastern Washington. He is a faculty member in the UW Department of Family
Medicine.
Office staff: Janie Ford jmford@uw.edu / Marlene Maurer mamaurer@uw.edu

Phone: (509) 358-7794
Address: WWAMI Clinical Medical Education Central and Eastern Washington
P. O. Box 1495
Health Sciences Bldg., Room 320P
Spokane, WA 99210
UPS & Fed-Ex Address:
412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd, HSB 320P
Spokane WA 99202
WYOMING
Richard Hillman, M.D., rhillman@washington.edu Assistant Dean for Regional Affairs – WWAMI
Clinical Phase/Wyoming. He is a faculty member in the UW Department of Pediatrics.
Office staff: Deb Dolph debdolph@wyomed.org
~ 11 ~
Phone: (307) 432-9264
Address: WWAMI Clinical Medical Education - Wyoming
th
122 E. 17 St.
Cheyenne, WY 82001
ALASKA
Thomas Nighswander, M.D., M.P.H., tnighswa@anmc.org Assistant Dean for Regional Affairs –
WWAMI Clinical Phase/Alaska. He is a faculty member in the UW Dept. of Family Medicine.
Suzanne Tryck, tryck@alaska.net Director, Alaska Regional Programs
Office staff: Michelle Devine mjd3@uw.edu

Phone: (907) 786-4747
Address: WWAMI Clinical Medical Education - Alaska
UAA, 3211 Providence Dr., ENGR 333
Anchorage, AK 99508
MONTANA
Jay Erickson, M.D., jerick@uw.edu, Assistant Dean for Regional Affairs – WWAMI Clinical
Phase/Montana. He is a faculty member in the UW Department of Family Medicine. He also co-
chairs the School‟s WRITE program.
Office staff: Bernadette Duperron and Judi Sullivan, mtassist@uw.edu

Phone: (406) 862-3810
Address: WWAMI Clinical Medical Education - Montana
525 Railway, Ste. # 204
Whitefish, MT 59937
IDAHO
Mary Barinaga, M.D., barinm@uw.edu, Assistant Dean for Regional Affairs, WWAMI Clinical
Phase/Idaho.
Office staff: Adriana Olivas, idwwami@uw.edu, Claudia Hasselquist, clauhass@uw.edu

Linda Clark (Boise VA) linda.clark4@med.va.gov
Phone: (208) 364-4552 (208) 364-4544
Address: WWAMI Clinical Medical Education - Idaho
c/o University of Idaho – Water Center
322 E. Front Street, Suite 442B
Boise, ID 83702
~ 12 ~
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS RESOURCES
The Academic Affairs Office of the UW School of Medicine offers a variety of services and
programs in support of its Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho (WWAMI)
undergraduate medical education program. A list of Academic Affairs resources follows with
the individuals to contact for further information. The general office number is 543-5560.
A
Academic Policies Dr. A. Peter Eveland (206) 543-5561 eveland@uw.edu
Address Updates/Student Tara Gates (206) 543-9290 tgates@uw.edu
Directory
Admissions Stella Yee (206) 543-7212 stellay@uw.edu
Alpha Omega Alpha (AOA) Trish Zander (206) 616-8221 trishz@uw.edu
Access Cards Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
th
Away Clerkships (4 year) Trudy Furberry (206) 685-7975 trudyf@uw.edu
B
Background Checks Laura Ellis (206) 543-5560 somcompl@uw.edu
BLS/CPR Training Laura Ellis (206) 543-5560 somcompl@uw.edu
C
Capstone I and II Curriculum Office (206) 543-5562 TBD
Career Counseling Jill Davis (206) 221-3855 jilld3@uw.edu
Careers in Medicine Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
Catalyst Michael Campion (206) 616-4673 campion@uw.edu
Class Lists Constance Lamb (206) 685-7973 celamb@uw.edu
Class Meetings Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
Class Pictures Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
Class Schedules (1st & Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
2nd Year)
Classroom Reservations Curriculum Office (206) 543-5562 somrooms@uw.edu
(T-wing)
Clinical Curriculum Sandy Pomerinke (206) 616-7063 spomerin@uw.edu
Colleges Julie Calcavecchia (206) 221-3532 jsmillan@uw.edu
Dr. Erika Goldstein erika@uw.edu
Counseling Services Joanne Estacio- (206) 616-3024 joanneed@uw.edu
Deckard, LICSW
Mark Wicks, Ph.D. (206) 616-3022 wicks@uw.edu
Course Evaluations Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
st nd
(1 /2 Year)
~ 13 ~
Course Information Sandy Pomerinke (206) 616-7063 spomerin@uw.edu
Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
Course Websites Michael Campion (206) 616-4673 campion@uw.edu
Curriculum Committees Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
Sandy Pomerinke (206) 616-7063 spomerin@uw.edu
D
Dean's MSPE Trish Zander (206) 616-8221 trishz@uw.edu
“Dean’s Letter”
Departmental Career Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
Advisors
E
Enrollment Verification Trudy Furberry (206) 685-7975 trudyf@uw.edu
ERAS Trish Zander (206) 616-8221 trishz@uw.edu
(Electronic Residency Application System)
Expanded Curriculum Dr. A. Peter Eveland eveland@uw.edu

Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
F
Financial Aid (SOM) Diane Noecker (206) 685-9229 dnoecker@uw.edu
Tabitha Fletcher (206) 685-2520 tabitha2@uw.edu
http://uwmedicine.org/financialaid somfao@uw.edu
G
Grades Trudy Furberry (206) 685-7975 trudyf@uw.edu
TBD (206) 685-9794 ermcrae@uw.edu
Graduation/Hooding Trish Zander (206) 616-8221 trishz@uw.edu
Ceremony hooding@uw.edu
Graduation Certification Trudy Furberry (206) 685-7975 trudyf@uw.edu
H
HIPAA Training Laura Ellis (206) 543-5560 somcompl@uw.edu
Honors and Awards Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
~ 14 ~
I
ICM Julie Calcavecchia (206) 221-5352 jsmillan@uw.edu
IHOP Daren Wade, M.S.W. (206) 616-1159 dwade@uw.edu
Int’l Health Opportunities Jennifer Earle (206) 685-7418 jearle@uw.edu
Program
ID Badge Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
Immunizations Laura Ellis (206) 543-5560 somcompl@uw.edu
Independent Investigative Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
Inquiry
Triple I – III
L
Learning Technology Michael Campion, (206) 616-4673 campion@uw.edu
Resources M.Ed.
Leave of Absence Dr. A. Peter Eveland eveland@uw.edu
Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
M
MSRTP Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
Medical Student Research Training Program
Multicultural Affairs Dr. David Acosta (206) 685-2489 dacosta@uw.edu
Dr. Victoria Gardner (206) 685-2489 vg@uw.edu
N
Name Changes Tara Gates (206) 543-9290 tgates@uw.edu
Non-Clinical Selectives Sandy Pomerinke (206) 616-7063 spomerin@uw.edu
TBD (206) 543-5562 TBD
NRMP Trish Zander (206) 616-8221 trishz@uw.edu
National Residency Matching Program
O
Orientation Trish Zander (206) 616-8221 trishz@uw.edu
OSCEs Jennie Struijk, M.Ed. (206) 685-4007 janim@uw.edu
Objective Structured Clinical Examination
~ 15 ~
P
Peer Advising Trish Zander (206) 616-8221 trishz@uw.edu
Podcasting/Course Videos Michael Campion, (206) 616-4673 campion@uw.edu
M.Ed.
Preceptorships Sandy Pomerinke (206) 616-7063 spomerin@uw.edu
TBD (206) 543-5562 TBD
R
Registration Codes/ Sandy Pomerinke (206) 616-7063 spomerin@uw.edu
Troubleshooting
Registration Information TBD (206) 685-9794 ermcrae@uw.edu
Research Advising Mary Walls (206) 616-3047 mwalls@uw.edu
Research Opportunities Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
R/UOP/III Corinne Corrigan, RN (206) 543-9425 corinnec@uw.edu
Rural/Underserved Opportunities Dr. Roger Rosenblatt rosenb@uw.edu
Program
S
Standardized Patients Jennie Struijk (206) 685-4007 janim@uw.edu
Student Organizations/ Em Olson (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
Interest Groups
Student Progress Constance Lamb (206) 685-7973 celamb@uw.edu
Student Records Constance Lamb (206) 685-7973 celamb@uw.edu
Study Strategies/ Learning TBD
Resources
T
Technology Resources Michael Campion, (206) 616-4673 campion@uw.edu
M.Ed.
st nd
Textbooks (1 & 2 Year) Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
Transcripts (order via UW Transcript Office
MyUW)
http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/transcripts.html
Travel, Student/Clerkship Scott Bailey (206) 685-7022 gowwami@uw.edu
http://depts.washington.edu/gowwami
Travel, Student Eric Tobiason (206) 685-7011 tobiason@uw.edu
Conferences
Tutors TBD
~ 16 ~
U
USMLE Preparation TBD
USMLE Registration Trudy Furberry (206) 685-7975 trudyf@uw.edu
W
WSMRF Michelle Fleming (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
Western Student Medical Research Forum – Carmel, California
WRITE Program
http://depts.washington.edu/write
~ 17 ~
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
E-MAIL ADDRESSES & PHONE NUMBERS
LAST FIRST PROGRAM PHONE EMAIL
Acosta David OMCA Associate Dean (206) 616-3042 dacosta@uw.edu
Regional Affairs, Assistant
Allen Suzanne (206) 543-6797 suzaalle@uw.edu
Dean
Bailey Scott Academic Affairs (206) 685-7022 sgbailey@uw.edu
Calcavecchia Julie ICM / Colleges (206) 221-3532 jsmillan@uw.edu
Campion Michael Learning Technology (206) 616-4673 campion@uw.edu
Carey Todd Regional Affairs (206) 543-8578 toddc8@uw.edu
Chesnut Jenniey Admissions (206) 543-7214 jchesnut@uw.edu
Clarke Leonora ICM (206) 685-1202 clarkel@uw.edu
Davis Jill Student Affairs (206) 221-3855 jilld3@uw.edu
Davis John Academic Affairs (206) 543-7213 jhdavis3@uw.edu
Elder Le Ann ICM (206) 685-1202 elderl@uw.edu
Ellis Laura Academic Affairs (206) 543-9053 lbellis@uw.edu
Engle Kellie Regional Affairs (206) 543-2249 kaengle@uw.edu

Estacio-
Joanne Medical Student Counselor (206) 616-3024 joanneed@uw.edu
Deckard
Student Affairs, Associate
Eveland Peter (206) 616-7068 eveland@uw.edu
Dean
Feldman Susan ICM (206) 685-1202 srf3@uw.edu
Ferry Robin ICM (206) 685-1202 ferryr@uw.edu
Fleming Michelle Curriculum (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu
Fletcher Tabitha Financial Aid (206) 685-2520 tabitha2@uw.edu
Furberry Trudy Registration & Scheduling (206) 685-7975 trudyf@uw.edu
Gardner Victoria OMCA (206) 616-3044 vg@uw.edu

Registration & Scheduling,
Gates Tara (206) 543-9290 tgates@uw.edu
Student Affairs
Gianutsos Barbara ICM (206) 685-1208 bg8@uw.edu
Academic Affairs, Acting
Goldstein Erika (206) 616-8454 erika@uw.edu
Vice Dean
Gray Rande Video Conferencing (206) 616-7257 rgray@uw.edu
~ 18 ~
Hendrix Felicity OMCA (206) 616-5522 fabeyta@uw.edu
Lamb Connie Registration & Scheduling (206) 685-7973 celamb@uw.edu
Lane Shalley Curriculum (206) 543-5562 shalley@uw.edu
Luu Bely OMCA (206) 685-2489 belyluu@uw.edu
Noecker Diane Financial Aid (206) 685-9229 dnoecker@uw.edu
Olson Dan OMCA (206) 543-9733 dolson@uw.edu
Olson Em Student Affairs (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu
Park Scott ICM / Colleges (206) 685-1202 sypark@uw.edu
Pinkham Vicki OMCA (206) 616-3043 vp@uw.edu
Pomerinke Sandy Curriculum (206) 616-7063 spomerin@uw.edu
Portante Katie Academic Affairs (206) 543-5560 a300@uw.edu
Racansky Pam OMCA (206) 616-5866 racansky@uw.edu
Reep Jason Learning Technology (206) 616-8116 jreep@uw.edu
Ryan Michael Curriculum, Associate Dean (206) 543-5562 mjryan@uw.edu
Schukar Janet Admissions (206) 543-5242 schukar@uw.edu
Stone Ellen Admissions (206) 543-7203 efpstone@uw.edu

Admissions, Associate
Teitz Carol (206) 543-7203 teitz@uw.edu
Dean
Tobiason Eric Academic Affairs (206) 685-7011 tobiason@uw.edu
Tsegai Amen OMCA (206) 616-3021 amen2@uw.edu
Walls Mary OMCA (206) 616-3047 mwalls@uw.edu
Wicks Mark Medical Student Counselor (206) 616-3022 wicks@uw.edu
Yee Stella Admissions (206) 543-7204 stellay@uw.edu
Zampino Liz ICM (206) 744-5293 ezampino@uw.edu
Zander Trish Student Affairs (206) 616-8221 trishz@uw.edu
Zent Melissa Admissions, Student Affairs (206) 543-8662 mzent@uw.edu
~ 19 ~
THE COLLEGES: CLINICAL SKILLS, MENTORING,
PROFESSIONALISM
THE COLLEGES AT UWSOM
The Colleges are an academic and administrative structure with three primary goals.
Oversee a four-year integrated curriculum of clinical skills and professionalism;

Teach the Introduction to Clinical Medicine II (ICM II) course in the second year; and
Provide a consistent faculty mentor/advisor to each student over his/her medical school
career.
STRUCTURE
The College structure consists of six Colleges, each with six to seven faculty, one of whom
serves as the Head of the College. Upon matriculation students are randomly assigned to one of
the six Colleges, and specifically to one faculty member within that College. Each faculty
member has about six students in each year for a total of 24-30 students (including MD/PhD or
expanded students). Each College has a total of 36-42 students per year, or a total of about 144-
160 students. College assignment is not based on the student‟s state of residence or on their
future career plans.
Each student will use a web-based “learning portfolio” to document her or his work in the skills
development curriculum. This enables the student and faculty mentor to monitor progress in
specific areas against defined benchmarks. The portfolio might include, for example, students‟
samples of their write-ups, reflections on various elements of the curriculum, and self-
assessments of progress.
CLINICAL SKILLS CURRICULUM

There are five areas of clinical skills with developmental benchmarks identified for each year:
Interview skills, including taking a patient history;

Diagnostic and physical exam skills;
Clinical reasoning and interpretation skills;
Communication skills (with patient and colleagues) including both written and oral case
presentation skills;
Professionalism and ethics.
In the first year, the College faculty meets with each student approximately 1-2 times per quarter
or semester, either in person, via video conference, by phone, or email. Over the course of the
year, students may send to their College mentor some of their work to be reviewed.
~ 20 ~
In the second year, the College mentor teaches the ICM II curriculum to his or her group of 6
students with the focus on weekly bedside teaching. Each College meets for clinical skills
training one morning of the week with two teams of 1 faculty member and 6 students rotating
through one of six teaching hospitals each quarter. The morning sessions are required, so
students should not schedule elective coursework or personal appointments on the mornings
their College meets.
In third and fourth years, the College mentor follows his/her students‟ progress in the required
clerkships and clinical electives. The College mentor communicates with his/her students
routinely to discuss the student‟s progress in achieving his/her educational goals. The students
also maintain contact via email, phone, or in person throughout the third and fourth years to
discuss their clinical rotations and progress in choosing a specialty.
MENTORING
Through the College system, each student‟s College mentor acts as his/her advisor and
advocate. In the first and second year, the focus is academic counseling. The focus shifts
towards career counseling in the third and fourth years. The College faculty will refer students to
the Student Affairs Office for assignment to the appropriate departmental career counselors, who
focus on the residency application and selection process, and will also provide an additional
network of faculty for advising. In addition, the College mentors work with the students to monitor
their progress in completing their research requirement for graduation (Independent Investigative
Inquiry).
ADDITIONAL COLLEGE ACTIVITIES

Each College Head acts as a liaison with one of the 5 states in the regional WWAMI program.
They work with the first year site directors and with the clinical clerkship faculty and clinical center
deans in each state.
The College faculty assists in the development and administration of the two major clinical skills
exams (OSCEs) for the medical students. They also participate in the second-year Capstone I,
Transition to the Clerkships, and the fourth-year Capstone II, Transition to Residency, required
courses.
Finally, College faculty participate in faculty development activities in the medical school as a
whole. This may include assistance with development of curricular materials for preclinical basic
science courses and/or clinical clerkships.
~ 21 ~
COLLEGE FACULTY
E-MAIL ADDRESSES & PHONE NUMBERS
THE COLLEGE HEADS
Erika Goldstein, M.D., Director of Colleges, Head of Rainier

M.P.H. College erika@uw.edu
Rick Arnold, M.D. Head of Snake River College rwarnold@uw.edu
Hugh M. Foy, M.D. Head of Wind River College hughfoy@uw.edu
David Losh, M.D. Head of Columbia River College dlosh@uw.edu
Raye Maestas, M.D. Head of Denali College maestas@uw.edu
Mark Whipple, M.D., M.S. Head of Big Sky College mwhipple@uw.edu
STAFF
Julie Calcavecchia, M.Ed. Director of Operations, ICM & The jsmillan@uw.edu

Colleges
Scott Park Senior Computer Specialist, ICM sypark@uw.edu
Leonora Clarke Health Education Resources Coordinator clarkel@uw.edu
COLLEGE FACULTY
The following 31 faculty members have been appointed to one of the six Colleges and work with their
College Heads to meet the mission of the College system.
NAME COLLEGE DEPARTMENT E-MAIL
Amy Baernstein, M.D. Wind River Medicine abaer@uw.edu

Karen P. Barr, M.D. Columbia Rehabilitation barrk@uw.edu
River Medicine
Ted Carter, M.D. Snake Pediatrics edward.carter@seattlechildrens.org
River
Michelle Despreaux, M.D. Denali Medicine michelled@uwph.org
Sharon A. Dobie, M.D. Rainier Family dob@uw.edu
Medicine
Anne M. Eacker, M.D. Big Sky Medicine eacker@u.washington.edu
Lisa Erlanger, M.D. Columbia Family erlanger@uw.edu
River Medicine
Claudia A. Finkelstein, Snake Medicine claudiaf@uw.edu
M.D.C.M. River
Jonathan Ilgen, M.D., Big Sky Medicine ilgen@u.washington.edu
MCR
~ 22 ~
Margaret Isaac, M.D. Columbia Medicine misaac@uw.edu
River
Molly Blackley-Jackson, Rainier Medicine blackley@uw.edu
M.D.
Kay Johnson, M.D. Big Sky Medicine kayjohns@uw.edu
Misbah Keen, M.D. Snake Family mkeen@uw.edu
River Medicine
Eric E. Kraus, M.D. Wind River Neurology ekraus@uw.edu
Daniel J. Ledbetter, M.D. Big Sky Surgery dan.ledbetter@seattlechildrens.org
Karen A. McDonough, Denali Medicine kmcdonou@uw.edu
M.D.
Thomas E. McNalley, Columbia Rehabilitation mcnalley@u.washington.edu
M.D., M.A. River Medicine
Joe Merrill, M.D. Snake Medicine joem@uw.edu
River
Kim O‟Connor, M.D. Columbia Medicine koconnor@uw.edu
River
Lynn M. Oliver, M.D. Wind River Family lynn_oliver@fammed.washington.edu
Medicine
Genevieve Pagalilauan, Rainier Medicine jadepag@uw.edu
M.D.
Sam Sharar, M.D. Denali Anesthesiology sharar@uw.edu
Nancy Simon, M.D. Wind River Medicine nsimon@uw.edu
Michael G. Storck, M.D. Rainier Psychiatry storck@uw.edu
Jordan M. Symons, M.D. Rainier Pediatrics jordan.symons@seattlechildrens.org
Glen S. Tamura, M.D., Wind River Pediatrics gtamura@uw.edu
Ph.D.
Christina Tanner, M.D. Big Sky Family christina_tanner@resnet.washington.edu
Medicine
W. Michelle Terry, M.D. Snake Pediatrics mterry@uw.edu
River
Diane J. Timberlake, M.D., Denali Family dtimberl@uw.edu
M.A. Medicine
Jill M. Watanabe, M.D., Denali Medicine watanabe@uw.edu
M.P.H.
Kyle E. Yasuda, M.D. Denali Pediatrics kyasuda@uw.edu
~ 23 ~
SUPPORT PROGRAMS AND STUDENT
RESOURCES
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE‟S FINANCIAL AID OFFICE

The School of Medicine (SOM) Financial Aid Office is located on the fifth floor of the T-wing in
Room T-557. There are two staff members – Diane Noecker is the director and Tabitha Fletcher
is the program coordinator.
Ms. Noecker serves as the primary liaison for medical students with the main Office of Student
Financial Aid, which is located in Schmitz Hall. She administers the School of Medicine
scholarship and loan funds and the Title VII federal aid programs. General advice on financial
aid, questions about the aid awarded, and assistance with understanding the impact of
indebtedness are among some of the important issues that you can discuss with Diane and
Tabitha. Email messages are the primary method of communication to remind students of
deadlines or to request information that needs immediate action. The SOM Financial Aid web
site contains information on budgets, timelines, and loan and debt management.
If you are, located at a regional first-year site or a clinical rotation site outside of Seattle, you can
access Ms. Noecker by phone at (206) 685-9229 or email at dnoecker@uw.edu, Ms. Fletcher by
phone at (206) 685-2520 or by email at tabitha2@uw.edu. There is also a general email account
that both staff can access: somfao@uw.edu. The SOM Financial Aid website is:
http://uwmedicine.org/FinancialAid
MEDICAL STUDENT COUNSELING SERVICE

The School of Medicine‟s Counseling Service offers a range of services to help students and their
spouse/partner cope with the demands of life in medical school. Services offered through the
School‟s counseling programs in Seattle or as part of the WWAMI regional program are free of
charge and completely confidential.
ACCESS TO COUNSELING SERVICES

Students at the Seattle campus may call, email, or drop by to schedule an appointment directly
with a counselor. Drop-ins are always welcome if a counselor is available. First year students at
regional WWAMI sites outside of Seattle can access the medical student counselor at their site
through the email address listed below.
For students in the clinical curriculum, the counselors in Seattle are able to provide telephone
appointments, evening appointments, or email consultations. Alternatively, third year students at
one of the clinical centers (Boise, Spokane, Missoula, Anchorage, and Cheyenne) may obtain
~ 24 ~
information on counseling through a Seattle counselor, the site coordinator or the WWAMI
assistant dean. If you are covered by the Student Health Insurance Plan, students on clerkships
anywhere in the region may access a private mental health counselor through the Beech Street
network (www.beechstreet.com).
SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COUNSELING SERVICE

Below is a list of the types of services offered by the Counseling Service in Seattle and in the
WWAMI regional sites.
* Individual Counseling * Stress Management * Coping with Clerkships

* Couples Counseling * Test Anxiety * Residency Match Stress
* Life Transitions * Anxiety Management * Career Decision Counseling
* Support Groups * Coping with Depression * Academic Difficulties
* Workshops and Seminars * Time Management * Psychiatric Referrals
* Drop-in Consultations * Managing Relationships * Peer conflicts
SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY FREE FOR YOU OR YOUR PARTNER/SPOUSE

The medical student counselors are licensed, experienced, mental health professionals. Though
some have clinical faculty appointments, none are involved in direct evaluation or grading of
students.
Counselors are available to meet with you or your partner/spouse for individual or couples
counseling. Counselors are able to assist you with issues related to medical school or any
other personal concern that may be troubling you.
At the Seattle site, counselors are generally available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week but
are available to schedule evening or early morning hours by appointment to accommodate
special scheduling needs. Counseling in the School of Medicine tends to be shorter term. If long
term counseling or psychiatric assessment is needed, a counselor can refer you to one of our
network of community providers who may be able to see you on a reduced fee basis. Counselors
may also help you get assistance at the Hall Health Center or from a variety of other programs
available to students on the Seattle campus.
Counseling is completely confidential. Limited counseling records are securely kept by your
counselor and are not part of your academic file. Information about students who are seeking
counseling is never shared with faculty or administrators unless you sign a written release of
information and ask your counselor to do so. The medical student counselors may receive
information about students who are being reviewed by the Student Progress Committee but
counselors never share information with the Committee or the Student Affairs Dean. If you
believe it is in your interest to have your counselor share information with the Committee or the
Dean, you may sign a release of information to allow them to do so.
~ 25 ~
At the Seattle site, Dr. Richard Veith, Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Sciences provides clinical consultation to the counselors on psychiatric issues. To protect student
privacy and confidentiality, student names or identifying information are not utilized during these
consult meetings.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS

In Seattle and at the regional sites, workshops and wellness activities on a variety of topics may
be offered. Past sessions have included Stress Management, Yoga, Massage, Successful
Relationships, Integrating Feedback and Evaluation. Information about these events and other
wellness tips can be found in our periodic email Wellness Letter. In Seattle, other wellness and
referral information can be found on the Counseling Service Bulletin Board outside of the Medical
Student Lounge.
LOCATION OF COUNSELING SERVICE IN SEATTLE

The Counseling Service on the Seattle campus is located on the first floor of the Medical Center,
near the hospital cafeteria, in the AA suite of offices. Take the BB el
Appointments can be made by contacting the counselor of your choice in person, by phone, or
by email. Students may contact the counselors directly or Dr. Peter Eveland, Dean of Student
Affairs, with concerns, suggestions or complaints.
SEATTLE COUNSELORS:
Mark Wicks, Ph.D., LICSW AA-111G (206) 616-3022 wicks@uw.edu

Director, Counseling & Academic Support
Joanne Estacio-Deckard, LICSW AA- 103E (206) 616-3024 joanneed@uw.edu
Assistant Director
WWAMI COUNSELOR CONTACTS:

Each of the regional WWAMI sites has a designated medical student counselor. To access free,
confidential services on your campus you should contact the counselor below. They will help you
arrange an appointment or assist you with finding the appropriate resource:
Alaska:
Sarah Dewane, Ph.D. sarah.dewane@providence.org
Montana: Cheryl Blank, Ph.D. cblank@montana.edu
Brian Kassar, Ph.D. bkassar@montana.edu
Spokane: Jack Severinghaus, Ph.D. severing@wsu.edu
WSU/Idaho: Christine Hughes, Psy.D c_hughes@wsu.edu
Wyoming: Brenda Cannon, MS, NCC, PPC brendacannon@gmail.com
~ 26 ~
UW SEATTLE CAMPUS RESOURCES OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Hall Health Mental Health Clinic
Hall Health Primary Care Center
(206) 543-5030, http://depts.washington.edu/hhpccweb/index.php?ClinicID=6
Provides psychotherapy and psychiatric assessment and follow up. There are fees for service
which may be partially covered by health insurance.
UW Student Counseling Center

Schmitz Hall, Room 401, (206) 543-1240, http://depts.washington.edu/counsels/
Provides group and individual counseling for UW students. Initial visits are covered by student
health fee though charges may apply for ongoing counseling.
Psychological Services and Training Center

Guthrie Hall, Annex 1, (206) 543-6511, http://web.psych.washington.edu/clinic/
Psychological counseling is provided by psychology graduate students on a sliding fee scale
basis.
LEARN Clinic of the Psychological Service Center

Guthrie Hall, Annex 1, (206) 543-6511, http://web.psych.washington.edu/clinic/Idc_services.html
Provides assessment and testing for Learning Disabilities, ADHD, on a fee-for-service basis.
Charges are typically not covered by insurance.
Disability Resources for Students

Schmitz Hall, Room 448, (206) 543-8924, http://www.washington.edu/students/drs/
Assistance with accommodations or assistance dealing with physical or mental disabilities.
SARIS-Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Information Service

Condon Hall, Room 404 (206) 685-4357, saris@uw.edu,
http://www.washington.edu/students/saris/
Provides information, support, and referral for students who have been the victim of sexual
violence or relationship abuse.
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE‟S STUDENT RESOURCE

CENTER
The Student Resource Center is located on the fifth floor of the T-wing in T-557, and the office
number is (206) 543-9733. The Center provides an array of information and services helpful to
medical students, such as a student email computer terminal, and U.S. mail drop. Also located in
the Student Resource Center are the financial aid specialist, research advisor, academic skills
counselor, and the Director of Career Advising. . The Student Resource Center has a program
coordinator, Dan Olson, who can assist students in accessing the many resources available.
~ 27 ~
ACADEMIC SKILLS COUNSELOR
The School of Medicine has a full-time academic skills counselor, TBD, who is available to assist
students with a variety of issues including, but not limited to, test-taking skills and improving study
strategies. A variety of learning resources are available to borrow, including text books, reference
materials and CD‟s. TBD coordinates a USMLE Step 1 Board Prep program that takes place
during the second year curriculum and is open to all second year medical students.
TBD‟s office is located in the Student Resource Center on the fifth floor of the T-wing in T-557;
phone number is (206) 616-9606*, or email TBD- E-mail
TUTORING PROGRAM
Medical students who have been successful with courses in the HuBio curriculum are recruited to
serve as tutors for first and second year medical students. This service is free of charge and is
coordinated through the Academic Skills Counselor. If students are experiencing difficulty with
course work they can contact the Academic Skills Counselor to arrange a meeting and tutor
referral. Course chairs may suggest meeting with the Academic Skills Counselor and/or meeting
with a tutor if exam results are not satisfactory. Students may schedule a meeting with the
Academic Skills Counselor or arrange for a tutor by contacting TBD by email TBDemail.
If difficulties arise in the clinical curriculum, arrangements for remediation will be developed
through the Student Affairs Dean in consultation with the student‟s College mentor and clinical
clerkship director.
*Students at the first year regional WWAMI sites can work with the Academic Skills
Counselor in Seattle via email or phone appointments. Questions about tutoring should
be directed to the respective regional WWAMI office.
DIRECTOR OF CAREER ADVISING

The School of Medicine has a Director of Career Advising who is available to assist students in
every aspect of career decision-making and enhancing success in medical school. Jill Davis
provides specialty, residency and career information for students from matriculation to graduation.
She meets individually with students in her office and is also available on the phone and through
email for those students who are not in Seattle. She runs workshops throughout the year on
topics such as choosing a specialty, writing personal essays for residency applications, and
~ 28 ~
interviewing for residencies. Her office functions as an information and referral center to relevant
online resources, departmentally based career counselors, and fourth year students who serve as
mentors for those who are interested in their specialty choice.
The Office of Career Advising is located in the Student Resource Center on the fifth floor of the T-
wing in room T-557. Email Jill Davis at jilld3@uw.edu.
CAREERS IN MEDICINE
The SOM Careers in Medicine program is designed to provide medical students with the
information, resources, and experiences necessary to make good career decisions and to be
successful in the residency match. The Careers in Medicine program is organized to take you
step by step, through each year of medical school, highlighting the activities that will be most
beneficial for you in terms of career decision-making. This program provides tools for self-
assessment, career exploration, choosing a specialty, and getting into residency. It's designed to
use in tandem with the AAMC Careers in Medicine® (CiM) site, which provides general career
advising information for medical students. Guidance and support for this program are provided by
the Office of Career Advising, the Dean of Student Affairs, college faculty, and from the
Departmental Career Advisors.
For more information about the Careers in Medicine Program please contact the Office of Career
Advising is located in the Student Resource Center on the fifth floor of the T-wing in room T-557.
Email Jill Davis at jilld3@uw.edu
During your first year the Student Affairs Office will send you information on how to logon to the
AAMC Careers in Medicine® (CiM) website. If you are having trouble accessing the website
please contact Em Olson at emiols@uw.edu.
During your third year, the Student Affairs Office will contact you year about the specialties you
are interested in and facilitate Departmental Career Advisor assignments. If you need additional
information about Departmental Career Advisors please contact Em Olson at emiols@uw.edu.
~ 29 ~
SERVICES FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
The School of Medicine is committed to ensuring that otherwise qualified students with disabilities
are given equal access through reasonable accommodations to their programs and facilities. The
School of Medicine works closely with the University of Washington‟s Disability Resources for
Students in this process. Disability Resources for Students is the contact point for students with
disabilities to request reasonable accommodations due to the effects of a disability. This service
is also available for students who may experience a temporary disability, such as an accident or
illness of some sort. Students who wish to request reasonable accommodations are encouraged
to contact Disability Resources for Students to start the process for documenting their disability
and determining eligibility for services. The University does have policies regarding the type of
documentation required in order to diagnose different disabilities. The policies are available from
Disability Resources for Students, 448 Schmitz Hall, Box 355839, Seattle, WA 98195-5839; (206)
543-8924 (V), (206) 543-8925 (TTY); uwdss@uw.edu.
All students are expected to meet the essential degree requirements of the program. These
degree requirements are outlined in a document entitled “Essential Requirements of Medical
Education at the University of Washington School of Medicine: Admission, Retention, and
Graduation Standards”. All students receive this at the time of application and are asked to sign
a statement verifying that they have read the document and understand they are expected to
fulfill the essential requirements of the program with or without reasonable accommodations due
to a disability. This document is also available in the “School of Medicine Academic Policy
Manual” on the MD Program website at http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-
Program/Pages/default.aspx.
If a student with a disability has documented the disability through the University‟s Disability
Resources for Students and Disability Resources for Students determines s/he is eligible for
reasonable accommodations due to the effects of a disability, Disability Resources for Students,
with the permission of the student, notifies the Student Affairs Dean in the School of Medicine.
This is done by a letter that outlines the possible reasonable accommodations that the student is
eligible to request. The student then works with the Student Affairs Dean to discuss the
accommodations requested and to finalize a plan for arranging the accommodations with the
course chairs. A staff member in the Curriculum Office then works with the student as needed to
set-up the reasonable accommodations. It is important to note that modifications may be made
between the reasonable accommodations outlined by Disability Resources for Students and the
reasonable accommodations that are needed or determined to be appropriate within the School
of Medicine‟s program. In these cases, the Student Affairs Dean will work with student and the
faculty chair(s) to identify the appropriate and reasonable accommodation and may consult with
Disability Resources for Students as necessary.
It is the students‟ right as well as responsibility to disclose that they have a disability and to
request the approved accommodations in a timely manner. The School of Medicine encourages
students with disabilities to work with Disability Resources for Students as soon as they know
~ 30 ~
they have a need for accommodation due to a disability, as reasonable accommodations may not
be implemented without approval from the Disability Resources for Students and arrangements
cannot be made retroactively.
In addition to the academic program within the School of Medicine, a student may find that
accommodations are needed during the administration of the United States Medical Licensing
Examinations, of which both Steps 1 and 2 are required for graduation from this medical school.
A mechanism to request an accommodation is available through the National Board of Medical
Examiners. It includes an application from the student, submission of complete documentation,
which may take time to compile, and certification of the disability from the School‟s Student Affairs
Dean that includes documentation of accommodations given in medical school.
~ 31 ~
POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES
COMPLIANCE- POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES

In order to maintain status as a student in good standing all enrolled medical students must
maintain compliance in the following areas: HIPAA compliance, criminal background checks,
universal precautions, basic life support (BLS) certification, annual PPD tests, and immunizations.
All students, including those in concurrent degree programs, and those on approved
expansion/leave of absence, are expected to maintain compliance.
Students are expected to track their own compliance due dates and update items needing
renewal prior to the six week block in which they expire. To ensure that all students are in
compliance and able to participate in clinical educational activities and related volunteer activities,
the Academic Affairs office monitors compliance and notifies students when they need to update
their status. Students who don‟t respond to notification of noncompliance are removed from
enrolled clinical course work until they have updated their status appropriately. This may impact
the release of financial aid and may result in expanding your program if clinical course work
needs to be dropped and rescheduled.
ITEMS REQUIRING RENEWAL
Compliance Requirement Standard Timeframe

Immunizations (Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Per Hall Health Immunizations Schedule
Hepatitis B, Tetanus-Diphtheria- (PPD and Influenza--starting AY2011-12
Pertussis, are annual requirements)
Varicella, PPD skin test, and Influenza)
Basic Life Support (BLS) Certification 2 years
UW Self Disclosure, Consent and Release 2 years
of Information Form
Criminal Background Check (CBC) 2 years
More information is available on the SOM‟s Compliance web page:
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-Students/Information-
Resources-Technology/information-and-policies/Compliance/Pages/default.aspx \
~ 32 ~
BASIC LIFE SUPPORT FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
Students must be certified in CPR at the level of Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare
Providers (AHA-approved training) prior to matriculation and before entering the clinical
curriculum in their third year. Please note that, because BLS is not necessarily a precursor
to ACLS, the SOM will not accept ACLS certification for this requirement. Students are
expected to keep the original certification card, but they must provide a copy to the
Academic Affairs office to be kept in their student file. CPR cards expire every two years.
Students are responsible for keeping their certification current throughout their medical
school training and for maintaining this documentation in their own personal files and with
the Academic Affairs office. Thus, combined degree and expanded students will need to
track this two-year certification process to remain current.
The American Heart Association Web site (http://www.americanheart.org) has a course locator
function that students can use to find a class in a geographic area convenient to them. Two
organizations in the Seattle area that frequently train our students are listed below. Please
contact Laura Ellis, the School‟s Compliance Officer, at (206) 543-5560 or somcompl@uw.edu if
you have any questions.
Harborview Community Training Center

206-744-5027, hmcctc@uw.edu
th
325 9 Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
Cascade Training Center
206-213-3116, http://www.chealthcare.com
101 Nickerson Suite #200
Seattle, WA 98109
(also has Renton and Auburn locations)
CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECK

Students are required to complete a criminal background check as a part of the admissions
process and, once matriculated, every two years thereafter. There are two portions to the
background check. The first portion is the national criminal background check that is completed
online for a fee through the school‟s third party vendor Certiphi Screening, Inc. The school‟s
affiliation agreements with clinical sites require that our students complete and maintain a current
national criminal background check. The second portion is the Request for Criminal History
Information Self-Disclosure, Consent, and Release of Information form. This Self-Disclosure
form is required by the Washington State Child and Adult Abuse Information Act for all
individuals who have access to children under 16 years of age, developmentally disabled
persons, or vulnerable adults who are required to disclose background information concerning
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crimes and offenses against these populations. Students must include any law infractions on the
Self-Disclosure and Consent form and, by signing the form, students authorize the Academic
Affairs office to conduct future checks and to allow the office to confirm your status with the
clinical sites to which you are assigned.
Each portion of the background check is only valid for two years. All students, including
combined degree, expanded students, and students on a leave of absence are
responsible for completing both portions of this requirement every two years.
Students will be required to meet with the Admissions (pre-matriculation) or Student Affairs Dean
(after matriculation) to discuss any discrepancies that are found in the background check.
Depending on the severity of the crime, you may not be allowed to continue medical school. The
review process is outlined in the Academic Affairs Policy Manual located on the MD Program
website:
Resources-Technology/information-and-policies/Pages/Academic-Policies.aspx.
Please contact Laura Ellis, the School‟s Compliance Officer, at (206) 543-5560 or
somcompl@uw.edu if you have any questions about this requirement.
HIPAA COMPLIANCE AND SECURITY AGREEMENT

All students are required to complete the HIPAA training for the University and VA systems and
sign a Privacy, Confidentiality and Information Security Agreement form prior to matriculation.
Additional HIPAA training may be required by other regional hospitals during student rotations. If
a student does not complete the required training, he/she will not be permitted to be in a patient
care setting.
Violations of the security/confidentiality agreement examples include, and are not limited to,
blogging patient interactions, looking at patient records for which you are not responsible, leaving
your workstation unlocked and unattended, etc. All infractions are taken seriously and will be
referred to the Student Affairs Dean for action.
HIPAA training and the Privacy, Confidentiality and Information Security Agreement form are
administered by the Academic Affairs Office. Please contact Laura Ellis, the School‟s
Compliance Officer, at (206) 543-5560 or somcompl@uw.edu if you have any questions.
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IMMUNIZATIONS
Documentation of compliance for the following immunizations is required of all medical students
prior to matriculation. All medical students must maintain compliance with these requirements
throughout their tenure in the medical school program, even while in a non-clinical segment of the
curriculum. If reported as non-compliant, the student will not be allowed to train in patient care
settings. These immunizations are available from Hall Health Center, which screens and
documents students for compliance. In situations where a specific vaccination is contraindicated,
the Hall Health Center staff or the student's own health care provider will issue the appropriate
documentation.
Medical students will not be allowed to begin or continue patient contact unless documentation of
compliance with all requirements, including the annual tuberculosis screening*, have been
confirmed by Hall Health with the Academic Affairs Office.
If you obtain a flu shot or any of the required immunizations or tuberculosis screening from
somewhere other than Hall Health, you will need to pay for that out of your own pocket and then
submit your receipt for reimbursement. See below for additional information.
MMR: MEASLES (RUBEOLA); MUMPS; and RUBELLA (GERMAN MEASLES)

MEASLES (RUBEOLA): TWO doses of measles-containing vaccine (Measles; Measles-
Rubella; or Measles-Mumps-Rubella) regardless of birthdate, OR a positive antibody
titer. The vaccine doses must have been received after 12 months of age and at least one
month apart. They must also have been live virus vaccines received after 1/01/68 given
without Immune Globulin.
MUMPS: TWO doses of mumps-containing vaccine OR a positive antibody titer. The vaccine
doses must have been received after the age of 12 months and at least one month
apart. Mumps alone must have been live virus vaccine received after 1/01/80.
RUBELLA (GERMAN MEASLES): ONE dose of rubella-containing vaccine after 12 months
of age OR a positive antibody titer.
HEPATITIS B: THREE doses of vaccine AND a positive Hepatitis B surface antibody titer meets
the requirement. Other documentation (such as laboratory evidence of history of disease) may
also be accepted.
TETANUS-DIPHTHERIA-PERTUSSIS: A Primary childhood (verbal or documented history

acceptable) or adult series with DTaP/ DTP/DT/Td AND a booster with Tdap since June 2005. If
there is documentation of a valid contraindication to receiving Tdap then Td must have been
received within the last 10 years.
VARICELLA: TWO doses of varicella-containing vaccine given after 12 months of age and at
least one month apart OR a positive antibody titer.
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TUBERCULOSIS SCREENING: A PPD is required within the 9 months prior to starting
classes. You will also receive a PPD skin test at the time of orientation as defined by your
program and school. This will satisfy the requirements for a “2-step test” and will place all
students due for their annual PPD at the same time. A single IGRA (interferon gamma release
assay) blood test result from the last year may be submitted as a substitute for negative TB skin
testing.
Please note: History of BCG is not a contraindication to TB skin testing. Those without
documentation of a positive TB test should be tested unless they can show documentation of
having completed prophylactic treatment. Chest X-Rays are NOT accepted as substitutions for
TB testing. Please see below for information on positive PPDs.
HISTORY OF DOCUMENTED POSITIVE TB TEST: Please provide documentation of the
positive test, a negative chest x-ray report, and treatment received. Those who have not
completed prophylactic treatment must provide documentation of a chest x-ray taken within ONE
YEAR prior to the start of their health sciences program.
ALL students with a history of positive TB test must complete a TB symptom review at admission
and yearly thereafter. The admission symptom review is found at the bottom of the 2nd page on
the Required Immunizations form. The annual symptom review is completed by returning to this
website and completing the online TB Symptom Survey form.
INFLUENZA: Influenza vaccination is offered for free each fall to health sciences students.
Annual vaccination is required by the SOM. The CDC guidelines recommend the vaccine in
order to protect staff, patients, and family members, and to decrease health care worker
absenteeism. Many clinical placement sites expect students to provide proof of current influenza
vaccination.
The Health Sciences Immunization (HSI) Program, located at Hall Health Primary Care Center on
the University of Washington campus, processes records and provides students with
immunizations and post-vaccine antibody tests, and routinely communicates each student‟s
compliance status to the School of Medicine. Entering medical students starting with the E11
class pay an annual health fee of $105 that covers the HSI Program‟s services. This health fee
also covers the cost of testing and initial prophylaxis should students experience an exposure to
blood and/or body fluids in the course of your medical education program. IMPORTANT: This
health fee does not cover the cost of testing and initial prophylaxis of exposure to air-borne
pathogens, i.e., tuberculosis, H1N1, etc. For E10 and earlier classes, student paid a one-time
health fee of $475 that will cover the cost of all immunizations and bloodborne pathogen
exposure throughout their four years of medical school.
Please note that, while you may choose to obtain any of the required immunizations or
tuberculosis screening from your current health care provider, you will still need to provide all
documentation to Hall Health and obtain clearance through an appointment with the HSI
program staff. First year students at the regional WWAMI sites are provided immunizations by
their site‟s student health center. At the end of the first year, the records are then sent directly to
~ 36 ~
UW Hall Health where they will be kept until completion of the student‟s medical education
program. Detailed immunization information outlining requirements will be included in each first
year campus‟ pre-orientation materials sent to students.
If you have any questions regarding the above information, please contact the HSI Program by
phone at
206-616-9074, by email at myshots@uw.edu, or visit their website at
https://depts.washington.edu/chsweb/hsi. If you plan an international health experience, you
must check with the Travel Clinic at Hall Health Primary Care Center to determine what
immunizations are needed. Typically, travel immunizations are not covered by the required
health fee. If your PPD expires while traveling, the PPD must be completed prior to departure in
order for the student to remain in good standing.
REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS FOR IMMUNIZATIONS

If you obtain a flu shot or any of the required immunizations or tuberculosis screening
from somewhere other than Hall Health, you will need to pay for that out of your own
pocket and then submit your receipt for reimbursement. Receipts along with a short cover
note that includes your name, year in medical school, and the address where you want your
reimbursement sent should be sent to: Health Sciences Administration, University of Washington,
Box 356355, Seattle, WA 98195-6355; (206) 543-7926. It takes approximately 4-6 weeks to
process, and be sure to save a copy of everything, just in case!
UNIVERSAL PRECAUTIONS
All students enrolled in the University of Washington School of Medicine must complete the
school's program on universal precautions. The purpose of this program is to ensure that you
have been informed of the appropriate handling of blood, tissues, and body fluids during medical
school. Opportunities for training in universal precautions will be included as part of a required
pre-orientation online session, Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM) courses, and the required
clerkships. As part of your professional development, you will be responsible for incorporating
these into your routine practice while in patient care situations and for being certain that you
understand what is available at each hospital as you rotate from one clerkship to another.
As you begin interacting with patients it is time to establish common sense habits to protect
yourself and your patients from the spread of infectious agents. The commonly used term for the
methods used is Universal Precautions – universal in that one uses these precautions with all
patients, not just those with known or suspected infectious disease. The agents associated with
~ 37 ~
many infectious diseases are transmitted by superficial physical contact; others require intimate
contact with blood or other body substances (hepatitis B and C, HIV).
The following precautions are to safeguard both you and your patients and are appropriate to use
for the level of patient contact you will have in ICM I:
Immunizations: See above section on immunizations.
Routine hand washing: Hand washing is performed frequently to protect both patients
and health care workers. Hands are washed before touching patients, performing
invasive procedures, and eating; hands are also washed after glove use, working with
body substances, and using the toilet. Skin is a natural barrier to infectious agents, and
products that protect and promote skin integrity can be used. Establish the habit now of
washing your hands when you enter a patient‟s room, before touching the patient, when
you leave, and before eating.
Other precautions that may be required in specific clinical settings include:

Barrier Protection:
1. Gloves are worn for anticipated contact with all body substances and are
changed between patients and sometimes between contact with different sites on
the same patient.
2. Gowns and/or plastic aprons are used to cover areas of the skin or clothing
that are likely to become soiled with body substances.
3. Facial barriers, including masks, glasses/goggles and face shields are worn
whenever splashing or splatter of body substances into the mouth, nose, or eyes
is likely to occur. Specialized masks and individual respiratory devices are also
used for certain airborne diseases such as meningococcal meningitis and
tuberculosis.
4. Other barriers such as hair covers, shoe covers, and boots may be used when
extensive exposure to body fluids may occur. (e.g., cystoscopy, vaginal delivery,
multiple trauma).
Sharps management: Sharps management refers to safe use of sharp agents such as
needles, scalpel blades, etc. Dispose of them in appropriate rigid, impervious containers,
and learn to handle them safely.
In addition to learning the principles and techniques of universal precautions, you should give
serious consideration to making sure you have adequate health care and disability coverage.
You should also know what to do in case of a body substance exposure.
You will be provided with a card giving you instructions on how to proceed and get prophylactic
treatment in the event you come into contact with blood, tissue, or body fluids. This card will be
provided through the Curriculum Office when you enter the School of Medicine. If you have
questions about coverage for the initial prophylaxis protocol for an exposure (either
blood- or airborne), please contact Eric Tobiason at tobiason@uw.edu or (206) 543-5560. If
you are in a situation where you have had an occupational exposure to blood or body fluids, you
can contact the following resources for assistance:
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MEDCON (UWMC referral) 1-800-326-5300
UWMC Campus Health Services (206) 598-4848 (7:30 AM to 4:00 P.M.;
M-F)
UWMC Emergency Department (206) 598-4000
Dr. Amy Baernstein (206) 663-1909 (pager)
Dr. Doug Paauw (206) 598-6190 (pager)
If you are away from Seattle hospitals and incur bills for testing and counseling or prophylactic
treatment for an occupational exposure to blood or body fluids, you may send the bills in
confidence to: Health Sciences Administration, University of Washington, Box 356355, Seattle,
WA 98195; Phone: (206) 543-7926; Fax: (206) 543-3473.
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ADIMISTRATIVE- POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES
ACCESS CARDS (SWIPE CARDS, PROXY CARDS)

According to the Health Sciences Facilities website, the Health Sciences complex has over
10,000 doors! In order to limit access to the building after hours, access cards are required to
enter exterior doors and pass through the hallway security doors between Health Sciences and
UWMC. After hours is considered to be between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., Monday
through Friday, all day on Saturday and Sunday, and on University of Washington observed
holidays.
Students are issued their access card at their respective orientation programs (during the first
year program for Seattle WWAMI students and during the second year program for regional
WWAMI students), and are returned in the spring prior to graduation. It is very important that
you also do not lose your access card. If it does become lost or stolen, please contact Em Olson
in the Student Affairs Office at (206) 543-5561 or emiols@uw.edu for replacement information.
There will be a refundable $20 deposit for each access card issued.
ACCESS TO YOUR ACADEMIC FILE

Each of you has an academic file that is maintained in the Academic Affairs Office. This file
includes your grades, evaluation forms, Student Progress Committee actions, letters of
commendation, and copies of other correspondence that occurs related to your medical school
training. You may request to review your file at any time during office hours. The Academic
Affairs deans, directors, and staff and your College mentor have access to your file. In order for
any other faculty member to see your file, you must complete and sign a release form. The most
common reasons for releasing your file are to be considered for AOA Honor Medical Society or to
have a faculty member write a recommendation letter in support of a scholarship or residency
program application. To obtain a File Release Form, please contact Em Olson at emiols@uw.edu
or Trish Zander at trishz@uw.edu.
BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS
The University of Washington School of Medicine is dedicated to educating its students in the
provision of health care of the highest quality, and it abides by a professionalism ethic that
recognizes the primacy of patient welfare and the need to avoid harm within the framework of
quality medical education. The School of Medicine is firmly committed to educating all its medical
~ 40 ~
students in universal precautions both at the first year orientation and before the start of the
clerkship years.
The School of Medicine‟s policy for blood-borne pathogens can be found in the Student
Handbook, in PDF format, on the MD Program website at
Resources-Technology/information-and-policies/Pages/Student-Handbook.aspx.
FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

(FERPA) POLICY
It is the policy of the University of Washington School Of Medicine to comply with the FERPA
law. This law allows students access to their academic record. If the student believes that
information maintained in the academic file is inaccurate, misleading, in violation of the student‟s
rights of privacy, or not applicable to his/her tenure in the medical school, the student may submit
a request to the School of Medicine‟s Registrar to have the document corrected. The request will
be reviewed with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and may include meeting with the
student to clarify the reasons for the request and to determine whether any other information is
needed to make a decision. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Registrar will make a
decision on the student‟s petition. If the student wishes to appeal this decision, the appeal
request is to the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, whose decision regarding the student‟s request
is final. If the student‟s request is denied, the student will have the right to place a statement in
the record commenting on the contested material.
ID BADGES
Students receive their School of Medicine UWMC ID badge shortly after their first year begins.
ID badges should be worn whenever you are on campus and must be worn especially when
seeing patients in the Introduction to Clinical Medicine courses or involved in clinical work. All
Health Sciences faculty, staff, and students will be required to wear a photo ID badge within the
Health Sciences complex at all times.
It is very important that you do not lose your ID badge. If your badge does become lost or stolen,
please contact Em Olson in the Student Affairs Office at (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu for
replacement information. You are not required to pay a replacement fee, but you will be asked to
submit an incident report to the UWMC Security Office related to your lost ID.
If a name change occurs, please follow the steps outlined in the section below titled “name
changes” Since your name has changed, you will need to update your photo ID. Take your
~ 41 ~
current badge, along with the copy of your marriage certificate/drivers license, to the UWMC
Photo ID office. They are located in Room BB 120 (near Plaza Café), and are available Monday-
Friday, 8:30am – 4:00pm. Badges are printed while you wait and there is no cost for
replacement.
INSURANCE: HEALTH AND DISABILITY
The State of Washington does not permit the University to require students to have health or
disability insurance, but we strongly recommend it, and it is available for all medical students.
There is no particular insurance that we recommend but rather we encourage you to consider the
options carefully. It is often most convenient to buy the student insurance from the campus
where you are spending most of your time, unless you are covered through your parents‟ health
insurance or that of your significant other.
HEALTH INSURANCE
Medical school can expose students to patients with communicable diseases, and students are
strongly encouraged to have health insurance, whether it is purchased through the University or
from another insurance carrier. There is an allowance in the student financial aid budget for the
inclusion of insurance as an allowable expense. The costs of hospitalization, whether from an
illness or accident, can be very high, and, without insurance, the full financial burden of these
costs becomes solely your responsibility. Thus, it is important to have health insurance
throughout the entire year, whether or not you are enrolled in courses. This is possible if you
purchase an annual policy in Autumn Quarter, or, if you wish to purchase the coverage quarterly,
include the Summer Quarter payment when allowed under Spring Quarter registration. If you
miss a deadline for purchasing insurance for a quarter, there is virtually no recourse for getting
the student insurance retroactively.
For more information about the University of Washington Student Health Insurance Plan (SHIP),
visit their website at http://depts.washington.edu/ovpsl/insurance/index.shtml or contact their
office directly by phone at (206) 543-6202 or email stdins@uw.edu. Students can choose from
two health insurance plans: SHIP and SHIP Plus. SHIP is the basic, less expensive plan, and
SHIP Plus is a new plan that costs a little more, but pays more of your health care costs. They
both cover a range of medical expenses including doctor‟s visits, well baby care, STD screenings
and Pap smears, emergency room, hospital stays, and prescriptions. Mental health, dental, and
vision benefits are also covered. SHIP Plus covers more of the cost for covered medical
expenses than SHIP, but it also costs you a bit more (higher premiums). Both plans have some
limitations and exclusions (things that are not covered), and information brochures can found on
the website indicated above.
~ 42 ~
First year regional WWAMI students have the option of purchasing the UW student health
insurance plan or the student health insurance plan at their respective first year institution.
Please visit those websites for more detailed information or talk with your WWAMI Office
Administrator about who to contact.
Montana State University: http://www.montana.edu/health/insurance.php

University of Alaska, Anchorage: http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/studenthealth/insurance.cfm
University of Idaho: http://www.health.uidaho.edu/ship
University of Wyoming: http://www.uwyo.edu/administration/operations/risk-
management/student-medical-insurance.html
Washington State University, Pullman: http://www.hws.wsu.edu/
Washington State University, Spokane: http://www.hws.wsu.edu/
DISABILITY INSURANCE
In recent years, it has become advisable for those entering health care fields to consider disability
insurance. Disability insurance is available for all medical students. In light of the cost of your
education and the risks associated with practicing medicine, students are strongly encouraged to
consider enrolling in a disability insurance plan. Information about the AMA sponsored long-term
disability plan for University of Washington medical students may be found on the UW Benefits
website at:
http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/benefits/insure/students/medical/ltd-medstudents.html.
Please send any questions you have about the plan to benefits@uw.edu or (206) 543-2800.
While we are not in a position to advise you on the specifics of health or disability insurance
benefits nor on how claims may be managed, we do strongly encourage you to take the time to
investigate the options open to you and to consider these in light of your own health, that of your
family, if applicable, and the potential for continuity of coverage throughout your medical training
from medical school to residency to practice.
LIABILITY/MALPRACTICE COVERAGE
University of Washington School of Medicine‟s medical students have liability coverage from the
time they are enrolled until graduation. Enrollment begins at the time an admitted applicant
submits the registration deposit and completes the HIPAA and immunization requirement.
Students who are engaged in approved educational activities or in an expanded schedule in
which approved educational activities, such as in-depth research or international health
opportunities which do not require registration for credit, may also be covered, depending on the
situation. Once the student receives the M.D. degree, he/she is no longer enrolled.
~ 43 ~
Examples of when UWSOM medical students have the University‟s liability coverage are as
follows:
Registered in coursework for credit and paying University of Washington tuition. [This
includes registration for credit in approved coursework away from the University of
Washington at another approved educational institution, when credit is granted by, and
tuition is paid to, the University of Washington. This does not include coursework taken
to complete another degree at another educational institution for which credit is granted
and tuition paid to that institution.]
Participation in approved School of Medicine non-credit educational programs, such as

RUOE and RUOP; volunteer activities sponsored by the School, or a department within
the School within the WWAMI region, such as CHAP, Aloha House, and Safe Streets.
Involvement in a research project with University of Washington or WWAMI regional

faculty. Examples include summer research projects with stipends, such as MSRTP and
RUOP-III, and extended research projects with stipends, such as those done through
NIDDK, HHMI, and Magnuson Scholarship.
Participation with College mentor or other approved School of Medicine clinical faculty
members in career exploration, clinical skills remediation or retooling programs for
students who need additional clinical experience or who are returning to the medical
school curriculum after time away, such as from being on a leave of absence or
completing another degree (Ph.D. ,M.P.H. ,etc.).
If you have questions about your professional liability coverage, please contact Eric Tobiason by
calling (206) 685-7011 or email tobiason@uw.edu. Volunteer activities that are not sponsored by
the University of Washington School of Medicine are usually not covered, and with only a few
exceptions (R/UOP and a few others), you must be a registered student to be covered.
NAME AND ADDRESS CHANGES

Each time you change your address, it is essential that you notify the following three offices:
School of Medicine Academic Affairs Office (A-300)

Campus Registrar‟s Office (via MyUW)
Campus Financial Aid Office
A form for this process is available from the Reception Desk in A-300 Health Sciences, or you
can mail or fax your new address to the SOM Registrar‟s office: UW School of Medicine
Registrar, Attn: Address Update,
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Box 356340, Seattle, WA 98195; FAX: (206) 616-3341. Please provide us your full name and
student ID number.
If a name change occurs, these same offices must be notified and verification (such as a driver‟s
license or marriage license) of the reason for the name change must be presented at the time of
notification. Please present your documentation to the SOM Registrar‟s Office located in A-300
Health Sciences, (206) 685-7974. Please contact the UW Registrar at (206) 543-5378 or visit
their website for information on the procedure for changing your name at the Main Registrar‟s
Office: http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/name_change.html.
Since your name has changed, you will also need to update your photo ID badge. Please see the
section above on “ID Badges.”
GUIDELINES FOR MANAGING INSTITUTIONAL

EXPECTATIONS FOR STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR AND
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
At both the School of Medicine and University levels, individuals have been identified to assist
any member of the educational environment to deal with situations, perceived or real, of
inappropriate behavior. Such behaviors may fall in the areas of sexual harassment;
discrimination; harassment based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or age;
humiliation; or the use of grading or other forms of assessment in a punitive manner. It is
important to address these situations, whether intentional or unintentional, as they tend to result
in a disruption of the spirit of learning and a breach in the integrity and trust between teacher and
learner.
In an effort to support a standard of professionalism and promote excellence at the University of

Washington School of Medicine, an Honor Council and Honor Code were conceived of by a
group of students, ratified by the student body and embraced by the faculty and administration.
The Honor Council, an elected body of students spanning all years and WWAMI sites, serves as
an intermediary between students, faculty and administration. It is a resource that students can
use to voice concerns or ask questions about mistreatment or misconduct. All dealings by the
Honor Council are kept confidential and the feedback gathered and recorded over time in order to
improve the UWSOM experience.
As outlined below, within the School of Medicine there are several options for students to pursue
to gain assistance with issues of this nature. Within the School of Medicine administration, Dr.
Peter Eveland, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, has been designated as the initial contact
point for medical students needing to discuss a concern. If Dr. Eveland is not available, students
should contact the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, Depending on the situation and the student's
~ 45 ~
decision on whether to make a formal complaint, an approach for addressing the issue will be
agreed upon.
As individuals who are entering a profession which is self-regulated, it is important that

physicians-in-training begin to develop skills in providing feedback directly to those who you feel
are behaving outside the acceptable standards of conduct for the medical or educational
profession. Peer assessment may be a new area for many of you, but it is an important skill to
learn. Such feedback should be approached in a manner that provides the individual an
opportunity to acknowledge his/her inappropriate behavior and identify ways to correct it and
reduce the possibility of the behavior reoccurring. The kind of incidents, which are considered
unacceptable, include cheating, inappropriate comments or humor, disruptive or rude behavior by
peers in or outside of the classroom; and inappropriate behavior between peers or peers and
faculty or staff.
The School's administration and the Medical Student Association (MSA) developed the following
options for handling incidents of unacceptable behavior or conduct:
1. If you are comfortable with your skills in providing direct feedback, you should
approach the individual and open a discussion about what has been observed
and how this behavior might be perceived.
2. If you are uncertain about whether what you have observed is an issue that
needs to be addressed, you can discuss it in a confidential manner with one of
the MSA senators or Student Honor Council members.
needs to be addressed (either on your own or after discussion with the
appropriate individuals, you can make an appointment to discuss the incident
with one of the School's counselors. Again, this will be a confidential discussion.
If any follow-up is recommended, you will be part of that decision. Such a
decision may include encouraging you to speak with the individual or to have the
counselor speak with the individual with or without you present.
needs to be addressed (either on your own or after discussions as noted above
in numbers 2 or 3), you can make an appointment to discuss the issue with the
Student Affairs Dean. Again, the interchange will be initiated as a confidential
discussion. If a decision is made to take some action, you will participate in that
decision.
In managing issues in which the professional behavior or conduct of students, faculty, or staff do
not meet the expected standards, it is preferable to have the discussion first at the level of the
individual. In many cases, this resolves the problem and both individuals will have gained
~ 46 ~
important insights into the kind of responsibility we have for each other‟s behavior. If the problem
is not resolved at the individual level, then the issue may need to be managed at a more formal
level. Because each incident is unique in many ways, it is not possible to describe all the options
for handling problems in this Handbook.
It is important to reiterate that confidentially and privacy are essential components in determining
whether and how a formal level of intervention may occur. This refers to both the individual
raising the concern and the individual whose behavior is being questioned. If the breach of
professional conduct is confirmed and is in the realm of unacceptable behavior for graduation
(such as cheating, breaking the law, inappropriate behavior with patients, etc.) then the situation
will need to be presented to the School's Student Progress Committee or another appropriate
group for review and determination of the appropriate course of action.
For the most current information please see the Student Resource List at:
Resources-Technology/information-and-policies/Documents/Student Resources List-
05132011.pdf
~ 47 ~
UWSOM STUDENT MISTREATMENT REPORTING AND
RESPONSE
Course/Clerkship
Director
Residency P
Honor Council Director R
O
College Mentor MV
Counselors
AI
Department
(with student OK)
Chair
ND
Medical Associate Dean
Student for Student Affairs AE
Associate Dean for
perceives Student Affairs
or G
Vice Dean for E F
he/she has Academic Affairs
been O.M.C.A Hospital
E
mistreated Executive I E
st
Director S D
Regional 1 Yr &
Clinical Asst. Deans Data S B
Collection U A
Others DOM* E C
(UCIRO, Ombudsman, Etc.)
Personnel K
EVENT REPORTING (No Wrong Door) RESPONSE

* = Dean of Medicine
~ 48 ~
ACADEMIC-POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES
APPROPRIATE USE OF CURRICULUM RESOURCES
The School of Medicine and faculty teaching in the curriculum put a tremendous amount of effort
in gathering and creating learning resources for you to use during medical school. These
resources include written syllabus content, lecture PowerPoint slides, web sites, articles, videos,
etc. While this material is intended to be shared with you electronically for your personal use, it is
not intended to be shared outside of the WWAMI community. Redistribution or reposting of
material created by others without their permission is a serious violation of U.S. copyright law.
Students found to be engaging in this type of redistribution activity will be referred to the Student
Progress Committee.
GUIDELINES FOR ATTENDANCE

The School of Medicine expects that its students will recognize that they have entered a
profession in which commitment to full participation in the learning environment is an essential
component of what will become a style of life-long learning. It also is built upon the belief that
each individual has something to contribute to the group‟s learning, and is an integral part of the
medical profession‟s team approach of sharing knowledge and problem-solving together. Thus,
for the basic science and introductory clinical courses, attendance is expected in all educational
activities. It is required for small group sessions and class sessions in which a patient is present.
It is expected at lectures by UW or visiting faculty members. In clinical coursework or clerkships,
attendance is required as students are considered to be part of the clinical team.
Attendance at small groups is required, unless a course chair specifically states otherwise.
Learning to work effectively in a small group is an important skill. Many of the courses in the first
two years of the basic science curriculum include small group conferences, and students are
assigned to these groups. Students are also required to attend the particular group to which they
have been formally assigned, unless a course chair specifically states otherwise. Each
conference offers an opportunity for students to learn, to share, and to teach one another. Each
student owns part of the responsibility to foster a productive learning environment in the small
group where a diversity of knowledge and experience can be joined for the common good.
(Council on Academic Affairs – May 18, 2006)
EXAMINATION SCHEDULES
The basic science examination schedules have been developed after careful consideration of
students' need for preparation time and the faculty's availability. Once set, the dates and times of
the examinations cannot be revised for the class, except through criteria established by University
~ 49 ~
policy. The University policy requires that to advance an established test date, each enrolled
student and the course faculty must give unanimous written approval. Faculty are not expected
to make exceptions on an individual basis for a student to take an examination earlier or later
than the scheduled time except in cases of documented illness or personal/family emergencies.
As part of your professional development as a physician-in-training, there will be times when you
are expected to set your medical school schedule as a priority. During the first two years, the
exam schedule during the quarter/semester and for finals are fixed dates. With the exception of
personal or family emergencies, you should not expect to be permitted to take the exam at a
different time. Thus any personal plans should be made around these dates.
EXCUSE FROM EXAMINATION/REQUIRED ACTIVITY DUE TO ILLNESS

If you are ill or if there is a personal/family emergency that necessitates missing an examination
or required activity, below are the guidelines you should follow. When a personal illness or family
emergency requires missing more than one required activity or exam, arrangements may need to
be made with the course chair and Student Affairs Dean for completing course requirements.
For the first-year students at the Seattle site, if you are ill immediately prior to one of the
concurrent exams and feel you need to be excused, you should call the Student Affairs
Dean prior to the beginning of the exam. It is not appropriate to send an email or just
leave a phone message. Once you have spoken to the Student Affairs Dean, a decision
will be made and, if you are excused, the course chairs will be contacted. In most cases,
the concurrent exam will not be rescheduled for you. The final course grade will take into
account that you were excused from the exam.
For first-year students at the regional sites, you should contact your WWAMI dean. It is
not appropriate to send an email or just leave a phone message. Additional information
on how to handle a request to be excused from an exam or required activity will be
provided by your WWAMI office or course chair.
For second-year students, if you are ill immediately prior to an exam or required activity
and feel you need to be excused, you should call the course chair prior to the beginning
of the scheduled exam or activity. If you are unable to reach the course chair, contact the
Student Affairs Dean. Documentation of reason(s) for the request should be submitted.
It is not acceptable to send an email or just leave a message with a secretary or lab
assistant. If given permission to miss the exam or required activity, you should contact
the course chair to make arrangements for making up the work missed as soon as
possible. If a final examination cannot be taken in a reasonable amount of time, usually
no longer than a week, you will most likely be scheduled to take the examination when
reexaminations are given.
When in the clinical curriculum, you should refer to the Clerkship Absentee Policy below.
As a member of a clinical team, you have responsibility for patient care that needs to be
covered. If you need to delay an examination for an acceptable reason for which
~ 50 ~
documentation is submitted, you need to schedule it as soon as possible or it may be
delayed until the next time it is given. Progress in other clerkships may be interrupted
until the examination is taken depending on the situation surrounding the delay.
Students should not expect to be excused from required coursework for personal/family events,
such as attending family gatherings, running marathons, or giving presentations at meetings.
However, when a student wishes to consider participating in these kinds of opportunities, s/he
should consult with the appropriate dean and course chair well in advance of the requested
absence. As noted above, such absences should not be planned during required programs such
as orientations or when examinations are scheduled. The deans and faculty leadership
recognize the importance of family events and will work with you if possible when adequate notice
is given to facilitate brief absences and to schedule make-up time for coursework or service
commitments.
TESTING ENVIRONMENT
Students are expected to be on their honor not to discuss information regarding a course or share
answers during the examination. Students are usually permitted to leave the room during the
examination if necessary; however, as a courtesy, the student should indicate to the faculty or
test proctor if there is a problem that requires an absence from the examination room of longer
than five minutes. For examinations that are less than two hours, the faculty member may
specify that students may not leave the room except under exceptional circumstances approved
by the proctor.
For examinations, information on the testing environment is provided by the Curriculum Office.
Students should arrive promptly and have several sharpened pencils. All books and notes should
be left in lockers or, if this is not possible, should be placed where instructed by the proctor. The
course chairs have been asked to provide a blank piece of paper (either separate from the exam
or allow space on the back page of exam) for your use during the exam. If calculators are
needed for exam questions, one will be provided for the purpose of that particular exam. Thus,
students should not have PDA, cell phones, laptop, etc. with them in the exam room.
If a situation should arise in which there is an appearance of inappropriate behavior, it is expected

that the individual who observed the behavior will talk with the student involved to clarify what has
occurred. If there is evidence of cheating, the student will be asked to meet with the appropriate
deans and will be advised of the process that will be followed to review the situation.
If you are excused from an examination for reasons noted above, you are on your honor not to
ask for information about the examination and/or to remove yourself from any situation in which
the examination is being discussed or answers are posted.
Cheating on examinations is considered to be unprofessional behavior, and the sanction is more

serious than failing a course. If a student is found to be cheating, the situation will be referred to
~ 51 ~
the Student Progress Committee, and it will always result in failing the course and may result in
dismissal from medical school.
RELEASE OF COURSE GRADES

For all first-year and second year students, course grades are posted to Catalyst Grade Book as
soon as they are submitted by the course chairs to the Academic Affairs Office. During final
exam week, students have the choice of whether to look at their course grades prior to all finals
being completed. If you believe that receiving a Fail grade or a passing score that is not as
strong as you had hoped will have a serious, negative impact on your performance in subsequent
examinations, you may want to delay looking at grades until all exams are completed.
With the exception of course examinations that include essay questions, we anticipate that
students will receive information on their basic science final course grade within a week after the
conclusion of the quarter. In most cases, examination scores and final grades are posted on
Catalyst Grade Book.
If you fail a course, your performance will be reviewed by the Student Progress Committee at its
end-of-quarter meeting. You should make an appointment to discuss your performance with the
Student Affairs Dean prior to the committee meeting. The Student Affairs Dean will inform you
and the Chair of the Student Affairs Committee will send you a letter confirming the approved
remediation plan following the meeting.
CONFIDENTIALITY OF GRADES OR GRADED M ATERIAL

The Federal Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits posting of student grades by
University student identification numbers in order to protect your identity. To preserve as much
as possible the confidentiality of students‟ grades or graded material, each student is given a
special identification number. This number will be requested on examination score sheets.
Graded materials such as examinations or patient write-ups may be returned to you. Students
will be informed by the course chair where to pick-up this information. In most cases, it will be in
the Student Resource Center (T-557), A-300, or in the course chair‟s department office. In
addition, student portfolios are being developed to allow for electronic communication of course-
related information.
We strongly recommend that you do not give your special identification number to anyone. If you
do, you need to specify under what circumstances and timeframe the individual has your
permission to view your grades. Requests for changes in a special identification number will be
reviewed by the Student Affairs Dean, and will be approved only under exceptional
circumstances.
~ 52 ~
CREDIT BY EXAMINATION
Requests for credit by examination, commonly known as "challenging", are approved under
limited situations. Most courses do not permit challenges. Matriculated medical students may
petition to take an examination only if there is documentation to warrant providing this option.
Documentation that will be considered by the course chairs includes evidence of having taken a
comparable course within the recent past and achieving a high grade or having received a
doctoral degree in the area of the course to be challenged. An example of the latter is a
Pharm.D. and petitioning for a challenge examination in Pharmacology I.
Students who demonstrate a mastery on challenge examination (usually 85% or higher) will not
be expected to attend class sessions, unless otherwise specified, but must register and pay
tuition for the course in order to have a Pass grade recorded and to receive official credit on the
transcript. If receiving Honors in second-year courses is important to you, you should speak to
the course chair prior to taking the challenge examination. Some second-year courses permit
you to do additional Honors work after successfully challenging the course; others do not allow
the student to be eligible for Honors. Students who take the challenge examination but are not
successful are required to register for and take the course with the rest of the class. No record of
the attempted course challenge is entered on the official transcript.
DAY CARE AND CLASSROOM GUIDELINES

BACKGROUND:
In developing these guidelines, it is recognized that it is important both to preserve the
educational environment for all students and also not to compromise the education of the parent
who is responsible for the care of the child. In this regard, students are expected to have day
care arrangements with back-up plans. The following guidelines have been developed by the
Academic Affairs Office in collaboration with the Basic Science Course Chairs and the Clerkship
Directors and with input from the students.
GENERAL GUIDELINE:
Children should not be in the classroom. Children may not be brought to the classroom when
there is an examination being given. Children may not be brought into the laboratory setting or
the patient care setting. The student is responsible for obtaining handouts or lecture notes when
class time is missed.
IMPLEMENTATION OF GUIDELINE:
When there is an absolute emergency, the child may be brought to the lecture. This is with
the understanding that, if the child becomes restless and disturbs the class, the student will
immediately take the child outside the classroom setting. If the lecturer feels that the child is
being disruptive, s/he may ask that the child and parent leave the classroom.
~ 53 ~
The audio-visual room is not an acceptable alternative to leaving the classroom if the child
becomes restless.
When there is an absolute emergency, the child may be brought to small group conferences
with the permission of the students in the group and the faculty facilitator. Permission for this
should be arranged at the beginning of the course so that the student will know if this
possibility exists when an emergency occurs.
Under no circumstances may a child be brought into a laboratory or be present in a patient

care setting.
MECHANISM FOR RESOLVING CONFLICT:

If a problem arises related to the child being in the classroom, the lecturer and/or faculty
member present at the time has the prerogative to ask the student to leave the classroom
with her/his child. If further assistance is needed, the faculty member should call the Student
Affairs Dean.
Questions about interpretation of the guidelines or a situation in which there is a

disagreement about a child being in the classroom should be referred to the course chair
and/or the Student Affairs Dean.
DAY CARE PROVISIONS:

Through the University, the student may apply for receipt of a child care voucher, which will
provide some funds towards the cost of day care at any approved center in the surrounding area.
Other options for organizing childcare are available through a number of resources which are
listed in the University's "A Guide to Finding Child Care Facilities". In addition, with appropriate
documentation, a childcare allowance can be included in the financial aid budget.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM OPTIONS:

If a student already has a child (children) at matriculation or decides to have a child while in
school, there are options for managing this in conjunction with the academic program for both
women and men students.
A leave of absence may be requested. This option allows the student time off from the curriculum
with a specified return date for re-entering the program.
An expanded program is also an option.

For the basic science curriculum, either the first or second year coursework can be divided
over two years. It is rare for the Student Progress Committee to permit both the first and
second years to be expanded over four years. The basic science expanded curriculum
~ 54 ~
permits the student to have a reduced schedule and to select coursework for which there will
be the fewest potential conflicts related to child care issues.
During the clinical curriculum, students are expected to approach each clinical clerkship or
elective as a full-time commitment. It is not acceptable for a student to expand the third year
required schedule. Following completion of the required clerkships, it is possible to develop
an expanded fourth and fifth year that allows the student time off while also being able to
schedule elective coursework. In expanding the clinical coursework, it is not acceptable to
expand a clinical clerkship or elective, i.e. take a six-week clerkship over ten weeks.
Students should not expect special accommodations related to childcare, such as being
permitted to leave a lecture, small group, or clinical service early.
To request a leave of absence or an expansion of one's medical education related to child care,
please make an appointment with the Student Affairs Dean. At that time, issues related to child
care plans and how to make arrangements with course chairs and clerkship directors when there
is an unforeseen emergency can be discussed. Once the student's choice of options is agreed
upon, the student will work with the SOM Registrar to plan an individualized schedule. All
modified educational programs are presented to the Student Progress Committee for information
or approval as needed.
HONOR CODE
THE MEDICAL STUDENT HONOR CODE FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SCHOOL
OF MEDICINE
PREAMBLE
We, the students of the University of Washington School of Medicine, believe that high ethical
standards are essential to the practice of medicine. As we aspire to cultivate and maintain a
community of professionalism and academic integrity, we place at the foundation of our
endeavors and in all of our interactions the ideals of excellence, integrity, respect, compassion,
accountability and a commitment to altruism. Through this Honor Code, we attempt to articulate
the most basic principles that should guide our professional behavior throughout our education.1
1 Nothing in the Medical Student Honor Code for the UW School of Medicine is intended to
supersede the University of Washington Student Conduct Code.
2 Examples of mandatory reporting include, but are not limited to, patients reporting that they are
planning to harm themselves or someone else or that they were the perpetrator of an act of child
abuse.
~ 55 ~
I. PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
I.A. Respect for Patients
I.A.1 Care at the Bedside
We will take the utmost care to ensure respect and confidentiality for patients. As medical
students, we will demonstrate this respect and confidentiality through appropriate language and
behavior, including using language and behavior that are non-threatening and non-judgmental.
We will be truthful and will not intentionally mislead or give false information to any patient or to
individuals involved in the patient‟s care and well-being.
Throughout our training, we will enter into professional relationships whose integrity rests on strict
confidentiality. Except in situations where we are obligated by law to do otherwise, we will hold all
matters we discuss with any patient confidential within the medical team responsible for that
patient‟s care.2
I.A.2. Communication
As medical students, we are obligated to comply with laws regarding patient privacy. In addition,
the written medical record is important in communications between healthcare providers and in
effective patient care; it is also a formal document and is available for patient review. As such, it is
crucial that we maintain the integrity of patients' medical care through accurate reporting of all
appropriate and relevant information about which we have direct knowledge.
I.A.3. Safe Clinical Practice
If we recognize ourselves or other healthcare providers to be impaired in any way that may
impact patient safety, we will address the issue promptly and appropriately. We will consult more
experienced members of the medical team concerning decisions about which we are uncertain of
the appropriate standard of care in relation to the patient. In cases where we are concerned about
potential harm to self or others, we commit to reporting the issue through appropriate medical
staff.
I.B. Respect for Faculty, Staff, Colleagues and Hospital Personnel
Our behavior and our oral and written communications should demonstrate respect for the
diversity of our colleagues. We will avoid disparaging remarks or actions with regard to a person's
race, age, gender, gender identity, disability, national or regional origin, medical specialty, religion
or sexual orientation. We will strive to create an environment that fosters mutual learning,
dialogue and respect, while avoiding verbal or written communications or physical contact that
could create a hostile or intimidating environment for learning or for patient care.
Upon encountering actions or values of peers that we find degrading to ourselves or to others, we
will strive to respectfully address our concerns with the individual(s) involved. While we strive for
~ 56 ~
common understanding through respectful communication, we understand that achieving a
common understanding does not necessarily mean reaching agreement.
I.C. Respect for Self
In addition to the ethical standards set forth in this Code, we realize and appreciate the diversity
of personal beliefs that exist in our medical student body and believe that diversity serves to
enrich the medical profession. Therefore we encourage the upholding of personal ethics, beliefs
and morals in both our daily conduct and in our practice of this Code.
I.D. Respect for Community
We will consider how our words and actions may affect the sense of acceptance that is essential
to an individual‟s or group‟s participation in the community.
Since our actions reflect on us as medical students of the University of Washington and as future
physicians, we will strive to adhere to our standards of professional conduct both within and
outside the classroom and clinical settings. We recognize that physicians are viewed as leaders
within their communities and that we are expected to behave with civility and a deep regard for
the honor of the profession.
II. ACADEMIC STANDARDS

As medical students, we are obligated to develop and advance our medical knowledge and skills
to the best of our abilities, realizing that the health and lives of the persons committed to our care
could depend on our competence. We are responsible for proper conduct and integrity in all
scholastic and clinical work.
II.A. Examinations
We understand that examinations and many assignments within the UW School of Medicine are
meant to reflect our individual knowledge and skills. Whereas cheating is unethical, cheating
(defined in the UW School of Medicine Student Handbook) during, or in procurement of
information prior to, examinations will not be tolerated by our student peers.
We will not communicate any specific information regarding an examination to a classmate in any
UW educational site who has not yet completed that examination during that academic year or in
subsequent years. This specific information includes any details that would result in an
inequitable testing situation.
Students have an obligation to respect their peers and thus maintain a non-disruptive atmosphere
during examinations.
II.B. Other Academic Work
As members of the academic community, and pursuant to University and School rules, we have
an obligation to not plagiarize or intentionally misrepresent the work of others nor claim it as our
~ 57 ~
own. During medical training we will be provided with communal instructional material that will
greatly aid our learning. In respecting the scientists, doctors and patients who have shared their
knowledge and experience for the betterment of medical learning, we will make every effort to
protect and preserve these resources for the use of future peers and classmates.
III. MISTREATMENT OF STUDENTS

The UWSOM recognizes professionalism to be a vital part of medical education and patient care.
Mistreatment of students by trainees, faculty or staff compromises the learning environment,
impairs the well-being and emotional development of students, and perpetuates poor modeling of
the professional role. Each of these is likely to translate into impaired physicians and impaired
patient care. Recognizing that addressing mistreatment of students plays a major role in ensuring
that professionalism standards are upheld, we commit to bringing concerns of mistreatment to
each other as peers, and/or our counselors, formal or informal mentors, and School of Medicine
administration.
IV. THE HONOR COUNCIL AND VIOLATIONS OF THE HONOR CODE

Pursuant to the terms of this Honor Code, an Honor Council will be formed by the UWSOM
students from the elected representatives from all current classes. The role of the Honor Council
will be to educate the student body about the Honor Code, confidentially mediate conflicts that
arise due to student misconduct or mistreatment, and offer a safe environment for students to
confidentially share their concerns about Honor Code violations. In the event that concerns arise
due to student misconduct or mistreatment, the Honor Council may consult with the UWSOM
administration or other appropriate bodies. The Honor Council will operate according to Honor
Council Procedures which will be openly shared with the student body. In every Honor Council
activity, confidentiality will be maintained to the maximum possible under the law and University
policy.3
3 In keeping with mandatory reporting laws, we recognize that there are some situations in which
the Honor Council would inform local authorities and/or members of the University Administration
about a matter of which they have been informed. These situations have been outlined in the
Honor Council Procedures.
V. AMENDING THE CODE

The Honor Code may be amended at any time by the UWSOM student body. The Honor Council
will accept proposals for amendment at any time and will have procedures for bringing compelling
proposals to the student body for consideration. The Honor Council will establish procedures for
hearing discussions about a proposed amendment and for conducting a school-wide vote about
adopting it. Alternatively, an amendment may be brought to an immediate vote if it is signed by
one-third or more of the students in a class or by one-third or more of the students at a first-year
regional site. An amendment agreed upon by a simple majority of the student body with one-half
of students voting will be adopted and incorporated into the Honor Code.
~ 58 ~
INCLEMENT WEATHER
There may be times when snow and ice become an issue related to your attendance in
coursework. It is important that all first and second year medical students know the University's
policies with respect to class cancellations or other suspended activities. First year students not
in Seattle should check with their WWAMI assistant dean for information on their local
University‟s policy.
The University of Washington generally seeks to maintain its normal operations and the School of
Medicine follows the University's operations policy. Your classes or examinations will be
canceled only if the University has issued this decision to the public via the local news media or
its information hotline, 206-UWS-INFO (206-897-4636). This phone line maintains current
messages as it is intended to inform the University community of the status of University
operations given inclement weather or other adverse conditions.
Third or fourth year students in coursework in any of the clinical settings in our five-state area
should assume that you are expected to be in the hospital if at all possible. If you are unable to
get to your clinical setting, it is important that you call and speak to either the attending or the
resident in charge. It is not acceptable to leave a message with a receptionist, secretary or
answering machine.
PLAGIARISM
In conducting any research project, one must follow guidelines for acknowledging the use of the
work of others. There are a number of manuals on how to write research papers, and it is highly
recommended that students identify the appropriate manual for the kind of project being
completed. One particular area, that of plagiarism, deserves special attention because the
definition of plagiarism is broad. There are ramifications for the manner in which one summarizes
the work of others and how the ideas of others are documented with appropriate reference notes.
For your reference in completing the required research project, below is part of a "Definition of
Plagiarism" by Harold C. Martin, Richard M. Ohmann, and James H. Wheatly, as published in
Wesleyan University's Blue Book. We have used this definition in assessing whether plagiarism
has occurred in work done by students, whether for III, MSRTP, or course-related papers.
Plagiarism can take many forms:
The spectrum is a wide one. At one end, there is a word-for-word copying of another's
writing without enclosing the copied passage in quotation marks and identifying it in a
footnote, both of which are necessary. It hardly seems possible that anyone of college
age or more could do that without clear intent to deceive. At the other end, there is the
~ 59 ~
almost casual slipping in of a particularly apt term, which one has come across in reading
and which so admirably expresses one's opinion that one is tempted to make it personal
property. Between these poles, there are degrees and degrees, but they may be roughly
placed in two groups. Close to outright and blatant deceit - but more the result, perhaps,
of laziness than of bad intent - is the patching together of random jottings made in the
course of reading, generally without careful identification of their source, and then woven
into the text, so that the result is a mosaic of other people's ideas and words, the writer's
sole contribution being the cement to hold the pieces together. Indicative of more effort
and, for that reason, somewhat closer to honesty, though still dishonest, is the
paraphrase, an abbreviated (and often skillfully prepared) restatement of someone else's
analysis or conclusions without acknowledgment that another person's text has been the
basis for the recapitulation. (From reproduction in "Honor in Science", published by
Sigma XI, The Scientific Research Society, p. 15.)
It is highly recommended that one understand the guidelines for writing papers and giving proper
attribution before beginning a project. This will enable one to set up a system for documenting
the source of information as notes are made in developing the framework from which the paper
will be written.
PAPERS FOR CLERKSHIP HONORS:

For courses that require a paper for Honors, each paper must be unique. It is not acceptable to
hand in the same paper for two or more clerkships to meet the Honors requirement. It is also
inappropriate to hand in a paper done for another purpose (such as undergraduate or graduate
coursework, III, MSRTP, etc.) to fulfill a course Honors paper requirement or to form the basis of
a presentation that is a requirement for a clerkship.
WORKING TOGETHER ON COURSE EXERCISES:

In some of your courses, you will be encouraged to work together on questions covering broad
topics or on various projects. It is expected, however, that each student will write his/her own
response based on the group‟s effort. In other words, it would not be proper to write one
response and copy that one response as the paper that is turned in by each individual student.
~ 60 ~
GUIDELINES FOR PROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR AND
CONDUCT FOR THE TEACHER/LEARNER
RELATIONSHIP
The University of Washington School of Medicine is committed to maintaining the highest
standards of academic performance, professional behavior, personal integrity, and respect for
each other as individuals. These standards apply to all individuals associated with the
educational experience.
The School's goal is to provide a learning environment that supports self-assessment, inquiry,
and life-long learning. Graduates of the School are expected to achieve a level of competence in
the prescribed curriculum and to demonstrate appropriate professional behavior in class
participation, during examinations, and in all interactions with faculty, staff, peers, and patients. It
is anticipated that these standards of personal conduct and integrity will be upheld not only in the
academic setting but also within the community.
It is expected that the teachers and learners will be on their honor to maintain the highest
standards of professional behavior in all aspects of training. Both also must be respectful of the
special nature of the physician-in-training status in how they conduct themselves in the presence
of patients and maintain patient confidentiality. Integrity is considered to be an essential personal
quality for successful completion of the M.D. program. Upholding the standards of professional
and personal conduct includes both acquiring and demonstrating the behavioral patterns and
attitudes consistent with the oath taken at the time of graduation and also being accountable for
one's own conduct as well as assuming responsibility for the professional behavior of one's
colleagues within the medical profession. In this regard, the teachers are expected to provide
role modeling that will enhance the learners' ability to incorporate appropriate behaviors into their
professional development.
The School of Medicine also believes that the provision of an atmosphere in which individuals can
learn from each other in a supportive environment and in which there is recognition of the dignity
and worth of each person is essential to its mission. The members of our community come from
many different backgrounds and include different races, religions, sexual orientations, ethnic
ancestries, and socio-economic status. Learning to understand the differences among us, as well
as the similarities, and how to integrate culturally competent skills in our communications at all
levels is an important dimension of education. It is hoped that we would all seek to appreciate the
richness and personal growth that this diversity provides to us as members of the medical school
and university community.
~ 61 ~
STUDENT HEALTH CARE AND PHYSICIAN
RELATIONSHIP POLICY
If a student requires medical treatment, the student will, whenever possible, be provided with the
option to receive care from a health care provider who is not the student‟s instructor or otherwise
responsible for academic evaluation of the student. When this option is not possible, the faculty
member will be recused from evaluation of the student.
GUIDELINES FOR EXPANDED CURRICULUM

BASIC SCIENCE CURRICULUM
The opportunity to request an expansion of the basic science curriculum (years one or two) is
available to students for compelling reasons who are not in academic difficulty with the approval
of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs on behalf of the Student Progress Committee or with
the approval of the Committee for a student in academic difficulty. If a student is interested in
requesting an expansion, please contact Em Olson at emiols@uw.edu to arrange a meeting with
Associate Dean for Student Affairs and to obtain the necessary paperwork.
Expanded students retain their original matriculation date. Grades and evaluations
submitted prior to the expansion are retained as part of the student‟s permanent record.
In most cases, it is expected that a student will expand only the first or the second year,
not both. Expanding the first two years over four years requires the Student Progress
Committee's approval regardless of the reason.
The student is expected to complete the four required non-clinical selective credits during
the basic science curriculum expansion, the second year OSCE, Capstone I, and USMLE
Step 1 at the conclusion of the expansion prior to entering the clinical curriculum.
FOURTH-YEAR EXPANSION
Students may submit petitions to request to expand the fourth-year clinical curriculum, which
comprises mostly clinical electives, for either personal or academic reasons.
Students are expected to complete the remaining required clinical clerkships, such as
emergency medicine, rehabilitation medicine, neurology, and the surgical selective during
the fourth year.
Students are required to complete USMLE Step 2 CK and CS following completion of the
third-year required clerkships. Students may not delay either component of the Step 2
graduation requirement until the end of the fourth year/beginning of the fifth year.
The senior OSCE should be completed on the same timetable as their peers, i.e. end of
third year beginning of fourth year unless multiple third-year clerkships extend beyond the
OSCE testing dates.
Capstone II, Transition to Residency, should be taken during the spring immediately prior
to graduation.
~ 62 ~
THIRD YEAR REQUIRED CLERKSHIP YEAR
Students are not permitted to expand the required clerkship year. For educational reasons,
including the importance of continuity in the development of clinical skills, preparation for both
components of Step 2 and the senior OSCEs, and the complexity of scheduling the required
clerkships, this year should be completed without interruption. Only under exceptional
circumstances may the Committee consider approving an expansion of the third-year required
clerkships for reasons other than academic difficulty. However, each clerkship must be taken in a
full-time capacity, i.e. it is not acceptable to expand a six-week clerkship over ten weeks. When a
student is permitted to modify their third-year clerkship schedule for academic or approved
exceptional circumstances, he/she needs to be flexible in the scheduling of the timing and site of
the clerkship(s).
EXPANSION REVIEW PROCESS

Students who request or are required to enter an expanded second-year curriculum for academic
reasons should meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Registrar to develop an
expanded program. The College mentor may be included in discussions related to the reasons
for expansion and the proposed plan. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs will approve the
expanded program on behalf of the Committee. This action will be included on the Committee's
agenda for information or for review if necessary.
Students who request to expand the second-year curriculum or the fourth-year curriculum for
personal, non-academically related issues should meet with the Associate Dean for Student
Affairs and/or the Registrar to develop an expanded program. The College mentor may be
included in discussions related to the reasons for expansion and the proposed plan. Examples of
reasons, which will be considered with sufficient documentation, are personal illnesses,
pregnancy, additional time with child, and care of a family member who needs extraordinary care.
In addition, students frequently request approval to take an additional year to pursue academic
programs such as year-out research projects or special opportunities in primary care or
international health. Petitions with a clear description on how the additional time will be used will
most likely be approved. If there are no concerns about the student's request, the Associate
Dean for Student Affairs may approve the expanded curriculum on behalf of the Student Progress
Committee. The change in status of the student will be included on the Committee‟s agenda for
information or for review if necessary.
If there are concerns about the request or if there are unresolved differences about the expanded
curriculum between the student and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the expansion
request will be submitted to the Student Progress Committee for a decision.
SPECIAL SITUATIONS
If consideration of a problematic expanded program needs to be made prior to the next scheduled
meeting of the Student Progress Committee, a meeting of a subcommittee of the Student
Progress Committee may be arranged. If there is agreement among the subcommittee members
~ 63 ~
on the course of action and the student accepts the subcommittee's decision, the expanded
program can be implemented, and the full Committee will be informed of the revised program. If
there is no agreement, the student will be advised to remain in the previously approved program
until the request can be presented to the full Committee for a decision.
STATUS OF STUDENTS IN EXPANDED CURRICULUM

Students in an expanded curricular program, for either personal or academic reasons or as a
result of their request or a requirement of the Student Progress Committee, are expected to
maintain an unqualified passing or above level of performance in all aspects of their expanded
curriculum. If a Fail grade is received while in an expanded curriculum, dismissal may be
recommended.
Students in an approved expanded program must request approval to change the

scheduling of the required course work or to add electives. In most cases, this is done
through the Associate Dean for Student Affairs; however, it may also require approval by
the Student Progress Committee.
Students in an expanded curriculum for academic reasons may not take course work
beyond what was approved by the Committee or participate in major extracurricular
activities. Students are expected to dedicate full-time to their expanded program and to
the remediation of areas of deficiencies in their medical school course work.
Students in expanded curriculum for academic reasons should not be expected to be

recommended for other educational, research fellowships, or degree programs.
COMPLETION OF EXPANDED CURRICULUM

Students in expanded programs need to be aware of timetables for registering for the next phase
of the medical school program. Registration for the next component of the curriculum proceeds
without intervention by the Student Progress Committee as long as the student's performance
has been at the expected level.
Students who have academic difficulty or professional conduct or behavioral concerns while in an
expanded curriculum will be reviewed by the Student Progress Committee. A decision on the
appropriate course of action will be made based on past performance and criteria set for
performance in the expanded curriculum.
~ 64 ~
GUIDELINES FOR LEAVE OF ABSENCE
Students may request or may be placed on a leave of absence for personal, academic, or health
related issues or as a short-term intervention to allow time to manage an issue of concern. The
personal and health leave policy includes pregnancy, child birth, and recovery time; time to stay
at home to care for one‟s child, time related to recovery from illness or therapy related to illness;
or time to care for a family member who needs extraordinary care. Students who take a leave of
absence retain their original matriculation date and grades and evaluations submitted prior to the
leave are retained as part of the student‟s permanent record.
A leave of absence may be requested by the student through submission of a petition or may be
recommended by the Student Progress Committee. In most cases, the student will have met with
the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to discuss this request. The Associate Dean for Student
Affairs may approve a request for leave of absence on behalf of the Student Progress Committee
and this will be recorded on the Committee‟s agenda for information. If a student is interested in
petitioning for a leave of absence, please contact Em Olson at emiols@uw.edu to arrange a
meeting with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and to obtain the necessary paperwork. In
all cases, the leave of absence is for up to one year only, with the possibility for a second year
with adequate documentation to support an extension. In no case will a student be allowed to be
gone more than two years.
For students who are requesting a leave of absence because of academic difficulty, the Student
Progress Committee will review the reasons and set criteria related to the student's return from
the leave of absence. If criteria are set and are not met, the Committee may recommend that the
student continue on leave, be advised to withdraw, or be dismissed from the School. In cases in
which the Committee must approve the return from leave, the Committee may set requirements
upon re-entry on the student's academic program and may place the student on probation.
If at the conclusion of the year's leave of absence, the student or the Committee believes an
extension of up to one additional year is the best course of action, the Committee may approve
the extension and may set criteria to be met. At the conclusion of two years, the Committee will
determine whether the student is ready to return. If the student is permitted to return from the
leave, the Committee may require a specified curriculum, including review of coursework
previously taken, and may place the student in a probationary status. If the student needs
additional leave time to resolve issues, he/she must withdraw from the School.
~ 65 ~
CONCURRENT DEGREE PROGRAMS
Please note that some Concurrent Degree Programs will require a Leave of Absence or an
Expansion or the Medical School Curriculum, Students who are particularly interested in
conducting research may want to pursue both the M.D. and Ph.D. degrees. Some students apply
for the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) and, if selected, receive funding for tuition and
a stipend from either the National Institutes of Health or funds available through the School.
MSTP students have a wide choice of research opportunities from numerous disciplines and
interdisciplinary areas of medical science. Students interested in this program should contact the
MSTP office by calling (206) 685-0762.
While in medical school, students may develop an interest in pursuing another degree
concurrently with the M.D. to provide more in-depth expertise in areas of interest. Such programs
may include a Ph.D. or Master's program in any area within the University, or other professional
degree such as those in public health and law. Concurrent degree programs, leading to the MD
and Masters in Health Administration or Master‟s in Public Health are available. Please note that
you need to be in good academic standing and have permission to enter another graduate
program while enrolled in the School of Medicine. Coursework taken in graduate programs while
not enrolled in a degree program will be charged at the medical school tuition rates. Students
whose education is being supported by Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, or Idaho need to check on
what impact extending time may have on loan repayment or service commitment contracts with
their states signed at admission into the WWAMI program and will pay out-of-state tuition for the
non-MD graduate portion of the combined degree program.
Please note: some concurrent degree programs will require a Leave of Absence or an
Expansion to the medical school curriculum. Students should follow the Expansion and
Leave of Absence Guidelines.
MD/MHA AND MD/MPH CONCURRENT DEGREE

A concurrent MD-Master in Health Administration (MHA) is available for students with an interest
in management, health care policy, and a systems approach to health care delivery. The
concurrent degree program can be completed with one additional year of training with careful
selection of course work and an early decision to pursue the option.
A concurrent MD-Master of Public Health (MPH) program is an option for students who have a
strong interest in public health, health policy, clinical epidemiology, or community based health
disease prevention/health promotion.
Students who want to pursue the MD/MHA or the MD/MPH program must be prepared to take an
additional year of study. A full year devoted to Public Health coursework is required. In addition,
the student needs to conduct a research project culminating in a Master‟s thesis, which can also
~ 66 ~
be submitted for consideration to fulfill the Independent Investigative Inquiry requirement. Only
students in good academic standing will be considered for this joint degree program.
An information session for medical students on the MD/MHA and MD/MPH programs will
be offered during the Autumn quarter and students who are interested in either program
should seek advice and begin planning their coursework as early as possible. Students
should discuss their interests and plans with Dr. Mark Oberle, advisor for the program in the
School of Public Health, during the Autumn of their first year in medical school (206/616-9394,
moberle@uw.edu). Students may also talk with Dr. Michael Ryan, Associate Dean for Curriculum
in the School of Medicine (206-543-5562), mjryan@uw.edu). Permission to pursue a concurrent
degree involves both the School of Medicine and the School of Public Health.
If the student wishes to pursue a Ph.D. or Master‟s program at another institution, s/he should
meet with Dr. Peter Eveland, Student Affairs Dean, to discuss this. A letter of recommendation
and/or permission for a leave of absence from the School usually needs to be submitted as part
of the student‟s application for admission into the graduate or professional degree program at the
other institution. If the student is accepted into the program, s/he is placed on a leave of absence
from the School of Medicine during the duration of the graduate/professional degree program.
Please refer to the Leave of Absence Guidelines. Financial aid and deferments on educational
loans while enrolled in the graduate/professional degree are managed through the institution
granting the degree.
~ 67 ~
CLINICAL -POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES
FITNESS FOR CLINICAL CONTACT POLICY
The opportunity to participate in direct patient care carries with it the responsibility to ensure that
patients are not placed at risk due to a student‟s mental illness, physical illness, or impairment
from drugs or alcohol. It is the responsibility of faculty, residents, medical students and School of
Medicine staff members who know of or observe student behavior that has the potential to place
a patient at risk, to immediately report the concern to the course or clerkship director, and the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs or the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs. The Medical Director
for the institution or practice site where the student has been rotating will be contacted by the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs or the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and informed of the
situation concerning the student.
It is important to note that existing statutes require physicians to report other physicians that have
a condition, either physical or mental, that may affect their ability to practice with reasonable skill
and safety. Under WAC 246-16-200, all individuals licensed by the Department of Health in the
State of Washington are required to report any other individual licensed by the Department of
Health who commits an act of unprofessional conduct or who has a condition, physical or mental,
that may affect their ability to practice with reasonable skill and safety. Even though this WAC
does not specifically apply directly to medical students, it is reasonable to assume that we should
take similar measures both to ensure patient safety where medical students are involved, and in
consideration of the fact that the medical students will be licensed physicians after they complete
their training.
If a student is believed to have a condition that may affect their ability to interact safely with
patients, s/he will be removed from the clinical setting until such time that the issue is effectively
resolved. This may include referral to the Washington Physicians Health Program for
assessment, treatment, and continued monitoring as appropriate. Please see www.wphp.org for
more information on their services.
I. CLERKSHIP DIRECTOR/COURSE CHAIR/COLLEGE FACULTY

Upon becoming aware of a medical student‟s possible impairment due to mental illness, physical
illness, or drugs and or alcohol, the Clerkship Director, Course Chair, or College faculty member
is to do the following:
Meet with the student to assess the situation.

And if the concerns persist:
o Inform the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or Vice Dean for Academic Affairs.
~ 68 ~
o Remove the student from patient contact, if in their best judgment the student
poses a risk to patient care or safety.
o Inform the student that s/he is to make an appointment to be seen by the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs immediately.
II. ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR STUDENT AFFAIRS

illness, or drugs and or alcohol the Associate Dean for Student Affairs is to do the following:
Informs the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs

Contacts the Medical Director of the facility where the student has been interacting with
patients.
Meets with the student and other involved parties as necessary to assess the situation.
Advises the student of his/her right to due process, should the student wish to challenge
the appropriateness of being removed from patient contact.
Determines if the student should request a medical leave of absence.
Collects written documentation as necessary to provide to the Student Progress
Committee to assist their deliberations on the issue at hand.
NOTE: If the Associate Dean for Student Affairs is not available, the Vice Dean for Academic
Affairs will fill the roles above.
III. STUDENT PROGRESS COMMITTEE

illness, or drugs and or alcohol the Student Progress Committee is to do the following:
Requests that all faculty and staff who have observed the student‟s questionable
behavior or otherwise have pertinent information concerning the case, submit a written
statement to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs that details their observations and
concerns, if not done so already.
Requests that the student submit a written statement that details his or her response to
the concerns in question to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
Requires that those faculty and staff who have submitted written statements regarding
the student, meet with the committee in person as deemed necessary.
Determines, based on the information provided if and when the student should be
permitted to resume direct contact with patients, and under what circumstances or
requirements.
~ 69 ~
STANDARDS OF DRESS AND APPEARANCE IN A
CLINICAL SETTING
Standards are designed to ensure that students present a professional appearance consistent
with what is expected in a clinical setting. How we look and act directly affects how the care
provided are perceived by patients, faculty, staff, and other students.
Clothing: Clothing should be neat and clean and appropriate for the clinical setting.
Items that are NOT appropriate include: blue jeans, tank tops, spaghetti strap women‟s
tank tops and men‟s sleeveless shirts; shorts; overalls; sweats; exposed backs or midriffs
or any clothing that exposes undergarments; low cut necklines, form fitting, and/or
revealing clothing; dresses or skirts shorter than 2-3” above the knee.
Shoes: Flip-flops, slippers, or open-toed shoes/sandals are NOT allowed in the patient-
care setting.
Hair: Hair must be neatly groomed and clean. Long hair may neither obstruct vision nor
interfere in any way with the employee‟s job performance. A hair restraint, i.e., hair net,
may be required in certain settings. Also, hair color and style must be appropriate for the
UWMC work environment.
Facial hair must be neatly groomed, clean, and must not interfere in any way with the
employee‟s job performance. For safety and infection control reasons, employees
working in some areas of the hospital, such as operating rooms, may not be permitted to
wear beards, or may be required to wear beard guards.
Jewelry worn by employees must be of reasonable shape and size, appropriate to the
work setting, and may not interfere with patient care, job performance, or safety. Earrings
and small nose studs are the only acceptable forms of visible pierced jewelry. Rings must
be small enough to allow for the use of gloves, with no risk of tearing the gloves.
Tattoos: If a tattoo is obscene, indecent, extremist, racist, or sexist, it should be covered.
Extracted from University of Washington Medical Center, Professional Image Policy (5-21), April 2010
~ 70 ~
CLERKSHIP ABSENTEE, WEATHER
AND HOLIDAY POLICY
The Required Clerkship Curriculum Committee, which is composed of clerkship directors,
students, and members of the Dean‟s Office, developed the following policy related to absences
from clinical coursework. These guidelines are also on the Web, will be provided to you as part of
the Clerkship Track Scheduling material in the fall of the second year, and are included as part of
each clerkship‟s syllabus.
Students should not expect to take time off during a four to twelve-week clerkship. Students
should anticipate personal events (such as weddings and reunions) and academic events (such
as presenting papers at meetings) before scheduling clerkships whenever possible, i.e. do not
schedule a required clerkship during this time. Students needing any time off should consult with
the appropriate clerkship director 4 – 6 weeks prior to the beginning of the clerkship. Although 2
days may be granted in very limited circumstances, students should not regard this policy as a
guarantee of time off. Such absences should not be planned during orientations or final
examinations. If more than 2 days off are needed during a clerkship, the clerkship should be
rescheduled. In two-week clerkships, no time off will be approved.
rd th
As a member of a health care team in the 3 and 4 years there are no guaranteed days off
except for match day discussed below. This includes University of Washington holidays,
traditional observances, and major days of religious significance. Students are expected to follow
the holiday practice of the clinic/hospital/site at which they are rotating. Meaning, if it is a holiday
at your site, you may get the day off. If it is a working day for your site, you must show up. Night
call and rounding schedules take precedence. To plan ahead for holidays, you may wish to call
the practice site in advance and inquire. All graduating students will be allowed to attend the
match day celebration with no clerkship responsibility starting at 8AM on match day until the next
morning (variable start time depending on the clerkship).
rd th
The inclement weather policy matches the holiday policy for 3 and 4 year clerkships. If your
team is working in the hospital or the clinic is open, you are expected to show up (while keeping
travel safety in mind).
During a clerkship, if a student must miss time due to illness, weather or personal emergency,
this protocol must be followed. Students missing ANY number of days must speak with the site
director as well as the attending or resident in charge prior to the start of the shift. It is not
acceptable to leave only a phone or email message or to contact only administrative staff.
Students should receive confirmation (direct conversation, return email or phone call) from the
site director and/or the attending/resident in charge indicating that the team is aware of the
student‟s absence. The specific person and his/her contact information are available on the
individual clerkship websites. Students missing THREE OR MORE days must also contact the
~ 71 ~
Clerkship Director who will determine if make-up time is needed for unintended absences or if the
entire clerkship needs to be rescheduled.
If a clerkship exam must be postponed, the student should contact the Clerkship Director to
determine if the exam should be rescheduled as soon as possible or delayed until the next time
the exam is given. Progress in other clerkships may be interrupted until the examination is taken
depending on the situation surrounding the delay.
Students absent without permission may receive a Fail grade and may be required to repeat the
clerkship. In addition, students may also receive an Unacceptable professionalism grade.
Students should plan time in their schedule for residency interviewing and not have clinical
courses scheduled during that time. If interviews are offered during times when students are
already scheduled for required or elective clerkships in the fourth year, students should work
directly with the Clerkship Director in advance of the clerkship regarding absences for residency
interviews.
_____________________
Approved, Required Clerkship Committee, June 20, 2011
CLINICAL CLERKSHIP SCHEDULING POLICY
Students use the preference ranking function within the E*Value program to rank their
preferences for the upcoming clinical year (July – June). All assignments are assigned on a
lottery basis through the complex system which considers students preferences, but cannot
guarantee specific sites and/or timeframes, with the exception of WWAMI State Track site and
WRITE site assignments and special circumstances approved by the Associate Dean for Student
Affairs.
Once clinical schedules are published to students by the Office of Student Affairs, students will
have a two week window to review their assigned clerkship sites and timeframes. During that two
week review period students have the opportunity to “swap/trade” with other students.
“SWAP/TRADE” RULES
Students who wish to attempt a “swap/trade” of either site or timeframe or both will be required to
find another student willing to “swap/trade” via student-initiated communication. Agreeable
parties are required to set an appointment with the SOM Registrar to review, approve, and
facilitate the schedule change. Many factors are taken into consideration prior to approving a
“swap/trade” and include but are not limited to: schedule and travel coordination, housing
availability, academic standing, etc.
~ 72 ~
Once clinical schedules are finalized (two weeks after initial publication) students may not drop,
add, or change their required clerkships for the remainder of the year. Approval of any schedule
changes due to extenuating circumstances must be approved by the Registrar, and if necessary,
by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Students who feel they have extenuating
circumstances requiring a schedule change after the finalization of clinical schedules must set an
appointment with the Registrar. Only the Registrar may grant schedule changes; no other
parties may grant changes in clinical schedules, sites, and/or timeframes including but not
limited to: other academic affairs staff, department clerkship directors, coordinators,
WWAMI deans, faculty or staff, site coordinators or preceptors.
ELECTIVE CLERKSHIPS
These may only be dropped, added, and/or edited up to six weeks or more prior to the
th
clerkship start date. For example, if the clerkship start date is July 5 , the last possible day to
st
change is May 21 . Some departments have further limitations when dropping their clerkships
(such as permission from the department), that can be found in the Course Detail, and that
supersede the six week guideline mentioned above. Students who would like to change their
elective clerkships up to six weeks prior to the clerkship start date must contact the SOM
Registrar‟s office to facilitate the scheduling change. Students who feel they have extenuating
circumstances requiring a schedule change after the six week deadline must set an appointment
with the SOM Registrar‟s office. Only the Registrar may approve schedule changes; no
other parties may grant changes in clinical schedules, sites, and/or timeframes including
but not limited to: other academic affairs staff, department clerkship directors,
coordinators, WWAMI deans or staff, site coordinators or preceptors.
UWSOM Offices of Curriculum and Student Affairs Policy Revised/Approved April 2010
CLINICAL CLERKSHIP HOUSING POLICY

The School of Medicine contracts for medical student housing for required clerkships located
more than 35 miles away from the Seattle campus. The School does not provide medical student
housing for elective courses, surgical selective courses, nor does it provide housing for medical
students at clinical training sites designated for Track students. Consult the course description in
E*Value for more detailed information on housing for each course/site. For specific housing-
related questions, contact the department course coordinator for more information.
~ 73 ~
WORK HOURS POLICY FOR REQUIRED AND ELECTIVE
CLERKSHIPS
The goals of medical students and the faculty of the School of Medicine are one and the same: to
get the best medical education possible while not ignoring overall health and happiness.
Attention needs to be paid to both work hours and personal time.
Work hour rules have been developed for residents, but similar rules have not been developed for
medical students. There are obvious differences in terms of goals, reimbursement, and
responsibilities between residents and students. Nonetheless, some guidelines for students are
as follows.
CLERKSHIPS WITH CALL

1. No more than 80 hours of awake time in the hospital per week.
2. Post-call, if you did not sleep, go home at the same time as the intern or resident, within
30 hours of starting the prior day.
3. Post-call, if you slept at least 5 hours, you should stay through the working day.
4. You should have at least one full day off per week, averaged over a month.
5. No matter how many hours you have worked, always check out with the team before
leaving for the day.
CLERKSHIP WITHOUT CALL

1. No more than 80 hours of awake time in the hospital per week.
2. Parking and transportation issues may demand you leave the hospital by a certain time.
3. Feel free to come in early or stay late. Family and personal obligations are important and
need to be balanced.
4. You should have at least one full day off per week, averaged over a month.
5. No matter how many hours you have worked, always check out with the team before
leaving for the day.
Hours will not be specifically logged unless you feel it is necessary because of a potential
violation. If you are working close to the 80-hour limit, please document your hours for the week
in question and present these to your Site Director as soon as possible; your work schedule will
be modified as appropriate. Also document any violation of the 30-hour policy for overnight call.
Further concerns should be brought to the attention of the Clerkship Director. You will never be
discriminated against for following the work hours policy.
Developed and Approved by Required Clerkship and Elective Clerkship Committee: May/June 2005
~ 74 ~
TECHNOLOGY-POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND GUIDELINES
POSTING IS FOREVER: YOUR ONLINE PRESENCE

Many of the activities we engage in as medical students have not changed over the decades,
however, the advent of the internet, social networking, and subsequent immediate availability and
record of our activities has greatly increased public scrutiny of the medical profession. The scope
of the implications of our internet presence is broad and can affect us personally (residency
interviews, employment, promotion, legal exposure) and as a greater profession (social contract,
institutional and professional integrity). The concept of intended audience no longer pertains:
once something is posted on the Internet, the audience is anyone and everyone. Posting is
forever and once something is on the internet that information (picture, comment, posting,
personal info) is no longer in your control. Please review the following link to assist you in making
informed choices with regard to your online presence and encourage your colleagues to do the
same. https://depts.washington.edu/uwsommsa
SOCIAL NETWORKING POLICY AND GUIDELINES

BACKGROUND
Social networking sites can be an effective way to keep in touch with colleagues; in medical
education, wikis and discussion boards are already heavily utilized. Social media such as
Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, Twitter, Wikipedia, and Flickr have grown in popularity and
application, allowing users to post content and share with virtually anyone. Organizations,
including healthcare institutions, are rapidly integrating the use of social media into their
education, outreach and marketing strategies.
While this creates new opportunities for communication and collaboration, it also creates
vulnerabilities for individuals and institutions, especially those involved in the healthcare
environment. Depending on our privacy settings, literally anyone with access to the internet can
see our profiles, photos, and posted opinions, and can share them anywhere. The potential
impact on professional careers and professions is an important consideration.
PURPOSE
This document summarizes existing University and UW Medicine policies that apply to the use of
social media, adopts a new UW Medicine policy limiting the use of social media in hospital and
clinic space, and outlines best practice guidelines for UW Medicine faculty, staff, trainees,
students and volunteers (hereafter referred to as workforce members) who participate in social
networking sites and share social media in other areas where use of social media is permitted.
Social media includes text, images, audio and video communicated via such tools as:
Blogs, and micro-blogs such as Twitter
~ 75 ~
Social networks, such as Facebook
Professional networks, such as LinkedIn
Video sharing, such as You Tube and vlogs (video weblogs)
Audio sharing, such as podcasts
Photo sharing, such as Flickr and Photobucket, and
Social bookmarking, such as Digg and Redditt
Public comment sections on webpages (such as those for online news sites)
User created web pages such as Wikis and Wikipedia, and
Any other internet-based social media application similar in purpose or function to those
applications described above.
SECTION I: UW MEDICINE POLICY LIMITING USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN HOSPITAL AND

CLINIC SPACE
Use of Social Media is prohibited while performing direct patient care activities or in the unit work
areas, unless Social Media use in these areas has been previously approved by a supervisor.
Workforce members should limit their use of Social Media in hospital or clinic space to rest or
meal breaks, unless Social Media use for business purposes has been previously approved by a
supervisor.
SECTION II: SUMMARY OF OTHER RELEVANT UW AND UW MEDICINE POLICIES
1. Confidential, proprietary and trade-secret information about UW Medicine or its affiliates,

1
students, employees, or alumni may not be posted.
2. Patient privacy must be maintained in all communications. Do not disclose information that
2
may be used to identify patients or their health condition and remember that even de-
identified information may be recognized by patients, their families, or their employers.
Relevant UW Medicine Privacy Policies include:
a. PP-07: Use and Disclosure of Protected Health Information to Carry Out Treatment,
Payment, and Health Care Operations
http://depts.washington.edu/comply/docs/PP_07.pdf
1Disclosing student educational records or personally identifiable student information violates the Family Educational
Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). See http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/ferpa.html.
2
Disclosing confidential patient information in an inappropriate manner is a federal offense under the Health Insurance
Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The sanctions include significant fines and/or criminal penalties. UW
Medicine takes violations of patient privacy very seriously. Suspected noncompliance with the privacy rules is handled
in accordance with PP-05: Complaints Related to UW Medicine Privacy Practices
[http://depts.washington.edu/comply/docs/PP_05.pdf]. Violations of the privacy rules will result in corrective action in
accordance with PP-06: Corrective Actions for Noncompliance with Privacy and Information Security Policies
[http://depts.washington.edu/comply/docs/PP_06.pdf].
~ 76 ~
b. PP-08: Use & Disclosure of Protected Health Information Requiring Authorization
[http://depts.washington.edu/comply/docs/PP_08.pdf].
3. Copyright and intellectual property rights must be preserved. For comprehensive guidance,
consult the UW Copyright Connection at
http://depts.washington.edu/uwcopy/Copyright_Connection/. This useful site contains links to
relevant laws and university policies including the UW Patent, Invention and Copyright Policy
at http://www.washington.edu/faculty/facsenate/handbook/04-05-07.html and the Digital
Millennium Copyright Act information at
http://www.washington.edu/itconnect/policy/dmca.html. Violations may result in lawsuits,
fines, and imprisonment. Copyright content can be very valuable; owners may routinely
search to see if their material is being used without permission and may take steps to enforce
their rights.
4. The UW owns and controls its name(s) and other marks, logos, insignias, seal, designs and
symbols. Unauthorized use of these trademarks is prohibited by UW trademark and licensing
policies (see http://depts.washington.edu/uwlogos/uw-resources/policies-procedures), and is
subject to civil and criminal penalties. The UW reserves the right to assess financial
penalties, issue cease and desist orders, or take other legal action.
5. Respect university time and property. The use of university computers, internet access,
networks, and time on the job is subject to a number of specific rules and policies, including
but not limited to the following:
a. As employees of Washington state agencies, faculty and staff are subject to State
3
law and UW policy that prohibits the use of computers and networks for most
personal use except under certain circumstances. State resources may not be used
to support, promote, or solicit for an outside organization or group unless otherwise
provided by law and University policy, to assist an election campaign, promote or
oppose a ballot proposition or initiative, or lobby the state legislature. Supervisors
are responsible for monitoring the use of state resources, determining whether
frequency or volume of use complies with the law, counseling staff as needed, and
4
revoking access privileges, if necessary.
3 APS 47.2: Personal Use of University Facilities, Computers, and Equipment by University Employees
[http://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/APS/47.02.html]).
4 Faculty and staff who violate published University policies regarding the personal use of University resources,
facilities, computers, and equipment, or policies regarding outside work and conflict of interest are subject to
appropriate disciplinary or corrective action, including dismissal. Allegations of noncompliance with APS 47.2 are
handled in accordance with APS 47.10: Policy on Financial Irregularities and Other Related Illegal Acts
[http://www.washington.edu/admin/rules//APS/47.10.html]. In addition, the state Executive Ethics
Board has the authority to investigate allegations of improper use of state resources (per RCW 42.52.360), and is
charged with enforcing laws and rules prohibiting state workers from improperly using state resources. The Executive
~ 77 ~
b. Student use of computers and networks is subject to UW policies, including, but not
limited to the following:
i. Using Your Computer in Residence Halls

[http://www.washington.edu/itconnect/connecting/reshall.html#rules]
ii. Chapter 478-120 WAC: UW Student Conduct Code
[http://apps.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=478].
6. In general, do not use social media sites for personal, non-work related purposes when you
are supposed to be doing your job. Recognize that UW Medicine has set a more restrictive
policy limiting the use of social media in hospital and clinic spaces (see Section I, above).
Recognize that other UW Medicine entities or departments may also set more restrictive or
specific policies regarding access to social media sites. When in doubt, check with your unit
head.
7. Unless you are serving as an approved, official spokesperson for UW Medicine, online
communications are your personal opinions and do not reflect the opinion of UW Medicine or
its affiliated entities. Each workforce member is personally responsible for his/her posts
(written, audio, video or otherwise).
8. There should be no expectation of privacy when using a University account to visit internet
websites. Email communications and internet use may be subject to disclosure under the
5
Public Records Act or for audit purposes .
9. Adhere to the rules that apply to all other aspects of your responsibilities as a UW Medicine
workforce member, including professionalism, integrity, confidentiality, and security.
Relevant university and UW Medicine policies include but are not limited to the following:
a. UW Medicine Policy on Professional Conduct:

http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Global/policies/Pages/Professional-Conduct.aspx
b. UWMC Integrity at Work:
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Global/policies/Documents/IAW_Broc_web%20(5)
.pdf
c. HMC Integrity at Work:
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Global/policies/Documents/IntegrityAtWorkBooklo
wres031309.pdf
d. UW Medicine Information Security Policies:
http://security.uwmedicine.org/policies/sec_policies.asp
e. UW Electronic Information Privacy Policy on Personally Identifiable Information:
http://www.washington.edu/itconnect/policy/privacypolicy.html
Ethics Board's determinations and actions are independent of any disciplinary or corrective action taken by the
university.
5 See APS 47.2.2 (http://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/policies/APS/47.02.html)
~ 78 ~
f. The UW Access and Use Agreement: http://uwnetid.washington.edu/agree/
g. UW Information Security policies:
http://www.washington.edu/admin/rules/APS/02.01TOC.html
h. UW Minimum Data Security Standards: UW APS 2.10, UW Minimum Data Security
Standards
i. UW Data Management Policy:
http://www.washington.edu/uwit/im/dmc/docs/UWDataManagemenPolicyV19.pdf
j. UW Guidelines for Electronic Discovery:
http://www.washington.edu/admin/ago/ediscovery.pdf
SECTION III: SOCIAL NETWORKING GUIDELINES

1. Think twice before posting. Privacy does not exist in the world of social media. Consider
what could happen if a post becomes widely known and how that may reflect on both you and
UW Medicine. Search engines can turn up posts years after they are created, and comments
can be forwarded or copied. If you wouldn‟t say it at a conference or to a member of the
media, consider whether you should post it online. If you are unsure about posting something
or responding to a comment, seek advice from your supervisor, residency or academic
advisor, or the department head.
2. Anonymity is a myth. Write everything as if you are signing it with your name.
3. Remember your audience. A presence in the social media world is or easily can be made
available to the public at large. This includes prospective students, current students, current
employers and colleagues, patients and their families, and peers. Consider this before
publishing to ensure the post will not alienate, harm, or provoke any of these groups.
4. Strive for accuracy. Get the facts straight before posting them on social media. Review
content for grammatical and spelling errors. This is especially important if posting on behalf of
the university in any capacity.
5. Familiarize yourself with and use conservative privacy settings regardless of the
content on your profile. Practice restraint when disclosing personal information on social
networking sites; your audience is everyone.
6. Consider the professional image you would like to portray. As a rule, only post online
what you would want your chair or supervisor to see. Employers are beginning to search
social networking sites as part of their background checks for new employees. While we all
view our lives outside of work personal, consider the professional image you would like to
portray to your patients and their families. Even seemingly innocuous pictures and
comments can impact the respect and trust your patients have for you, now and in the future.
7. Don't „friend‟ patients on social networking sites. Managers should not engage in
social media interaction with their subordinates (such as becoming “friends” on
~ 79 ~
Facebook), even if a subordinate initiates the contact.
8. Ask permission before posting medically-related content on social media sites. If you
are faculty or staff, ask permission from someone with appropriate authority in your chain of
command. If you are a resident or student, ask permission from someone with appropriate
authority in your program.
9. If in doubt, don‟t post!
10. Use disclaimer language. If you acknowledge your UW Medicine affiliation or you may be
otherwise known or presumed to be affiliated with UW Medicine, include disclaimers in your
online communications that indicate you are not speaking officially on behalf of the
organization.
For example:
a. The postings on this site are my own and do not represent the positions, strategies or
opinions of my employer [or my university], or
b. This is a personal web site, produced in my own time and solely reflecting my
personal opinions. Statements on this site do not represent the views or policies of
my employer, past or present, or any other organization with which I may be
affiliated. All content is copyrighted.
10. Even disclaimers aren‟t failsafe. Standard disclaimer language may not by itself exempt
UW Medicine managers and executives from a special responsibility when blogging. By
virtue of their position, managers and executives must consider whether personal thoughts
they publish may be misunderstood as expressing UW Medicine positions. Managers should
assume that their team may read the blog.
11. Do not harass, libel, slander, or embarrass anyone. Do not post any material that is
obscene, defamatory, profane, libelous, threatening, harassing, abusive, hateful, or
embarrassing to another person or entity. Individuals may be held personally liable for
defamatory, proprietary or libelous commentary.
12. Disclose your relationship. If you make comments that could reasonably be construed as
an endorsement of UW Medicine‟s services, disclose your relationship with UW Medicine.
ADDITIONAL READING
The American Medical Association Policy (2010): Professionalism in the Use of Social Media
(http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/meeting/professionalism-social-media.html)
~ 80 ~
WEB PAGES AND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE ONLINE
CURRICULUM
The Academic Affairs Office has created Web pages to provide information on individual
programs and timelines for meeting graduation requirements. The Student Handbook and other
program manuals, which are distributed at appropriate times during the school year, are also
available on the Web. These can be accessed through the Web address at
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-Students/ .
First-year and second-year courses use several technologies to facilitate student learning. These
resources can be accessed via the student‟s Catalyst Tools account screen
(https://catalyst.uw.edu), and include the following:
Catalyst CommonView web sites for posting of course information, syllabus, presentation
materials, etc. This is the launching point for course resources.
Catalyst GoPost discussion boards for discussion with classmates outside of class. In
some courses, faculty may actively participate in discussions.
Catalyst GradeBook for communication of scores and final grades.
Course calendars available for subscription by the student‟s preferred calendar program.
Lecture recordings available via streaming video for review or to make up a missed
lecture (Seattle and some other sites).
Course-specific tools such as online exams, virtual microscopy, anatomy atlases, etc.
Students should be aware that access to course materials and tools is provided for their own
educational purposes. Material may not be distributed or shared without the explicit permission of
the author or presenter.
STUDENT EMAIL ADDRESSES AND ACCOUNTS
As part of pre-Orientation preparation, you will be asked to establish an email account and
address. You should use this email for your communications related to your medical school
programs and activities. Because the Medical School will use your university of Washington e-
mail address for the primary point of contact, it is imperative to check your UW e-mail daily.
VERY IMPORTANT: Medical students are considered part of the UW Medicine

workforce and may not auto-forward their UW email away from UW email servers
or store confidential data on these servers because doing so risks exposing
HIPAA-protected data. At this time, this restriction includes both publicly available
computing services and the UW-provided “Cloud-Based Services”. UW Medicine
Compliance audits for this auto-forward feature and contacts 45-50 individuals
~ 81 ~
every month regarding this issue. If you have other email accounts, you will want
to be certain that you monitor your UW email on a daily basis as it is the primary
communication mechanism that is used by faculty and administration.
Throughout medical school, you will receive most information through email or referral to the
Web. Therefore, you will want to have this mode of communication become part of your routine.
On occasion, information may be sent to your current local address, so it is important to submit
any changes in your local address to the receptionist in A-300 Health Sciences either via mail to
UWSOM Registrar, Attn: Address Updates, Box 356340, Seattle, WA 98195 or fax at (206) 616-
3341.
The Academic Affairs office has created an administrative listserv for each year in the curriculum
and each first-year site, and you will be automatically subscribed to the appropriate listserv. This
administrative listserv is intended for official notices from Academic Affairs, course chairs, and
student organizations. In addition, we have instituted a separate Auxiliary listserv for each class
intended for non-academic activities, such as housing notices, books for sale, etc.
For both types of listserv, please remember that if you wish to respond individually to the person
initiating the email message, you should not retain everyone on your reply. Personal replies are
appropriate and only for the individual requesting the information. Email replies that include the
entire class create an excessive number of irrelevant emails and are a misuse of student and
faculty time. Be aware that the class lists contain addresses of people with a broad spectrum of
beliefs and opinions, so please be careful that your email message is clear and will not be
misinterpreted by other members on the list. Humor is especially vulnerable to misunderstanding
in this setting. Chain letters (even charitable sounding ones) should not be forwarded to any
class list. Please help control the volume of emails sent to the class lists by sending emails as
sparingly as possible.
Often there are questions about appropriate use of UW email systems by students. Although UW
employees are restricted from using their UW email accounts for partisan political purposes,
students do not fall under the same restriction. Students who are employed by the University
could be considered employees under certain circumstances and are encouraged to exercise
caution in their politically oriented communication using UW email accounts.
LAPTOP AND PDA REQUIREMENTS
Computers are an essential part of your medical education. The UW School of Medicine requires
all students to have laptops and mobile devices. You are strongly encouraged to have a
sufficiently recent model laptop with the following considerations:
Minimum 2GB of RAM (required);
Minimum 120GB of storage (required);
~ 82 ~
Ethernet (wired) network capability (required);
Wi-fi (wireless) network capability (required);
External hard drive for back-up storage (strongly recommended);
Lightweight (recommended);
Battery life of 3-4 hours or more between charges (recommended);
Recent operating system (Windows XP or later or Macintosh OSX 10.5 or later) with all
current updates (required);
Anti-virus software with all current virus definitions (required; note: Sophos is available
free from UW IT);
Microsoft Office Professional (required; note: available free for students from UW IT);
Extended warranty and/or technical support provided by the manufacturer
(recommended)
Although netbooks have been used successfully by some students for day-to-day use in class,
they are not recommended as a replacement for a laptop computer. Likewise, Apple iPads and
similar slate devices may useful but should not be considered a laptop replacement.
Please note that, aside from these requirements and recommendations, your choice of laptop is
an individual matter, and should be made at your discretion. Please be aware that regardless of
whether you choose a Macintosh or Windows PC, sometimes there will be minor compatibility
issues if your professors or classmates are using a different platform. The School of Medicine
strives to be as platform-neutral as possible in its selection of technologies for medical student
education.
Wireless access is available in all areas of the Health Sciences Building. If computer access is
needed quickly while in the Health Sciences Center, there are computers located in the Health
Sciences Library or in the Medical Student Lounge that you can use to access email messages.
MOBILE DEVICES
The School of Medicine requires student to have a mobile device to access medical information
and personal productivity tools. Although most smartphones meet this requirement, it is not
required that the device use a cellular network for data access. Some devices use Wi-Fi only for
Internet access, and some synchronize directly with a computer with no Internet access at all.
Although students are encouraged to purchase a mobile device as early in the curriculum as
possible, most students find that its usefulness increases considerably during the clinical phase in
the third and fourth years. The UW Health Sciences Libraries has a useful PDA and Mobile
Resources page for reference: http://healthlinks.washington.edu/howto/pda/.
~ 83 ~
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS FOR THE 2009

ENTERING CLASS AND SUBSEQUENT CLASSES
The curriculum is designed to give students a broad and strong foundation in the basic and
clinical sciences. As the field of medical science is constantly changing, the graduation
requirements for the M.D. program set forth at matriculation may undergo modification that will
apply to students already enrolled. The requirements include satisfactory completion of such
comprehensive examinations as may be adopted by the Medical School Executive Committee.
Currently, the United States Medical Licensing Examination Steps 1 and Step 2, clinical
knowledge and clinical skills (formerly, National Boards Parts I and II), serve this function.
Passage of the second year and senior OSCE is also required.
BASIC SCIENCES CURRICULUM (Generally defined as 500-level courses) 149 credits

o Required Human Biology (Basic Science) first and second year courses
o Required Preceptorship
CLINICAL CURRICULUM (Generally defined as 600-level courses) 148 credits
o Required clinical clerkships in the third year:
Family Medicine (6 weeks) 12 credits
Internal Medicine (12 weeks) 24 credits
Obstetrics/Gynecology (6 weeks) 12 credits
Pediatrics (6 weeks) 12 credits
Psychiatry (6 weeks) 12 credits
Surgery (6 weeks) 12 credits
o Required clinical selectives in third or fourth year:
Emergency Medicine (4 weeks) 8 credits
Rehabilitation /Chronic Care (4 weeks) 8 credits
Neurology (4 weeks) 8 credits
Surgery (4 weeks) 8 credits
o Other clinical electives: (16 weeks) 32 credits
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE INQUIRY 8 credits
(See description below for additional details.)
NON-CLINICAL SELECTIVES 4 credits
(Selected 500-level medical school courses in a variety of subjects)
Capstone I: Transition to the Clerkships 2 credits
Capstone II: Transition to Residency 2 credits
TOTAL MINIMUM CREDITS FOR M.D. DEGREE: 313 credits

Reviewed/Approved, June 2011
~ 84 ~
CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
The undergraduate medical school curriculum at the University of Washington is dynamic.
Ongoing changes in the curriculum are actively managed by the curriculum committees. The
current structure of the basic science curriculum represents a combination of "discipline-oriented"
courses and “organ system-based” courses. The curriculum is educationally equivalent at all of
the WWAMI first year sites, and common examinations are given to ensure that all students are
achieving the same level of competence. More information can be found at:
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-
Students/Curriculum/Pages/default.aspx.
Most courses utilize computer-based information, and almost all communication with students
outside of the classroom is through our Web pages and email. Thus, there is a requirement for
all students to have a laptop computer with wireless capability. Specifications needed to access
computer-based instruction are sent to entering students and are available from the UW
Technology IT Connect Website: http://www.washington.edu/itconnect/forstudents.html
The "Essential Requirements of Medical Education at the University of Washington School of

Medicine: Admission, Retention, and Graduation Standards" is sent to applicants for review. It is
expected that students enrolled in the School of Medicine have indicated as part of the
completion of their admissions application that they have read, understood, and are able to meet
these essentials with or without reasonable accommodation. The "Essential Requirements"
document is located in the “School of Medicine Academic Policy Manual” on the MD program
website at:
Resources-Technology/information-and-policies/Pages/Academic-Policies.aspx.
FIRST YEAR CURRICULUM
o Anatomy and Embryology o Microbiology and Infectious Disease

o Biochemistry o Microscopic Anatomy (Histology)
o Introduction to Clinical Medicine o Musculoskeletal System
o Introduction to Immunology o Nervous System
o Mechanisms in Cell Physiology o Systems of Human Behavior
o Medical Information for Decision Making
The first-year required courses listed above are in alphabetical order. The courses are given at
slightly different times across the region since the Seattle site is on the quarter system and the
regional sites are on a semester system. Introduction to Clinical Medicine is a year-long course.
In the first year, the student receives instruction in courses taught predominantly from specific
departments or disciplines. Biochemistry, Physiology, Histology, Immunology, Behavioral
Sciences, Microbiology, and Anatomy and Embryology are introduced during this time period.
Medical Information for Decision Making and informatics are also introduced.
~ 85 ~
During the first year, students are also introduced to their first organ system-based courses
including the Nervous System, Musculoskeletal, and Immunology System courses.
Throughout this first year and continuing into the second year, the student learns clinical skills
including interviewing skills, history taking and recording techniques, and the art of the physical
examination. These skills are taught in the Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM) series. The
University of Washington was one of the first schools to pioneer the small group format that
utilizes videotapes of students doing patient interviews and learning from standardized patients.
Standardized patients are persons who portray a patient with a particular illness. Those
"patients" are trained to give feedback to the students on their interviewing skills. The second-
year Introduction to Clinical Medicine course is taught by the College faculty, and includes
pertinent lectures, clinical tutorials, and the teaching of clinical skills at the bedside.
FIRST YEAR COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
ANATOMY AND EMBRYOLOGY

Human anatomy is the result of embryological processes that establish the bilateral
symmetry, segmentation, and body cavities that are observed in an adult. The objective of
the course is to understand the formation and 3-dimensional relationships of the major
structures in the human body. This is a laboratory course and the diversity, variability and
adaptability of the human phenotype will be apparent in the dissection laboratory and in living
anatomy. Each dissection and living anatomy laboratory involves studying the basic
relationship between major structures, their blood supply, innervation and lymphatics. There
is strong emphasis on independent learning skills required in the future when students begin
to utilize resources that include the internet as well as traditional textbooks, atlases, imaging
and knowledgeable colleagues. It is a privilege to work with willed bodies donated by
individuals who recognize the importance of human dissection for medical education.
Anatomy and embryology use exercises in dissection, living anatomy, modeling and verbal
presentation to understand the fundamental structural modifications that transform the
embryo into an adult human being.
BIOCHEMISTRY
Molecular Biology of the Human Genome is taught in this course and focuses on how the
genome serves as a source of information, and how molecular understanding of gene
function produces new therapeutic and diagnostic tools. The course is divided into five units,
which consider (1) how genetic information is stored, mobilized and used; (2) targets of
regulation; (3) molecular medicine; (4) cancer; and (5) genomic therapies.
Further, this course focuses on metabolism, as integrated at the level of the intact
mammalian organism for the purpose of generating energy from food and converting small
molecules to essential building blocks of our cells. Fundamental principles of nutrition and
~ 86 ~
chemotherapy of viral, bacterial and neoplastic diseases are also discussed. This course
utilizes a lecture and small group format.
INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MEDICINE

ICM I is the first step in a four-year curriculum with exposure to clinical skills and professional
issues with instruction in communication skills and interview techniques that form the basis
for the doctor-patient relationship and the skills of communicating with patients. The patient‟s
medical database will be introduced. Students will start by obtaining the patient‟s social
history and later in the quarter will add the patient‟s illness narrative, learning how that
narrative is transformed into the history of the present illness. Students work on developing
comfort in the physician role.
The basic physical exam of the adult is taught through the use of lectures, audiovisual aids
and small group tutorials where students in supervised settings learn and practice the
physical exam on one another. Students are introduced to the basic principles of clinical
reasoning. Further practice in the performance and written and oral communication of the
medical database takes place, as does further exploration of professional issues.
INTRODUCTION TO IMMUNOLOGY
This course provides students with a medically relevant foundation of knowledge regarding
the components and basic principles of the immune system and the vocabulary and language
of immunology; a working knowledge of the immunological basis for defense against
infection, immune-mediated pathology (including allergy and autoimmunity),
immunodeficiency and immunological barriers to transplantation; and familiarity with
beneficial therapies to modulate the immune response, including immunization. This course
utilizes a lecture and small group format.
MECHANISMS IN CELL PHYSIOLOGY

The class presents the fundamental cellular events underlying the following topics:
physiology of the cell membrane including ionic and electrical potential gradients, active
transport, excitability and action potentials; biophysics of sensory receptors; neuromuscular
transmission; muscle energetics and contractility; spinal reflexes and central synaptic
transmission; autonomic nervous system; energy metabolism and temperature regulation;
epithelial transport; gastrointestinal motility and secretions. The class includes both lecture
and small group discussion and utilizes web-based laboratory instruction.
MEDICAL INFORMATION FOR DECISION MAKING

This course is an introduction to methods for: a) identifying and retrieving high quality,
relevant documents for clinical decision making, and b) applying rigorous criteria when
reading primary research studies, reviews of primary studies, or other medical information
sources that report on the effectiveness of therapeutic or preventive interventions.
~ 87 ~
MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
This course is an introduction to medical microbiology and infectious diseases. Emphasis is
on the biology of microbial pathogens and the mechanisms of pathogenesis. Lectures also
cover clinical manifestations, epidemiology, and general principles of diagnosis, therapy, and
prevention of infectious disease. This course uses wet lab, small group discussion as well as
lectures as methods for instruction.
MICROSCOPIC ANATOMY (HISTOLOGY)

Lectures and laboratories in microscopic anatomy are designed to provide the principles and
concepts of histology, to define the morphological characteristics of the cells, tissues and
organs of the human body and to relate this information to functional processes studied in
concurrent and subsequent courses. The class includes both lecture and small group
discussion and utilizes web-based laboratory instruction.
MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM
Gross, surface, applied and radiographic anatomy of the limbs are the focus of this course.
Clinical manifestations in the musculoskeletal system and pathophysiology of trauma, aging,
infection, and inflammation as well as congenital and metabolic disorders are taught.
Dissections, physical examinations, and problem-based learning are utilized in a small group
format.
NERVOUS SYSTEM
The course provides an integrated approach to the normal structure and function of the
nervous system, including the eye. Neuropathological examples are presented as well as
clinical manifestations of neurological disease. The class includes both lecture and small
group discussion and utilizes laboratory instruction.
SYSTEMS OF HUMAN BEHAVIOR

This course is a selected overview of contributions from behavioral sciences to the clinical
practice of primary care physicians. It sensitizes students to the impacts of such factors as
emotional and physical development, cultural backgrounds, social roles, families, sexual
identities, and belief systems upon their effectiveness as physicians. Further, it encourages
appreciation of the role of behavioral factors in major management problems faced in medical
practice; covers physical and psychological development of the individual from the embryo
through old age; teaches skills in analyzing behavior, defining behavioral objectives, and
designing precise treatment strategies to obtain these objectives. This is a primarily lecture
based course.
~ 88 ~
SECOND YEAR CURRICULUM
o Brain and Behavior o Medicine, Health & Society

o Cardiovascular System o Pathology
o Cases in Clinical Ethics o Principles of Pharmacology I
o Clinical Epidemiology and Evidence- o Principles of Pharmacology II
Based Medicine o Problem-Based Learning
o Gastrointestinal System o Respiratory System
o Genetics o Reproduction
o Hematology o Skin System
o Hormones and Nutrients o Urinary System
o Introduction to Clinical Medicine II
The second-year courses listed above are in alphabetical order. The second year continues
organ system-based teaching and adds two discipline-based courses in Pharmacology. The
Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM) course is taught by the College faculty, and provides
students an opportunity to learn physical examination skills at the bedside at six of the major
teaching hospitals in Seattle.
SECOND YEAR COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR

This course covers the major psychiatric disorders, defined and described in a systematic
approach to differential diagnoses. Conceptual development, pathogenesis, epidemiology,
nomenclature and the terminology use in psychiatry are presented in a lecture format.
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
An interdisciplinary approach to cardiovascular medicine, including anatomy, physiology,
radiology, pathology, medicine and surgery. The central theme of this course is the function
of the cardiovascular system in health and disease. It consists of lectures, small group
conferences, and demonstrations.
CASES IN CLINICAL ETHICS

This course provides exposure to key issues in clinical ethics as well as the tools for ethical
reasoning and critical thinking that support the student‟s current and future work.
CLINICAL EPIDEMIOLOGY AND EVIDENCE-BASED MEDICINE

The purpose of this course is to learn fundamental concepts of epidemiology and biostatistics
and to apply them to the comprehension and interpretation of modern clinical research. This
course covers clinical study design and methodology, fundamental sources of error in clinical
research, and aspects of statistical theory. These concepts will be applied to the critique of
clinical research journal articles. This course is presented in a lecture and journal club
format.
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GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM
Basic concepts of anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology in gastroenterology and
hepatology are presented in a small group format.
GENETICS
The primary aim of this course is to review basic genetic principles in the context of their
applications in clinical medicine. Topics include human chromosomal disorders, pathogenesis
of hereditary disease, patterns of inheritance, genetic counseling, amniocentesis, monogenic
and multifactoral pathogenesis, role of genetics in common diseases, behavioral genetics,
drug-gene interactions (pharmacogenetics), and prevention and treatment of genetic
diseases including prenatal diagnosis and population screening.
HEMATOLOGY
This course familiarizes students with the basic mechanisms leading to disturbances of red
cell, white cell and platelet production, physiology, and destructive and malignant processes.
The course covers abnormalities of hemostasis as well as transfusion therapy. An
understanding of pathophysiology is stressed. Problem-based learning sessions in small
groups and interactive computerized clinical problems are a significant portion of this course.
The class includes both lecture and small group discussion and utilizes web-based laboratory
instruction.
HORMONES AND NUTRIENTS

This course provides an introduction to principles of human endocrinology, metabolism and
nutrition including the physiology and pathophysiology of endocrine systems, glucose and
lipid metabolism, and fluid and salt balance. The importance of proper nutrition in certain
disease states is also covered. Clinical and scientific reasoning is taught in a problem based
learning format.
INTRODUCTION TO CLINICAL MEDICINE II

ICM II is a continuation of the integrated curriculum of clinical skills and professionalism. It
includes advanced instruction in communication skills, interviewing techniques, advanced
physical examination, medical database documentation, oral case presentations, and clinical
reasoning. All of these are correlated with the basic science and pathophysiology taught in
the organ system courses of the second year curriculum. In addition, we continue a
consideration of issues in professionalism and medical ethics, building on the skills from the
first year and preparing students for clinical training.
MEDICINE, HEALTH AND SOCIETY

The course addresses interrelationships between provision of medical care and nonbiological
factors which influence health. Issues include relative importance of society, environment and
individual choice in determining health status; impact of organizational, economic, and
political influences on medical practice and choice; measurement of costs, risks, benefits and
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efficacy of diagnostic and therapeutic technologies; importance of these concepts in
responsible and scientific decision making.
PATHOLOGY
The course introduces students to the patterns of cell and tissue response to injury including:
mechanisms of cell injury, the inflammatory process, immunology, immunopathology,
thrombosis, normal and abnormal growth, neoplasia, and clinicopathological correlation. The
course presents a multidisciplinary approach to some diseases which affect more than one
organ system (nervous, cardiovascular, respiratory, etc.) and which are caused by different
mechanisms (congenital, inflammatory, vascular, traumatic, metabolic, and neoplastic).
Molecular changes in response to environmental exposure is also covered. This year long
course is taught in lecture and small group settings and utilizes web-based laboratory
instruction.
PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACOLOGY I
This course covers the general principles of drug action, selective toxicity as applied to
antimicrobial and anticancer chemotherapy, and consideration of prototype drugs with major
effects on the autonomic nervous, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems. Emphasis is on
sites and mechanisms of action and how these fundamental features are associated with
indications, contraindications, and major adverse reactions of the prototype drugs that are
considered.
PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACOLOGY II
This course focuses on drugs acting on the central nervous system. Lectures emphasize the
physiological and biochemical mechanisms with consideration of their therapeutic and
adverse effects.
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING
PBL teaches students to methodically solve medical problems by gathering, sorting, critically
evaluating, and interpreting data. Students learn life-long self-education and self-evaluation
skills. PBL also provides practice working as a health care team by including medical and
physician assistant students in each small group.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
The course presents an interdisciplinary approach to the respiratory system, including
anatomy of thorax and lungs, ventilation mechanics, blood gas transport, gas exchange, acid-
base balance and the physiology and pathology of obstructive, restrictive and pulmonary-
vascular diseases in both lecture and small group venues.
REPRODUCTION
The reproduction course is comprised of lectures, case presentations, and problem based
learning, concerning topics related to reproductive biology and medicine. The course covers
topics including gametogenesis, egg transport, fertilization, implantation, placentation, the
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physiology and pathophysiology of sexual differentiation, normal and abnormal puberty, the
physiology of menstrual cycle function and male reproductive endocrinology, infertility, aging
of the male reproductive system, menopause, contraception and family planning, abortion,
population dynamics, ethical dilemmas in reproductive medicine, gynecological pathology,
pregnancy, labor and delivery, prolactin and oxytocin physiology, and lactation.
SKIN SYSTEM
Although at first glance a simple organ, the skin in greater depth is remarkably complex. This
course introduces the structure, function, and dysfunction of our largest, but thinnest, organ.
Topics covered include: microscopic and molecular structure of the epidermis, dermis and
basement membrane zone; pigmentation, the anatomy and physiology of hair, cutaneous
immunology, wound healing, burns, photobiology, and skin cancer. Students also will be
introduced to clinical dermatology with topics including the language of dermatology and the
physical examination of the skin, and with numerous and illustrative examples of skin
diseases. This course consists of lectures, small groups and participation in a dermatology
clinic.
URINARY SYSTEM
The course includes the anatomy, physiology and pathology of the kidney, ureter, bladder
and prostate; pathophysiology and treatment of common fluid and electrolyte problems; renal
pharmacology; major clinical urinary system syndromes with current diagnostic approaches
and therapy. This course is taught in lecture and small group settings.
THIRD AND FOURTH YEARS

The third year primarily consists of the required clinical clerkships. The required third year
clerkships are in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics,
Psychiatry, and Surgery. Rehabilitation Medicine/Chronic Care, Emergency Medicine, Neurology
and an additional four-weeks of Surgery or a surgical subspecialty are also required and may be
taken in the third or fourth year. Because of the regional nature of the School and the value of
seeing health care delivered in different settings, it is expected that ALL students will take at least
three clerkships outside the Seattle area. There is some time allocated to electives in the third
year, however, most of the clinical electives are taken in the fourth year. During the fourth year,
students typically schedule a program that permits advanced coursework in areas of specialty
interest and that provides a broad general medical education in preparation for assuming patient
care responsibility during residency training.
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REQUIRED THIRD YEAR CLINICAL CLERKSHIPS
FAMILY MEDICINE
(6 weeks) http://depts.washington.edu/fammed/predoc/clerkship
This clerkship stresses ambulatory primary care with emphasis on common problems, bio-
psycho-social issues, preventive care, and introduction to the role of the primary care
physician. The student functions as a clerk in a community or residency site and participates
in the care of patients using office, hospital, home, or community resources. Sites include:
Anacortes, Anchorage, Boise, Billings, Bremerton, Buffalo, Cheyenne, Country Doctor, Group
Health Residency, Havre, Madigan, Missoula, Olympia, Omak, Othello, Nome, Petersburg,
Pocatello, Powell, Renton Valley, Sea Mar, Spokane Residency, Spokane Valley, Swedish
First Hill, Swedish Cherry Hill, Tacoma, UWMC, Valley Residency, Renton Valley Medical
Center, Whitefish, Tacoma, Torrington, and Yakima. Not all sites are available during each
6-week clerkship timeframe.
MEDICINE
(12 weeks) https://depts.washington.edu/medclerk/drupal/pages/third-year-clerkship
This basic clerkship serves as a prerequisite for most other medicine courses and clerkships.
Currently this clerkship is divided into 8 weeks of inpatient and 4 weeks of outpatient
experience at the Seattle and Spokane sites, and 6 weeks of inpatient and 6 weeks of
outpatient experience at other WWAMI sites. Students participate in the care of hospitalized
patients to refine their skills of history-taking and physical examinations and to learn to care
for the acutely ill. Daily rounds and conferences are held. A written and computer-based
patient management examination for this course is given on the last day of the clerkship.
Sites include UWMC, Harborview, UWPN Clinics, Virginia Mason, Seattle and Boise VAMC,
Madigan AMC, Billings, Dillon, Douglas, Missoula, Montesano, Spokane, Walla Walla,
Wenatchee, Anchorage, Jackson, Sheridan and Soldotna.
OBSTETRICS AND GYNECOLOGY

(6 weeks) http://depts.washington.edu/obgyn/clerkship
This clerkship experience provides an introduction to the comprehensive medical care and
counseling services for adult and adolescent female patients. Students are actively involved
in both inpatient and outpatient settings with management and delivery of obstetric patients
as well as diagnosis and management of gynecologic conditions and diseases. Students
participate in hospital rounds on both obstetric and gynecologic patients, in outpatient clinics,
in seminars, tutorials, and are introduced to community health care agencies for women.
Sites include Anchorage, Fairbanks, Boise, Caldwell, Sandpoint, Billings, Bozeman, Havre,
Missoula, Group Health, Madigan, Swedish, Spokane, Tacoma, UWMC, Harborview,
Yakima, Cheyenne, Rock Springs, Wasilla, Cody, Lander, and Walla Walla.
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PEDIATRICS
(6 weeks) http://depts.washington.edu/peds/students/
This clerkship provides a general introduction to inpatient and outpatient pediatrics. The aim
is to expose students to settings where children receive medical and health care services.
Approximately half of the six-week experience takes place in an inpatient hospital setting with
the other half in an outpatient department, a clinic, or a series of offices. Sites include Seattle
Children‟s Hospital, UWMC, Madigan Army Medical Center, Mary Bridge, Pocatello, Great
Falls, Boise, Missoula, Billings, Spokane, Anchorage, Wenatchee, and Cheyenne..
PSYCHIATRY AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES

(6 weeks) http://depts.washington.edu/psyclerk/
This clerkship provides both outpatient and inpatient experiences. Students have primary
responsibility under supervision of attending psychiatrists and residents for diagnosis and
care of patients at UWMC, HMC, VAMC, or Boise VA. Emergency room, crisis intervention,
consultation appropriate to patients with psychiatric dysfunction; familiarity with
psychopharmacology, and short-term hospitalization are emphasized. Sites include: Seattle,
Anchorage, Billings, Missoula, Boise, and Spokane.
SURGERY
(6 weeks) http://depts.washington.edu/surgstus/
This clerkship introduces the student to the diagnosis and management of problems
amenable to surgical therapy. A comprehensive program is offered which includes
instruction in the physiological basis of surgical care, differential diagnosis and decision
making, and the basic principles of surgical management. Active participation in the care of
inpatients and outpatients, including participation in the operating rooms, provides practical
experience in the application of these skills. Students will be assigned to the surgical service
of one of the major affiliated hospitals. Approximately 40 hours per week is devoted to
working with assigned patients on the ward or in outpatient clinics, in the operating room or in
study. A series of lectures (required attendance) and/or discussions expand on major topics
related to general, vascular, cardiothoracic, and plastic surgery. Each student is required to
submit four (4) complete history and physical examinations with a discussion of the patient‟s
problem as well as complete a critique of a current article in the surgical literature. A written
exam is given during the last week of the clerkship. Sites include VAMC, UWMC,
Harborview, Virginia Mason and Providence in Seattle, Spokane, the Boise VA, Casper,
Billings Missoula, Madigan, and Fairbanks
REQUIRED CLERKSHIPS – USUALLY TAKEN IN FOURTH YEAR
EMERGENCY MEDICINE
(4 weeks) http://depts.washington.edu/emed/wordpress/
This required emergency medicine rotation can be taken at UWMC, Harborview Medical
Center, Boise, Spokane, Fairbanks, and Casper, Harborview Medical Center has primary
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emphasis on the management of trauma and critical medical emergencies. At UWMC, the
student will gain exposure to the wide variety of medical, surgical, and gynecologic
emergencies that present to a tertiary care, academic emergency department. Development
of the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate and manage multiple patients
simultaneously will be emphasized.
NEUROLOGY
(4 weeks) http://courses.washington.edu/neural/index.html
Students in this clerkship gain a general understanding of basic clinical neurology and to
develop neurology exam skills. A combination of inpatient and outpatient experience is the
general rule. Sites are available in Seattle, surrounding region, Spokane and eastern
rd th
Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and Montana. Available in the 3 and 4 years; prerequisite for
rd
3 year students are: medicine, family medicine, surgery, or pediatrics.
REHABILITATION MEDICINE/CHRONIC CARE

(4 weeks) http://chroniccare.rehab.washington.edu/
Students in this clerkship are to expose students to four content areas: Rehabilitation
Medicine, Geriatrics, Palliative care and chronic pain management. Students will choose one
of these specialty areas and are assigned to a preceptor and site to concentrate their clinical
activities. This clerkship focuses on integrative learning experiences and involves didactic
sessions designed around a series of content themes including the management of
individuals with chronic disease and resultant impairments, disabilities, and prognoses.
Didactic sessions emphasizes exposure to all four content areas and will include a variety of
learning experiences including: lectures, small group discussions, standardized patients, and
case presentations. Sites include the University of Washington affiliated hospitals, other local
affiliated services, Spokane, Billings, Boise, Anchorage, Tacoma, and Fairbanks.
SURGERY SELECTIVES
(4 weeks)
These additional four weeks of surgery are designed to allow students to learn more about
general surgery or surgical subspecialties in a variety of inpatient and/or ambulatory care
settings. Students may select a single 4-week rotation or two 2-week blocks available
throughout the WWAMI region, from the approved list of surgery selectives.
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CLINICAL ELECTIVE CLERKSHIP GENERAL POLICIES
1. All clerkships are approved by the department, School of Medicine curriculum

committees and by the UW Curriculum office for a maximum number of allowable credits.
EXAMPLE: MED 682 P-Clinical Cardiology and Electrocardiography (8) is

approved as a 4- week, full-time elective for 8 credits. The maximum
number of credits a student can earn for this clerkship is 8. Similarly, the
clerkship cannot be taken for credit for less than four weeks.
2. Some clerkships have been approved for variable credit and may be repeated.
EXAMPLE: MED 699, P-WWAMI Medicine Special Electives (*, max 24) is approved
to be taken for 2, 4, or 6 weeks full-time for up to 12 weeks or 24 credits. So a student
could take MED 699 as a 4-week full-time elective in Cardiology and then MED 699,
as a 4 week, full-time elective in Respiratory.
3. Students are allowed to take a maximum of three 4-week, full-time elective clerkships in a
given specialty, and these credits will be counted toward the minimum number of clinical elective
credit required for graduation.
EXAMPLE: A student could take:

ORTHP 677 P-Musculoskeletal Trauma Clerkship (*, max 8) for 4 wks = 8
ORTHP 680 P-General Orthopaedic Clerkship (*, max 8) for 4 wks = 8
ORTHP 697 P-Orthopaedic External Elective (*, max 12) for 4 wks = 8
Total Credits: 24
STATE-BASED TRACKS, SEATTLE-BASED, AND WRITE

Medical students at the University of Washington School Of Medicine/WWAMI may choose from
one of three alternative approaches to their third year of school:
STATE-BASED TRACKS
Over the past several years, the School of Medicine has developed programs in conjunction with
the states participating in the WWAMI program. The state specific third-year tracks permit a
student to complete the at least five of the six required third year clerkships in that state.
Currently, tracks exist in Idaho, Eastern Washington, Montana (Missoula and Billings), and
Alaska, along with a track-alternative in Wyoming called the Wyoming Rural Clinical Experience.
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-Students/By-Academic-Year/Pages/Third-Year.aspx
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SEATTLE BASED
Many students decide to maintain their primary residence in Seattle during their third year, while
taking several clerkships (usually 3) in WWAMI.
WRITE
The WRITE program (WWAMI Rural Integrated Training Experience) provides a five-month
opportunity to work with physicians in a rural area during the third year.
http://depts.washington.edu/write/
Each clinical center has a faculty member and staff who oversee the track, assist students with
academic or personal issues, and organize programs and visits by Seattle-based deans, faculty,
and staff.
PATHWAYS
The School has also developed pathways that provide students an opportunity to take selected
coursework with an emphasis on the health care needs of specific populations.
The Indian Health Pathway goals are to attract American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN)
students into the study and practice of medicine. The course work includes health issues that
affect AI/AN‟s and provides preceptorships in tribal and urban Indian health settings. For
more information contact the Native American Center of Excellence website at
http://faculty.washington.edu/dacosta/nacoe/ihp.html.
The Hispanic Health Pathway provides medical students a unique educational opportunity
in the area of Hispanic health. The Hispanic community is one of the largest growing
population groups in the nation. This pathway is designed for students who are interested in
experience or becoming practitioners in urban or rural communities with a high Hispanic
population. For more information contact Pam Racansky in the Office of Multicultural Affairs,
http://faculty.washington.edu/dacosta/HHP/index.html.
The Global Health Pathway provides medical students with the information and experiences
necessary to practice in underserved communities both here and abroad. It is designed for
students interested in research or clinical practice in resource poor settings and with
international communities.
For more information, see their website at http://depts.washington.edu/deptgh/ghrc.
The Underserved Pathway provides academic and clinical resources to prepare students to
care for a variety of underserved populations including rural, urban and international
communities.
For more information, see their website at http://courses.washington.edu/upathway/.
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RURAL/UNDERSERVED OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM
(R/UOP)
The Rural/Underserved opportunities Program (R/UOP) is a four-week, elective immersion

experience in community medicine for students between their first and second years of medical
school. During their 4-week rotation, students live in rural or urban underserved communities
throughout Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI). They work side-by-
side with local physicians providing health care to underserved populations.
RUOP ELIGIBILITY
Applications for RUOP summer placements are submitted in January of the first year of medical
school and placements are offered in March. To minimize disruption to RUOP site placements
for preceptors, students, and faculty and staff who oversee RUOP, the following RUOP and
RUOP III-3 eligibility guidelines have been developed.
Any student who has two or more failures (remediated or not) or is on probation for
professionalism issues as of March 15 is not eligible to accept a RUOP/III3 placement.
Any student with a single course failure on or before March 15 may apply for RUOP, but
st
if accepted, may not schedule their RUOP placement until after July 1 , by which time
he/she must have completed the successful remediation and re-examination in his/her
failed course.
Any student with one or more failing grades after March 15 may remain in an accepted
RUOP placement under the following conditions:
o the RUOP placement dates can be delayed until after the successful remediation
and re-examination in the failed course(s), OR
o there is an approved written plan in place for the remediation and re-examination
in the failed course(s). This plan must be approved prior to beginning the RUOP
rotation. This plan must be approved by the regional Assistant Dean (if
applicable), the appropriate local faculty course chair, and the Associate Dean for
Student Affairs in Seattle. If no regional dean is involved in the deliberations,
then the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs will join the deliberations.
In all cases of academic difficulty and RUOP participation, it is the student‟s responsibility
to keep all parties (the RUOP Placement Coordinator, the regional Assistant Dean, the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and the UWSOM RUOP Office) informed of his/her
plans, progress, and changes in academic standing.
End of year Academic Probation is now a separate issue from RUOP eligibility, and is left
to the review and decision-making of the Student Progress Committee.
III is a first year requirement. The majority of RUOP placements include III-3 research
components as a means of satisfying this requirement. The Student Handbook, Student
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Progress Committee Guidelines, and RUOP Guidelines will be revised by the appropriate
administrative officials to reflect these RUOP Eligibility Guidelines.
The Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, the first year
regional dean, and a member of the RUOP team may consider extraordinary
circumstances related to student participation in RUOP
Revised 2/22/11
NON-CLINICAL SELECTIVES APPROVED FOR

GRADUATION CREDIT
While students are in the basic science curriculum, it is anticipated that they will pursue electives
throughout the University that will enhance their personal medical education. Special electives
relevant to medical education, but not involving direct patient care, have been approved by the
School of Medicine as non-clinical selectives, which fulfill the graduation requirement. See
website for listing of approved non-clinical selectives for Seattle and regional first-year sites noted
below.
REQUIREMENTS:
Students are required to take a minimum of 4 non-clinical selective credits in order to
satisfy the School of Medicine graduation requirements.
Students must complete all non-clinical selective requirements prior to entering the
clinical curriculum.
Non-clinical selectives must be taken following matriculation into medical school
Student must register through MyUW and pay tuition for these electives
Only pre-approved electives count toward the non-clinical selective requirement and may
not be repeated.
Courses taken as part of a Doctoral or Master‟s program for concurrent degree student
will meet the non-clinical selective credit requirement.
SEATTLE BASED APPROVED NON-CLINICAL SELECTIVES:

http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-Students/Curriculum/Non-
Clinical-Selectives/Pages/default.aspx
FOR REGISTRATION INFORMATION PLEASE USE THE UW TIME SCHEDULE URL:

http://www.washington.edu/students/timeschd/
For more information contact Sandy Pomerinke in the Curriculum office: spomerin@uw.edu
REGIONAL WWAMI-BASED APPROVED NON-CLINICAL SELECTIVES
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Contact your WWAMI office for registration and more information.
The Associate Dean for Curriculum may grant exceptions for students wishing to take courses not
on the approved course list. Please make an appointment with Associate Dean for Curriculum to
discuss a request for exception. Exceptions need to be approved prior to taking the elective.
Exceptions may be granted utilizing the following criteria:

1. A written request, with documentation of course content, is required 4 weeks prior to
registration, to the Curriculum Office
2. Pre-approval in writing is granted by the Associate Dean for Curriculum.
3. Courses must be at the graduate level (course number is 500 or above) and relevant to
medicine.
4. Courses must be intellectually rigorous and without patient care responsibilities.
5. Courses must be offered at the University of Washington or affiliated (i.e., WWAMI) site.
6. Student must be enrolled and paying tuition in order for course credit to be granted.
7. Independent study courses may not be taken for non-clinical selective credit.
8. CME courses may not be taken for non-clinical selective credit.
_____
Approved 06/04; Revised 07/05; Revised 06/06; Revised 06/07; Revised 05/08; Revised 06/09; Revised 07/11
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INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE INQUIRY (III)
http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-
Students/Curriculum/Independent-Investigative-Inquiry-III/Pages/default.aspx
The objectives of this requirement should lead the student:
To have first-hand experience in the acquisition and synthesis of new knowledge

To understand a health-related issue in depth
To foster a mentoring relationship with a faculty member outside the usual course
structure
To summarize the experience or findings in a written document
The purpose of the III portion of the curriculum is to engage students in activities that will foster
st
the skills of life-long learning essential for practicing physicians in the 21 century. Students will
gain experience generating questions related to the practice of medicine and exploring the
various methods available to resolve such questions. The student is strongly urged to select a
topic of particular interest to him/her and to investigate the subject independently, utilizing the
advice of a faculty advisor and other resources in the WWAMI community. This is a unique
opportunity for students to choose both the content and form of their learning and to pursue an
interest that may not be included elsewhere in the curriculum.
There are five selectives by which the III requirement can be fulfilled. Each offers the student a
different type of learning experience and each has its own expectations, procedures and
deadlines. These are described briefly here.
SELECTIVE 1: DATA GATHERING/HYPOTHESIS-DRIVEN INQUIRY

This selective can take the form of a basic laboratory study, a health services or medical
education survey, secondary analysis of an existing dataset, a chart review, a qualitative
study or a prospective clinical trial. The research can be initiated by the student or by the
advising faculty member, as long as the student has an independent role and makes an
intellectual contribution to the project. If a student undertakes research as part of a funded
program such as MSRTP (Medical Student Research Training Program), Developmental
Disabilities, ITHS TL-1 (multi disciplinary Predoctoral Clinical Research Training Program),
MSTAR (Medical Student Training in Aging Research), or UW/ACS (UW/American Cancer
Society) Summer Fellowships in Clinical Cancer Research, the study may also be used to
fulfill the III requirement providing a III proposal is approved prior to the start of research.
Students selecting this option can expect to learn the steps and logic involved in trying to
resolve an empirical question through data collection and analysis. If applicable, students will
learn how to conduct research in a way that conforms with human and/or animal use
regulations.
Contact: Michelle Fleming: flemingm@uw.edu, (206) 543-0922
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SELECTIVE 2: CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
In most cases a critical review of the literature involves developing a hypothesis and using
published material to explore the issue in depth. Particular attention is paid to the methods of
the studies reviewed in addition to the results. Alternatively, students can use published
literature and other sources to analyze an issue in medicine or to perform a historical medical
investigation.
Students selecting this option will learn how to use medical databases effectively. They will
learn how the population and methods employed in a study affect the interpretation of study
results. In addition, they will learn how to synthesize information from a variety of sources in
the form of an evidence table to draw a reasonable conclusion.
Contact: Mary Walls, MPH: mwalls@uw.edu, (206) 616-3047
SELECTIVE 3: EXPERIENCE-DRIVEN INQUIRY

An experience-driven investigation of an issue will be developed by the student while
participating in R/UOP-III (Rural/Underserved Opportunity Program). Students will have the
opportunity to look at health problems through the lens of “community”. Students spend 6
weeks, with 4 weeks on-site in defined community, complete community assessment, identify
a health problem, and develop a community medicine project to address it.
http://depts.washington.edu/fammed/predoc/programs/ruop
Contact: Corinne Corrigan, MN: corinnec@uw.edu
SELECTIVE 4: SPECIAL SIMULATION SELECTIVE

This selective offers students an opportunity to participate as a member of the ISIS staff
(Institute for Simulation and Interprofessional Studies). Under the direction of experts in the
field of simulation, students will have the opportunity to participate in task and team
orientation simulation exercises. With the understanding of how simulation exercises are
conducted, the student will then be expected to research and develop the content for one or
more simulated patients. This patient, as well as others being concurrently developed will be
incorporated into a computer based (Xbox) „simulated hospital‟ which is currently under
development by the ISIS faculty. These patients will serve as the core of a computer based
„continuity of care‟ experience being developed for use with medical students.
http://www.isis.washington.edu/
Contact: Dr. Brian Ross: bkross@uw.edu; Megan Sherman, shermm@uw.edu
SELECTIVE 5: PROMOTING COMMUNITY HEALTH IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

An experience-driven investigation of an issue will be developed by the student while
participating in the International Health Opportunities Program (IHOP). This option is for
students with a strong interest in global health and underserved communities and is
particularly suited to students on the Global Health Pathway. Students spend a minimum of
eight weeks in a developing country working to understand and help improve the local health
communities. Students perform a community health assessment and will develop and
implement a community health project.
http://depts.washington.edu/deptgh/resource_center/stu_ihop.php
Contact: Dr. David Roesel, droesel@uw.edu; Daren Wade, MSW: dwade@uw.edu
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WAIVER
Students who have received Master's or Ph.D. degrees with thesis or dissertation in disciplines
basic to medicine, or those who are first authors of published papers in peer-reviewed medical or
scientific journals may petition for a waiver of the requirement. Petitions for waivers must be
submitted no later than the last Friday of the first year of medical school. Papers used to fulfill
requirements in other courses/schools, other than those described above, are NOT acceptable
for waivers. Papers must be published by last Friday in March of the first year of medical school.
Waiver requests should be sent via email to Michelle Fleming, flemingm@uw.edu. MSTP
students fulfill the III requirement through their PhD dissertation.
FACULTY ADVISOR
Students will work with a faculty advisor who is on the UW faculty or is faculty affiliated with the
WWAMI Program. The minimum responsibilities of the advisor are to read and evaluate the plan
for the investigation and to approve the final scholarly product.
FINAL PRODUCT
For Selective 1, the student must write a paper related to the investigation; they may also need to
present a poster at the medical school poster session held in the fall of their second year. For
Selective 2, the student must write a paper related to the investigation. Specific paper guidelines
and evaluation criteria differ for each selective and will be described elsewhere. Inasmuch as the
writing of the paper is an essential component of the Independent Investigative Inquiry
requirement, the student must be the sole author of the paper, even if the student has
collaborated with another student or faculty member, or plans to submit a paper for publication
under joint authorship.
For Selectives 3, 4, and 5 a specified scholarly product is expected. Papers used to fulfill
requirements for other degrees or courses are not acceptable.
INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE INQUIRY CONTACTS
General III
Questions Michelle Fleming, A-300, flemingm@uw.edu 206-543-0922
UWSOM Research
Advisor Mary Walls, MPH, T-557 mwalls@uw.edu 206-616-3047
IRB/Human Subjects Geri Faris, gfaris@uw.edu 206-616-2345
Selective 1 Michelle Fleming, A-300, flemingm@uw.edu 206-543-0922
Selective 2 Mary Walls, MPH, T-557 mwalls@uw.edu 206-616-3047
Selective 3 Corinne Corrigan, MN, E-304 corinnec@uw.edu
Selective 4 Brian Ross, MD bkross@uw.edu
Megan Sherman shermm@uw.edu
Selective 5 David Roesel, MD droesel@uw.edu
Daren Wade, MSW dwade@uw.edu
~ 103 ~
III TIMETABLE FOR E-2011 STUDENTS
Applications, applicable forms, and a list of research opportunities will be available by the
end of Autumn Quarter 2011; links can be found on the III website. NOTE: Applications and
proposals can be submitted anytime before the due date.
Year 1: 2011-2012
Selective 1 Selective 2 Selective 3 Selective 4 Selective 5
MSRTP – Proposal due Applications will be Application Application due
Application due last Friday in available online by due last last Friday in
Friday, January March 2012. the last Friday of Friday in January 2012.
20, 2012. Autumn Quarter; January 2012.
application deadline
All other Selective is last Friday in
1 options – January.
Proposal due last
Friday in March
2012. *
Year 2: 2012-2013
Selective 1 Selective 2 Selective 3 Selective 4 Selective 5
MSRTP – Poster Final paper due Final R/UOP project Final project Final project due
presentation first Tuesday in is complete once due date date determined
during Autumn January 2013. final poster is determined by by IHOP
Quarter 2012; final presented during ISIS coordinator.
paper due first Autumn Quarter coordinator.
Tuesday in 2012. ** Students are
January 2013. expected to
present a final
All other Selective poster during
1 options - Final Autumn Quarter
paper due first 2012. **
Tuesday in
January 2013.
*TL-1, UW/ACS, and other research programs have application deadlines that differ from these
dates. It is your responsibility to check deadlines for those programs. If you are accepted into one
of these programs, you must also submit a Selective 1 proposal by the March deadline.
**III-3 and III-5 project have several assignment components due during the summer program
experience; all III-3 and III-5 students must display their posters in Student Poster Session
Autumn Quarter 2012.
~ 104 ~
PRECEPTORSHIPS
PRECEPTORSHIP: a period of training under a preceptor. Preceptor: a practicing physician

who volunteers to give personal instruction, training, and supervision to a medical student. At
UWSOM a preceptorship experience during the first two years of medical school is a „shadowing
experience‟. During a preclinical preceptorship it is hoped that students will have the opportunity
to follow a patient over time.
Students are required to complete one preceptorship during the first year of the basic science
curriculum. It is strongly recommended that students consider at least one preceptorship
experience with a physician in primary care (Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, or Pediatrics).
WWAMI-based students outside of Seattle are scheduled for the preceptorship experience as
part of their ICM course. Seattle-based students should schedule a preceptorship by contacting
the department of interest in advance (by the end of the previous quarter) with the exception of
Autumn Quarter where the preceptorship may be set up the first week of Autumn Quarter.
Students must register prior to the registration deadline through MYUW. Preceptorship
coordinators in departments where preceptorship opportunities are available can help students
connect with a preceptor in their field of interest and provide a faculty code for registration.
Students may not start a preceptorship without first being registered through the University of
Washington; insurance, safety, and liability are of utmost concern. Students are encouraged to
take additional preceptorships during their first and second years in primary care or specialty
fields.
Students need to fulfill this graduation requirement by scheduling a minimum of 8 four-

hour sessions during the first year of medical school. Enrollment is available throughout
fall, winter, and spring quarters OR fall and spring semesters.
Students need to plan to travel outside of the University to complete preceptorships.

Volunteer preceptors are limited.
In Seattle, specific departmental requirements are available through the department

preceptorship coordinator. Availability within each department is limited. Preceptorships
are registered on a first come first serve basis.
When contacting the preceptorship coordinator, plan to share your interests and
availability, plan to have alternate times & quarters available.
~ 105 ~
IMPORTANT: UWSOM does not waive late registration fees. Please refer to the Office
of the University Registrar Academic Calendar to confirm the current quarter‟s
registration dates and deadlines.
http://www.washington.edu/students/reg/1011cal.html.
Preceptorship guides are available online and through the curriculum office as well as from the
department preceptorship coordinator. More information and departmental contacts can be found
at this website: http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-
Students/Curriculum/Preceptorship/Pages/default.aspx
For general preceptorship information contact the Curriculum office, 206-543-5562.
OSCE
(OBJECTIVE STRUCTURED CLINICAL EXAMINATION)
Each student is required to successfully complete the Objective Structured Clinical Examinations
(OSCE). The second year OSCE is given during the Winter/Spring Quarter of the second year,
and the senior OSCE is given in specific weeks at the end of third year or beginning of the fourth
year. All students are required to take the senior OSCE at that time even if expanding the fourth
year. Students need to be certain to reserve time to be available for the senior OSCE, which is
scheduled during the fourth-year elective scheduling appointment. The OSCE‟s are intended to
provide opportunities to assess whether the appropriate level of clinical skills have been learned.
Time for remediating any areas in which the student needs additional assistance will be
scheduled with the College mentor prior to the student continuing in the curriculum. If the
remediation is not successfully completed, the student‟s record and a decision about his/her
continuance in the medical school will be referred to the Student Progress Committee.
Completion of the OSCE‟s is noted in the Dean‟s MSPE.
For more information contact Jennie Struijk, M.Ed. at osce@uw.edu, (206) 685-4007.
CAPSTONE I AND II
Capstone Courses are held at the end of the second and fourth years. Capstone I is Transition to
Clerkships; Capstone II is Transition to Residency. All students, including those in concurrent
degree program or year-out research projects, are required to complete the Transition to
Clerkships course at the end of the second year (or completion of HuBio curriculum for expanded
student) regardless of whether the students will be entering the clinical curriculum that year.
MSTP students or students taking a year out are encouraged to audit the relevant portion of the
course as needed after the completion of their graduate or year-out work prior to entering the
clinical curriculum.
For more information contact the Curriculum office, 206-543-5562.
~ 106 ~
USMLE AND YOUR MEDICAL SCHOOL TRAINING
Resources-Technology/information-and-
policies/Pages/USMLEandYourMedicalSchoolTraining.aspx
SCHOOL REQUIREMENT
Students are required to pass Step 1 and both components of Step 2, Clinical Knowledge (CK)
and Clinical Skills (CS), of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) prior to
graduation [formerly, National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Parts I and II]. Performance
on these examinations provides one method of comparing our students to those at other medical
schools and thereby assessing performance relative to a national peer group. The successful
completion of all three steps of the USMLE is necessary for obtaining a license to practice
medicine.
COST AND TIMING OF EXAMINATIONS
Step 1: The current fee for Step 1 is $525. Students must take Step 1 in the June-July
timeframe after the completion of the second year and prior to entering the clinical
curriculum. Past performance of our students suggests that those, who have received a
Fail grade in either Biochemistry, Anatomy, or Microbiology or two or more Fail grades in
any of the first or second year courses, are at a higher risk of having difficulty on the
examination. Students whose records fall within one of these categories should consider
the option of scheduling the examination to permit a six- to eight-week study period to
prepare for Step 1.
Step 2: The current fee for the Step 2 Clinical Knowledge exam is $525. The Clinical Skills
exam component of Step 2 was implemented in mid-2004; the fee is $1120. Additional
funds will be needed for travel and hotel costs when taking this exam at one of five sites
in the United States. Students must take Step 2-CK and Step 2-CS in July-September
timeframe of the fourth year, even if approved for a fourth year expansion. Scheduling
this graduation requirement takes priority over fourth year elective scheduling, away
electives, and extracurricular programs and activities. Requests for delays beyond this
timeframe must be approved by Dr. Eveland and are granted only under exceptional
circumstances. If either exam is not scheduled within the expected timeframe, the
Dean‟s MSPE will indicate the test date and consequences of it being out of compliance
with the School‟s requirement.
Step 3: The current fee for Step 3 is $705. Graduates take the exam during the first year of
residency training.
~ 107 ~
Note: The fee amounts listed above are current at the time of print, and are subject to change
every year. Please visit the USMLE website at www.usmle.org for current fee information.
PREPARATION FOR USMLE
For advice on developing a study plan, study tactics, and test taking skills, please contact the
academic skills coordinator at TBD or TBD Phone #. An orientation program is scheduled during
the winter quarter of the second year and provides in depth information about (1) the School‟s
guidelines for meeting the USMLE graduation requirement, (2) what happens if you need to
retake Step 1, (3) the performance of our students on USMLE, and (4) advice on study skills and
tips related to preparing for the exam from our Learning Skills Specialist and fourth year students.
IMPLICATIONS IF EXAMINATION IS FAILED
Students who do not pass the USMLE examinations are reviewed by the Student Progress
Committee. Students are expected to develop a study plan for retaking Step 1, and should retake
it as soon as possible before continuing in the clinical curriculum. Generally, if a student is not
having academic difficulty in the curriculum, she or he is permitted to attempt the examination
again. If a student has had difficulty in the basic science curriculum, the Student Program
Committee may recommend dismissal if Step 1 is failed twice.
If a student fails Step 1, s/he should contact the Dr. Eveland to discuss the timing of retaking the
examination in relation to his/her clinical schedule. With the Step 1 examination being given
essentially year-round, the student is usually permitted to complete the clerkship in which s/he is
currently enrolled. Most students find that having completed a clerkship helps in preparing for the
retake of Step 1.
For students who are having difficulty both in the curriculum and with the USMLE examinations,
the Student Progress Committee will take a more active role in the determination of the student's
academic program. In instances in which a student is having serious academic difficulty, the
Student Progress Committee may require the student to develop an independent study program
of three to six months in duration.
If either component of Step 2 is failed in the summer of the senior year, the student‟s clinical
schedule needs to be modified to allow time for studying and retaking the exam within a
timeframe that allows a passing score to be reported prior to the student entering his/her
residency rank order list. The status of completion of either component of Step 2 is included in
the Dean's MSPE. If Step 2 is failed a second time and if the student has had difficulty in the
curriculum, the Student Progress Committee may recommend dismissal.
~ 108 ~
If either Step 1 or either component of Step 2 is failed three times, the Student Progress
Committee will consider a dismissal recommendation. In rare cases, the Committee may allow a
fourth test administration upon petition by the student and with assurances that the student will
spend adequate time in preparation.
REGISTRATION FOR USMLE
The USMLE certification registration, application, and instructions for completing them are
available on the web at www.nbme.org. The certification registration form, which is valid for five
years, requires a current picture of a specific size, the School's seal, and Registrar's signature. It
is important that you meet the specified deadline for registration for the examination. This will
enable you to receive from the National Boards certification of the three-month timeframe in
which you can schedule a testing date with Prometrics Testing Center for taking the one-day
computerized examination. If you do not secure a Step 1 testing date in a timely manner, your
entry into the clinical curriculum will be delayed. Similarly, if you do not secure a testing date in a
timely manner for Step 2 CK or CS, your continuance in the curriculum will be delayed. If you are
unable to take the examination in the timeframe required by the School, your progress in the
curriculum may be interrupted. To delay either Step 1 or either component of Step 2 while
continuing in the curriculum, the student must receive permission prospectively from the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Dr. Eveland.
If you wish to request any special accommodations during the test administration, you must
provide additional information required by the NBME Office that includes specific, current
documentation related to the requested accommodation. If you have any questions about this,
please refer to USMLE information bulletin or contact
Dr. Eveland. All accommodations must be approved by the NBME Office prior to the testing date.
USMLE TEST ADMINISTRATIONS AND TEST STATISTICS
STEP 1: The Step 1 examination is given throughout the year, but is usually taken the
first time in June-July after completion of the basic science curriculum and must be taken
prior to entering the clinical curriculum. The minimum passing score is currently 188.
Nationally, about 6-10% of the first-time examinees fail this examination. The national
test mean is 221 with a standard deviation of 23.
STEP 2-CK AND CS: The Step 2-CK examination is given throughout the year, but must
be taken the first time in the July-September timeframe of the fourth year of medical
school. The minimum passing score is currently 189. Nationally, about 4% of first-time
examinees fail this examination. The national test mean is 229 with a standard deviation
of 23. The Step 2-CS must also be in the July-September timeframe of the fourth year of
~ 109 ~
medical school, even if approved to expand the fourth year. This is a Pass/Fail
examination.
STEP 3: The Step 3 examination is taken during the first year of residency training.
UW PERFORMANCE: In the past several years, the total mean score on Step 1 of our
students has been at about the National mean score. Our failure rate has ranged from 1
- 5% as compared to the National average of 6 - 10%. For Step 2-CK, our students'
performance has also been at about the National mean score; the failure rates are similar
to the National average of 4%. For Step 2-CS, our fail rate has varied from 1 to 5
students per year. For Step 3, our graduates have consistently performed well.
SCORE REPORT: The results of your performance sent to you by the National Board
Office on Step 1 and Step 2-CK will be reported as a total numeric score and a pass/fail
designation. In addition, you will receive a graph showing how you scored in the major
content areas. You will receive more specific information on the scoring of the
examination with your USMLE application materials. Step 2-CS is reported as a pass/fail
designation only.
The USMLE transcript is released to residency directors by the student as part of the
Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). Thus, the USMLE transcripts are a
routine part of the residency application process, and the USMLE score may be used to
screen candidates for interviews.
USMLE CERTIFIED TRANSCRIPT OF SCORES (PREPARED BY THE NBME)
If a student needs to request an official copy (transcript) of performance on either Step 1 or Step
2, this will be provided through the NBME Office in accordance with USMLE policies for reporting
scores to third parties, such as a residency program, but not to a medical licensing authority.
This transcript will be provided only through ERAS or a written request by the examinee who has
taken Step 1 and/or Step 2, has not yet taken Step 3, and who may have also taken but not
passed an NBME Part examination. The transcript includes the entire examination history (pass
and fail scores for all Steps taken to date). The additional related information which is also noted
includes an indicator of special circumstances (such as "did not complete", "irregular behavior",
"special testing accommodations") and an indicator of prior history in taking NBME or FLEX
examinations. The examinee cannot choose which Step score will be shown on the transcript.
For example, if both Steps 1 and 2 were taken, both will be reported, even if the request was for
Step 1 only. (For additional information, see NBME Bulletin provided with your USMLE
application.)
~ 110 ~
IMPORTANCE OF THE NATIONAL BOARD SCORES
TO THE SCHOOL: Passage of Step 1 and both components of Step 2 is a graduation

requirement. Timeframes are set by which students must successfully complete the Steps in
order to make progress in the medical school curriculum. The USMLE numeric scores are
not used in the Dean's MSPE prepared for students' applications to residency programs. The
Dean's MSPE does include a statement related to the student's status in meeting this
graduation requirement, i.e. Step 1 has been passed; Step 2 will be retaken in December,
etc. If either of the Step 2 exams has not been scheduled within the timeframe required, this
will be noted in the Dean‟s MSPE since the residency directors expect our students to have
completed these licensure applications prior to interviewing.
FOR LICENSURE: Passage of the USMLE Steps 1, 2-CK, 2-CS, and 3 is now the single
pathway for licensure. States may set a score level that needs to be met to be considered for
a license. There is a seven (7) year limit between the date Step 1 was taken to when Step 3
is completed. If the timeframe exceeds seven years, you may be required to retake Step 1.
TO RESIDENCY PROGRAM DIRECTORS: Many residency program applications ask for

information about licensure examinations. In most cases, program directors are interested in
whether the student has passed Step 1 and Step 2 CK and CS and also prefer to have the
scores prior to including the student in their residency rank order list. It is important to the
residency director that the student accepted into the program is capable of meeting licensure
requirements. If a resident is not successful in fulfilling the licensure examination
requirement by the end of the first year of residency, the resident may not be able to continue
in the program. In addition, the residency director may believe that successful performance
on the USMLE is predictive of performance on specialty boards, which may be important to
the evaluation of the residency program.
As some residency programs are becoming more competitive because of either the reduction
in the number of positions or the increase in the number of applicants, the USMLE scores are
being used in various ways in making decisions on whom to select for interviews. The
following programs consistently use the scores in the screening process: Anesthesiology,
Emergency Medicine, Neurosurgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic
Surgery, Otolaryngology, Radiology, Surgery, and Urology. Other specialties may request
and use the scores, but this appears to be more dependent on the residency program than
the specialty. With the implementation of ERAS, submission of USMLE official transcripts has
become a routine part of the residency application process for all specialties.
TO THE STUDENT: The importance that you place on the level of the score you wish to achieve
is your decision. The amount of study time may be important to your overall strategy. You
must also be aware that, if you take Step 1 or Step 2-CK and receive a passing score, you
cannot retake the examination to improve your score. The issue of the use of the USMLE
scores, particularly Step 1, in the residency selection process is one about which you need to
~ 111 ~
be aware so that you can make a decision on how you wish to approach this examination.
Many programs want to also see the Step 2-CK scores as part of the residency application
process. With the implementation of the ERAS noted earlier, most residency programs now
expect to receive official transcripts for both Step 1 and Step 2-CK during the application
timeframe.
Important Note: Please retain the score report sent to you from the National Board
Office, as you may need it for residency applications. In addition, you will need the
information from the score reports when you apply for licensure for the first-year of
residency and for Step 3.
~ 112 ~
CURRICULUM TIMELINE 2011-2012
1st Year September October November December January February March April May June
Gross Anatomy and First
Note: Introduction to Immunology Nervous System
Embryology Year
This is Microbiology &
HuBio
the Microscopic Anatomy: Histology Musculoskeletal System Infectious
finals
Seattle Diesease
course conclude
Medical Information for Decision Making Mechanisms in Cell Physiology
schedule, the
Courses first
are given Systems of Human Behavior week
at
slightly in June.
Biochemistry I-A; I-B
different
times
Introduction to Clinical Medicine I
across
WWAMI. Non-clinical selectives (courses operate on UW calendar)
Preceptorship (required in first year)
Summer
Independent
June -
Investigative Inquiry
Sept
(III)
2nd Year September October November December January February March April May June
Second
Pathology II A Pathology II B Pathology II C
Year
Principles of HuBio
Principles of Pharmacology I Hematology
Pharmacology II finals
conclude
Urinary System Respiratory System Medicine, Health, and Society Reproduction
at the
end of
Ethics CV Hormones and Nutrients Skin System
May.
Brain &
Problem Based Learning
Behavior
GI
Genetics
System
OSCE Clinical Epidemiology OSCE
Introduction to Clinical Medicine II
Non-clinical selectives (courses operate on UW calendar)
Preceptorship (optional in second year)
Summer
June - USMLE
July Step 1
3rd Year Required clinical clerkships in the third year:
Family Medicine (6 weeks)
Internal Medicine (12 weeks)
Obstetrics/Gynecology (6 weeks)
Pediatrics (6 weeks)
Psychiatry (6 weeks)
4th Year Surgery (6 weeks)
Work on
June - Senior July - July - Nov - Residency Match
USMLE Step 2 CK & CS residency March
Aug OSCE Sept Sept Jan Interviews Day
apps.
Required clinical selectives in third or fourth year:
Emergency Medicine (4 weeks)
Rehabilitation Medicine/Chronic Care (4 weeks)
Neurology (4 weeks)
Surgery (4 weeks)
Other clinical electives (16 weeks)
Capstone
May June Hooding
II
~ 113 ~
GRADING AND EVALUATION OF
PERFORMANCE
AWARDING OF THE DOCTOR OF MEDICINE DEGREE

The awarding of the Doctor of Medicine degree is contingent upon satisfactory completion of all
academic and non-cognitive requirements. The latter includes the acquisition of professional
behavioral patterns and attitudes consistent with the oath that all students take at the time of
graduation. As such, student evaluation is based upon the faculty's observation of the student's
professionalism, behavior, and conduct as well as papers and examinations. A pattern of
documented concerns about a student‟s performance and professionalism may indicate an
unsatisfactory performance when the record is viewed as a whole, even though passing grades
have been assigned, and this may result in the student‟s being dismissed from the School of
Medicine. Every student is required to pass Step 1, Step 2-Clinical Knowledge, and Step 2-
Clinical Skills of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, all University of Washington
examinations, including second year and senior OSCEs, and complete an approved Independent
Investigative Inquiry project before receiving the Doctor of Medicine degree. The School of
Medicine reserves the right to revise or modify the curriculum, system of evaluation, or graduation
requirements as deemed appropriate by the faculty.
A degree of Doctor of Medicine with Honors may be awarded to students with high achievement
who, in addition, have demonstrated initiative and success in clinical and scholarly pursuits
related to medicine. Approximately ten to fifteen percent of the class graduates with Honors.
Designations of High Honors is used to recognize the outstanding and truly exceptional
performances of a few select students, and these may not be given each year. Candidates for
graduation with Honors and special awards are nominated by the departments each year and are
selected based on a review of academic records and achievements by the Honors and Awards
Committee, a subcommittee of the Student Progress Committee.
GRADING SYSTEM
OVERVIEW OF GRADES, INCOMPLETE DESIGNATION, AND
PROFESSIONALISM BENCHMARKS
The School of Medicine‟s official (transcript) grading system is Pass and Fail for the first and
second year curriculum; Honors, Pass, and Fail for the second year required curriculum; and
Honors, High Pass, Pass, and Fail for the clinical curriculum. For all courses, an internal level of
assessment, Evaluator Concern, is included on the grading form, which provides an indication of
whether there are issues that need to be reviewed related to the student‟s basic science or
clinical coursework and/or professional behavior and conduct. During the 2006-2007 academic
year, the Committee on Student Evaluation, Student Grading, and Professionalism reviewed the
~ 114 ~
entire grading and evaluation system and made recommendations that were approved by the
Faculty Council on Academic Affairs in the spring of 2007 and implemented beginning with the
2007-2008 academic year. The recommendations included confirmation of the grading system,
addition of an assessment of professional behavior and conduct in courses and within the
medical school environment and community, guidelines related to the clerkship evaluation and to
the timing of submission of final grades and evaluations, and a process for managing
documented concerns about professional conduct and behavior.
The School's goal is to provide a curriculum that defines the competencies to be achieved by the
student at each level. All courses for which the student registers in the medical school curriculum
must be completed with an unqualified Pass or higher grade. This means that marginal
performance or evaluations that indicate concern, particularly in the non-cognitive areas, will not
be considered satisfactory. When the level of performance is deemed sufficiently weak in any of
the areas of evaluation, the Student Progress Committee may mandate that advance information
be given to course chairs or clerkship directors to ensure that the student receives help on
remediating these weaknesses and feedback on progress, especially if the performance remains
below standard. The determination of Honors grades is the prerogative of the course faculty and
criteria for achieving Honors will be specified in the course syllabi. There is no class standing or
grade-point average assigned under this grading system.
In the basic science curriculum, students will receive examination scores and final grade
percentage to provide information on their overall performance. The final grade percentages,
along with the conversion to Honors, Pass, or Fail, are submitted to the School of Medicine‟s
Registrar for use by the Student Progress Committee in reviewing students‟ performance. The
grade percentages are not part of the student‟s academic file or the official transcript and are not
used in the Dean‟s Medical Student Performance Evaluation, which is prepared for residency
applications.
Within the School's system of evaluation, each student must decide for herself/himself the
importance of achieving Honors grades. It is important that you recognize that there are three
major perspectives which need to be taken into account in making this decision: the School's
standard for graduation, competitiveness for continuing education (residency), and your own
personal standards. The School requires and expects students to achieve a satisfactory level,
which is usually demonstrated by unqualified Pass grades in all courses and attitudes and
professional conduct that are appropriate for a physician-in-training. For your next phase of
medical education, namely residency training, you need to consider the impact of a decision on
whether to work for Honors on your competitiveness for a residency position of choice. Lastly,
you need to be comfortable with your own individual, internal standard for the level of
performance that you wish to achieve beyond satisfactory mastery of the medical school
curriculum.
~ 115 ~
HONORS GRADES
In the clinical clerkships, an Honors grade is given based on criteria set by the department
responsible for the clerkship. There is usually not a requirement for an additional project in the
required nine (9) clinical clerkships; however some of the clinical electives do require additional
work, such as a paper, for consideration for Honors, and others are graded on Pass/Fail only,
particularly if only two weeks in duration.
HIGH PASS GRADES

The High Pass grade is a transcript grade in the clinical curriculum. This grade allows for
students to be recognized for clinical performance that is close to Honors. Each clerkship will
provide students with information on the determination of High Pass as part of the clerkship
syllabus.
PASS GRADES
In the basic sciences, the grade of Pass represents a wide range of performance. The student‟s
performance may be designated as “marginal” by the course chair based on the overall
performance in quizzes, participation, and final course and common exams. The marginal
performances are reviewed by the Student Progress Committee in the context of performance in
all courses, but this designation is not posted on the official transcript. In the first year basic
science courses, the common final given to all first year students must be passed in addition to
examinations unique to each first-year site. The evaluation form provides an opportunity to give
students feedback on the level of their performance. This feedback may be in the form of
descriptive comments on level of motivation, participation, or contribution to the courses or may
provide statistical information on the level of performance in examinations. In the clinical
clerkships and electives, narrative subjective comments are much more frequent and are what
form the basis of feedback to students for improving their clinical performance and much of the
information used in the Dean's Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), which is
prepared at the beginning of the senior year when students are applying for residency training.
EVALUATOR CONCERN
The evaluation forms for both the basic science and clinical curriculum include a section in which
faculty can indicate concerns about the student‟s performance, academic or clinical coursework
and/or professional behavior and conduct. The purpose of this is to provide feedback to students
and to give the Student Progress Committee additional information to use in the management
and oversight of students‟ academic and professional development. The Evaluator Concern
designation is not recorded on the official transcript, although an observed pattern of Evaluator
Concerns may be noted in the Dean‟s Medical School Performance Evaluation. An evaluator
concern documenting a serious deficiency or a pattern of evaluation concerns in two or more
courses may result in the student‟s performance being deemed unsatisfactory for continuance in
the medical school program.
~ 116 ~
FAIL GRADES
If a student receives a grade of Fail, the Student Progress Committee will review her/his record.
A student is not permitted to remediate the Fail until the Student Progress Committee has made a
decision related to the course chair's or clerkship director‟s recommendation and the student‟s
overall record.
For students who receive a Fail grade and who are permitted to take a re-examination, the Pass
grade on the re-examination will be recorded on the official transcript, and in the comment section
of the transcript, there will be an indication that the course was passed through a re-examination.
For students who receive a Fail grade and repeat the course, the Fail grade will be recorded on
the official transcript for the quarter in which this grade was received. In repeating the course, the
student registers for the course, the course is listed again on the transcript within the quarter
when it is retaken, and the grade received in the repeat of the course will be recorded. If a
student receives a Fail grade in a repeated course, this is grounds for dismissal. Remediation in
coursework is also included in the Dean‟s Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).
There is an expectation that students will achieve Pass grades in all courses. Under certain
circumstances, the Student Progress Committee may allow a student to retain a Fail or No-Credit
grade in an elective course that is not needed to meet a graduation requirement.
INCOMPLETE
An Incomplete may be given only in circumstances of documented, excused illness, or
personal/family emergency. The Incomplete is expected to be cleared within a short time frame.
If circumstances do not permit this, the Student Progress Committee, in consultation with the
course chair or clerkship director, will determine a date by which the Incomplete must be cleared.
If this deadline is not met, the Incomplete will be converted to a Fail. It is rare for students to
withdraw from courses; however, if this is necessary, requests for withdrawals are handled
through the Registrar in the Student Affairs Office.
To be eligible for consideration for an Incomplete, the student must call the course chair and/or
the Student Affairs Dean to discuss the need to delay an examination prior to the beginning of the
examination. If for some reason the student's request for a delay is not approved and the student
still decides not to take the examination at the scheduled time, a Fail will be submitted.
PROFESSIONALISM BENCHMARKS
The development of appropriate professional behavior and conduct, cultural competency, and
sensitivity to cultural differences is an essential component of the educational and medical
socialization process of an individual who has the privilege of entering the medical profession.
The values espoused by the profession and expected by society and the incorporation of these
behaviors into one‟s everyday conduct and practice evolve over time. The College faculty have
developed benchmarks to help students understand the levels of professional development that
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are expected throughout the student‟s training in medical school. These will be discussed in
orientation, and class meetings, and in basic science and clinical courses.
The ICM II professionalism benchmarks can be accessed through the ICM II website at
http://medcolleges.washington.edu/icm2/ and will be part of the curriculum presented in ICM I and
II. As part of your training in the clinical clerkships, you will continue to be introduced to levels of
behavior and conduct through experiences that you have and role modeling you observe in the
patient care setting. Your progress in understanding and incorporating these professional values
will be evaluated on the evaluation forms for each course and through individual professionalism
forms that may be submitted to provide documentation on both positive and negative interactions
with faculty, staff, and members of the community. Examples include completing requirements,
such as immunizations and licensing exams, meeting registration deadlines, and fulfilling other
obligations in a timely fashion, and maintaining appropriate conduct within the community. In
situations in which a student‟s overall professional development is deemed unacceptable by the
Student Progress Community, the Faculty Council on Academic Affairs, and the Dean, the
student may be dismissed from the School of Medicine. No student with unremediated
unacceptable professional behavior will receive the Doctor of Medicine degree from the University
of Washington School of Medicine.
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GRADE STATISTICS FOR RECENT CLASSES
To provide you with an overview of the grades which have been assigned, below are charts
showing the percent of each grade given in the required basic science courses and in the
required clinical clerkships for students in the Graduating Class of 2011.
% % %
BASIC SCIENCE CURRICULUM Honors* Pass Fail**
First Year: (In Alpha Order)
Biochemistry n/a 98 2
Critical Reading & Evaluation of Medical n/a 100 0
Literature
Gross Anatomy & Embryology n/a 99 1
Introduction to Clinical Medicine I n/a 100 0
Introduction to Immunology n/a 95 5
Mechanisms in Cell Physiology n/a 100 0
Microbiology and Infectious Disease n/a 91 9
Microscipic Anatomy (Histology) n/a 99 1
Nervous System n/a 94 6
Systems of Human Behavior I n/a 100 0
% % %
Second Year: (In Alpha Order) Honors* Pass Fail**
Brain and Behavior (Systems of Human 52 47 1
Behavior II)
Cardiovascular System 17 81 2
Clinical Epidemiology 57 42 1
Clinical Nutrition 46 54 0
Endocrine System 22 77 1
Gastrointestinal System 17 82 1
Genetics 20 80 0
Hematology 41 59 0
Introduction to Clinical Medicine II n/a 100 0
Medicine, Health & Society 35 65 0
Musculoskeletal System 60 39 1
Principles of Pharmacology I 34 62 4
Principles of Pharmacology II 40 59 1
Problem-Based Learning n/a 100 0
Reproduction 48 51 1
Respiratory System 28 71 1
Skin System 19 80 1
Systemic Pathology 19 79 2
Urinary System 17 83 0
* For the class entering in 2002, the first year grading system changed to Pass/Fail; pre-2002 Honors
not included above.
** Percentage represents initial grade; Fails are remediated through reexamination or through repeat
of the course. See individual student’s MSPE for details.
% % % %
REQUIRED CLERKSHIPS Honors High Pass Fail**
Pass
Required in Third Year:
(includes 95-100% of class)
Family Medicine 38 49 12 1
Internal Medicine 31 39 30 0
Obstetrics and Gynecology 26 37 37 0
Pediatrics 31 50 19 0
Psychiatry 31 47 22 0
Surgery 38 25 37 0
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GRADE EVALUATION CRITERIA
EVALUATION OF STUDENT‟S PERFORMANCE IN BASIC SCIENCE
REQUIRED OR NON-CLINICAL ELECTIVE COURSE
Non Clinical Electives in the Basic Science use the following scale to evaluate student
performance:
Exceeds Meets Needs Evaluator Not Applicable

Expectations Expectations Development Concern*
Students are evaluated in the following areas:

Knowledge of Subject:(verbal discussions, written exams)
Application of Knowledge:(problem-solving skills: discussions in group)
Educational Attitudes:(participation; inquisitiveness; enthusiasm; motivation)
Professional Conduct:(relationships with others; group work)
Personal Conduct:(integrity; personal interactions)
*If a student has an area that Needs Development and/or there is an Evaluator Concern:
comments are required to document areas needing development or of concern. (Not included in
the Dean‟s MSPE)
Evaluators are also required to provide comments to elaborate on areas of evaluation and rank
the student s overall performance. (For use in the Dean‟s MSPE)
EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN INTRODUCTION TO

CLINICAL MEDICINE I
Introduction to Clinical Medicine uses the following scale to evaluate student performance:
Exceeds Meets Areas to work Evaluator Not Applicable

Expectations Expectations on Concern*

Interviewing: Data Collection [process and components of medical interview]
Interviewing: Communication techniques [principles of patient centered interviewing and
doctor-patient communication]
Documentation [organization and structure of written medical data base]
Educational Attitudes [participation in and receptivity to learning]
Professional Conduct [understanding and demonstration of responsible behaviors for
physician in training]
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the Dean‟s MSPE)
EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN INTRODUCTION TO

CLINICAL MEDICINE II
Introduction to Clinical Medicine II uses the following scale to evaluate student performance:


Clinical Skills:
o Interviewing
o Physical Examination
o Documentation
o Clinical Reasoning
o Oral Case Presentation
Educational Attitudes: (participation; inquisitiveness, enthusiasm, motivation)
Professional Conduct:
o Reliability, professional behavior
o Integrity, personal interactions
the Dean‟s MSPE)
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EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN PRECEPTORSHIPS
Evaluators for preceptorships use the following scale to evaluate student performance:


Clinical Skills:
o Interviewing
o Physical Examination
o Documentation
o Clinical Reasoning
o Oral Case Presentation
Educational Attitudes: (participation; inquisitiveness, enthusiasm, motivation)
Professional Conduct:
o Reliability, professional behavior
o Integrity, personal interactions
the Dean‟s MSPE)
EVALUATION OF STUDENT PERFORMANCE IN CLINICAL CURRICULUM
Evaluators for the Clinical Curriculum use the following scale to evaluate student performance:
1 2 3 4 5 NA
Unacceptable Below Meets Exceeds Exceptional
Expectations Expectations Expectations
Evaluators use the above scale to evaluate the students on the following criteria:
Knowledge of Subject: Includes level of knowledge and application to clinical

problems.
o Demonstrates understanding of basic principles
o Applies knowledge to specific patient conditions
Data-Gathering Skills: Includes basic history and physical examination.
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o Obtains basic history and physical.
o Information is organized and complete enough to make an assessment of major
problems.
Clinical Reporting Skills: Includes oral case presentations, written or dictated
notes, histories, and physical exams.
o Communicates medical history and physical exams in an organized and
complete manner
o Presentations identify and describe all major problems
Procedural Skills: Includes knowledge, preparation, performance, and attention to
patient comfort and dignity.
o Attentive to patient‟s comfort or dignity
o Demonstrates good motor skills that result in an adequate performance of task
o Prepared for the task
Integration Skills: Includes problem-solving skills, ability to use data from patient
interview, physical examination, and ancillary tests to identify major and minor
patient problems in an organized and efficient manner.
o Able to independently identify and prioritize major problems
o Able to problem solve and organize efficiently
Management Skills: Includes order writing, initiative, practicality, and
independence.
o Offers an independent management plan that is realistic and logical
Patient Centered Care: Includes eliciting and negotiating agenda; eliciting
patient‟s perspective of illness; and negotiating treatment plan.
o Integrates biomedical and psychosocial perspective into care plan and patient
management
o Elicits the patient‟s perspective of his/her illness
o Elicits and negotiates agenda with patients.
o Negotiates treatment plan with the patient
Communication Skills with Patients, Families, Colleagues, and Staff: Includes
ability to modify communication style and ability to listen and constructively
resolve conflicts
o Communicates information effectively
o Modifies an awareness to modify communication style and content to situation
o Able to establish rapport
o Able to listen and be silent
o Culturally proficient
Relationships with Patients and Families: Includes courtesy, empathy, respect,
compassion, and understanding the patient‟s perspective.
o Demonstrates respect, empathy, and compassion
o Solicits the patient‟s perspective
o Often respects the patient‟s values, even when in conflict with his/her own
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Professional Relationships: Ability to work collaboratively with team members,
including faculty, staff, and other students; courteous and cooperative attitude;
maintains composure in times of stress.
o Collaborates and/or establishes appropriate relationships with team
o Recognizes and respects roles of all team members within and across specialties
o Is compassionate when interacting with team
Educational Attitudes: Includes active participation in learning, self-reflection, and
responsiveness to feedback, and provides respectful and constructive feedback.
o Does what is required
o Responds appropriately to feedback
o Reflects on his/her own knowledge base
o Participates in educational experiences
o Is actively engaged in learning
Dependability and Responsibility: Includes attendance, preparation, and personal
appearance. Maintains personal honor and integrity.
o On time and prepared
o Follows through with assigned tasks
o Trusted to work independently and knows limits and asks for help when needed
*If a student has an area that Unacceptable and/or there is an Evaluator Concern: comments are
required to document areas needing development or of concern. (Not included in the Dean‟s
MSPE)
Evaluators use the below scale to rate a students overall performance:
Unacceptable Performance (Fail)

Below Expected Performance for Level (marginal)
Meets Expectations (Pass)
Exceeds Expectations (High Pass)
Exceptional Performance (Honors)
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APPEAL OF GRADE OR EVALUATION COMMENTS
BASIC SCIENCES
If the student believes the grade received for a course is inaccurate, there is a review process
within the department that has primary responsibility for the course. It is important to recognize
that, within an academic setting, the final determination of the evaluation of performance resides
with the faculty. The Student Progress Committee, which is charged to review students'
performances, does not make determinations of grades but rather relies on the information
submitted by the department on student performance.
TIMELINE
The basic science evaluation form submitted for the student‟s official academic record must
include a final grade and may include comments and an assessment of the student‟s
professional development. The University policy stipulates that a request for a grade review
must be made before the end of the academic quarter following the quarter in which the
course was taken and it is expected that the appeal review will be completed within a
reasonable period of time, preferably prior to the student beginning the next quarter‟s
coursework. This does not include the Summer Quarter when enrolled in the three quarter
basic science curriculum.
PROCESS
The first step a student should take in having a grade reviewed is to discuss the performance
with the appropriate course chair for the basic science curriculum. This discussion should
include a review of both the criteria established by the department for the assignment of the
grade and the actual performance of the student and the reasons the student believes the
grade is inaccurate. As part of this review, the course chair may need to speak with those
who worked with the student and had input into the evaluation. At the conclusion of this
review, the course chair will make a decision on the grade. If the student still believes that
the grade is inaccurate, she or he may request a further review by the appropriate
department chair. The information presented by the student and the course chair will be
reviewed. If any further input is needed, the department chair will request it. Once all
information deemed relevant is reviewed by the department chair, he or she will make a
decision on the grade. This decision is final with no further appeal. If at either review level a
decision is made to change the grade, a revised evaluation will be submitted to the School of
Medicine‟s Registrar for the student‟s official academic file.
CLINICAL CURRICULUM
The final clerkship evaluation form contains a final grade and information about areas needing
improvement, evaluator concerns, professional development, and overall comments that may be
used for the medical student performance evaluation (MSPE). A student has the right to appeal
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their grade/comments in a clerkship in situations where they feel the grade/comments were in
error, were insufficient, or believe they were improperly graded. For the purpose of this grade
appeal policy, “grade” will equal anything contained in the final clerkship evaluation form.
If the student believes the grade received for a clerkship is inaccurate, there is a review process
within the department that has primary responsibility for the clerkship. It is important to recognize
that, within an academic setting, the final determination of the evaluation of performance resides
with the faculty. The Student Progress Committee, which is charged to review students'
performances, does not make determinations of grades but rather relies on the information
submitted by the department on student performance.
TIMELINE
Students should receive grades within four weeks after the end of the clerkship and never
more than six weeks. A request for a grade review must be made before 12 weeks
following the end of the clerkship. This means that the student will have 6-8 weeks to
appeal a grade. (For situations in which the grade was finalized longer than 6 weeks after
the end of the clerkship, the student should never have less than 6 weeks to appeal a grade.)
This is a practical matter for the clerkship because an appeal for grade change that comes in
after too much time has passed may not allow for an accurate reassessment due to faulty
memories. This policy applies to all the required and elective clerkships.
PROCESS
1. A student who believes he or she has been improperly graded must first discuss the matter
with the appropriate Clerkship Director. The reasons should be documented in writing unless
the issue is easily resolved during the first meeting in person or by phone.
2. In all but the simplest matters, the Clerkship Director should investigate the matter by talking
with the preceptor(s) who completed the original evaluation(s). This discussion should
include a review of the criteria established by the clerkship for the assignment of the grade,
the actual performance of the student, and the reasons the student believes the grade is
inaccurate. It is expected that this can be accomplished in 21 calendar days.
3. The Clerkship Director will communicate the results of the review to the student. At this point
the grade may be changed or left the same. If the decision is to uphold the grade and the
student is not satisfied with the Clerkship Director‟s explanation, the student, no later than
14 calendar days after his or her discussion with the Clerkship Director, may submit a
written appeal to the Chair of the Department, with a copy of the appeal also sent to the
Clerkship Director.
4. The Chairperson shall consult with any or all parties (Clerkship Director, preceptor, student,
etc.) to determine whether the evaluation of the student's performance was fair and
reasonable or not. It is expected that this can be accomplished in 21 calendar days.
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The Chairperson will determine the clerkship grade and this decision is final with no further
appeal.
5. If at either review level a decision is made to change the grade, a revised evaluation will be
submitted to the School of Medicine‟s Registrar for the student‟s official academic file. If the
grade is not changed, but there are circumstances or information worth documenting, the
Clerkship Director may submit a letter for inclusion in the student‟s official academic file.
6. Once a student submits a written appeal, this document and all subsequent actions on this
appeal are recorded in written form for deposit in a department file.
Approved by Faculty Council on Academic Affairs, 2/22/10 Updated: 06/17/10
POLICY FOR PLANNED DELAY IN GRADE REPORTING

IN THE REQUIRED CLERKSHIPS
BACKGROUND
The University of Washington School of Medicine and the LCME standard for reporting grades
requires that a grade must be reported to the student within four weeks after the end of the
clerkship and never more than six weeks after the end of the clerkship. However, when students
have not completed the work or need to remediate parts of it, they are not eligible for grades and
these should not be counted as a failure of our system to report grades in a timely fashion.
POLICY
A policy for a planned delay in grade reporting in situations where the work has not been
completed or remediation is required is needed because there will be a very small number of
reasons why the requirements of the clerkship cannot be met by the student in the time allotted.
These reasons, defined below, will fall under the general categories of missed time in the
clerkship, failed component (requiring remediation) of the clerkship, and incomplete
requirement of the clerkship. This policy applies only to the nine required clerkships. All elective
clerkships, including surgical selectives, are expected to have all grades to the students within
four weeks after the end of the clerkship and never more than six weeks. Likewise, this policy
does not apply to the preclinical courses.
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APPROPRIATE USE OF THE INCOMPLETE GRADE
1. Missed Time: The absentee policy for the clerkship is very clear. The Clerkship Director
has the authority to require the student who misses too many days to drop the clerkship
and take it in another block. The absentee policy also allows for days missed to be made
up in other ways such as taking more call or working weekends. (At all times the Work
Hours Policy needs to be followed.) The final option is for missed days due to illness or
family emergency to be made up at another time agreed upon between the student and
Clerkship Director. The Incomplete grade is appropriate in this situation.
2. Failed Component: The most likely reason in this category is failing the final exam.
Some clerkships require a passing grade on the final exam or make-up exam in order to
pass the clerkship. Other reasons will occur less often, but might include failing a mini-
CEX. The Incomplete grade is appropriate between the end of the clerkship until another
exam is given, or other remediation is accomplished.
3. Incomplete Requirement: There may be rare reasons why a student was unable to
complete a requirement. For example, a snow storm such that the student could not
travel to take the final exam and then had to start a new clerkship. Another example
would be a good reason for missing a patient encounter, and equivalent make-up was not
available. The Incomplete grade is appropriate between the end of the clerkship until the
exam is given, or other remediation is accomplished.
INAPPROPRIATE USE OF THE INCOMPLETE GRADE
1. Waiting for an Honors paper from the student. If the clerkship is awaiting work before
awarding honors, the grade at the end of the clerkship should be issued. This can be
changed when the Honors paper is submitted.
2. Delayed critique of research papers, write-ups, etc.
3. When the student has not met all the requirements, but had knowledge of, and adequate
time, to complete the requirements.
4. If there is a delay in student evaluation information from preceptors/residents.
5. While waiting for WRITE students to finish the second ½ of the Medicine, Pediatrics, and
Psychiatry clerkships. However, feedback should not wait and must be given upon
completion of the first half of these clerkships. WRITE grades should all be provided
within four weeks after the end of the WRITE rotation and never more than six weeks.
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NECESSARY CONDITIONS FOR THE INCOMPLETE GRADE
1. The reason for the Incomplete grade has been discussed with the student.
2. Feedback concerning the completed part of the clerkship has been given and exam
scores have been provided if available.
3. The clerkship director and the student have agreed upon a process and timetable for
completing the requirement. The maximum number of weeks allowed is 24, but sooner is
better. If the Incomplete is not cleared by completing the requirement within 24 weeks of
the end of the clerkship, it must be converted to a Fail grade. Alternatively, four weeks
before graduation day may determine the maximum amount of time allowed, whichever
comes first.
4. The final grade form in E*Value is populated with all relevant content (ratings, comments,
etc) within four weeks, with an additional comment in the formative comment section (to
be erased later) indicating the missing requirement, and the timetable to be completed.
Finally, the Incomplete grade is checked.
Approved by Faculty Council on Academic Affairs, 2/22/10
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EVALUATION OF OVERALL PERFORMANCE
STUDENT PROGRESS COMMITTEE
(The following is a summary of the Student Progress Committee’s charge, general principles, and
operating guidelines. Full text documents related to the function and operation of this Committee
are available on the M.D. program website.)
The Student Progress Committee reviews the records of medical students and makes decisions
about a student's progress in meeting the School of Medicine's graduation requirements. The
Student Progress Committee makes decisions related to all areas of the student's progress
including promotion, remediation, probation, leave of absence, expanded curricular program,
reprimand, mandatory leave, dismissal, graduation, and other ad hoc assignments determined by
the Committee. The Committee adopts/approves language to use as key words in the Dean‟s
Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE). The Committee is also charged with
determining which individuals meet criteria to graduate with Honors or High Honors or Awards at
its annual Honors and Awards meeting. The School of Medicine‟s grading system is managed
within the respective Curriculum Committees, which comprises the course chairs, clerkship
directors and voting student members. Within each course, the specific criteria for evaluating the
student‟s performance is the prerogative of the departmental faculty assigned responsibility for
the courses. The final grades and evaluations submitted by the course chairs or clerkship
directors form the basis on which the Student Progress Committee makes decisions about a
student‟s progress in the medical school program.
The Committee considers each case on an individual basis. The Committee may also allow
modifications of its guidelines for progression in the medical school program when Committee
members agree that the circumstances of the case support it.
To be recommended for the award of the Doctor of Medicine degree, a student must successfully
meet all of the School‟s curricular requirements and demonstrate the attitudes and behavior
appropriate to a career in medicine. These include the School‟s Independent Investigative Inquiry
project (III), second- and senior- year Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE), the
United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE), Step 1, Step 2-Clinical Knowledge (CK),
and Step 2-Clinical Skills (CS), and the expected level of personal and professional development
and standards of conduct across the entire curriculum. Although passing grades may have been
assigned in all individual required courses, a documented pattern of “evaluator concerns” about a
student‟s performance, behavior or conduct may constitute a failure to meet the requirements of
the Doctor of Medicine degree.
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GENERAL PRINCIPLES
The following concepts serve as the foundation for the Student Progress Committee‟s operating
guidelines for overseeing students‟ academic progress and professional development. The
guidelines are structured to convey the School‟s academic and professional standards, and to
make the expectations for performance clear to members managing decisions about students. In
deciding whether the student has met the School‟s standards or could be successful with
remediation or other academic accommodations, the Committee members depend on the
guidelines, but recognize that some cases should be reviewed on their individual merits.
Students must meet all of the School‟s requirements for graduation and perform at a
passing level or above in all course work and requirements. The Committee‟s role is to
uphold the standards of the School of Medicine and the University of Washington, while
at the same time supporting the student‟s continuation in the medical school program, by
allowing appropriate remediation or modifications of the student‟s schedule when there is
evidence that the student can be successful in the program.
Since students learn at varying rates and through different study techniques, and in the
broader context of their life circumstances, the Committee considers cases of
unsatisfactory progress on an individual basis. The Committee depends on the
guidelines outlined in this document, but weighs all aspects of the student‟s performance
and extenuating circumstances, and reserves the appropriate latitude for considering a
variety of remediation options to support the student‟s continuation in the medical school
program. Extenuating circumstances include such stressors as personal health issues
and unexpected personal and family emergencies.
Input from students on how they learn and which remedial course of action may work
best for them is important to the Committee‟s deliberations. In situations when students
make positive academic progress and show insight into the modifications that need to be
made, the Committee will take into account extenuating circumstances and permit the
student to have a “second opportunity” to continue in the medical school program. If
extenuating circumstances continue to interfere with the student‟s performance in
subsequent course work, the Committee will most likely not permit the student to
continue. Decisions for these kinds of situations include a range of options from allowing
or mandating an expansion or a leave of absence to give the student more time to
manage the extenuating circumstance to recommending dismissal when it becomes
evident that the student is unable to perform at an acceptable level or is unable or
unwilling to implement changes needed to be successful.
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ACADEMIC RECORD AND PROGRESS
CONFIDENTIALITY
It is important to maintain confidentiality surrounding the student‟s academic performance and
progress in the medical school program. The following individuals have knowledge of the
student‟s status and/or are informed when appropriate to facilitate the student‟s successful
progress:
Student Progress Committee Chair and Faculty Members
Academic Affairs (Seattle-based and Regional) Deans and Staff who
serve as ex officio members of the Student Progress Committee
Student‟s College Mentor, who is informed of any action taken by the
Committee regarding one of his/her students
Academic Affairs Staff, who schedule appointments with deans,
schedule students in courses and clerkships, write letters of good
standing, maintain the academic files, etc.
Course Chairs who present or provide information at the Student
Progress Committee‟s end-of-quarter meetings and need to manage
remediation plans related to their courses
Clerkship Directors who present or provide information on student
difficulty in their clerkship and need to manage remediation plans
related to their clerkships
Academic Faculty of affiliated degree programs (e.g., MSTP)
Anyone with legitimate need to know as defined by the Federal
Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The following general guidelines represent the framework within which the Student Progress
Committee operates in reviewing the records of medical students and in making decisions about
the student's progress in meeting the School of Medicine's graduation requirements.
REQUIRED COURSE WORK WITHIN UW SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

All required basic science courses, first- and second-year Introduction to Clinical Medicine, and
required clinical clerkships must be completed within the University of Washington School of
Medicine's program. Under rare circumstances and with the approval of the course chair or
clerkship director and the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs, a student may be permitted to
complete a required course at another LCME approved medical school.
FIRST YEAR CURRICULUM

A student must successfully complete the first-year basic science, Introduction to Clinical
Medicine (ICM), and required preceptorship curriculum to be promoted to the second year.
Under certain circumstances, the Committee may allow a student to begin the second year in an
expanded mode while repeating a first year course.
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INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATIVE INQUIRY (III)
Students must successfully complete the III requirement by the end of January of the second year
of medical school. Exception in the timeline is given for those in approved concurrent degree
programs, e.g. Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), for which a thesis or dissertation in a
medical or medically related field will be completed during medical school.
SECOND YEAR CURRICULUM, CAPSTONE I

A student must complete all components of the year-two curriculum (second-year basic science
courses, Introduction to Clinical Medicine II, second-year OSCE and Capstone I), including
completing Step 1 of the USMLE to be promoted to the year-three clinical curriculum. Students
who receive a fail on Step 1 will be required to exit the clinical curriculum in order to study and
retake the examination. They will be allowed to complete the clerkship in which they are currently
enrolled. Note: All students, including MSTP students, are required to complete Capstone I at
the conclusion of the basic science curriculum.
REQUIRED THIRD-YEAR CLERKSHIPS

Students are expected to complete all of the required third-year clinical clerkships as an intact
curricular schedule during the third year of the medical school program. Only under exceptional
circumstances, such as personal health or family emergency, will permission be granted to delay
a required third-year clerkship into the fourth year.
REQUIRED FOURTH-YEAR CLERKSHIPS, CLINICAL ELECTIVE CREDITS,

CAPSTONE II
Students subsequent years must complete the required fourth-year clerkships and required
minimum clinical elective credits no later than the first four weeks of Spring Quarter to assure final
grades are received in time for June graduation. All students are required to complete the senior-
year OSCE at the beginning of the fourth year, and Capstone II (Transition to Residency) in the
final year prior to graduation. [Note: the Associate Dean for Student Affairs may permit the
student to complete Capstone II at the end of the fourth year only in exceptional circumstances
when a student is approved for an expansion/leave of absence (year-out) program in the final
year that precludes being on campus when Capstone II is offered.]
OBJECTIVE STRUCTURED CLINICAL EXAMINATION (OSCE)

A student must successfully complete the second year OSCE prior to entering the clinical
curriculum and the senior OSCE at the beginning of the fourth year. (See Appendix B.)
~ 133 ~
USMLE REQUIREMENT
Passing USMLE Step 1, Step 2-Clinical Knowledge and Step 2-Clinical Skills is a graduation
requirement. (See Appendix C)
Step 1 must be taken prior to entering the clinical curriculum.
Step 2-Clinical Knowledge and Step 2-Clinical Skills examinations must be taken
between July and September of the fourth year. This includes students who request to
expand their fourth year.
STANDARDS OF CONDUCT AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The University of Washington School of Medicine is committed to maintaining the highest
standards of academic performance, professional behavior, personal integrity, and respect for
each other as individuals. It is expected that students will be on their honor to maintain high
standards of professional behavior in all aspects of their medical school training both in the
academic setting and also in the community. Upholding the academic standards of professional
and personal conduct includes acquiring behavioral patterns and attitudes consistent with the
oath taken at the time of graduation and being accountable for one's own conduct.
Evaluations of the performance of students in the medical school curriculum include an

assessment of whether the student is making satisfactory progress in developing appropriate
professional behavior for a physician-in-training. For a student in whom unprofessional behavior
has been identified and documented through an appropriate review process, the Student
Progress Committee may interview the student and determine whether the student has insight
into the behavior, whether there were any extenuating circumstances that need to be taken into
account, and whether there is an appropriate remediation that should be considered.
Breaches of integrity are considered grounds for dismissal. However, in reviewing the
circumstances surrounding the student‟s behavior, the Committee may elect to place the student
on a mandatory leave of absence from the medical school program as a sanction for the
unprofessional behavior and allow for a period of time during which the student may undergo
appropriate remediation. The Committee will also interview the student at the conclusion of the
sanction imposed to determine whether the student should be permitted to reenter the medical
school program or should be dismissed.
If the student‟s professional behavior is deemed to be unacceptable and the student has not
sufficiently learned how to modify his/her behavior or if the behavior is so egregious and deemed
to make the student unfit for being a physician-in-training, the student will not be recommended
for graduation with the M.D. degree.
A student is expected to abide by University, local, state, and federal regulations and laws.
Infractions of these standards may result in a sanction being imposed by the Student Progress
Committee apart from whether there is any action that may be taken in civil or criminal court.
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For infractions related to personal/professional behavior and conduct within the medical school
program, the School of Medicine‟s Student Progress Committee's review process will be followed.
The Committee reserves the option of having the investigation conducted by the Community
Standards and Student Conduct Office. Investigation of infractions outside of the medical school
program will be conducted by the Community Standards and Student ConductOffice (CSSC) who
will provide a report to the Committee and may, independent of the Committee, levy sanctions on
the student. The student‟s right to appeal sanctions levied by the CSSC may be found in the
University‟s Student Conduct Code guidelines. A student‟s right to appeal decisions of the
Student Progress Committee may be found in the Student Handbook.
Below are broad categories of personal/professional behavior and conduct, which fall under the
purview of the Student Progress Committee as part of the overall academic standards expected
of students who are recommended for promotion and graduation. They are also reflective of the
University‟s Student Conduct Code, http://www.washington.edu/students/handbook/conduct.html.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but rather general guidelines for which inappropriate
behavior would be of concern in professional development.
Cheating/Plagiarism
Cheating:
Involving examinations
Copying work of others
Plagiarism:
Careless attribution of sources
Intentional misrepresentation
Inappropriate Interaction with Patient

Taking action regarding patient care outside of the care team hierarchy
Arguing about diagnosis or treatment in front of patient
Describing patient in inappropriate terms
Not respecting personal or professional boundaries with patients
Inappropriate personal relationship with patient or member of patient‟s family
Inappropriate Behavior in Clinical Setting

Taking patient's record from the hospital
Inappropriate access to patient‟s electronic record
Talking about patient in public setting
Acting beyond level of responsibility without direction from the patient care
team
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Fabricating clinical data, such as when asked about patient
status or in recording information on the patient
Inappropriate attire/hygiene
Ignoring proper universal precautions
Inappropriate Interaction with Peers, Staff, Faculty

Harassment or abusive behavior in person or electronically
Assault
Deliberate degradation or disruption of the learning environment
Intentional misrepresentation of self or qualifications
Argumentative behavior beyond what is reasonable for issue or setting
Inappropriate, inadequate or untimely response to queries from faculty/deans
Inappropriate Behavior Outside Coursework

University Student Conduct Code infractions
Inappropriate interaction with individual(s) within the University or community
Conviction of a misdemeanor or felony
Harassment or abusive behavior
Crimes against property
Non-Compliance with Requirements

HIPAA
Immunizations
Background Check
CPR/BLS
Universal Precautions Training
Financial Responsibilities
Requesting or accepting financial aid based on
misrepresentative or false documentation
Not meeting agreed obligations related to research fellowship
or other contract with stipend
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GUIDELINES FOR ACADEMIC PROBATION
PLACEMENT ON PROBATION
Two or more Fail grades within an academic year warrants placement on probationary
status and may result in a dismissal recommendation.
Receipt of additional Fail grades while on probation or failure to convert such grades to
Pass in accordance with the Committee's specified timetable may result in dismissal from
the School of Medicine.
A student may be placed on academic probation if, in the judgment of the Student
Progress Committee, his or her progress is unsatisfactory in any area which falls under
the Committee's purview.
The timeframe for removal from academic probation is noted below. However, the
Committee may set a timeframe in which the probationary status will be in effect over an
extended period of time. For example, for unprofessional conduct, the probationary
status may extend throughout the student‟s tenure in the medical school program.
A student may request to meet with the Student Progress Committee if s/he does not
believe placement on academic probation is warranted. The outcome of this review with
the Committee is final with no further review.
REMOVAL FROM PROBATION

A student is eligible for consideration for removal from probation when the following condition(s)
related to being placed on probation has/have been met:
satisfactory remediation of all Fail grades is applicable,

satisfactory completion of two quarters of full-time course work, and
absence of any other issues of concern being considered by the Student Progress
Committee.
Depending on the record, a student may be retained on probation until successful completion of
the USMLE examination that is related to the area of the curriculum in which the student has had
difficulty.
When it is clear that the student has met the criteria for being removed from probation, the Chair
of the Student Progress Committee may remove the student from probation and inform the
student of this. If there is some question about the decision for removing a student from
probation, the student's record will be presented to the Student Progress Committee for a
decision.
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Probation is a warning to the student that she/he must show improvement if he or she is to
remain in the School. The student is advised of the expected level of performance in subsequent
course work for retention in the School. Probationary status is noted on the internal medical
school transcript, but is not reported on the official transcript or in the Dean‟s MSPE.
While in the basic science curriculum, a student on probation may not take electives without
permission from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. While in the medical school curriculum,
the Student Progress Committee may ask the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to provide
information to the course chairs or clerkship directors about the areas in which the student needs
remediation.
A student on probation is neither permitted to participate in major medical school or outside

activities or work, nor to be recommended for a concurrent degree, fellowship, or other program
that may interfere with the student‟s performance and reinstatement to good standing. If there
are significant reasons to be considered for activities or work, the student may request approval
for changes from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and any modifications approved will be
presented to the Student Progress Committee. If the Associate Dean for Student Affairs does not
believe the requested changes are appropriate, the student may request to meet with the
Committee to discuss his/her plan and to seek approval of the requested modifications.
GUIDELINES FOR ADVANCE INFORMATION ON

STUDENT‟S ACADEMIC STATUS
As part of the Student Progress Committee‟s operating guidelines, the Committee has approved
a process for providing advance information to course chairs and/or clerkship directors on
students who have had significant difficulty in coursework or in areas of professional and personal
conduct. The following guidelines are used when providing information in advance of the student
beginning the course or clerkship:
The Student Progress Committee approves the use of the advance information process when
the student has had significant difficulty in prior coursework. This difficulty may be in any
area(s) of evaluation, i.e. cognitive and/or non-cognitive. The two major objectives for using
the advance information process are: (1) to provide the student with additional support and
help in the area(s) of deficiency as appropriate and (2) to ensure that there is adequate
feedback to the student and evaluation of the area(s) of concern.
Having the information prior to the beginning of the course or clerkship, the course chair or
clerkship director can use discretion in making small group or tutor assignments
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(predominantly for basic science courses) or for selecting the team or hospital site to which
the student is assigned (predominantly for clinical clerkships or electives). The advance
information also allows the course chair or clerkship director to directly handle situations that
may arise during the course or clerkship should the faculty, teaching assistants, or residents
identify a problem early.
To reduce the possibility of negative bias, the information on the student‟s record is sent only
to the course chair or clerkship director and not to the individual faculty member and teaching
assistant or attending and resident team to which the student is assigned. It is anticipated
that the course chair or clerkship director will check discreetly with the relevant individuals at
appropriate intervals to monitor the student‟s progress and convey that information to the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs who will inform the Committee.
The student is notified when the advance information process is being used, and receives a
copy of the letter sent by the Chair of the Student Progress Committee to the course chair or
clerkship director describing the process and the area(s) of deficiency or concern. The
student is also advised to contact the course chair or clerkship director prior to the beginning
of the course in order to establish a contact with whom to discuss issues of concern and to
agree upon a mechanism for dealing with problems should they arise.
Based on a report of a pilot project done with the Department of Family Medicine, the Committee
approved communication with course chairs and clerkship directors regarding students at a lower
threshold of difficulty at the discretion of the Chair of the Student Progress Committee or the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The intent of this extended use of advance information is to
permit early intervention and assistance to students having difficulty and/or to allow for better
decisions on small group or site assignments before major deficiencies surface in the student‟s
overall record.
GUIDELINES FOR DUE PROCESS FOR STUDENTS

The School's grading and evaluation system and/or Student Progress Committee's review
process provides for due process, including the notification of inadequacies, careful and
deliberate decision-making, and an opportunity for an informal meeting for the student with the
Committee.
The Student Progress Committee reviews a student's record when there is concern about the
level of performance in coursework and/or behavior. If the record, when viewed as a whole, does
not appear to be satisfactory; and/or when there are reports of unacceptable professional
conduct, the Committee, with the advice of the course chair(s), clerkship director(s),
administration, or other requested consultant(s), will determine the appropriate course of action.
~ 139 ~
The Committee recognizes that students learn at varying rates and through different study
techniques, and thus makes its decisions on an individual basis. The Committee also recognizes
that there may be concerns evident in the academic record and/or personal or professional
development and conduct for which there is no remediation, and thus this kind of deficiency may
preclude the student from continuing in medical school.
REVIEW PROCESS FOR BELOW STANDARD ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

When the student receives a Fail grade in a course, the Student Progress Committee reviews the
student‟s performance in the failed course as well as their overall academic record. The course
chair or clerkship director presents information on the Fail grade either by attendance at the
Committee meeting or through submission of the Evaluation of Student Performance form and
any other information from those who worked with the student to the Associate Dean for Student
Affairs and the Student Progress Committee. After reviewing the entire medical school record
and the information presented on the course performance, the Student Progress Committee will
decide on the appropriate course of action.
REMEDIATION PLAN FOR STUDENT

If there is a remediation plan, the student will be informed of this and any criteria set for
subsequent performance. If the recommendation is for an action other than course work
remediation, the student will be informed of this and information relevant to the decision.
If the student does not feel the remediation plan is the best fit for being successful,
he/she has the right to request a meeting with the Committee to review the remediation
plan or other action taken. This request must be made in writing to the Associate Dean
for Student Affairs within ten days of the committee‟s decision and should detail the
reasons for requesting the meeting.
At this requested meeting with the Committee, the student will be given time to present
his/her reasons for requesting a review and to provide suggestions for an alternative
remediation plan.
One advocate who is a member of the medical faculty may accompany the student.
(Note: The presence or appearance of a student's legal counsel is not permitted
because a formal hearing and appeal are not part of the academic review process.)
The decision of the Committee following this review meeting with the student is final with
no further appeal within the School of Medicine or University and the remediation plan will
be implemented.
The student may withdraw from the School of Medicine if he/she does not want to follow
the remediation plan.
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REVIEW PROCESS FOR MISCONDUCT OUTSIDE OF THE CURRICULUM
The School of Medicine takes cognizance of the students‟ professional behavior and conduct
throughout their medical school tenure. Thus, the review of conduct-related issues, which are
part of the required academic standards for graduation, falls within the purview of the School‟s
Student Progress Committee. When incidents of misconduct, which occur outside of the
academic environment, are brought to the attention of the School by faculty, peers, individuals in
the community, law enforcement, etc., these may be investigated by the School of Medicine
and/or the Community Standards and Student Conduct (CSSC) Office, depending on the
allegation.
The Associate Dean for Student Affairs in consultation with the Vice-Dean for Academic Affairs
and the Chair of the Student Progress Committee determines if the investigation of the alleged
incident is to be handled by the Community Standards and Student Conduct Office (CSSC). If
the CSSC is charged with performing the investigation, once the investigation is complete, the
CSSC will provide a report to the SPC for discussion and determination of sanctions as part of
the School of Medicine‟s disciplinary process. This does not preclude the CSSC from sanctioning
the student as part of their charge as listed in the Washington Administrative Code.
The SPC may not alter the decision of the CSSC, but reserves the right to levy sanctions,
independent of those levied by the CSSC. The SPC recognizes that there may be two parallel
processes at play, those of the School of Medicine and those of the CSSC. Therefore, there are
two separate appeal processes, one within the School of Medicine, and one within the University.
If the student chooses to appeal the decision rendered by the Student Progress Committee, s/he
must provide a written letter to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs within ten days of the
committee‟s decision that details the rationale for the appeal and new evidence not previously
submitted for consideration.
If a review interview is scheduled between the student and the SPC, the student may have an
advocate present, but the advocate may not be an attorney as this is an academic review, not a
formal hearing. If the Committee‟s decision is sustained, in cases not involving dismissal, the
committee‟s decision is final. If the case involves dismissal, then the appeal is forwarded to the
Faculty Council on Academic Affairs for review of processes. If the Faculty Council determines
that all processes and procedures have been properly followed, the case is given to the Dean for
final disposition. The Dean may or may not choose to interview the student. The Dean‟s decision
is final.
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GUIDELINES FOR WITHDRAWAL FROM THE
SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
To withdraw from the School of Medicine, the student must submit a letter to the appropriate
administrative officer, usually the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Withdrawals most
commonly result from a decision that medicine is not the best career path, an inability to complete
the program for personal reasons.
For those who withdraw to pursue another career path, this may occur at the conclusion of a
leave of absence or while still enrolled in classes. The student is encouraged to talk with one of
the School's medical student counselors and/or College mentor to be certain that he/she has
carefully considered the decision.
For students who have been recommended for dismissal, they have the right to appeal a
dismissal recommendation, and a student may withdraw from the School of Medicine up to the
time a dismissal recommendation is sustained by the Committee. If the student withdraws, the
official transcript will indicate this, however, the School reserves the right to disclose the dismissal
recommendation if asked to write a letter about the enrollment or performance of the former
student.
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HONORS AND AWARDS
ALPHA OMEGA ALPHA HONOR MEDICAL SOCIETY

Alpha Omega Alpha (AΩA) is a national Honor Medical Society. Its purpose is to recognize and
perpetuate excellence in the medical profession. Its goals are to promote scholarship and
research in medical school, to encourage high standards and conduct, and to recognize high
attainment in medical science, practice, and related fields. Its motto is: “Be worthy to serve the
suffering." The University of Washington has an AΩA Chapter which consists of faculty, resident
and student members. A faculty councilor is appointed to chair the AΩA meetings and provide
leadership for the Chapter's activities, which typically include service projects both within the
School of Medicine and in the community beyond.
Student members are elected during the last two years of medical school. By national guidelines,
a student must be in the top twenty-five percent of the class to be eligible for election. This
determination of eligibility involves an assessment of the percent of Honors achieved in the
required curriculum. However, scholastic excellence is not the only criterion for election into
AΩA. Evidence of personal and professional development as a physician-in-training, integrity,
compassion, fairness in dealing with one's colleagues, and capacity for leadership are considered
to be of equal significance. Students elected into AΩA are those who, in the judgment of the local
chapter, have shown promise of becoming leaders in their profession. By national guidelines, the
total number of students that can be elected from a class may not exceed sixteen percent (16%)
of the number graduating.
The UW chapter holds three elections annually. Two for students and one for faculty and
residents. Peer nominations are collected during the winter quarter of the third year. These
nominations are combined with department and mentor nominations for the spring election. A
second election is held in late summer/early fall of those students who are in their fourth year and
plan to graduate the following June. For more information please refer to the websites for both
the UW Local Chapter: http://uwmedicine.washington.edu/Education/MD-Program/Current-
Students/Community/Alpha-Omega-Alpha/Pages/UWAOA.aspx and the National AOA site:
http://alphaomegaalpha.org.
~ 143 ~
SCHOOL AND DEPARTMENT GRADUATION HONORS
AND AWARDS
The School of Medicine‟s Honors and Awards Committee, a sub-committee of the Student
Progress Committee, recommends and the Dean and Medical School Executive Committee
approves the granting Doctor of Medicine degrees with Honors and High Honors. To come to this
recommendation, the Honors and Awards Committee members review the academic records of
the graduating students. They conclude if a student has achieved an outstanding record in all
areas of their medical school program they deserve to be distinguished with the designation of
Honors, or High Honors. The Honors and Awards Committee also determines the recipient of
several school wide awards. The Committee reviews a combination of student records, faculty,
staff, and peer recommendations to conclude if a student deserves to be distinguished with an
award.
Some of the departments have graduation awards related to excellence in that specialty. The
selection of the recipients of these awards is accomplished through a process that has been
established within each individual department. Notification of the student recipient comes from
the department along with any monetary component of the graduation award. Not all awards are
granted every year.
ASSOCIATION FOR ACADEMIC SURGERY STUDENT RESEARCH AWARD

This award is given to a graduating student in recognition of superior accomplishment in
biomedical research as a medical student and to commemorate the beginning of a productive
career as a surgical scientist.
JOHN J. BONICA AWARD

This prize is awarded to the student who has shown outstanding achievement in anesthesiology.
The prize was established in honor of Dr. Bonica with funds provided through the University of
Washington Anesthesia Alumni Association by donations from its graduates and from others
acquainted with Dr. Bonica and his teaching.
CODMAN AWARD
The Codman Award is given to the medical student most likely to make academic contributions to
the field of orthopaedic surgery by demonstrating creativity, the ability to write/communicate
clearly, the ability to define a question and make a plan for answering it, the ability to read the
literature critically, the ability to present effectively to a live audience and professionalism.
ROBERT S. EVANS AWARD

This award is presented annually to the senior medical student appearing most clearly to possess
those special qualities of warmth, understanding, compassion, and concern for the needs of
others as exemplified by, and expressed throughout, the life of Dr. Robert Evans. This award
was established by friends and acquaintances to honor Dr. Evans, who was professor of
medicine.
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ELLEN GRIEP AWARD
This award was established by the graduating Class of 1983 with the intent that subsequent
classes may honor each year a graduate who has provided inspiration to classmates, staff, and
faculty by successfully managing both the academic demands of medical education and
continued excellence in other endeavors in her or his life.
GROUP HEALTH STUDENT AWARD

This award was established in 2007 and is given to a graduating senior who has demonstrated
innovation in health care delivery and practice and who exemplifies the values of scientific
discipline, integrity, pioneering spirit, and stewardship.
HENRY N. HARKINS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN SURGERY

The purpose of this award is to recognize a medical student who has completed outstanding
clinical work on the surgical services and has demonstrated a strong interest in pursuing training
in a surgical discipline. Attributes considered for selection include: clinical knowledge, skills, and
judgment as well as educational attitude and interpersonal relationships during the clerkship.
HARRYMAN AWARD
The Harryman Award is given to the medical student who best represents the characteristics we
value in orthopaedic surgeons: Professionalism, integrity, the ability to communicate effectively,
teamwork, clinical skill, technical skill, and life balance.
JAMES W. HAVILAND AWARD

The James W. Haviland Award for clinical excellence is presented to the graduating senior who
has demonstrated outstanding clinical competence and who holds unusual promise as a leader of
medicine in the future.
GEORGIANA KIRBY AWARD

The Kirby Award is given to the graduating senior who has demonstrated outstanding dedication
to her or his studies and clinical work, and has shown compassion for patients that is embodied in
the ideal physician.
GARY E. LEINBACH AWARD

This award is given in recognition of superior clinical competence, outstanding promise as a
teacher in the field of medicine, and demonstration of sensitivity to the needs of both individuals
and institutions.
MASON CLINIC AWARD

This award is presented to the graduating medical student who has demonstrated outstanding
ability to blend knowledge, judgment, and compassion in the care of patients.
~ 145 ~
FREDERIC C. MOLL PRIZE IN PEDIATRICS
This prize was established by Mrs. Margaret H. O'Donnell in 1957 in honor of Dr. Frederic C. Moll
for a fourth year medical student who has done outstanding work in the field of pediatrics. Mrs.
O'Donnell gave this award in token of her esteem for and admiration of Dr. Moll as a physician
and teacher. The award winner is selected by the Department of Pediatrics, and the winner's
name is inscribed on a plaque.
MARGARET H. O'DONNELL PRIZE IN PSYCHIATRY

The purpose of this prize is to recognize and encourage medical students who have done
outstanding academic work in the discipline of psychiatry. Among the attributes considered
important for selection are clinical skills and judgment, scholarship, and research.
THEODORE J. PHILLIPS AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN FAMILY MEDICINE

This award was established in 1976 by the King County Academy of Family Physicians. It is
awarded to the graduating student who best epitomizes the ideals of family practice and for
academic excellence.
ROGER A. ROSENBLATT COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

This award was established in 2010. It is given to the graduating student for contributions during
medical school to the School of Medicine and to the larger community, and who shows promise to
continue that spirit of service in their career.
SEATTLE ACADEMY OF INTERNAL MEDICINE AWARD

This award is given to the student or students who gave the best performance in internal
medicine and who shows the greatest promise of becoming an outstanding internist.
SEATTLE GYNECOLOGICAL SOCIETY AWARD

This award is presented to a medical student for outstanding research in obstetrics and
gynecology.
SOCIETY FOR ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE EXCELLENCE IN EMERGENCY

MEDICINE AWARD
This award is given to a graduating senior who has demonstrated excellence in the specialty of
emergency medicine.
WASHINGTON ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS AWARD/ALFRED O. BERG AWARD

FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH
This award is presented by the Washington Academy of Family Physicians and Department of
Family Medicine to a senior medical student in recognition of outstanding research in family
medicine.
WYOMING MEDICAL SOCIETY TOP GRADUATE

This award is presented every spring to the top graduating senior from Wyoming.
~ 146 ~
OVERVIEW OF RESIDENCY
SELECTION/APPLICATION PROCESS
NATIONAL RESIDENT MATCHING PROGRAM (NRMP)

In 1951, several groups involved with postgraduate training organized the National Resident
Matching Program to provide graduating students with the opportunity to: (1) consider without
undue pressure all available residencies; (2) list those of his or her choice in the order of
preference; and (3) be matched to the hospital highest on the student's list that has a place for
her or him within its quota. Virtually all of the nation's hospitals and graduating medical students
participate in the NRMP for accredited residencies that begin in the first year of postgraduate
training; in addition, most specialties have joined the NRMP or a separate specialty matching
program for residencies beginning at the second or later year of postgraduate training. Both
students and hospitals submit their respective choices in the order of preference at the same
time, and matching is accomplished by computer.
In 1996, a study of the match algorithm was done in response to questions about modifications in
the program that had changed the program to a mixed model of student/residency director
preferences. These changes had occurred to a great degree because of additional features to
accommodate advanced specialty matches with preliminary years and the couples‟ match. In
1998, a revised algorithm was implemented that is based on a student preference driven
approach.
Information about the NRMP will be forwarded to you through the Student Affairs Office; however,
most of the interactions will be through the NRMP Website (www.nrmp.org). The most important
NRMP dates for you to keep in mind are as follows:
July-August of Fourth Year: NRMP registration information will be on the Web in July.
NRMP registration begins August 15 through the NRMP website.
February of Fourth Year: Completion of your confidential rank order of residency programs
in order of preference, and entry of the list through the
NRMP system on the Web.
March of Fourth Year: Match Day
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OTHER MATCHING PROGRAMS
There are four other matching programs in which senior medical students may participate for
securing residency positions for certain specialties. Students obtain information and register for
these programs on their own, i.e. not through the Student Affairs Office. Students participating in
any of these other matching programs still need to be registered in the NRMP to secure
preliminary programs, to finalize advanced specialty match on some cases, or to be able to try to
match to a second choice specialty if unmatched in the advanced specialty or military.
SAN FRANCISCO MATCHING PROGRAM

This application and matching program handles Child Neurology, Neurotology, and
Ophthalmology. The San Francisco Match uses the Central Application Service (CAS).
UROLOGY MATCH
This matching program handles only Urology programs. The Urology programs use ERAS.
MILITARY MATCH
This matching program is for students in the military and matches students to military residencies.
The military programs use ERAS.
CANADIAN MATCH PROGRAM

It is possible to match to a Canadian residency. However as a student in a U.S. medical school,
you are considered an international student and have a lower priority. The residency match
occurs before the NRMP so, if you match to a Canadian program this should be your preference.
You will automatically be dropped out of the NRMP if you match to a Canadian program.
RESIDENCY SELECTION FORUM

Each spring the Residency Selection Forum is sponsored by the Student Affairs Office. The
program provides an opportunity to present to the class important issues related to applying to
residency programs. In addition, faculty members from a number of departments run specialty-
related sessions. In addition, a panel of senior students is organized to share with you their
experiences with the application and interview process, and will hopefully help you to avoid
unnecessary pitfalls.
SELECTION OF RESIDENCY PROGRAMS AND

INTERVIEWING
When selecting residency programs, students should try to identify those programs which will
match their interests and in which the opportunities and demands will be such that one would be
happy and productive in that particular environment. With this in mind, you might cluster choices
in three categories: those most desired; those that are good bets; and those that are quite
~ 148 ~
satisfactory and can be thought of as back-up appointments. In no instance should students list
residency programs to which they would be unwilling to be matched. Over the past five years,
the percentage of matched students has been 92% or higher. As the number of graduates
increases and programs become more competitive, it is important that you rank all programs that
are reasonable matches because there are a limited number of good programs available through
the scramble.
After you have done a preliminary review of acceptable programs, you should narrow the choices
to a manageable number. If you have done your homework, i.e. assessed your competitiveness
for programs, spoken with a number of faculty members about the programs in which you are
interested, reviewed hospital information, and solicited information from house staff, then you
should be able to concentrate your efforts on a reasonable number of programs depending on the
competitiveness of the specialty in which you are interested. This may be expensive and time-
consuming, but it is an almost essential activity. The goal is to make your visits productive.
While interviewing at a hospital, it is important that you talk with some of the present house staff
to find out how things are really going. Sometimes programs change within a year, and the
program is not functioning as advertised. If you know of graduates from our School who are on
the house staff of the hospital, you should try to talk with them, but discussions with any of the
house staff are very helpful.
The identification of good programs nationwide is becoming increasingly more important as
matching in various fields becomes more competitive. The number of medical school graduates
nationally and international graduates is now almost equal to the number of first-year residency
positions available. The reality of the competition becomes clearer when one examines the
academic medical center-based training programs, particularly on the West Coast and the
Northeast corridor, to which many students apply. Many of these oversubscribed residency
programs have set-up screening committees to review applications and to determine whether
students will be invited for interviews. Other hospitals with fewer applicants may grant interviews
at the student's request, even before all supporting credentials are received.
For postgraduate year one (PGY-I) [or resident year 1 (R1)] programs, most students set aside
time to interview in December or January. Some programs will offer interviews based on your
application and several letters of recommendation, thus you may be able to interview as early as
October. However, it is important that you check with each program to see what is required for
the interview. You may find that programs may not wish to interview you until all of the requested
credentials have been received. If this is so, you will need to interview in December or January to
allow adequate time for submission of the supporting credentials prior to your visit. The
supporting credentials usually include a completed application, three or four faculty
recommendation letters (frequently including a department letter in your specialty of interest), the
Dean's Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), the medical school transcript, personal
statement, USMLE Step 1 scores, and both components of USMLE Step 2 scores, and your
photo.
~ 149 ~
APPLICATIONS, RECOMMENDATION LETTERS, AND
OTHER CREDENTIALS
NOTE: Most specialties are using the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS).
However, some programs within a specialty may still not be using ERAS. The web address for
ERAS is https://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/eras.
Below is given general information related to credentials needed for the application process.
However, if a residency program gives you different instructions, you should follow those for that
program:
(1) APPLICATIONS:
ERAS: Applications are done through ERAS website

CAS: Central Application Service, used by San Francisco Matching Program
Non-ERAS: Requested by you from the hospitals, sent directly by you to the hospitals
Once you have chosen the residency programs in which you are interested, you should check
their website for instructions. You should begin reviewing residency program information and
application forms for PGY-I or R1 programs in June - August to give yourself adequate time to
assess the individual details required for applying and interviewing. Some advanced programs,
which begin at the PGY-II or R2 level, have retained September or early October deadlines for
your application. Information on the residencies and the addresses of the hospitals are in the
AMA Directory, through the Web-based AMA-FREIDA Online (www.ama-assn.org), the NRMP
Home Page (www.nrmp.org), through which you can access the NRMP Directory, or through
https://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/eras.
Some specialties (Child Neurology/Neurotology/Ophthalmology/Plastic Surgery), for which the

residency programs begin in the first or second year of postgraduate training, are in separate
application and matching programs (CAS). To request information on these programs, you can
download the registration forms from the San Francisco Matching Program website
www.sfmatch.org. For Urology programs, you apply through ERAS, but there is a separate
matching program. Information can be obtained through the website at www.auanet.org. The
Armed Services programs have their own instructions, and most are using ERAS. For these
programs, you should check with your Armed Services contact person.
(2) FACULTY/DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION LETTERS:
ERAS: Requested by you and submitted to the Student Affairs Office based on
the format specified by ERAS.
CAS: Requested by you and submitted as instructed by CAS.
Non-ERAS: Requested directly by you Sent by the faculty directly to hospital
programs based on address list you provide
~ 150 ~
Residency program requirements vary, but you will usually need three or four faculty
recommendation letters. In most cases, you will be requesting faculty letters based on
performance in the clinical clerkships or major electives, and thus this contact is made shortly
after the course ends and the evaluation has been completed. A follow-up to confirm the request
for a recommendation may be done later through a letter or email to the faculty member. If the
program is in ERAS, you will submit an ERAS cover sheet for the faculty member to use in
preparing the letter. The coversheet contains the contact within Student Affairs Office to whom
the letter should be sent for scanning and transmission. Non-ERAS letters are not processed by
the Student Affairs Office.
Some faculty will ask to view your student file prior to writing your letter. This is especially the
case with department letters. Faculty (except mentors) cannot view your student file without your
signed permission. (Remote faculty (outside of Seattle) will not be able to access your student
file as the files are not sent outside the immediate UW complex. With your permission, the faculty
may sign out for your file for 24 hours. Permission is granted via a form that is sent in email, or
can be found with the receptionist in A-300. On the form you can list multiple names of faculty
that you approve to view your file. The form must be signed and either faxed (206) 616-3341,
emailed (uweras@uw.edu), mailed (Box 356340, Seattle, WA 98195, attn: Trish) or dropped off in
A300.
Regarding confidentiality, if you wish to be able to see the letter a faculty member writes for you,
you will need to discuss this at the time you request the letter to be written. Generally students
waive their right to view the letters of recommendation. This is done with your signed approval at
the time of the request. Faculty letters received in the Student Affairs Office for transmission
through ERAS are considered confidential; i.e. you may not see them in our office. Each letter is
scanned as it arrives and is housed in an electronic folder for uploading to your application.
Some residency programs require recommendation letters from the chair of the department of
your career interest. The department letter usually includes a summary of your performance in
coursework within that department and an overall assessment of how strong a candidate you are
for a training program in that specialty. Most departments have established a mechanism to
handle these requests even though you may not know the chair. The chair's letter is an important
communication to the residency director. You are encouraged to make an appointment to
discuss your record and career plans with the department chair or his/her designee for writing
these letters. Some department faculty may request to see your academic file. You must sign a
release of record form before the faculty member is permitted to view your record-see above.
In general, you should only provide the number of letters and credentials requested by the
residency directors, and ERAS limits you to four (4) letters per program. This means that you will
need to be selective in which faculty members you request to write letters. Unless there is
significantly new or unique information to be provided through an additional faculty letter, there is
no need to request additional letters.
~ 151 ~
(3) MEDICAL STUDENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION (MSPE) – FORMERLY DEAN‟S
LETTER:
ERAS: Scanned into the system in late October and transmitted November 1 to
programs
CAS: Sent directly to the San Francisco Matching Program by the Student
Affairs Office
Non-ERAS: Sent directly to the hospital programs by the Student Affairs Office based
on student‟s label list they provide
During the fall of the senior year, a Dean's MSPE is finalized for those applying for residency.
The MSPE is based on coursework for which evaluations have been submitted and is written as
part of each student‟s credentials for applying for residency training. The purpose of the MSPE is
to provide the residency directors with an overall evaluation of your performance in the medical
school coursework, your Independent Investigative Inquiry (III) requirement, the second year and
senior OSCE‟s, and the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2-Clinical Knowledge and Step 2-Clinical Skills
requirement. A sample of an MSPE and appendix is included for your reference in understanding
the kinds of information that will be provided to the residency programs to which you apply.
The Dean‟s MSPE summary paragraph describes a student's overall performance as

outstanding, excellent, very good, or good. This assessment is based on basic science and
clinical grades and progress in your level of clinical competency and professionalism as
evidenced through the evaluation comments in the basic science courses and the required
clinical clerkships. The MSPE and appendices provide the residency directors with information on
the percentage for each grade given in the required courses and for each of the summary words
used. In the past five years, the average final summary words have been distributed as: 16%
Outstanding; 38% Excellent; 34% Very Good; 9% Good and 6% Split word assignment.
A draft of the Dean‟s MSPE is sent to the student for review in mid October, and there is an
opportunity to discuss the letter and submit a request for modification if the student feels that
something is inaccurate. The student will be asked to sign a release form for the Dean‟s MSPE
prior to it being uploaded into ERAS or being released to CAS, Armed Services, or non-ERAS
programs.
(4) OFFICIAL UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON TRANSCRIPT:
ERAS: You will need to request an official copy of your transcript (via MYUW or
Schmitz Hall) be sent to Student Affairs, A-300, attn: Trish Zander
CAS: You will need to request an official copy of your transcript (via MYUW or
Schmitz Hall) be sent to the SF Match program.
Non-ERAS: Requested by you through Schmitz Hall or MYUW Sent directly to
hospital programs based on your request
~ 152 ~
For CAS and other non-ERAS programs, requests for mailing the University transcript of your
medical school coursework are arranged by you through the Transcript Office in Schmitz Hall.
There is a charge for each official medical school transcript requested. The mailing of the
st
transcripts is not subject to the November 1 Dean's MSPE release date. It is recommended that
you coordinate the timing of the mailing of the transcript with your other credentials to be certain
that your application will be considered complete no later than when the Dean's letter is received
by the program. Many of the very competitive programs and those in the early matching
programs will make decisions on interviews based solely on the faculty letters and transcript prior
st
to November 1 .
If you completed your undergraduate degree or any other undergraduate, non-medical school
course at this University, you will need to request that the transcript only list your medical school
coursework. Otherwise, the transcript will reflect all courses taken at any time at the University.
If you are a combined degree student, your graduate coursework will be included and cannot be
separated out from your medical school coursework.
(5) MCAT AND USMLE:
For MCAT scores, you will need to request these be sent through the appropriate testing agency.
Official transcripts of USMLE scores should be transmitted through ERAS. For non-ERAS
programs, you may need to have scores sent officially through the National Board of Medical
Examiners (NBME) office or you can send copies of score sheet you received from the NBME.
Other Transcripts: Requested by you through the Institution in which the work was completed)|
Sent directly to hospitals based on your request.
Some programs require undergraduate transcripts. For ERAS, CAS, and non-ERAS programs,
these must be requested through the college where the work was completed. If you were
admitted to the medical school with advanced standing, you will probably need to send
credentials on the coursework taken prior to admissions to this school. All such requested
credentials of work done outside of the School of Medicine are sent directly from the institution
where the work was done to the residency programs.
(6) CURRICULUM VITAE (C.V.) AND PERSONAL STATEMENTS:
ERAS: Transmitted as part of ERAS application

CAS: Sent directly to this application service by you
Non-ERAS: Sent directly to hospital programs by you with your application
~ 153 ~
Many students develop a curriculum vita or resume whether or not it is requested by the
residency program. It is a good exercise for organizing basic information about yourself, your
educational background, and your major accomplishments. The general format for the curriculum
vitae, which is typically used by M.D.‟s, is included in this manual. In addition to using the C.V.
for applications, some faculty members may ask to see a C.V. as part of their development of a
requested faculty recommendation letter.
Residency programs will ask you to submit a personal statement or may ask several directed
questions related to your personal and professional development and potential career path. This
part of the application process is often the most time-consuming for you because you need to
create what you want to say about yourself and your goals. You may wish to prepare different
personal statements that are more directed to individual programs. In general, you do not need
to send both a personal statement and C.V. unless they are providing unique information. It is
not usually helpful to the residency director to receive the same information in multiple formats.
The ERAS application is structured to allow the residency director to print the information you
have provided in a CV format if that is what is preferred by the residency program.
(7) INTERVIEWS:
It is important to keep the timing of the release of your credentials in mind when setting aside
time to interview. Many programs have screening committees that require that your application
be complete with all recommendation letters before a review will be conducted to determine
whether you will be asked for an interview. This process of review by the program's screening
committee can take anywhere from two weeks to a month when you take into account the time to
download and organize information from each applicant, the committee meeting time, and the
time to email or mail an interview invitation to you. Thus, you will want to select a period of time
for planning interviews that will allow you to be efficient in the use of your time. This becomes
even more important if you are applying to an advanced specialty that requires applications to
preliminary medicine, preliminary surgery, or transitional programs as well.
As you probably realize by the length of this descriptive material, the application process for
residency training is an involved one, and one that demands attention to many details and
deadlines. For each of the major phases of the process, we will communicate with you through
email. It will be important for you to read the information carefully and respond promptly. If you
have any questions or if problems arise please feel free to make an appointment at any time
during the year.
~ 154 ~
DEAN‟S MEDICAL STUDENT PERFORMANCE
EVALUATION SAMPLE
***Sample MSPE***
MEDICAL STUDENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Ms. X
November 2011
IDENTIFYING INFORMATION
Ms. X is a fourth-year student at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, Washington.
ACADEMIC HISTORY
Date of Initial Matriculation in Medical School: August 2007
Date of Expected Graduation from Medical School: June 2011
Was the student required to repeat or otherwise remediate any

coursework during her medical education? No
Was the student the recipient of any adverse action(s) by the

medical school or its parent institution? No
Please explain any extensions, leave(s) of absence, gap(s) or break(s) in the

student’s educational program below.
Not Applicable
ACADEMIC PROGRESS
Basic Science and Introduction to Clinical Medicine Record
Ms. X successfully completed the basic science curriculum. As part of the School’s WWAMI program,
which is a program to regionalize medical education in the five-state area of Washington, Wyoming,
Alaska, Montana, and Idaho, she completed her first year at the University of Washington in Seattle.
In Year 2, the grading system is Honors, Pass, or Fail. Ms. X received Honors in 6 out of 18 possible
courses where Honors grades are given. Overall, her performance in the basic science curriculum was
excellent. The level of her basic science knowledge was confirmed with a USMLE Step 1 score of XXX.
In the second-year Introduction to Clinical Medicine course, faculty noted that overall Ms. X did an
excellent job. “She has particularly strong techniques and is able to build rapport and communicate
effectively with a wide variety of patients, including challenging ones. Her physical-examination skills are
solid. Her oral case presentations and write-ups are well organized and complete, and her clinical-
reasoning skills are appropriate for her level of training.”
Required Clinical Clerkships and Clinical Elective Record
As part of the School of Medicine's WWAMI program, students complete one or more of the required
clerkships in established sites with our clinical faculty throughout the five-state region. The following are
representative faculty comments from the required clerkships and clinical electives taken to date. They are
listed in the order taken by the student.
Medicine Clerkship
HIGH PASS
Ms. X performed very well during the Internal Medicine clerkship. She consistently collected, evaluated,
and reported accurate and thorough information about her patients. Her presentations and written notes
were always on target. She had an excellent grasp of her patients’ problems and management plans. She
was attentive to detail and organized her findings into appropriate differential diagnoses. She works very
hard, always managing a large patient load without compromising the quality of her work. She contributed
to the medical team in a positive way, demonstrating an energy and enthusiasm appreciated by all. She was
compassionate to patients, professional with colleagues, and a superb communicator with patients and their
~ 155 ~
families. She cared deeply about her patients. Her work was always dependable. She was prepared and
prompt for all educational sessions. At the end of the rotation, her teachers concluded that Ms. X was a
compassionate and great medical student who was disciplined and hardworking. We agree and predict she
will become a fine house officer and physician.
Psychiatry Clerkship
HIGH PASS
Ms. X seemed to grasp psychiatric concepts and diagnoses quickly. She enjoyed the work here. She
appeared enthusiastic and involved. Ms. X received a grade of Honors from her site preceptor, but her
written exam score was below the cutoff mark.
Surgery Clerkship
HONORS
Ms. X is among the best students that we have encountered in some time. She prepares very well, is
enthusiastic, very hardworking, and extremely mature. She is a strong, motivated, compassionate student
who always does more than is expected of her. Her performance is very good clinically and technically,
and, from an interpersonal standpoint, she is stalwart.
Obstetrics & Gynecology Clerkship

HONORS
Ms. X was an outstanding student. She really dug into this clerkship and made it a great experience for
herself. She was technically excellent and was first-assist on numerous surgeries.
Pediatrics Clerkship
HONORS
Ms. X was one of our best students. She has a great ability to put patients' symptoms into a biomedical
model. She is always open to new experiences. She is an energetic, thoughtful, and a thorough student.
She will be a great doctor.
Family Medicine Clerkship

HONORS
Ms. X is easily among the very top students we’ve seen in the past two years, if not the best overall. From
day one, she impressed us with her general fund of knowledge in core Family Medicine areas. Her data
gathering was advanced, focused, and efficient. She had no problems arranging her information into clear,
succinct, and logical presentations. Ms. X was trusted to work independently with minimal supervision.
We felt her overall clinical skills, knowledge, data gathering, and reporting to be at the level of interns. It
was breath of fresh air to work with a student who takes the time to learn about integration skills and has
the maturity and desire to practice them and be really good at using them. She demonstrated great ease and
facility in negotiating agendas and treatment plans. Ms. X easily gained the trust of her patients, so many
of whom commented that she “will be a great doctor” that I stopped counting for purposes of evaluation.
Ms. X collaborated effectively with her team during a week on the inpatient ward. Ms. X takes her
education very seriously; she not only accomplishes what is required, but is mature enough to ensure it is
quality work, and that she can find something to learn from the experience. Ms. X is well above her peers
in all areas and deserves the highest evaluation possible for this rotation. Overall, a superstar medical
student!
Unique Characteristics and Noteworthy Achievements

Ms.X completed the Independent Investigative Inquiry requirement based on her research entitled “ATV
Safety Education in City, St.”
Ms. X’s outstanding performance was confirmed by both faculty and peers by her election to AOA.
SUMMARY
Ms. X will complete the medical school curriculum in four years. Overall, her performance in the basic
science curriculum was excellent. The level of her basic science knowledge was confirmed with a
USMLE Step 1 score of XXX. Faculty from the first two years of the curriculum noted the following: Ms.
~ 156 ~
X had particularly strong techniques and was able to build rapport and communicate effectively with a
wide variety of patients. Her oral case presentations and write-ups were well organized and complete. She
excelled in critical reasoning, interpersonal skills, reliability, and clinical judgment.
In the clinical curriculum, Ms. X’s performance was Excellent. The level of her clinical knowledge was
confirmed with a USMLE Step II CK score of XXX.
Ms. X was enthusiastic, worked hard, and always managed a large patient load. Her presentations and
written notes were always on target. She was dependable, strong, motivated, and compassionate. She
always did more than was expected of her. She was an energetic, thoughtful, and thorough student. During
procedures, she was attentive to patient needs and consistently demonstrated a steady hand and good motor
skills. She was reliably able to identify, prioritize, and problem solve both major and minor problems. She
was an excellent team player who improved team function and efficiency. She adeptly combined integrity,
hard work, and intelligence with humility, genuine character, and humor.
Ms. X successfully completed the School’s required OSCEs at the end of the second year and the beginning
of the fourth year. She has also successfully completed USMLE Step 1 and Step 2-Clinical Knowledge and
took Step 2-Clinical Skills in September. Based on a review of her entire medical school record to date,
Ms. X’s overall medical school performance has been Excellent in comparison to her peers at this
institution.
A. Peter Eveland, Ed.D.

Associate Dean for Student Affairs
University of Washington School of Medicine
Phone: (206) 543-5561
Email: eveland@u.washington.edu
~ 157 ~
University of Washington School of Medicine: Graduating Class of 2011
Appendices A: Basic Science and Clinical Clerkship Grades and MSPE Key Words
% % %
BASIC SCIENCE CURRICULUM Honors* Pass Fail**
First Year: (In Alpha Order)
Biochemistry n/a 98 2
Critical Reading & Evaluation of Medical Literature n/a 100 0
Gross Anatomy & Embryology n/a 99 1
Introduction to Clinical Medicine I n/a 100 0
Introduction to Immunology n/a 95 5
Mechanisms in Cell Physiology n/a 100 0
Microbiology and Infectious Disease n/a 91 9
Microscipic Anatomy (Histology) n/a 99 1
Nervous System n/a 94 6
Systems of Human Behavior I n/a 100 0
Second Year: (In Alpha Order) % % %

Honors* Pass Fail**
Brain and Behavior (Systems of Human Behavior II) 52 47 1
Cardiovascular System 17 81 2
Clinical Epidemiology 57 42 1
Clinical Nutrition 46 54 0
Endocrine System 22 77 1
Gastrointestinal System 17 82 1
Genetics 20 80 0
Hematology 41 59 0
Introduction to Clinical Medicine II n/a 100 0
Medicine, Health & Society 35 65 0
Musculoskeletal System 60 39 1
Principles of Pharmacology I 34 62 4
Principles of Pharmacology II 40 59 1
Problem-Based Learning n/a 100 0
Reproduction 48 51 1
Respiratory System 28 71 1
Skin System 19 80 1
Systemic Pathology 19 79 2
Urinary System 17 83 0
* For the class entering in 2002, the first year grading system changed to Pass/Fail; pre-2002 Honors not included
above. ** Percentage represents initial grade; Fails are remediated through reexamination or through repeat
of the course. See individual student’s MSPE for details.
% % % %
REQUIRED CLERKSHIPS Honors High Pass Pass Fail**
Required in Third Year:
(includes 95-100% of class)
Family Medicine 38 49 12 1
Internal Medicine 31 39 30 0
Obstetrics and Gynecology 26 37 37 0
Pediatrics 31 50 19 0
Psychiatry 31 47 22 0
Surgery 38 25 37 0
MSPE Key Word Outstanding Excellent Very Good Good

13 % 36 % 33 % 13 %
Note: Students whose records are significantly different in the basic sciences versus clinical sciences have individual
summary descriptions for each, i.e. outstanding in basic sciences and very good in clinical clerkships (6% of class).
~ 158 ~
APPENDIX B: Medical School Information for Graduating Class of 2011
University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington
Special Characteristics of the School of Medicine’s Educational Program

The University of Washington is the only allopathic medical school for the five-state region of Washington, Wyoming,
Alaska, Montana, and Idaho (WWAMI). The School of Medicine is dedicated to two distinct missions: (1) To meet
the health care needs of our region, especially by recognizing the importance of primary care and providing service to
underserved populations, and (2) To advance knowledge and assume leadership in the biomedical sciences and in
academic medicine. As part of the WWAMI program, students complete the first year at a designated University
within their home states and the second year at the University of Washington in Seattle. In the third and fourth years,
all students have the opportunity to take the required clerkships and clinical electives at established sites throughout the
five-state region. Within the structure of the clinical curriculum, students may elect to complete most of their required
clerkships in a given state (referred to as a track) or through the WWAMI Rural Integrated Training Experience
(WRITE) program. If students participate in one of these programs, the MSPE will note this.
Beginning with the Entering Class of 2001, the School of Medicine implemented changes in the basic science and
clinical curricula, redefined the research requirement, introduced a continuity curriculum beginning in year one, and
required a formal OSCE evaluation at the end of the second year and the beginning of the fourth year. In addition, the
College system was established with the major roles including a four-year integrated curriculum of clinical skills,
professionalism, and mentoring. A Capstone course was also introduced at the end of the fourth year to pull together
important content and clinical skills needed for entering residency training. Below is an outline of the major
components of the curriculum that reflects the revised graduation requirements for the 2001 and subsequent entering
classes.
1. Basic Science Curriculum: The first and second years are composed of 31 basic science, integrated organ system,
problem-based learning, and introduction to clinical medicine courses. Non-clinical electives and preceptorships are
also taken during these two years.
2. Required Clinical Clerkships: There are nine required clinical clerkships and an additional four weeks in a surgical
area. Those taken in the third year are: Family Medicine (6 weeks), Internal Medicine (12 weeks), Obstetrics and
Gynecology (6 weeks), Pediatrics (6 weeks), Psychiatry (6 weeks), and Surgery (6 weeks). The required clerkships
usually taken in the fourth year are: Chronic Care (4 weeks), Emergency Medicine (4 weeks), Neurology (4 weeks),
and four weeks in a surgical area. Prior to 2001, neurology and the additional surgical weeks were not required and
chronic care was two weeks.
3. Independent Investigative Inquiry (formerly Independent Study in Medical Science): This program requires the
student to complete four non-clinical selectives and an independent research project related to a particular problem in
medicine. A written paper or project is due no later than January of the fourth year, and must receive at least a
satisfactory evaluation by a faculty reviewer.
4. Clinical Electives: A minimum of 16 weeks of clinical electives is required to be eligible for graduation. The
student schedules electives to provide both a broad, general medical education and also experiences for making career
decisions.
Average Length of Enrollment (initial matriculation to graduation) at the School of Medicine
The School of Medicine’s curriculum is four years. However, we allow considerable latitude for students to explore
areas of interest in depth and/or to manage personal issues. The most common extensions to the curriculum are
expansions of the second-year curriculum (taking the coursework over two years to allow time for other academic or
personal goals) or of the fourth year (planning time for in-depth research, international health opportunities, exploring
career direction, or personal goals).
Description of the Evaluation System

The grading system was modified for the Entering Class of 2002 to Pass/Fail for the first-year basic science courses.
The second-year applied science courses are graded Honors/Pass/Fail, and the clerkships and clinical electives are
graded Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail. The School of Medicine’s grading philosophy is best described as a criterion-
referenced approach. Each course develops criteria for performance for each grading level. Thus, for example, if all
students achieve the Honors criteria, all students receive an Honors grade; similarly, if no one achieves the Honors
criteria, no one receives an Honors grade. Recognizing that students progress at varying rates, there are opportunities
given for additional study and reexamination to learn the material and for expansion of the curriculum beyond the usual
four years. Within our system of grading, there is no class standing or rank assigned.
For Honors in the applied science curriculum, some course chairs require work beyond the course objectives, such as a
paper; others give Honors grades based on the overall performance during the course. The first and second year
Introduction to Clinical Medicine courses and some non-clinical electives and preceptorships are graded on a Pass/Fail
basis only.
Grading in the clinical curriculum is based on the evaluation of students' knowledge and problem-solving skills,
interpersonal relationships, and professional/personal conduct. Through a review by a departmental grading committee
or the clerkship director, there is an effort to standardize the criteria used for assigning grades within a given clerkship
~ 159 ~
regardless of the site. The required clerkships in chronic care, family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics,
psychiatry, and surgery include departmental examinations. Neurology and obstetrics and gynecology use the NBME
subject exam as part of the student’s evaluation; the required clerkship in emergency medicine and most clinical
electives do not have departmental end-of-rotation examinations. Some clinical electives require a paper to be
considered for Honors.
USMLE Step 1 and Step 2-Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 2-Clinical Skills (CS): Students must pass Step 1, Step
2-CK, and
Step 2-CS for graduation. Students are required to take Step 2-CK and Step 2-CS in the July to September timeframe
of the fourth year. During this timeframe, the students are best prepared for these exams having completed the
appropriate components of the School’s educational program and the required senior OSCE. The timeframe also
ensures that students will have successfully completed the USMLE graduation requirement prior to residency programs
entering their rank-order lists. To delay taking either of the Step 2 exams, students must request permission from the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The status of each Step is noted in the MSPE, including if a student is out of
compliance with the School’s required timeframe. All students applying for residencies have successfully completed
Step 1. If one of the Step 2 exams is failed and not cleared prior to release of the MSPE, it will be noted that the Step
will be retaken. The student is expected to develop a study plan and retake the exam in time to receive a passing score
before the rank-order lists are submitted.
Utilization of AAMC’s Guidelines for Medical Schools Regarding Academic Transcripts: The School of Medicine is
in compliance with the essential academic components of these guidelines. The student’s official transcript is managed
by the University’s Registrar’s Office.
Guidelines for Preparation of the Dean’s Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
In conformity with the AAMC Guidelines, the MSPE is written as an evaluation of the student’s overall medical school
performance. As such, it is not slanted toward the student’s career interest. It is anticipated that the faculty
recommendation letters will address the student’s strengths for a particular specialty. Based on the student’s medical
school evaluations and progress in acquiring the clinical skills and professional behaviors for performing at the house
officer level, the overall performance is described in the last sentence of the Summary paragraph. The determination of
these summary words (outstanding, excellent, very good, or good) is based on the performance criteria of the courses
taken within our School of Medicine plus the MSPE writer’s discretion based on knowledge of the grading variances
among courses and faculty evaluators, of extenuating circumstances affecting the student’s performance, and of the
import of a student’s deficiency on his/her overall progress and level of competence as compared to peers at this
institution at the beginning of the fourth year. The intent is to be consistent year to year in providing an overall
assessment of how the students have performed at the time the MSPE is completed. See Appendices A for information
on the grading percentages for basic and applied science courses and the required clinical clerkships and for the MSPE
summary word.
The MSPE is assembled in the office of Student Affairs by the Programs Manager and summarized by the Associate
Dean for Student Affairs. Comments from the first and second year basic science and introductory clinical medicine
courses are summarized from the official evaluations submitted by the course chairs. In most cases, faculty comments
are provided from the first-year regional sites that have smaller class sizes. For the required clerkships, the official
evaluation submitted to the Dean’s Office for the student’s academic file includes a grade and comments provided by
the departmental clerkship director or grading committee. The comments include the department’s overall assessment
of the student’s performance and frequently supplemental individual comments from faculty and residents who worked
with the student. The departmental comments submitted for the required clerkships and clinical electives are verbatim
in the MSPE with editing for length or grammar but not for content. The individual faculty and resident comments are
included with some editing to reduce redundancy of similar comments on the student’s performance. When direct
quotes by faculty and residents are included as part of the evaluation submitted by the department, these are placed in
quotation marks.
The students are sent their MSPE as a preliminary draft in October to provide them with an opportunity to see how
their records are being reflected and to know how their performance is being evaluated in comparison to their peers at
this institution. This enables them to seek advising from their career counselors on the appropriate level and number of
residency programs to apply to.
Unique Characteristics and Noteworthy Achievements: This paragraph is used to provide the title and status of
completion of the required Independent Investigative Inquiry project for all students. Special achievements, such as
completion of a combined degree program or a year-out research experience, are commented on in this paragraph.
School or national awards and election to AOA are also noted in this section of the MSPE. Activities in which the
students are involved while in medical school are included in the students’ ERAS application or personal statement and
are not enumerated in the MSPE.
~ 160 ~
OVERVIEW OF POSITIONS IN RESIDENCIES
The various types of residencies are diagrammed in the figure below. The length of each bar is
the period of years of training required for certification by the various Specialty Boards. These
are unofficial assignments derived from published materials and are offered only for information.
You should consult the current AMA Directory for the official requirements.
1 2 3 4 5 6-7
FAMILY PRACTICE
PEDIATRICS SUBSPECIALTIES
INTERNAL MEDICINE SUBSPECIALTIES
NEUROLOGY
OPHTHALMOLOGY
OBSTETRICS/GYNECOLOGY
PATHOLOGY
REHABILITATION MEDICINE
GENERAL SURGERY
SUBSPECIALTIES
NEUROSURGERY
ORTHOPAEDIC SURGERY
OTOLARYNGOLOGY
UROLOGY
TRANS. ANESTHESIOLOGY
or DERMATOLOGY
PRELIMINARY EMERGENCY MEDICINE
MEDICINE NUCLEAR MEDICINE
or PSYCHIATRY
PRELIMINARY RADIOLOGY-DIAGNOSTIC
SURGERY RADIOLOGY-THERAPEUTIC
= Timing of first specialty board certification.
Note: In addition to the above, there are a number of combined specialty programs that begin in
the first year. Examples of these are medicine/pediatrics, medicine/psychiatry,
pediatrics/psychiatry/child psychiatry, psychiatry/family practice. Others can be found in the AMA
directory of approved residency programs.
Any questions related to residency selection and the application process should be directed to the
Student Affairs office by calling (206) 616-8221.
~ 161 ~
SPECIALTIES TO WHICH UW STUDENTS MATCHED
FOR RESIDENCY TRAINING
2010 Match 2009 Match 2008 Match

Residency Program
Number* % Number* % Number* %
Anesthesiology 5 3% 6 3% 13 8%
Dermatology 2 1% 6 3% 3 2%
Emergency Medicine 15 9% 19 11% 13 8%
Family Medicine 27 16% 23 13% 24 14%
Internal Medicine:
Traditional 27 16% 23 12% 23 13%
Primary Care 11 7% 11 6% 14 8%
Prelim. Only 0 0% 0 0% 1 1%
Prelim. w/Adv. Spec.* 6 4% 9 5% 7 4%
Internal Medicine/Pediatrics 3 2% 1 1% 1 1%
Internal Medicine/Psychiatry 0 0% 1 1% 0 0%
Neurology 0 0% 0 0% 1 1%
Neurosurgery 2 1% 3 2% 0 0%
Obstetrics/Gynecology 12 7% 13 7% 18 11%
Ophthalmology 1 1% 0 0% 5 3%
Orthopedic Surgery 6 4% 6 3% 3 2%
Otolaryngology 3 2% 3 2% 2 1%
Pathology 2 1% 2 1% 2 1%
Pediatrics 12 7% 24 13% 19 11%
Physical Medicine/Rehab. 3 2% 2 1% 1 1%
Plastic Surgery 1 1% 2 1% 0 0%
Psychiatry 6 4% 9 5% 3 2%
Radiation Oncology 1 1% 0 0% 1 1%
Radiology 3 2% 4 2% 3 2%
Surgery:
Categorical 15 9% 5 3% 6 4%
Prelim. Only 9 5% 5 3% 2 1%
Prelim. w/Adv. Spec.* 2 1% 1 1% 5 3%
Transitional Only 0 0% 1 1% 0 0%
Transitional w/Adv. Spec.* 4 2% 4 2% 4 2%
Urology 1 1% 1 1% 1 1%
Deferred Residency Training 6 4% 8 4% 5 3%
~ 162 ~
Primary Care: Based on the number of graduating seniors (169), the percentage of
students going into primary care specialties is 47%. (Primary care, which is shaded in
the chart above) is comprised of Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine
Traditional, Internal Medicine Primary Care and Internal Medicine/Pediatrics).
Annual number of UWSOM Graduates and % going into Primary Care

Year 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
Number 169 180 167 164 188 163
Graduating
% in 47% 46% 48% 45% 46% 42%
Primary
Care
LICENSURE AND SPECIALTY BOARD CERTIFICATION
As you may know, in order to practice medicine you must be licensed by the state(s) in which you
are seeing patients. While most states require very similar information, some have more
stringent requirements regarding curricular credits in certain areas, acceptable levels of scores on
licensing examinations, and reports on personal and professional conduct. All states require
successful completion of all parts of the licensure examination and at least one year of
postgraduate (residency) training.
The School's academic program is structured to provide you with an education that meets our
faculty's expected standards for the attainment of the Doctor of Medicine degree from this
institution. As a Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accredited institution,
graduates from our School in general do not have difficulty meeting state licensure curricular
requirements. If you have questions about state licensing requirements or procedures, you
should contact directly the licensing board of the state in which you are interested in practicing.
Each of the major specialties have certification requirements for physicians who wish to achieve
board certification in their specialty area. General information on board certification requirements
is available in the AMA Graduate Medical Education Directory; more specific information can be
obtained from the individual specialty boards.
~ 163 ~
OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU TO CONTRIBUTE TO
MEDICAL EDUCATION
ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE
Students participate in applicant interviews as part of the panel of three that makes
recommendations to the Executive Committee on Admissions. Students who are interested in
being part of the Admissions Committee should email their applications to Ms. Stella Yee,
Director of Admissions at stellay@uw.edu by the beginning of Spring Quarter. To be considered
for the Committee on Admissions, students will need to provide a brief description of (1) the
reasons they would like to serve and (2) any experiences they may have had interviewing in other
settings or participating in other similar activities that would make them a good candidate for this
endeavor. Applications will initially be screened, with names removed, by the current MSA
committee. Dr. Teitz, Associate Dean for Admissions, will review the recommendations and
select students for this Committee. Appointments to the committee are made during the summer
before the next interview season. All students, regardless of their first year site, are welcome to
apply. Third and fourth year students who were unable to participate earlier are also invited to
apply. The committee appointment extends throughout the student‟s tenure in school as long as
the student remains in good academic standing and can participate in at least 10 interviews per
year. The Committee is extremely active during the Autumn and Winter Quarters, and students
can choose to interview 1, 2, or 3 hours in a single day. For more information, please contact Ms.
Yee by calling (206) 543-7204.
HONOR COUNCIL
In an effort to support a standard of professionalism and promote excellence at the University of

Washington School of Medicine, an Honor Council and Honor Code were conceived of by a
group of students, ratified by the student body and embraced by the faculty and administration.
The Honor Council, an elected body of students spanning all years and WWAMI sites, serves as
an intermediary between students, faculty and administration. It is a resource that students can
use to voice concerns or ask questions about mistreatment or misconduct. All dealings by the
Honor Council are kept confidential and the feedback gathered and recorded over time in order to
improve the UWSOM experience. If you need contact information for the Student Honor Council
please contact Em Olson in the Office of Student Affairs at emiols@uw.edu.
CURRICULUM COMMITTEES, COURSE EVALUATORS,

AND FOCUS GROUPS
There are several ways to become involved in the decision-making process that determines your
medical curriculum: serve on one of the curriculum committees, volunteer to be a course
~ 164 ~
evaluator, provide feedback in mid-course focus groups, or provide feedback as an individual.
There is a curriculum committee for each year of medical school comprised of course chairs,
students, academic affairs deans from Seattle and the WWAMI region, and professional staff. If
you are interested in serving on one of the curriculum committees, please contact the Curriculum
Office at (206) 543-5562.
Make your opinions known to the Curriculum Committees‟ student members. If you have
concerns or praise, share this with your representatives.
If you have suggestions for the course chairs during the course, talk to the person in your class
who is the course evaluator, write a note, email message, or speak directly to the course chair.
Remember to provide constructive feedback. (Sarcastic, personally offensive comments do not
provide helpful input and do not reflect the kind of professional dialogue that is effective in
building a collegial relationship.) Considerate, thoughtful comments can bring about positive
changes in a course; on-line course evaluations are a great opportunity for students to provide
information to course directors and the Curriculum Office about how well a course is meeting
students‟ expectations, how well it is being taught, how thorough the content is being presented,
and what suggestions students might have to improve the course for subsequent years.
SPECIAL COMMITTEES AND AD HOC COMMITTEES
From time to time the School will establish special committees or ad hoc committees to study a
current, relatively focused issue and to offer recommendations. Students will be informed by
email when these special committees are being formed. If you are interested in serving on this
type of committee, please contact Dr. Eveland (206) 543-5561 or Dr. Goldstein (206) 543-5563.
MEDICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION (MSA)
The MSA is a student organization of elected senators from the entire student body responsible
for overseeing student activities. The MSA is considered the "umbrella" organization for student
activities and organizations to which the Academic Affairs Office turns for student input on
educational issues and concerns that arise throughout the year. Senators are selected during the
first year at each site. MSA officers are typically second year students and selections are made
in the spring of the first year to allow for an orderly transition. Some responsibilities of the MSA
include developing educational and community initiatives, the funding of other student
organizations, the planning of various social events, addressing student concerns with the
Academic Affairs Office, and the organization of tours for medical school applicants. Serving as a
class senator provides unique opportunities not only to interact with students from other classes
but also with the Academic Affairs deans and administrative directors. The amount of
commitment that the MSA asks is minimal: one meeting per month and one lunch meeting per
quarter with the deans. Senators are encouraged to participate in meeting throughout their third
~ 165 ~
and fourth years to ensure issues regarding the clinical curriculum and academic and support
services are discussed.
STUDENT INTEREST GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS
There are several regional and national organizations on which all WWAMI students are asked to
serve. These include the Association of American Medical Colleges' Organization of Student
Representatives (OSR) and, the American Medical Association - Medical Student Section (AMA-
MSS) and associated state medical societies. Other organizations on which students may serve
as representatives include the American Medical Women‟s Association (AMWA), The American
Medical Student Association (AMSA), the American Holistic Medical Student Association
(AHMSA), and the Student National Medical Association (SNMA), Physicians for Social
Responsibility (PSR), and Medical Students for Choice (MSFC). For further information on
student organizations, please talk to one of the MSA officers or senators or the Student Affairs
Office by calling (206) 543-5561.
REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR STUDENT INTEREST GROUPS AND

ORGANIZATIONS
Before a student group can be officially recognized and use campus facilities, members are
required to apply for recognition as an officially sponsored student group of the University
of Washington School of Medicine. An outline of the structure of the organization including
names of officers, bylaws, its purpose, any affiliation with a national organization, and a
commitment by the organization to abide by laws and institutional policies must be submitted to
the Dean of Student Affairs along with a letter of request to receive official status.
Once the Associate Dean for Student Affairs has received all of the application materials, they will
be forwarded to the MSA for approval. Once the MSA has approved the application, the student
group may contact the Student Activities Office (SAO) on upper campus and register their
organization on their website. The new group‟s leadership will be required to attend an orientation
session provided by the SAO. Once that has been completed, the new student group will be
eligible to receive special services and benefits provided by the SAO. Please visit the SAO
website for more details: http://depts.washington.edu/sao/rso.php.
NOTE: In addition to the above, any new student organization that wishes to provide volunteer
services of any kind must complete the application and approval process provided on the Service
Learning and Advocacy website. Please direct any questions regarding this process to the
Student Affairs Office at (206) 543-5561.
~ 166 ~
WESTERN STUDENT MEDICAL RESEARCH FORUM (WSMRF)
In January/February of each year, the Western Student Medical Research Forum (WSMRF) is
held in Carmel, California. Students enrolled in winter quarter and in good academic standing are
encouraged to submit abstracts of their research work. Abstracts will be reviewed internally for
quality of work and approved for submission of an application. Students who are on academic
probation are not eligible for this opportunity. If selected by WSMRF to give a presentation at the
meeting, the Dean of the School of Medicine will provide funding for the trip. Faculty sponsors
are also asked to provide funding if possible for hotel and food expenses. The Curriculum Dean
oversees the submission of abstracts, and requests for funding and reimbursements for students
attending this meeting are handled through staff in the Academic Affairs Office. Questions
regarding WSMRF can be directed to Michelle Fleming in the Curriculum Office at (206) 543-
0922, flemingm@uw.edu
STUDENT CONFERENCE TRAVEL FUNDING
Medical students are encouraged to pursue various extracurricular opportunities and to present
their research or represent the UWSOM at regional and national meetings. Any medical student
in good academic standing as defined by the UWSOM Student Handbook may be eligible for up
to $350 in airfare assistance to attend a student conference.
Recent budget cuts and an increase in the number of students who are applying for conference
travel financial assistance have created the need to prioritize which requests the School can
support financially. Partnering with Academic Affairs, the MSA has created an application and
evaluation process for disbursement of USWOM financial assistance related to conference-
related travel expenses.
STUDENT CONFERENCE FUNDING PROCESS:

An announcement will be made annually at the beginning of fall quarter (prior to October 15)
detailing the funding available and application process. Groups or individuals who know in
advance that they will be attending a conference or sending a representative to a regional or
national meeting should submit an application no later than October 15th to be considered for
funding prioritization. Applications will be reviewed by the Academic Affairs office and MSA
members according to the prioritization guidelines detailed below. Funding decisions will be made
by October 22 of each year. If funding has not been exhausted after the October 22 notifications,
a second call for funding applications will be sent out with a due date of February 15. The second
round of applications will be targeted towards applications with travel dates between October 15
and June 30. Applications for funding made after the travel has taken place will not be
considered.
Funding priority will be given to students as follows:
~ 167 ~
1. Student attending a national conference as a representative of an organization active
at UWSOM
o a. Student attending a national conference of a national Student Interest Group
(SIG), representing UWSOM, who is or is pursuing a national leadership position
in the SIG.
o b. Student attending a national conference of a national SIG, representing
UWSOM on behalf of the SIG's local chapter, and delivering an oral presentation
at the conference.
o c. Student attending a national conference of a national SIG and representing
UWSOM on behalf of the SIG's local chapter.
2. Individual students delivering an oral presentation at a professional organization's
conference.
3. Individual students delivering a poster presentation at a professional organization's
conference.
Members of SIGs whose member have not received UWSOM travel funding in the academic year
for a SIG-related conference will have priority over SIGs whose members have already received
travel funding in the same academic year.
Students requesting funds under Priority Status 2 and 3 (above) are only able to receive UWSOM
travel funding once during the course of their UWSOM enrollment.
If funding is approved, the student must purchase airfare at least 30 days before the departure
date (exceptions may be made in extraordinary circumstances). Students are encouraged to have
the Academic Affairs office purchase their airfare if possible. Details about this process will be
included in the notification of funding.
If the date of the conference conflicts with required coursework or examinations, students should
not expect to be excused from coursework. However, the faculty leadership is willing to consider
requests for absences for acceptable, documented reasons and to allow modifications in your
schedule if possible. Such requests, however, must be made well in advance of the date of the
absence.
STUDENT CONFERENCE FUNDING APPLICATION:

The web-based application can be found at
http://depts.washington.edu/gowwami/conference.htm and requires that the following fields be
completed:
One paragraph response to each of two questions:
o Why are you interested in going to this conference?
o How will you bring what you learned at this conference back to the UWSOM
community?
Proof that funding has been sought from a national office, Principal Investigator (PI),
departmental funding, or other source if applicable. This may be in the form of a
~ 168 ~
signature from a PI or departmental chair. Additional sources of funding support may
include the following:
o National office of a Student Interest Group (SIG)
o Departmental funding
o PI of project
o Local chapter of specialty
Travel details and estimated cost.
Clear details of the reimbursement process and timeline (i.e. receipts must be submitted
10 business days after the last day of the conference for prospective applications and 10
days after the application for retrospective applications).
A stipulation that reimbursement is contingent upon submission of receipts AND a written
report that shares the participant‟s experiences & conveys what was learned; the report
will be posted to the MSA website.
REIMBURSEMENT REQUIREMENTS:
Reimbursement is contingent upon submission of receipts AND a written report that shares the
participant‟s experiences & conveys what was learned; the report will be posted to the MSA
website.
The written report is to serve as an in-depth overview and summary of what was achieved/
learned at the conference and should be written in a manner reflective of this. Students will
benefit most from a full account of meetings/sessions you attended and any knowledge garnered
therein. Students should write about what you learned and how this knowledge will be applied to
your current student experience. For example, if you hadn‟t attended this meeting or conference,
what salient “take away” points would you want to know about? From past experience, a bulleted
recap of sessions attended is not sufficient to fulfill this goal.
Receipts and required report must be turned in no later than 10 business days after the
conference has ended (for prospectively approved applications) or application approval (for
retrospectively approved applications) in order to be reimbursed. Receipts will be submitted to
Eric Tobiason, Administrative Director, HSC A-300, Box 356340, for reimbursement processing.
Reports should be written in Microsoft Word and emailed as an attachment to Eric Tobiason at
tobiason@uw.edu.
~ 169 ~
PHYSICIAN‟S OATH
The administration of the Hippocratic Oath or Physician's Oath at graduation time has become a
tradition in the western medical world and recognizes our debt to our ancestors for pointing the
way to ethical and moral behavior in the midst of the multitude of scientific activities of the
medical profession. The Oath is thought to have originated in the fourth century BC and has
come down to us in several translations. Today's version, the so-called Geneva version of the
World Medical Association, has been altered to bring its words and ideas into consonance with
today's trends and to free it from unnecessarily irritating or inciting phraseology. Based on input
from recent students and approval of the Medical School Executive Committee in the spring of
2000, an additional alteration was made in the oath taken by students at the School‟s Hooding
Ceremony. It serves to remind us once again of the high standards of performance and behavior
to which each of you aspires and with which each of you is challenged as you receive your
degree and enter upon your professional career as a physician.
AT THE TIME OF BEING ADMITTED AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION,
I SOLEMNLY PLEDGE MYSELF TO CONSECRATE MY LIFE TO THE SERVICE OF HUMANITY.
I WILL GIVE TO MY TEACHERS THE RESPECT AND GRATITUDE WHICH IS THEIR DUE;
I WILL PRACTICE MY PROFESSION WITH CONSCIENCE AND DIGNITY;
THE HEALTH OF MY PATIENT WILL BE MY FIRST CONSIDERATION;
I WILL RESPECT THE SECRETS, WHICH ARE CONFIDED IN ME;
I WILL MAINTAIN BY ALL THE MEANS IN MY POWER, THE HONOR AND THE NOBLE TRADITIONS OF THE
MEDICAL PROFESSION;
MY COLLEAGUES WILL BE MY SISTERS AND BROTHERS;
I WILL RESPECT AND VALUE THE LIVES OF ALL PERSONS;
I WILL NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST ANY PERSON IN MEDICAL DECISIONS;
I WILL MAINTAIN THE UTMOST RESPECT FOR HUMAN LIFE; EVEN UNDER THREAT, I WILL NOT USE MY
MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE CONTRARY TO THE LAWS OF HUMANITY.
I MAKE THESE PROMISES SOLEMNLY, FREELY, AND UPON MY HONOR.
~ 170 ~

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WWAMI PROGRAM

Erika Goldstein, M.D.

A. Peter Eveland, Ed.D.

PHONE: (206) 543-5560

UW MEDICINE MISSION STATEMENT

Advancing knowledge and assuming leadership in the biomedical sciences and in

Vision for Medical Student Education

Institution-wide Goals for Medical Student Education

Challenge students and faculty to achieve excellence;

o the highest standards of professionalism, honor, and integrity,

o a team approach to the practice of medicine, including individual

o the skills necessary to provide quality care in a culturally sensitive

Encourage students to maintain and model a balanced and healthy lifestyle;

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS OFFICE

Office staff: Maureen Evermann evermann@wsu.edu / Sharon Dudley sharond@wsu.edu

George Novan, M.D., novang@uw.edu, Associate Director of WWAMI Medical Education

Office staff: Kim Noe knoe@wsu.edu

Office staff: Brandi Hecker, bhecker@uwyo.edu

Office staff: Maryann Kniffen, maryann@uaa.alaska.edu Nancy Hall, nancy@uaa.alaska.edu

Office staff: Elizabeth Nicholas nicholas@montana.edu

Address: WWAMI Medical Education Program

Office staff: Marlane Martonick marlanem@uidaho.edu/ Ann Merriam annm@uidaho.edu

Office staff: Janie Ford jmford@uw.edu / Marlene Maurer mamaurer@uw.edu

Office staff: Deb Dolph debdolph@wyomed.org

Suzanne Tryck, tryck@alaska.net Director, Alaska Regional Programs

Office staff: Michelle Devine mjd3@uw.edu

Office staff: Bernadette Duperron and Judi Sullivan, mtassist@uw.edu

Office staff: Adriana Olivas, idwwami@uw.edu, Claudia Hasselquist, clauhass@uw.edu

Expanded Curriculum Dr. A. Peter Eveland eveland@uw.edu

Calcavecchia Julie ICM / Colleges (206) 221-3532 jsmillan@uw.edu

Campion Michael Learning Technology (206) 616-4673 campion@uw.edu

Carey Todd Regional Affairs (206) 543-8578 toddc8@uw.edu

Chesnut Jenniey Admissions (206) 543-7214 jchesnut@uw.edu

Clarke Leonora ICM (206) 685-1202 clarkel@uw.edu

Davis Jill Student Affairs (206) 221-3855 jilld3@uw.edu

Davis John Academic Affairs (206) 543-7213 jhdavis3@uw.edu

Elder Le Ann ICM (206) 685-1202 elderl@uw.edu

Ellis Laura Academic Affairs (206) 543-9053 lbellis@uw.edu

Engle Kellie Regional Affairs (206) 543-2249 kaengle@uw.edu

Ferry Robin ICM (206) 685-1202 ferryr@uw.edu

Fleming Michelle Curriculum (206) 543-0922 flemingm@uw.edu

Fletcher Tabitha Financial Aid (206) 685-2520 tabitha2@uw.edu

Furberry Trudy Registration & Scheduling (206) 685-7975 trudyf@uw.edu

Gardner Victoria OMCA (206) 616-3044 vg@uw.edu

Lamb Connie Registration & Scheduling (206) 685-7973 celamb@uw.edu

Lane Shalley Curriculum (206) 543-5562 shalley@uw.edu

Luu Bely OMCA (206) 685-2489 belyluu@uw.edu

Noecker Diane Financial Aid (206) 685-9229 dnoecker@uw.edu

Olson Dan OMCA (206) 543-9733 dolson@uw.edu

Olson Em Student Affairs (206) 543-5561 emiols@uw.edu

Park Scott ICM / Colleges (206) 685-1202 sypark@uw.edu

Pinkham Vicki OMCA (206) 616-3043 vp@uw.edu

Pomerinke Sandy Curriculum (206) 616-7063 spomerin@uw.edu

Portante Katie Academic Affairs (206) 543-5560 a300@uw.edu

Racansky Pam OMCA (206) 616-5866 racansky@uw.edu

Reep Jason Learning Technology (206) 616-8116 jreep@uw.edu

Ryan Michael Curriculum, Associate Dean (206) 543-5562 mjryan@uw.edu

Schukar Janet Admissions (206) 543-5242 schukar@uw.edu

Stone Ellen Admissions (206) 543-7203 efpstone@uw.edu

Tsegai Amen OMCA (206) 616-3021 amen2@uw.edu