For now, at least, the University of Washington’s medical school in Spokane will have classes of just 60 students.
Through a partnership with Gonzaga University, UW welcomed 60 first-year and 60 second-year medical students in Spokane last fall. Earlier this year it asked the Legislature for $9.3 million to add 20 students per graduating class.
But lawmakers were juggling other expensive obligations, including a court order to invest more in K-12 education, so UW received just $5 million for the biennium, enough to support two more classes of 60 medical students.
“Our long-term goal is to get to 80 students,” said Ian Goodhew, UW’s government affairs director. “That’s what we’ve been working on for several years.”