BOISE — Idaho is considering withdrawing from a 50-year partnership with the University of Washington and three other Western states for medical education and moving to a new partner in Utah.
The House Education Committee on Friday sent House Bill 176 to the floor in a 9-5 vote, after two failed attempts to hold off on the decision.
Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, presented the bill, which in two years would begin withdrawing the state from the WWAMI program, which stands for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. The bill is also backed by House Speaker Mike Moyle, R-Star.
The bill’s statement of purpose cites UW’s inaction so far on a 2022 request to expand seats for Idaho students and a lack of a signed agreement to prohibit state funds from going toward abortion training as reasons for severing the relationship.
UW President Ana Mari Cauce signed the amended contract restricting abortion training for Idaho students Friday, a UW spokesperson told the Idaho Press.
The WWAMI program allows Idaho students to complete their first two years of medical school at the University of Idaho, then those students get the opportunity to complete clinical training in Idaho or elsewhere, which is coordinated through the UW School of Medicine.
The bill would require a new partnership with at least two medical schools in Idaho or the Mountain Time Zone, but Manwaring on Friday highlighted the University of Utah’s program as the designated new partner. A second proposed medical school partner was not mentioned during the hearing, but the only other available option would be the private Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM). Brigham Young University in July announced it planned to create a medical school in Provo, Utah, which would also be eligible once established.
“I started when I introduced this legislation by talking to you about how Idaho does not have its own state-run medical school,” Manwaring told committee members Friday. “I truly believe this is a part of that conversation and a big way that we can move that conversation forward. But it will not be the only way that we can accomplish the needs in our state.”
Manwaring said that, currently, about 32% of the state funds that go toward the program end up at UI and around 68% go to UW. Under the proposed new agreement with Utah, that ratio would essentially swap, with more than 65% of the funds staying in Idaho and around 34% going out of state.
UI and the University of Utah have already signed a memorandum of understanding regarding the program. There is also an existing partnership with the state that reserves 10 seats for Idaho students in the University of Utah’s medical program, however, those students never train at UI.
Dr. Benjamin Chan, assistant dean of admissions for the University of Utah School of Medicine, indicated that the Utah Legislature was preparing to introduce legislation to expand class sizes to create space for this partnership.
There are currently 40 seats in UW’s medical school reserved for Idaho students, although the Idaho Legislature in 2022 passed a resolution asking the State Board of Education to seek five more seats for the WWAMI program by fiscal year 2025 — but it hasn’t happened yet, Manwaring said. The state is currently in fiscal year 2025, and the resolution also called for an additional five seats by fiscal year 2027.
Idaho could switch from Washington to Utah for medical education partnership
