Medical school in Central WA committed to rural health care is ready to expand | Opinion
Remarkable things are happening at Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU), a grassroots, non-profit university in Yakima, WA, founded less than 20 years ago by a passionate group of community leaders.
In less than two decades, PNWU has achieved national recognition. Our College of Osteopathic Medicine is ranked in the top-ten in the U.S. in three mission-related categories: Second for most graduates practicing in primary care fields, third for most graduates practicing in medically underserved areas, and sixth for most graduates practicing in rural areas (U.S. News and World Report).
On May 20, we celebrated our Twelfth Annual Commencement Ceremony. Each of our graduates become healers in their communities, and most of them choose Washington as their home.
Our wholehearted commitment to the health of rural and medically underserved communities has been possible thanks to the enduring support of the Yakama Nation, and our state’s leaders, including Governor Jay Inslee, Speaker Laurie Jinkins, Senator Curtis King, Senator Judy Warnick, Representative Marcus Riccelli, and Representative Chris Corry, amongst many others. We are grateful for the generosity of the State of Washington for allocating $5.25M to PNWU which will provide equipment for our School of Occupational Therapy and support construction of the Student Learning Collaborative that will house parts of all of our programs, including our developing School of Dental Medicine.
Our aspirational vision to revolutionize community health is within our reach thanks to strong partnerships with healthcare organizations throughout the state, including MultiCare Health System, Premera Blue Cross, Delta Dental of Washington, Yakima Valley Farmworkers Clinic, Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, Sea Mar Community Health Centers, Comprehensive Healthcare, Community Health of Central Washington, and others.
Fellow colleges and universities believe in our mission. Washington State University, University of Washington, Central Washington University, Heritage University, Yakima Valley College, Perry Technical Institute, and other partner institutions, align with us in service to our students and the health and well- being of the people of Washington.
Building on the success of our College of Osteopathic Medicine, we are adding new, innovative programs to the university to more fully address the health of the communities we serve. PNWU’s School of Physical Therapy enrolled its first class of students in fall of 2022 for the Doctor of Physical Therapy degree. This fall of 2023, our School of Occupational Therapy will welcome our first class of Master of Science in Occupational Therapy students. Our inaugural class of Doctor of Dental Medicine students are expected to join our developing School of Dental Medicine in fall of 2025.
For students who want additional groundwork in preparation for health sciences graduate programs, PNWU offers a Master of Arts in Medical Sciences degree. Additionally, Washington State University’s College of Nursing, and College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences are part of our Yakima campus.
We, the students, faculty, staff, administration, and members of the Board at PNWU, are full of gratitude for your belief, support, and partnership in meeting our mission of service to rural and medically underserved areas. This mission remains our guiding light, and your support is what moves it forward.
We invite you to visit us in Yakima, Washington to learn more about our work.
Michael J. Lawler, PhD, is President of PNWU and Catherine J. Potts, MD, FACP, is Chair for the Board of Trustees.
