NTDUG135 Guide to WWAMI records WWAMI records Finding aid prepared by Brian Tibayan. Processing of this collection was made possible through the Gary E. and Carolyn J. Strong Special Collections Fellowship. University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives 2024
libspec@uidaho.edu
This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2024-10-01. Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives WWAMI records Washington-Wyoming-Alaska-Montana-Idaho Regional Medical Educational Program UG 135 10 cubic feet 4 bankers boxes and 3 oversize ledger boxes. 1972-2016 The WWAMI records spans from 1972 to 2016, documenting the program's efforts to address rural healthcare needs through comprehensive medical education and community engagement. The collection includes photographs, correspondence, press releases, financial records, course files, student records, and administrative documents, offering a detailed view of the program's impact and evolution. English . 1 4 7

The WWAMI records provides an extensive record of the program's activities and impact from 1972 to 2016. This collection includes a wide array of materials, such as office files, course documents, newspaper clippings, press releases, photographs, and correspondence. These documents offer insights into the program's efforts to address rural healthcare shortages by training medical students in diverse, underserved areas. The collection also includes personal notes, memos, and letters that detail the administrative and operational aspects of the program, as well as its interactions with various educational and governmental bodies.

The collection features detailed records of the program's curriculum development, student activities, and community engagement efforts. Photographs capture moments from field trips, clinical training sessions, and social events, illustrating the practical and community-focused approach of the WWAMI program. The documents also highlight significant achievements, challenges, and changes over the years, providing a comprehensive overview of the program's evolution. Financial records, including budget reports and grant details, emphasize the program's fiscal management and funding efforts. Overall, this collection offers a robust narrative of the WWAMI program's dedication to improving medical education and healthcare access in rural areas.

In 1970, the combined population of the WAMI states (Washington, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho) was over 5.1 million, representing 22% of the U.S. landmass. A significant portion of this population resided in rural areas, with 46.6% of Montana residents and 45.6% of Idahoans living outside urban settings. During the 1960s, rural populations in Montana and Idaho declined by approximately 20%, while urban populations increased. This period also saw a severe national shortage of physicians, especially in primary care. By 1970, the U.S. faced a critical shortage of 50,000 doctors, particularly general practitioners or family physicians. Despite an increase in the overall number of physicians from 292,000 in 1965 to around 357,000. In 1972, the number of general practitioners decreased by 22% during the same period, exacerbating the healthcare crisis in rural and underserved areas.

To address this growing healthcare crisis, particularly in rural and underserved areas, innovative solutions were needed to bridge the gap in medical education and physician distribution. The WAMI (Washington, Alaska, Montana, Idaho) Medical Extension Program was established to decentralize parts of the educational and training program of the University of Washington School of Medicine.

The program allows students to take their first year of medical school at selected universities in the four states; they then join their colleagues in Seattle for the remainder of the basic curriculum. At the conclusion of the first two years, the students enter the elective phase of their education which is predominantly clinical in nature. During this period, WAMI allows undergraduate medical students to receive portions of their training and education at the University of Washington and from physicians in the communities--Community Clinical Units. This approach increases opportunities for residents to enter medical school, boosts the number of primary care physicians, and improves healthcare provider distribution in needed areas.

A most important part of the University of Idaho-Washington State University medical education program is the preceptorship. In this program, medical students spend four to eight hours a week with local physicians, becoming acquainted with medical practice and procedures from the very beginning of their medical studies. As indicated by student evaluations, this is one of the most interesting and valuable parts of their first year of medical education. Other program benefits include providing greater opportunities for area residents to enter medical school by increasing admissions to UWSM. It also increases the number of primary care physicians trained at UWSM and addresses the maldistribution of physicians in the WAMI territory by attracting more physicians to areas of need. Additionally, it brings resources from the Medical Center in Seattle to communities in the WAMI states for continuing physician education.

University of Idaho and WAMI Despite numerous efforts by the Mountain States Regional Medical Program and the Idaho Foundation for Medicine and Biology, Idaho faced financial and logistical challenges in establishing a full-fledged medical school. Key attempts included legislative actions and various feasibility studies aimed at assessing and meeting Idaho's medical education needs. In 1972, the University of Idaho (UI) and Washington State University (WSU) became an integral part of the WAMI program under the direction of Dr. Guy R. Anderson and Dr. Ronald J. Adkins. This phase allowed medical students to complete their first year of medical education at UI before continuing their studies at the University of Washington. The program received significant funding and resources, with endorsements from U.S. government agencies and educational institutions. This partnership with the UWSM addressed the healthcare needs in rural Idaho by training physicians locally and integrating medical education with community-based clinical experiences. Idaho's inclusion in the program was seen as a practical approach to overcoming the state's previous challenges in establishing a medical school.

The program's success was further highlighted by the support of President Ernest W. Hartung, who played a significant role in advancing's medical education initiatives during his tenure. Dr. Hartung's leadership and the collaborative efforts with Washington State University stressed the importance of regional cooperation in medical education.

During WAMI's initial university phase, ten medical students were enrolled at WSU and nine at UI for one semester. Students and faculty commuted the eight miles between campuses, classes being held on the Pullman campus in the morning and on the Moscow campus in the afternoon. The curriculum was tailored specifically to parallel that at the University of Washington School of Medicine. Operating costs were supported by subcontracts let to each school by the University of Washington under a major contract with the Bureau of Health Resources Development. Essential equipment items were provided through a grant from the Commonwealth Fund to the University of Washington.

WAMI's Maturity Since 1972, this cooperative effort continued to be successful, and special courses have been developed to cover the entire first year of medical education. By 1979, the WAMI Program was fully operational, accredited, and recognized for its significant contributions to improving healthcare access and quality in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. WAMI had already successfully trained 403 students in the University Phase and provided 953 student clerkship rotations in Community Clinical Units, significantly increasing the number of primary care physicians. Key figures like Dr. Roy Schwarz and leaders from various institutions were instrumental in the program's success. In 1996, Wyoming joined the consortium adding the second "W".

Collection is open for research.

The scrapbooks were dropped off to the University of Idaho Archives and Special Collections in 2018 by Jamie Wagner from WWAMI. The paper materials were delivered in October 1993 from WAMI.

The material in this archival group was received in labeled folders organized in record storage boxes. The original headings and order were re-organized during processing to reflect specific themes that were prominent within the collection. This approach allowed for a more intuitive and accessible structure, facilitating easier navigation and research. This collection is vital for understanding the development and impact of the WWAMI program.

Series 1: Financial Records (1972-1989). This series includes detailed financial records such as budgets, grants, operating expenses, and financial aid details. The documents are arranged chronologically by year and cover various aspects of financial management within the WWAMI program.

Series 2: Courses (1980-1989). The course materials include outlines, schedules, student grades, evaluations, and correspondence related to the courses taught as part of the WWAMI curriculum. These are organized by academic year and course number. Specific courses documented include Molecular and Cell Biology, Anatomy of the Trunk, and Directed Study.

Series 3: Students (1972-1989). This series contains information on students, including class data, correspondence, evaluations, awards, honors, and records of summer projects and research training programs. The materials are arranged chronologically by academic year and include both administrative and academic records.

Series 4: Faculty (1979-1989). Faculty-related documents include appointment letters, correspondence, performance reviews, and administrative information such as faculty salaries. This series is organized chronologically and by type of record.

Series 5: Administrative/Office Files (1972-1990). These files cover human resources, correspondence, agreements, grants, policies, and other administrative matters related to the WWAMI program. The documents are arranged by subject and include memos, meeting minutes, and policy guidelines.

Series 6: Committee meetings, minutes, and reports (1984-1990). This series contains records from various committees, including the MSEC, curriculum, academic affairs, and education affairs committees. Special projects such as the UWSM comparative analysis and accreditation reports are also included. The materials are arranged chronologically by event or project.

Series 7: Events, programs, and projects (1984-1989). This series contains materials from significant WWAMI Program events and projects, including the 1985 MSEC retreat, the 1988 UW legislative conference, and various WAMI events from 1984 to 1989. This documentation features summaries, reports, brochures, and event programs featuring the program's activities and initiatives during this period.

Series 8: Photographs (1972-2016). An extensive collection of photographs documenting students, faculty, events, and class activities. The photos are organized by year and event, capturing significant moments in the history of the WWAMI program, including graduation ceremonies, class activities, and special events like rafting trips.

Series 9: Scrapbooks (1946-1997). This series contains scrapbooks with photos, correspondence, press releases, newspaper clippings, and newsletters. The scrapbooks provide a visual and textual history of the WWAMI program's milestones and key events. The materials are arranged chronologically and by type of content. Scrapbook 1 was choosen for digitzation and will be avaliabe online in the near future.

Duplicate materials were generally retained, except for those containing sensitive information such as documents with social security numbers. There are an additional 10 bankers boxes of materials from UA 2018-06 which were not processed during the summer of 2024.

This collection includes materials of a sensitive nature used for teaching medical education, which some may find objectionable or disturbing. These materials reflect the social mindsets, occurrences, behaviors, and norms of their time and should be viewed within their historical and educational context. To preserve historical accuracy, the materials remain as they were originally created, serving as historical evidence. For more information on our approach to handling archival materials with offensive or disturbing content, please refer to the University of Idaho Library, Special Collections and Archives Offensive Content Policy.

This collection was processed by Brian Tibayan in 2024.

FOR PHOTOS Photographer, "Title," date. Collection name, object ID. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

FOR DOCUMENTS Author, Description or "Title" of item, date. Collection name, collection number, box, folder. University of Idaho Library Special Collections and Archives, Moscow, ID.

Related materials may be found in: UG 42, WAMI (Medical Extension Program) records.

WWAMI Medical Education Program. University of Washington School of Medicine WWAMI Program Overview.

 Washington-Wyoming-Alaska-Montana-Idaho Regional Medical Educational Program WWAMI Center for Health Workforce Studies Medical education University of Idaho Physical education and training Idaho Medicine and Health University of Washington Series 1 : Financial records 1972-1988 Financial records 1 item Operating expenses 1972 - 1973 1 1 Financial records 3 items Operating expenses 1973 - 1974 1 2 Financial records 2 items Operating expenses 1974 - 1975 1 3 Budget and grants 2 items Budgets and letters 1974 - 1977 1 4 Financial records 1 item Operating budget and expenses 1975 - 1976 1 5 Financial records 3 items Operating expenses 1976 - 1977 1 6 Financial records 4 items Operating budget and expenses 1977 - 1978 1 7 Financial records 3 items Operating expenses 1978 - 1979 1 8 Financial records 4 items Operating expenses 1979 - 1980 1 9 Financial records 1 item Operating expenses 1980 - 1981 1 10 Budget information 1 item Budget reports and other pertinent financial documents and information 1980 - 1981 1 11 Financial records 4 items Operating budget and expenses 1981 - 1982 1 12 Budget information 2 items Budget reports and other pertinent financial documents and information 1981 - 1982 1 13 Financial records 4 items Operating budget and expenses 1982 - 1983 1 14 Budget information 1 item Budget reports and other pertinent financial documents and information 1982 - 1983 1 15 Financial records 2 items Operating budget and expenses 1983 - 1984 1 16 Budget information 2 items Budget reports and other pertinent financial documents and information 1983 - 1984 1 17 Financial records 3 items Operating expenses 1984 - 1985 1 18 Budget information 1 item Budget reports and other pertinent financial documents and information 1984 - 1985 1 19 Financial records 2 items Operating expenses 1985 -1986 1 20 Budget information 1 item Budget reports and other pertinent financial documents and information 1975 - 1986 1 21 Budget information 2 items Budget reports and other pertinent financial documents and information 1988 - 1989 1 22 Budget requests 2 items Various budget requests 1987 - 1989 1 23 WAMI faculty salaries 1 item Information on faculty salaries 1974 - 1985 1 24 Financial aid 1 item Fact sheets, reports, and correspondence 1988 1 25 Series 2: Courses 1983-1989 MedSci 513 ICM1 3 items Course information, outline, and schedules 1980 - 1984 1 26 MedSci 514,524 Molecular and Cell Biology 3 items Course outline and exam sheets 1983 - 1985 1 27 MedSci 515 Ages of Man 2 items Course information, outline, and schedules 1983 - 1984 1 28 MedSci 504 Human Sexuality 2 items Course materials and correspondence 1984 1 29 MedSci 510 Histology 5 items Course outline, exercises, lectures, grades and exams 1984 - 1985 1 30 MedSci 505 Preceptorship 1 item Student list and grades 1984 - 1985 1 31 MedSci 511 Anatomy of the Trunk 2 items Course information, outline, and grades 1984 - 1985 1 32 MedSci 512 Physiology 2 items Course information, outline, and grades 1984 - 1985 1 33 MedSci 502 Directed Study 1 item Class list 1984 - 1985 1 34 MedSci 516 Cell Biology 4 items Course exams, grades, articles, correspondence 1984 - 1985 1 35 MedSci 520 Cell and Tissue Response to Injury 6 items Course information, outline, study guides, exams, grades and other materials 1983- 1986 2 36 Courses 3 items Courses offered, class lists, schedules, 1988 - 1989 2 37 Course evaluations 5 items Course evaluations, ratings summary, assessment forms, and correspondence 1988 - 1989 2 38 Course evaluations 1 item Course evaluations and instructor evaluations 1988 - 1989 2 39 Course evaluations 1 item Course evaluations and instructor evaluations 1988 - 1989 2 40 Series 3: Students 1972-1989 Entering class data 1 item Data and graphs on entering class 1972 - 1986 2 41 WAMI students lists 1 item Information on student lists, location, outline maps, addresses, and other information 1972 - 1988 2 42 Medical student stress study 1 item General information, questionnaire forms, and correspondence 1984 2 43 Medical student research summer project 1 item General information and questionnaire forms 1984 - 1985 2 44 Student progress committee minutes 1 item Minutes to student progress committee meetings 1984 - 1985 2 45 UW mailings to students 1 item Letters, information packets, and other materials sent to students by University of Washington 1984 - 1985 2 46 Student correspondence 3 items Letters to and from students. Also includes complaint letters from students 1984 - 1988 2 47 Student orientation 2 items Orientation letters and information 1984 - 1986 2 48 Student Medical Society (AMSA) 1 item Letters and information about the American Medical Student Association 1984 - 1988 2 49 Preceptorships 4 items Preceptor matching lists and correspondence 1985 - 1989 2 50 Medial student research training program (MSRTP) 3 items Project descriptions, applications, and correspondence 1987 - 1989 2 51 New students 3 items Information packets, address lists, and correspondence 1988 2 52 Interested students 1 item Correspondence with students interested in the WAMI program 1988 - 1989 2 53 Classroom/Class list 5 items Class roster lists and correspondence 1988 - 1989 2 54 Student schedules 2 items Class schedules, includes information packet for students 1987 - 1989 2 55 UI-WAMI student awards and honors 1 item List of student awardees 1985 2 56 Summer scholarship 1 item Information on summer scholarship on oncology 1988 2 57 Series 4: Faculty 1984-1989 WAMI faculty affiliate appointments 1 item Faculty appointment list and status 1984 2 58 Dr. Rourke correspondence 2 items Letters to and from Dr. Art Rourke 1984 - 1985 2 59 Affiliate faculty (UI) 1 item Preceptor list, correspondence, addition, changes and deletion forms 1986 - 1988 2 60 WAMI faculty minutes 1 item Faculty meeting minutes 1985 2 61 Faculty information 8 items Performance reviews, annual evaluations, surveys, faculty list, and correspondence 1985 - 1989 2 62 Dr. Michael Laskowski 3 items Correspondence with Dr. Laskowski, profile, progress report 1986 - 1989 3 63 Annual performance review 3 items Performance reviews, summary evaluation, and performance indicators 1979- 1989 3 64 Dr. DeSantis 3 items Correspondence from Dr. DeSantis, summary evaluation, curriculum vitae 1988 - 1989 3 65 Dr. McKean 3 items Correspondence from Dr. McKean, summary evaluations, NLM application application 1987 - 1989 3 66 Dr. Eroschenko 2 items Article copies, summary evaluations 1987 - 1989 3 67 Series 5: Admistrative/office files 1972-1990 Human resources 3 items Annual and sick leave reports, and evaluation 1979 - 1985 3 68 Human resources 1 item Annual and sick leave reports, employment applications, and other personnel documents 1987 - 1988 3 69 Human resources 1 item Annual and sick leave reports, employment applications, and other personnel documents 1987 - 1988 3 70 Coordinators 1 item Coordinators' agenda meeting 1984 3 71 Correspondence 6 items Interoffice memos and letters 1983 - 1985 3 72 Correspondence 1 item Interoffice memos and letters 1988 - 1989 3 73 Correspondence 1 item Interoffice memos and letters 1989 3 74 Admission information 2 items Letters to applicants and tuition information 1986 - 1989 3 75 Research guidelines and opportunities 1 item Research proposals, guidelines, biographical sketches, grant applications and other documents 1988 - 1990 3 76 Registration 1 item Registration samples, packet sheets, brochures, and schedules 1988 - 1989 3 77 Agreements, grants and contracts 1 item Idaho memo of agreement, FTE agreement, rate agreement, and cost transfer request 1975 - 1989 3 78 Policies, requirements and procedures 1 item Selected policies, requirements and procedures for medical students 1984 - 1988 3 79 UI publications 1 item UI newsletters and publications 1988 - 1989 3 80 University Register 1 item University Register issues 1984 - 1985 3 81 Curriculum support center 2 items Course listings and book lists, forms 1972 - 1989 3 82 Scholarships 1 item Scholarship information and report 1988 - 1989 3 83 Alumni office services 1 item Services offered by the alumni office 1985 3 84 AHEC 1 item Newsletters and letters 1988 3 85 Vehicles 4 items Applications, forms, parking permits, and rental 1984 - 1989 3 86 Equipment 1 item Property inventory, requests, manuals and brochures 1988 - 1989 3 87 Facilities 1 item Space and remodel request 1988 - 1989 3 88 Video tapes 1 item Video catalogue 1988 3 89 Series 6: Committee meetings minutes and reports 1984-1990 MSEC committee 1 item Meeting minutes 1984 - 1985 3 90 Curriculum committee 1 item Meeting minutes 1984 - 1985 4 91 Curriculum committee 1 item Meeting minutes 1984 - 1985 4 92 Academic affairs committee 1 item Meeting minutes 1985 4 93 Animal care committee 1 item Annual report, committee member list 1986 - 1987 4 94 UWSM regional affairs committee 1 item Newsletter and state report 1987 - 1988 4 95 Rural health education committee 1 item Townhall meeting minutes and correspondence 1988 4 96 Special health program committee 1 item Special health programs committee correspondence, presentation summary and members list 1988 - 1989 4 97 Annual report information 1 item Annual report, program information, and action plan 1988 - 1989 4 98 Meetings and workshops 1 item Faculty meeting minutes, agenda and other interoffice memos 1988 - 1989 4 99 Accreditation report 1 item Final accreditation report on curriculum 1989 4 100 UWSM comparative analysis 1 item Test comparisons and summary of student enrollments 1984 - 1985 4 101 Series 7: Events, programs and projects 1984-1989 MSEC retreat 2 items Summary and committee report on MSEC retreat 1985 4 102 UW legislative conference 1 item Additions to list of suggested guests to legislative conference 1988 4 103 WAMI events 5 items First raven lectureship, 14th annual WAMI, faculty retreat, UWSM conference, UI centennial, WSU catering, special occasion and conference planning guide 1985 - 1989 4 104 Public health programs 1 item Brochures on graduate programs in environmental health at UW 1989 4 105 Rehab program 1 item Chromic care/rehabilitation medicine graduation requirements 1984 4 106 Professional studies program 1 item Proposed new rules on professional studies program 1984 4 107 ISMS projects 1 item Student list, paper on independent study in medical science 1989 4 108 Series 8: Photographs 1972-2016 UW class of 1973 1 item People and batch photos 1973 4 109 UW class of 1974 1 item People and batch photos 1974 4 110 UW class of 1975 1 item People and batch photos 1975 4 111 UW class of 1976 1 item People and batch photos 1976 4 112 UW class of 1977 1 item People and batch photos 1977 4 113 WSU class of 1978 1 item People and batch photos 1978 4 114 WSU class of 1979 1 item People and batch photos 1979 4 115 E-06 photos 1 item People and batch photos 2004 - 2011 4 116 E-08 photos 1 item People and classroom photos 2008 4 117 E-09 photos 1 item People and batch photos 2009 - 2010 4 118 E-10 photos 1 item People and batch photos 2010 - 2011 4 119 Class photos 1 item People and batch photos 2011 - 2012 4 120 UW class of 1972 1 item People and batch photos 1972 4 121 WSU faculty 1 item People and batch photos 1972 - 1981 4 122 Graduation - Seattle photos 1 item People and batch photos 2012 - 2016 4 123 E-13 photos 1 item People 2013 4 124 WSU photos 1 item People 1996 4 125 E-06 orientation and picnic photos 1 item Orientation and picnic photos 2006 4 126 E-05 photos 1 item Brendan's farewell party 2006 4 127 Student photos 1 item Orientation, picnic and class photos 1995 - 1996 4 128 Photos 1 item People at Morrill Hall and on campus 1987 - 1996 4 129 E-93 photos 1 item People and class photos 1994 - 1995 4 130 Student photos 1 item People and class photos 1996 4 131 Student photos 1 item People and class and student photos undated 4 132 E-04 white coat photos 1 item White coat photos undated 4 133 CD-ROM pics and video copies 5 items 2010 WAMI class video and rafting, E-07 classroom construction and class pictures, E-06 white coat and class pictures, faculty retirement 2006 - 2010 4 134 Series 9: Scrapbooks 1971-1997 Book 1 1 item People and photos, correspondence, press releases, newspaper clippings, WAMI in its experimental years 1971 - 1975 5 1 Book 2 1 item People and photos, correspondence, press releases, newspaper clippings 1975 - 1978 5 2 Book 3 1 item People and photos, correspondence, press releases, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and personal letters 1975 - 1986 6 3 Book 4 1 item People and photos, correspondence, press releases, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and personal letters 1946 - 1997 6 4 Book 5 1 item People and photos, correspondence, press releases, newspaper clippings, newsletters, and personal letters 1979 - 1987 7 5