Gain experience working with underserved populations.
Recognizing that many students have a desire to work with underserved communities, the school has created six Pathways giving students the opportunity to pursue a particular interest and develop knowledge and skills specifically tailored to working with underserved communities domestically and abroad.
Each Pathway allows students to:
- Organize their courses, clinical rotations and volunteer opportunities around a particular community, population or aspect of healthcare for underserved communities.
- Explore career interests with mentorship from faculty, staff and community members and providers who share those interests.
Students may participate in a Pathway’s offering without completing all the Pathway requirements and may participate in and/or complete more than one Pathway. Completion of a Pathway will be recognized in students' Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) and with a certificate at graduation. The five Pathways are coordinated, sharing resources, ideas and the vision of encouraging careers with underserved, diverse communities.
Explore all Pathway programs.
This Pathway provides a unique educational experience in the area of American Indian and Alaska Native health. The American Indian and Alaska Native communities are one of the most underserved minority groups in the nation. Founded in 1992, this Pathway is for students who are interested in becoming medical providers in urban or rural indigenous communities. Dr. Jason Deen of Seattle Children's Hospital serves as Faculty Director of this Pathway, which is administered by the Office of Healthcare Equity.
This Pathway provides medical students with the information and experiences necessary to practice in underserved communities worldwide. Founded in 2004, this Pathway is designed for students interested in research or clinical practice in resource-poor settings and with international communities. Dr. Jason Beste serves as the director of this Pathway, which is administered by the Department of Global Health.
This Pathway provides a general introduction to communities with health disparities such as rural, homeless and various racial and ethnic groups. Founded in 2006, this Pathway is for students who are considering underserved careers and want a broad exposure to underserved populations and settings. Students may focus their Pathway activities within a particular area of interest. Dr. Kim Kardonsky serves as director of this Pathway, which is administered by the Department of Family Medicine.
This Pathway provides medical students a unique educational opportunity in the area of Latinx health. The Latinx community is one of the fastest growing population groups in the nation and in the state of Washington. Founded in 2008, this Pathway is for students interested in becoming practitioners in communities (urban or rural) with Hispanic populations. Dr. Daniel Cabrera serves as director of this Pathway, which is administered by the Center for Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (CEDI).
The goal of the LGBTQ Health Pathway is to provide a number of educational opportunities and experiences to medical students that will better prepare them to provide culturally responsive care for LGBTQ populations. This Pathway was founded in 2016. Dr. Corinne Heinen serves as director of this Pathway, which is administered by the Center for Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (CEDI).
Provide a curriculum that highlights the systemic oppression of Black people and its resulting socioeconomic and health sequelae. Provide medical students with the foundational knowledge to assess health inequities through a critical lens. Provide medical students with tools to advocate for health equity within the UWSOM, in Black communities throughout WWAMI, and in their future practices as physicians.