Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine

A new breed of medical school

WSU’s Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine represents a new kind of medical education: the community-based model, with a statewide campus. Named after the late WSU president Elson S. Floyd, who advocated tirelessly for its establishment, it was established to expand access to health care in medically underserved areas of Washington.

Sixty students from Washington make up the inaugural class, beginning in fall 2017. Each will select a region (Vancouver, Tri-Cities, Everett or Spokane) for clinical training in local hospitals and clinics.

M.D. degree Pre-med programs Health Science degrees

How is WSU Vancouver involved?

During the first two years of medical school, students will spend three weeks each year at their clinical training sites in partnership with hospitals and clinics in and around four communities across the state, including Vancouver, where WSU campuses are located. In addition, there is a large host program involving community residents who have volunteered to host a student in their homes during those weeks.

The rest of their first two years of training will primarily be on the WSU Health Sciences Spokane campus. During the third and fourth years, students will be fully immersed in their community-based clinical training.

Medical students who come to Vancouver are supervised by the associate dean for clinical education and additional faculty members working at WSU Vancouver.

Community and partners