House lawmakers OK'd a bill Thursday directing Idaho to taper off its decades-long relationship with a Seattle-based physician training program.
WWAMI trains aspiring doctors at the University of Idaho for the first two years of the program in collaboration with the University of Washington Medical School.
The program has gotten into hot water recently because University of Washington didn’t expand the number of seats Idaho students get as state lawmakers asked for two years ago.
“I didn’t come to Boise this year to pick a fight with our Idaho medical doctors even though it’s felt that way a little bit,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Dustin Manwaring (R-Pocatello).
UW also rankled several high profile Republican leaders in Idaho when it delayed signing a memo promising it does not use Idaho taxpayer dollars to fund education related to abortions. Idaho Education News reported in February the school inked the statement last month.
Manwaring’s bill essentially transfers at least 10 of Idaho’s 40 guaranteed seats in the WWAMI program to University of Utah’s medical school in 2027.
UU’s share of medical students will eventually rise to 30.
But Manwaring said he realizes his proposal won’t solve Idaho’s doctor shortage; the state ranks last for physicians per capita.
“We’re going to have to do more in graduate medical education and residencies and these things work together. But we need more physicians in the pipeline in our state,” he said.
Opponents of the bill largely filled the debate.
Rep. Mark Sauter (R-Sandpoint) said he’s concerned that the University of Utah isn’t confidently saying it can hold up its end of the deal.
“What I hear from the University of Utah is that we’re hopeful we can get all of this up and running,” Sauter said.
Rep. Chris Mathias (D-Boise) agreed.
“My first concern is the jumping out of the WWAMI plane before we know the University of Utah parachute works,” Mathias said.
He applauded Manwaring’s effort, but he said the solution is more multifaceted. Idaho needs to expand the number of residency slots and partnerships with clinics as well, he said.
Utah lawmakers passed a bill Wednesday that would allow UU to enter into an agreement with other states regarding physician education, which is awaiting action by that state’s governor.
Manwaring’s bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
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