WWAMI bill heads to Senate floor — with amendments

BOISE — A bill proposed this year that would have eliminated seats in a five-decades-long partnership for medical education will move forward with possible changes, after the original was met with an outcry of opposition.

The Senate Education Committee on Thursday unanimously sent House Bill 368 to the Senate floor for possible amendments.

The bill as originally drafted would have eliminated 10 seats at the University of Washington School of Medicine through WWAMI — which stands for Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. It would also direct the state to build up 30 new seats with another institution. The proposed amendments would allow those seats with WWAMI to be eliminated but would not require it as the state creates a committee to look into building up Idaho’s medical education.

The changes appeared to temper the reaction to the original bill — with nearly everyone signing up to testify indicating their opposition on the sign-in sheet, but everyone who spoke Thursday supported the bill as amended.

“It’s really nice to have all that work done outside of this room, you can come in and join hands and sing ‘Kumbaya’ together,” Committee Vice-Chairperson Sen. Kevin Cook, R-Idaho Falls, said.

Out of 23 people who signed up to testify, 22 people indicated they were against the original bill. However, the six people who spoke Thursday all supported the changes.

Bill sponsor Rep. Dustin Manwaring, R-Pocatello, said he started the process “out of some frustration,” citing a 2022 resolution asking WWAMI to increase the number of seats available to Idaho students and a 2024 request to UW to update the contract to ensure no Idaho state funds were being used on abortion training.

“Those have been addressed, there have been apologies for that, and a commitment to do better going forward, and we take them at their word,” Manwaring said.

Manwaring this year had initially proposed a bill that would have completely withdrawn Idaho from WWAMI, which prompted doctors, graduates of the program and residents from across the state to reach out to the representatives with overwhelming opposition, public records obtained by the Idaho Press show.

Ian Goodhew, a senior leader at the UW School of Medicine, spoke at Thursday’s hearing in support of the changes and said he worked collaboratively with the bill sponsors.

“I know that the discussion around this legislation has been tense at times, but from the start, Rep. Manwaring and Chairman (Dave) Lent’s legislation has sparked a critical conversation about doctor shortages with everyone involved agreeing that we need more Idaho doctors for Idaho,” Goodhew said. “We wholeheartedly appreciate both of them bringing this legislation and bringing forward this discussion.”

UW had 40 seats available for Idaho students. WWAMI students spend their first two years at the University of Idaho for classroom instruction and then are able to do clinical rotations throughout the region.

The bill directs the State Board of Education to identify other medical programs to build up 10 seats for Idaho seats per year starting in the 2026-27 academic year, until the incoming class size reaches 30 students.

Manwaring has highlighted the University of Utah School of Medicine as a likely new partner to grow seats for Idaho students; the school currently has 10 seats for Idaho medical students.

University of Utah President Taylor Randall wrote to Idaho lawmakers in a March 13 letter in support of bolstering the partnership. Randall wrote that the school had spoken to its accreditor, that the school can accept up to 40 Idaho students, and that the Utah Legislature passed a bill to allow for the partnership with Idaho.

“This partnership represents a tremendous opportunity to support medical education and health care outcomes in Idaho,” Randall wrote.

The proposed changes to the bill would also add legislators and representatives from regional medical education programs, Manwaring said. The presidents of University of Idaho and Idaho State University also wrote the committee in support of the bill.

Idaho ranks last in the nation in physicians per capita. Most testifiers said they supported efforts to increase the number of doctors being trained here who would then potentially stay and practice in the Gem State — but all supported keeping the WWAMI program intact in that effort.

“We all know that there is a critical shortage of physicians and just general challenges accessing health care in Idaho, and I believe that maximizing our participation within WWAMI is the key to addressing those challenges,” said Joshua Kostansek, a third-year WWAMI student.

A significant challenge to growing seats for Idaho students has been finding sites for students to do their clinical rotations and physicians willing to take the time to do their training, multiple representatives from WWAMI have said.

Sen. Tammy Nichols, R-Middleton, asked Manwaring if there are enough residency positions for medical school graduates.

Manwaring responded that the state needs more residencies.

Nichols earlier this session voted against the budget for Idaho’s health education programs, which includes funding for new residency positions. The budget bill passed both chambers.

Under the bill, the State Board of Education will be tasked with creating a plan to address the physician shortage by expanding undergraduate clinical rotation and graduate residency placements in the state.

Committee members sent the bill to the 14th order, in which senators may propose amendments to be voted on by the whole body.

Guido covers Idaho politics for the Lewiston Tribune, Moscow-Pullman Daily News and Idaho Press of Nampa. She may be contacted at lguido@idahopress.com and can be found on Twitter @EyeOnBoiseGuido.