San Francisco, CA, November 9, 2002 - In honor of its commitment to community service in rural towns, in inner-city neighborhoods, and for minority populations, the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) received the Outstanding Community Service Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The award was presented at the AAMC's Annual Meeting today in San Francisco, California.

The Outstanding Community Service Award, established in 1993, recognizes exceptional community service programs that go beyond the historical role of academic medicine to reach communities whose needs are not being met through the traditional health care delivery system. UWSOM received this award for the regional community service programs that have developed from its WWAMI agreement.

The UWSOM's community encompasses the states of Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana, and Idaho - the WWAMI region. These states entered into a collaborative agreement in 1971 (Wyoming joined in 1996), designed to address the maldistribution of physicians and other problems jeopardizing health care in rural towns and for rural minority groups, especially Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and migrant workers. The agreement has since grown into a unique program of diverse activities that help local communities deal with the various health care crises that plague this region.

One of WWAMI's most important features is the public service involvement between UWSOM and the communities where its students train. Some examples of this community service involvement are:

• The medical school's MEDEX Northwest program to train physician assistants is committed to aiding underserved communities. The program's three training sites provide opportunities for students to train in diverse communities. As a result, substantial numbers of MEDEX graduates choose to practice in medically underserved areas.
• In the 1980s, rural hospital closures were frequent. Recognizing the delicate "ecosystem" of rural health care delivery and the interdependence of rural providers and hospitals, UWSOM developed Programs for Healthy Communities in 1989 to help communities stabilize their health systems. The program is a collaborative project between the medical school and regional Area Health Education Centers. Members of the program team conduct community assessments, market surveys, management and financial surveys, and offer technical assistance to help community leaders develop long-range plans for health system improvements. From 1990-2000, the WWAMI region experienced less rural hospital closures than the rest of the country.
• The Rural/Underserved Opportunities Program offers medical students an elective clinical experience during the summer before their second year, in which they work in urban or rural underserved areas. This program encourages research into health care delivery issues directly relevant to underserved areas. By 2000, approximately 800 students had participated in the program across the WWAMI region.
• In 1992, UWSOM was designated as a Native American Center for Excellence, based on its success in matriculating Native Americans and Alaskan Natives into medical school. The center uses a comprehensive approach to recruiting, training, and career development for these future physicians. Through the school's Indian Health Pathway, both Native and non-Native American medical students have more opportunities to learn about these cultures' medical concerns through classroom and clinical training.

"The WWAMI program has enabled the UW School of Medicine to have a profound effect on the lives of the medically underserved across the surrounding region," said AAMC President Jordan J. Cohen, M.D. "The volunteer spirit and commitment that is shared by the university's medical students and clinical faculty provide a great service to local communities and a priceless clinical experience for the future physicians of the northwest."

Medical schools and teaching hospitals provide health care resources to the more than 70 million uninsured and underinsured Americans. For more information about the role medical schools and teaching hospitals play in caring for the uninsured, visit http://www.aamc.org/uninsured

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The Association of American Medical Colleges represents the 125 accredited U.S. medical schools; the 16 accredited Canadian medical schools; some 400 major teaching hospitals, including Veterans Administration medical centers; more than 105,000 faculty in 98 academic and scientific societies; and the nation's 66,000 medical students and 97,000 residents. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available at www.aamc.org/newsroom.

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The Association of American Medical Colleges is a not-for-profit association representing all 129 accredited U.S. and 17 accredited Canadian medical schools; nearly 400 major teaching hospitals and health systems, including 68 Department of Veterans Affairs medical centers; and 94 academic and scientific societies. Through these institutions and organizations, the AAMC represents 109,000 faculty members, 67,000 medical students, and 104,000 resident physicians. Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals is available at www.aamc.org/newsroom.

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