Ten years ago, when the University of Washington and Gonzaga University announced a strategic partnership to expand health sciences education in Spokane, they were met with community and legislative support. However, questions remained: Could this public-private collaboration between two universities with different strengths achieve its goal to transform regional healthcare?

A decade later, the results are clear: the UW-GU Health Partnership is a model for academic and economic collaboration, delivering tangible results for students, patients, and communities across central and Eastern Washington. Stronger together, we have built a pipeline that has prepared more than 3,000 clinicians in Spokane to provide patient care throughout the region.

From the outset, the partnership focused on one of the region’s most urgent challenges: building a strong healthcare workforce to serve the growing demand for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers in our region’s rural communities. Training professionals locally is the best way to keep them in the communities that need them most.

Over the past decade, the partnership has expanded health sciences education in Spokane in meaningful ways. We’ve collocated into a state-of-the-art building constructed by McKinstry’s Emerald Initiative, featuring classroom, office, and lab spaces that serve as a vital hub for more than 500 UW and GU students. We’ve innovated teaching models that leverage expertise through joint faculty members and launched a Leadership Pathway program to prepare future providers to serve as leaders in their communities. We’ve created and supported research opportunities for students to enhance their educational experience. Together, we’ve increased the number of future providers — including physicians, physician assistants, dentists, nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse anesthesiologists, and prehealth students — learning, living, and completing training in Eastern Washington.

With legislative support, the UW School of Medicine increased the number of first- and second-year MD students training in Spokane from 100 to 120. Nearly one-third of this year’s graduating class will remain in Washington state for residency training, and about 40% will pursue primary care specialties — the area of highest need.

Gonzaga University launched a new School of Health Sciences and introduced bachelor’s degrees in public health and neuroscience to meet evolving professional demands. The university is also significantly increasing its output of nursing professionals through distance-accessible graduate programs and a premier, 50-year partnership with Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center for nurse anesthetist training. This strategic expansion has quadrupled enrollment in Washington state’s only Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists doctoral program over the last decade, ensuring that a steady pipeline of highly ranked health experts remains in the region to address critical shortages.

Last year, the UW School of Dentistry’s Rural Initiatives in Dental Education program, dubbed RIDE, which boasts an 81% return rate of graduates practicing in Washington’s rural and underserved communities, doubled the number of students trained from 32 to 64. UW’s MEDEX physician assistant training program has expanded to 32 students preparing to provide patient care.

Over the past decade, UW has graduated approximately 600 physicians, 295 physician assistants, and 112 dentists, and GU’s School of Health Sciences has graduated 778 registered nurses, 1,689 nurse practitioners, and 205 advanced practice nurse anesthesiologists. Many of these graduates have remained in Washington or nearby states and now provide care for communities throughout the region.

While workforce development is a priority, our impact reaches into our communities. Hundreds of students have participated in community-based research projects with fellow students and faculty mentors across health disciplines that address health challenges facing local populations, from rural healthcare access to chronic disease prevention. Many have volunteered at community clinics, outreach events, and public health initiatives, providing hundreds of hours of medical and health-related services across Eastern Washington.

These experiences are more than educational opportunities. They connect students to the communities they serve, reinforcing a shared commitment to improving health outcomes. 

The partnership has also contributed to Spokane’s economy and demonstrated a strong return on public investment. A 2025 economic analysis found that UW generates $18.6 million in output annually. With $81.4 million in impact since 2016, it's on track to meet a 20-year, $1.63 billion projection. These add to Gonzaga’s annual economic impact of over $755 million, according to a 2025 economic impact report. 

Beyond numbers, the UW-GU Health Partnership demonstrates the power of collaboration. With a shared vision, our institutions have built something larger than either could have accomplished alone.

Ten years ago, our health partnership was a bold idea. Today, it's a proven model for impact. 

Dr. Darryl Potyk is Chief of Medical Education for the University of Washington School of Medicine-Gonzaga University Regional Health Partnership and UWSOM Associate Dean for Eastern Washington. John Sklut, who holds a juris doctorate, is executive director for the UW-GU Health Partnership for Gonzaga University.