Clinical Rotation – Tri-Cities

Demographics

Fitness/recreation areas available in the region:
Many outdoor activities include hiking, biking, pickle ball, fishing, hunting, boating, water parks, and golfing.  Tri-Cities is considered a regional shopping destination from local farmers’ markets to big box stores.  In addition, there are multiple gyms, various denominations and centers of Faith, civic volunteer opportunities, cultural immersion opportunities, breweries, and wineries.

Housing:

Within Richland/Pasco/Kennewick, most housing opportunities are within 20 minutes of any location. Reach out to social media contacts as well as contacting previous students to obtain leads for housing. There are also websites to locate housing such as:

Length of time region has been training with PNWU students:
Since the first PNWU graduating class of 2012 (this site was established in 2010)

Preceptor/Rotation Information

The Tri-Cities region is comprised of: Richland, Kennewick, Pasco, Hermiston, Prosser, and Grandview. If a core rotation is more than 50 miles from their assigned site, students may be eligible for a housing allowance and/or mileage stipend provided by PNWU.

4th year electives that have been successful in this region depending on availability:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Dermatology
  • ENT
  • Endocrinology
  • Geriatrics
  • Hospice
  • ICU
  • Infectious Disease
  • NICU
  • Nephrology
  • Orthopedics
  • Pathology
  • Plastics
  • Urology

Number of preceptors credentialed with PNWU to teach CORE rotations:  56

D.O. preceptors in the region (approx.):  28

M.D. preceptors in the region (approx.): 24

Rotations that may provide inpatient experience:

  • Behavioral Health
  • Family Medicine Residency
  • Internal Medicine
  • OB/Gyn
  • Pediatrics
  • Surgery

Rotation challenges in the region based on availability:

  • Behavioral Health
  • Surgery
  • Emergency Medicine

Is there integration of other schools with PNWU students?
Our students work with Residents, PAs, Nurse Practitioners and other medical students from UW, WSU, Western COMP, and other regional schools. 

Residencies available in the region that PNWU students are involved in (didactics, rotations, etc.):

Opportunities to practice OMM:
Most of our preceptors welcome your OMT interest and will allow you to help their patients.
Very few preceptors in our region actively practice it.

Out-of-Region Expectations:
It is expected that a student may be required to rotate outside of their region for any unavailable core rotations. Please see student handbook for policies and procedures related to core rotations conducted out of region.

Didactics Information

Centralized Didactics are held every Wednesday afternoon from 2 pm to 4 pm PT. Students will join the online PNWU Centralized Didactics for the Clinical Didactics (CLIN 704) course.

Region-led didactics, which are part of the Clinical Didactics (CLIN 704) course, are held every Wednesday afternoon from 12:45 pm to 1:45 pm and include various topics/activities. There is an in-person or virtual meeting with the Assistant Dean and the students. During this time students present formal case presentations, participate in Board review or Journal Club, and get updates from the Regional Site Administrators. Throughout the week students are expected to complete case logs, study for COMATs or practice Board review. We also meet with the Kadlec FM Residency Program for quarterly skills workshops. This experience allows students to work directly with Residents and make connections that enhance your clinical experience.

Other learning opportunities in addition to PNWU didactics include:
Grand Rounds at Trios or Kadlec Hospitals.  Joint didactics with Kadlec Family Medicine Residency. Benton-Franklin County Medical Society monthly meetings.

Core (3rd year) rotations available within driving distance (50 miles) of the didactics site?
Yes

Additional Information

Region strengths:

PNWU students have worked hard and made a name for themselves in this region.  
There are 5 area hospitals involved in training PNWU medical students, and 3 residency programs.  This is a growing and increasingly diverse metropolitan area, with a small-town feel and urban amenities. 

Student/Resident Information: (as of AY 24-25)
Number of OMS3 Students Rotating in Region:   28
Number of OMS4 Students Rotating in Region:   21
Alumni in Residency Programs (Washington totals):   367
Alumni practicing in the regions (Washington totals):   309
% of PNWU-COM matriculations from regions (Washington totals):  47.6%

Why might a student choose this region over another?
The Tri-Cities provides front-line training experiences for students across five hospital systems (Kadlec, Lourdes, Trios, Prosser Memorial and Good Shepherd), two Federally Qualified Health Centers (Tri-Cities Community Health and Miramar Yakima Valley Farmworker’s Clinic), and multiple private practices. Students learn directly alongside their physician preceptors and often interact with other learners in the community including family medicine and internal medicine residents, WSU medical students, nursing students and physician assistant students. We meet weekly in person and hold live Wellness Wednesday events several times per year. Our preceptors are engaged and excited to work with PNWU students.

Additional information:
Come prepared to act professionally, work hard, and you will be given every opportunity available to our student doctors.

Regional Site Leadership

Marie Cadwell Meyer, DO, FAAFP
Assistant Dean for Clinical Education
mcadwell@pnwu.edu
509-438-2773

Regional Site Administrator:
Cindi Anderson (handles 4th year rotations and electives)
andersonc@pnwu.edu
509-389-2814

Sarah Minter (handles 3rd year core rotations)
sminter@pnwu.edu
509.282.2236

Address used for Site Selection: 940 Northgate Dr. Richland, WA 99352


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Contact Information

Iron Horse Lodge
111 University Parkway
Yakima, WA 98901

Mary Baker
Administrative Specialist
509-249-7991
mbaker@pnwu.edu