(Yakima, WA) — On Wednesday, December 16, Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences (PNWU) was accredited to add a Master of Arts in Medical Sciences (MAMS) program to its blossoming Yakima campus.
“With MAMS, PNWU is able to help more learners from more communities realize their dreams of becoming health care professionals,” said Dr. Michael Lawler, president of PNWU.
Each year, the one-year, 36-credit master’s degree program will bring 30-40 MAMS students to Yakima where, alongside first-year PNWU osteopathic medicine students and Washington State University (WSU) pharmacy students, they will be introduced to a broad range of health sciences topics, strengthening their academic credentials for admission to medical and other professional schools, and instilling the knowledge and skills required to provide high-quality medical care to rural and medically underserved communities throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
Dr. Mark Taylor will serve as the Director of the MAMS program, overseeing all aspects of the curriculum and its delivery. “The MAMS program aligns with PNWU’s mission by recruiting students from rural, medically underserved, diverse populations, or northwest areas, then providing a rigorous, supportive curriculum whereby graduates demonstrate readiness for medical and health professional programs as well as advanced health care or medical sciences employment in the communities from which they come,” he explained.
Dr. Taylor is currently working with PNWU’s admissions team to begin recruitment immediately. The inaugural MAMS class is anticipated to be on campus in early August, subject to the status of the pandemic and reviews of safety for our students and employees.