SPOKANE, Wash. - Two Washington state legislators from Spokane announced their support Tuesday for Washington State University to start its own medical school in Spokane.
They want to change a 1917 law that limits medical education in the state only to the University of Washington.
Supporters argue a second medical school would help provide more doctors in rural communities.
Of all the counties in Washington nearly half have fewer than 10 physicians.
In the town of Newport in Pend Oreille County north of Spokane there are eight doctors for more than 12,000 people who live here.
Dr. Jeremy Lewis splits his time between two clinics and a hospital in Newport. He has about 3,000 patients.
He sees about 24 patients a day at Newport Family Medicine.
In comparison Dr. Lewis helps 500 more people each year than doctors in other states. Lewis ends up with longer patient times and appointments pushed back.
WSU is pursuing its own medical school that aims to put more students in rural areas for a longer period of time.
"Hopefully that will relieve the burden when we do find someone else," said Lewis.
Supporters of the new medical school say it would keep students in medical clinics for at least a year compared to several months in current programs.
The goal is to train students who will come back and practice here, just like Lewis, who is a Montana native. He completed his residency in Spokane and worked in rural areas. He's been in Newport for 12 years.
"They [students] come up here and see what we do and get a taste for it. Hopefully they like it," said Lewis.
Newport has an older population, who can't always travel to a hospital in bigger cities for care.
"These people still need care and the big hospitals in Spokane and Seattle can't see everybody," said Lewis.
Previously UW and Washington State University have teamed up to teach medical students and send them to clinics like this. Now UW wants to expand its school and WSU wants to start its own.
Lewis says it doesn't matter if one or both schools exist in Spokane, as long as they lead to more doctors.
"We need more rural doctors, so however we get it done," said Lewis. "It just needs to be a collaborative effort to get it done."
Legislators will propose the bill in January. A decision is expected in the spring.
