The underrepresentation of minorities from rural communities in U.S. health professions has resulted in a lack of cultural understanding and inadequate healthcare for people of color and the poor. Described is the Roots to Wings (RTW) program, a partnership between higher education institutions and Native American tribes and schools. The heart of…

There has been renewed interest in regional cooperation since the economic downturn began in late 2007. In 2012, 14 of 15 Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) states are facing dramatic cuts in their budgets, and economists are cautious about predicting exactly when the economy might begin to improve. Fortunately, the…

Regional cooperation is crucial in times of economic downturn. In 2011, 14 out of 15 of the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) states are facing dramatic cuts in their budgets and the trend is expected to continue. Despite hard times, students and their families in the West continue to benefit from hundreds of millions of…

This report investigates the training and retaining of physicians for Washington. The report concludes: (1) Washington does not have a desperate overall shortage of physicians, but the state is faced with serious physician distribution problems, particularly in urban ghetto and rural areas. (2) The University of Washington's School of Medicine is…

Issues concerned with the certification of continuing education are addressed in this report. Topics of the keynote addresses are (1) Compulsory Continuing Education for Professionals, or The Gold Rush of '76, and (2) The Mystique of Certification, Education and Professionalism: In the Service of Whom? Panel presentation topics include: (1)…

A survey of 130 rural community pharmacists in Washington State found 70% in towns with five or fewer pharmacies; almost all provided nutrition information to their communities though only 20% had taken a nutrition course during pharmacy training. Most common questions concerned supplements and weight loss. Respondents relied on pharmacy journals,…

Transfer is a primary strategy for providing access to baccalaureate-level education in Washington State. For thousands of students, transfer is an effective and efficient way to complete their studies. About 41 percent of the 16,800 students awarded degrees at Washington public baccalaureate institutions in the 2000-2001 academic year had…

This report includes analysis of student enrollment behavior, employment outlook and training needs, and community needs to understand the supply and demand for postsecondary education in Washington State. The assessment will specifically respond to criteria laid out in state legislation: (1) Projections of student, employer, and community demand…