Large investments support the college’s mission of connecting students with communities in need.

WSU established the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine in 2015 after authorization from the State Legislature and Gov. Jay Inslee. The College aims to address the lack of healthcare access in rural and underserved communities in Washington State and to educate the new generation of doctors.

Since its creation, WSU has invested $23 million into the College of Medicine. Phil Weiler, WSU Vice President of Marketing and Communications, said previous reports of a budget deficit are not exactly accurate.

“I think it is probably more accurate to refer to it as an accumulated debt as opposed to a deficit,” Weiler said.

The College of Medicine is expected to repay the investment the university has made into the program. Weiler said there has been a committee established to oversee financial decisions for the College of Medicine, Pharmacy and Nursing.

The College of Medicine faces unique expenses and requires significant investment in order to begin operating. Research programs, instruction costs, clinical practices and accreditation were some of the top initial expenses, Weiler said.

WSU is unlike many other medical schools as it does not have an affiliation with a university hospital. The College of Medicine instead practices “community based education.” This allows students to utilize connections with clinics and hospitals across the state to complete their clinicals rotations.

The purpose of these connections and, more broadly, the mission of the WSU College of Medicine is to create a pipeline that drives its students to underserved communities where their education is needed.

“That’s kind of our way of making good on our promise to the Washington State Legislature,” Weiler said.