Gov. Jay Inslee stopped by Washington State University Elson S. Floyd Medical School on Friday to celebrate the state’s continued investment and expansion of the program. Inslee said the medical school is a statewide asset, answering several critical needs.

 

“We have a woeful shortage of primary care physicians, and it’s a part of our health care reform effort because primary care physicians can be very cost-effective,” he said. “They are in small communities, and they can reduce the costs over time of health care.”

 

The Legislature invested $14.4 million in the WSU medical school in the 2019 session, allowing the current 60-student cohort to continue its studies, as well as adding 20 student slots for the incoming class of 2019, meaning WSU will welcome 80 medical students to its program this fall.

 

Inslee, who is a Democratic presidential candidate, said there needs to be a national initiative to improve access to primary care.